How do you get a DEA number?

[EC3]

just curious how hard it would be to get a DEA number during path residency and beyond. i would like to be able to write prescriptions and am curious as to whether or not most applicants get this number, etc. thx.

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[mlw03]

i've thought about this topic myself a number of times, and here's the thing. even if a pathologist did go to the trouble of getting a DEA number so they could write scripts, they probably shouldn't. G-d forbid, you write a friend a script for ____ and they have an adverse outcome and sue, well you probably didn't do a full H and P, probably aren't keeping records, and aren't following the patient like you should. point is, pathologists are not clinicians and while i agree it'd be nice to be able to write myself or a friend a prescription for an antibiotic or some allegra or something else rather innocuous, the risks, in my opinion, aren't worth the occasional convenience. we're all doctors - i'm sure we have friends who went into IM or FP or whatever who'd be glad to help us out.

let's see what the upper level residents say on this topic.

 

[yaah]

I really don't have much of a clue on this topic. Apparently I am able to write prescriptions if they are from the hospital/medical center pharmacy, but they may not be valid outside the hospital. Some other residents occasionally write prescriptions for common drugs like allergy meds or whatever. I also was forced to apply for a controlled substance license as a resident, although thankfully the program reimburses us for that. But I have never written a prescription during my time here. I have written about a half dozen orders, all of them related to pheresis, either for certain fluids or meds for that. I haven't been asked, but I sure as hell am not writing any prescriptions for friends or family.

Agree with caution about not writing prescriptions for people. It's not that much of a hassle to just get another doctor to write one for them (like, their OWN doctor!). You can generally call your PCP and tell them what you need and they will call it in.

 

[jayman]

From what I have been told, if you complete a "clinical year" - i.e., transitional year, internship of any flavor, etc. - you can apply for an unrestricted DEA number in the state you are practicing in. However, if you don't, you can apply for a DEA number through your institution. Either path gets you the prescribing privileges, but the unrestricted license is a little more flexible outside of your health system.

 

[sdn1977]

In CA we don't use institutional DEA's any longer. They are only valid within the institution itself - not outside.

Now, after May 25 nationwide, you don't need a DEA to write for anything other than a controlled substance (DEA II-V).

For insurance reimbursement, you only need an NPI & you can apply for this online. It is a much smaller fee than what is required for a DEA. To apply for a DEA go to the Dept of Justice.

These are the links:

NPI: https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do

DEA: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/faq.htm

Hope that helps.

 

[gungho]

a dea # ain't cheap.

 

[EAB]

This is the TX perspective, so bear with me. Obviously we don't have triplicate pads, but we all have hospital prescription pads lying around. I have written many rxs, as has everyone else I know. You are a doctor and as long as you can justify your reasoning it's fine. You get an official DEA number when you apply for your medical liscense. As long as you haven't done anything horrible, you get your own number. It's rather expensive. I know many practicing pathologists who keep their numbers updated (ie, pay to renew them) because the convenience of writing for antibiotics, allergy meds, birth control pills, grandma's HTN meds she ran out of, etc. is worth it.
Obviously, if you're not up to date on pharm you'll have to wait in your doc's waiting room for two hours and pay the copay like everyone else.

 

[LADoc00]

I had one, total waste of money IMO. I let it expire long ago. I think most pharmacies are switching to the NPI anyway for non-narcotics.

 

[pathstudent]

I had one, total waste of money IMO. I let it expire long ago. I think most pharmacies are switching to the NPI anyway for non-narcotics.

Ok, what's an NPI?