Office Based Anesthesia Service for Tampa, FL

Unlike other Pain management clinics that are known to be “pill mills”, our office has not experienced difficulties from pharmacies  filling our patient’s medications. Recently there was an article that I came across in Tampa Bay Business Journal that touched the tip of the iceburg of challenges facing pain management physicians and their patients.  Click

Many Florida Pharmacists Deny Pain Patients Properly Prescribed Meds

 to see the original article.

The article states that the Florida Society of Pain Management Providers (www.Flspmp.org) are aware and concerned about this growing issue. While I am not denying that pharmacists have a tough job and need to be vigilent, I agree with the article when it stated that some pharmacists are acting as vigilantes. I have had  heard of pharmacies  refusing to fill prescriptions that  were verified by phone.  I have had patients LIED TO and told that they couldn’t accept  valid prescriptions  or they were told they were out of the medication. I have been asked to supply patients MRI reports without any type of written release. In response to these requests I have asked them to send me a valid written request for the information on a HIPAA compliant release form which I am happy to supply since a pharmacist is not supposed to maintain a medical record on a patient! My concern is that these reports  May fall into the wrong hands. Not a single pharmacy has complied with MY request for a release. I get asked daily for  the diagnosis on patients. I have asked what for and have been told they will then determine if they feel that the patient needs the medication based off that information. I challenged them and asked them, isn’t this the job of the physician? Some patients have numerous diagnosis’ so is my office staff is supposed to randomly pick? or should they disturb me from the exam room where I am seeing another patient to ask me? If we state “osteoarthritis” are they supposed to just know the severity without any physical exam, prior medical record, history, or diagnostic tests that I utilize to determine if they “feel” the patient needs the medication? When I asked one pharmacist this and challenged him that some patients can be treated for this with exercise and tylenol while other patients are suffering with disabling pain due to the same illness he simply stated, “that’s a good point. Is that what this patient’s diagnosis is?” So you can see,  It is impossible for them to function beyond the scope of  their practice  as a pharmacist and now act as the physician overseer as well. I find it positively frightening to think that the power of the physician as a diagnostician and healer is being challenged at all levels. When I need treatment, I go to the doctor; not the pharmacist for a reason!

Patients are denied their valid prescription medication from these pharmacies that will sell the same patient alcohol or tobacco on their way out the door! Both Walgreens and CVS have made public positions against pain medication prescribers, especially medications like Oxycodone. I would like all patients that have been denied their medication or been harassed by a pharmacist to visit www.flpainnews.com on how to sign the petition and report your grievance and file a DOH (Department of Health) complaint.

In my practice, I have implemented all the new rules and regulations and it is a struggle as the rules and regulations are changing so quickly and in a perfect world, I would love to only have to keep up with the challenge of medicine as treatments and medications change just as quickly. I will do my part to practice in the specialty I chose. I think law enforcement and lawyers should be the only ones practicing law and I believe the only people that should prescribe/monitor/change medications are physicians.