Is there anything I can do about a pharmacists harassment?
I need cartilage restoration srgery in both of my knees but they cldn’t use my own cartilage so I have wait for donor cartilage, 6 months ago our pharmacist ,the only one we can go to with my wifes insurance, started telling her that I was on a highly addictive narcotic and that I should stop which at the time didnt bother me because he was concerned and thats part of his job but he has kept informing the same thing ever since. 6 weeks ago I had my first restoration surgery and my surgeon said it will take 6 mnths to recover and I was prescribed alot more pain medication but I cut back to what I was taking before surgery and my srgn also referred me to a pain mngmnt spcst since it will be a year before I am able to be pain free and he gave me the same thing except a larger amount at a time but the pharmacist said he would not fill it because it had been faxed from the doctor and that I am not in pain but I am addicted. Is there anything I can do about this or do I have to take it?
My surgeon is a little over 50 miles away so getting a prescription every time I need one is very inconvenient and we can only go to that pharmacist because the place she works has there own doctors office and pharmacy.
My surgeon is a little over 50 miles away so getting a prescription every time I need one is very inconvenient and we can only go to that pharmacist because the place she works has there own doctors office and pharmacy.I did understand that he was just doing what he thought was right but when my wife comes home crying because he treated her like white trash I think he has gone to far.
My prescriptions have always been faxed and always have been filled in the past.
First of all there is no HIPAA violation since your wife is aware of your diagnosis and the medication you are on and you sent her yourself to the pharmacy to pick up your medication so you can ignore that previous answer about privacy violation.
Secondly, you did not state what particular drug you were prescribed. If it was for a Class-II Controlled Substance then, by law, it cannot be FAXed but must be brought it on a new handwritten prescription each month (or every 3 months if your state and/or insurance will allow it). Your doctor can mail the prescription to you or the pharmacy if it’s difficult for you to pick it up.
If it was for any other type of controlled substance did the pharmacist make an attempt to contact your physician to verify that the prescription was authentic, correctly prescribed, necessary, etc…? If not, and there is absolutely no other place that you can go to then I would definitely ask your doctor to call the pharmacist and explain your situation.
While this pharmacist may truly believe he is doing the right thing (and 99% of the time I bet he is), a person truly in pain should not have to go without proper treatment.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Have your doctor call your pharmacist and explain the situation. There are a whole lotta junkies out there abusing the pharmaceutical trade. Sounds like your pharmacist is being a little harsh, but it’s tough to say without knowing the entire situation. You should have at least one other pharmacy available through your wife’s insurance. What kind of restrictions are on your plan?
References :
October 30th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
You can bring him a copy of a written script, and see if he fills it. Pharmacist are doctors also, and his license would be on the line if he filled meds for you that are beyond the recommended dose, or if your refills are more frequent then they should be. If you bring a written Rx to him, he shouldn’t be able to refuse to fill it. If he does, you can speak with the head of the pharmacy where you’re getting your meds. Or better yet, let your doctor know that your pharmacy is refusing to fill your pain meds. Your doctor will call and get things straight for you.
References :
I work at a pharmacy.
October 30th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
By notifying your wife without your express consent or previous knowledge, your pharmacist has violated HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Your pharmacist has violated federal law. You should first talk to your insurance company and advise your physician of what has transpired. See if your health plan will send you to a pharmacy that will accept it. Return to your doctor and request a written prescription form – these forms are legal documents, usually with methods – watermarks, stamps or other information that verify the legality of the prescription. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease – and by asking, "or do I have to take it?" you tell me that you are not a very confrontational person. Find someone who is.
You can nail this @$$hat to the wall, but you have to be very methodical and very precise. It is VERY important that you DO NOT contact your pharmacist until you receive further information or indications that the situation will be resolved, either by your health care provider or your health plan.
So, in my opinion, you need to:
1) REMAIN CALM. DO NOT get abusive or threaten violence; with ANYONE involved. No matter how angry you are, you need to pretend that this is a simple clerical or procedural error, that requires simple and peaceful resolution.
2)Assemble as many of your records and receipts as you can since you have been on this medication. This will demonstrate that your pharmacist has accepted prescriptions from your healthcare provider (and authorized by your healthplan) in the past.
3)You need to write down every statement he has made or any notes he might have made on your prescriptions. You need to have your wife write down what he said to her – even if you were with her at the time, he has no right to advise her of any confidential information without your express (written or verbal) consent.
4) You need to advise your provider of how your pharmacist has refused to fill the scrip written by your provider. Your provider may be able to direct you to the resources you will need.
5) Call, write, AND email if possible your complaint, with times, dates, and statements to your Health Plan. Get as many facts as possible and assemble them for your health plan to review.
6) If your physician or health-plan cannot resolve this, do not threaten legal action against them – but get an attorney anyway, and ask them what they can do from there. You need to make it clear to the attorney that you have attempted to resolve this through normal channels and have not had it resolved to your satisfaction. Furthermore, let them know that you may have a case to nail the pharmacist under HIPAA.
I seriously fervently hope that it doesn’t go this far; because it will be difficult for you, but you have a right to the treatment you deserve.
I am not an attorney or a physician, but I used to work in an office that resolved stuff like this all the time, so I have a pretty good bead on how this stuff works.
The most important thing I can tell you is do not allow your resolve to break. Best of luck to you!
References :
http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp/pl104191.htm , for further information
http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp/bannerps.htm
for information on how to file complaints.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Oh wow. I guess you should listen to your doctor.
References :
October 30th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Go back to your doctor & tell him the problem u are having with this pharmacist & write a letter to you health insurance to tell them what is happening & request another pharmacist. Discuss it with your pain mgt specialist who should be able to recommend someone better. U can use natural therapies as well as your meds to help ease your pain so u don’t need as much strong drugs. Hope this helps….
References :
http://www.thermomedic.com/knee-pain.html
http://www.farinfraredmedical.org
October 30th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Change pharmacies, and file a formal complaint with the pharmacy owner or director. There are non narcotic pain medications out there, you might ask if you could try them. It is very difficult to get off narcotics if you have been on them for a long time. Not to mention, the longer you take a narcotic the less effective they are as time goes on, so you would require more pain medication to get the same effect.
I work for an orthopedic surgeon and he explains to patients that are referred to him about long term narcotic use, When you take a pain medication for months, most of the time they stop working, and you have pain all the time anyways. The signal your brain gets is pain, but in all actuality it might be trying to send a signal that you are wearing jeans, or your shoe is too tight. The signal gets all mixed up, and the only message your brain gets is pain. I hope that makes sense.
The non narcotic medications are Ultram 50mg, you take it just like vicodin or percocet. There is also Ultram ER 100mg/200mg/300mg, it is a once a day pill. You should also be taking an anti inflammatory. I have seen all too many patients with good intentions become addicted to narcotics, and it is no place you want to be. Your pharmacist may just be trying to convey this same message, but just comes across as judgmental. I hope this helps, and good luck with your recovery!
References :
Orthopedic nurse
October 30th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
First of all there is no HIPAA violation since your wife is aware of your diagnosis and the medication you are on and you sent her yourself to the pharmacy to pick up your medication so you can ignore that previous answer about privacy violation.
Secondly, you did not state what particular drug you were prescribed. If it was for a Class-II Controlled Substance then, by law, it cannot be FAXed but must be brought it on a new handwritten prescription each month (or every 3 months if your state and/or insurance will allow it). Your doctor can mail the prescription to you or the pharmacy if it’s difficult for you to pick it up.
If it was for any other type of controlled substance did the pharmacist make an attempt to contact your physician to verify that the prescription was authentic, correctly prescribed, necessary, etc…? If not, and there is absolutely no other place that you can go to then I would definitely ask your doctor to call the pharmacist and explain your situation.
While this pharmacist may truly believe he is doing the right thing (and 99% of the time I bet he is), a person truly in pain should not have to go without proper treatment.
References :