Lately I've been getting patient referrals from patients who have been to one or more pain physicians in the local area. For example, a patient may go to a pain doctor- and that doc would do all the interventions, and after (presumably) ineffectiveness, start them on opioids. Then for whatever reason (such as breaking an opioid contract), they get referred to me. Sometimes the pain doc himself will refer to my clinic, and other times the patient would go back to their PCP, and then that PCP would refer the patient to me.
-Why is it my problem that another pain doc started this patient on opioids, and then they become my 'problem'?! The PCP obviously wants nothing to do with the patient, and neither did the original pain physician. What am I supposed to do? Because in the end, I look like the bad guy, and it reflects poorly on me in the eyes of the PCP (ie from a referral standpt etc).
-What is the etiquette of PP pain physicians referring to another PP pain physician in that same community? Seems kind of weird, right? It's not like I'm at an academic center, etc.
Thanks
-Why is it my problem that another pain doc started this patient on opioids, and then they become my 'problem'?! The PCP obviously wants nothing to do with the patient, and neither did the original pain physician. What am I supposed to do? Because in the end, I look like the bad guy, and it reflects poorly on me in the eyes of the PCP (ie from a referral standpt etc).
-What is the etiquette of PP pain physicians referring to another PP pain physician in that same community? Seems kind of weird, right? It's not like I'm at an academic center, etc.
Thanks