How to Prevent Physician Identity Theft?

[AD04]

When you apply for jobs, the employer will most likely ask for medical number, NPI, DEA, etc. Can't they commit fraud with that? Can't they forge prescription and bill under your number? How do you catch that if they do?

Edit: Some states allow you to see what you've prescribed so at least you can check for fraudulent prescribing.

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[WisNeuro]

Anyone can look up your NPI. Not much you can do about that.

 

[clausewitz2]

If you look up someone's NPI number, call a pharmacy, and sound vaguely like a doctor, you can prescribe whoever you want just about any non-scheduled substance. It's kind of frightening how easy it is.

If you make a habit of it you'll get caught, obviously, but if it's just once or twice under a given name and you were careful about not repeating it frequently at a given pharmacy, I imagine you'd get away with it for a very long time.

 

[WingedOx]

Anyone can look up your NPI. Not much you can do about that.

I look up my NPI number when I need it by googling my own name.

 

[WisNeuro]

I look up my NPI number when I need it by googling my own name.

Likewise, I just did it the other week when I needed it to get credentialed in one of our standalone clinics nearby.

 

[wolfvgang22]

I look up my NPI number when I need it by googling my own name.

Lol, that's amusing but understandable with all the random numbers we have to know. I keep mine in my encrypted smartphone. Anything more sensitive is further encrypted in my password manager app.

 

[WingedOx]

Lol, that's amusing but understandable with all the random numbers we have to know. I keep mine in my encrypted smartphone. Anything more sensitive is further encrypted in my password manager app.

I kept my DEA in an encrypted file on my phone for a while, until my phone got destroyed.

/which reminds me, I need to renew my DEA this week.

 

[hamstergang]

You give every patient these numbers on every prescription you hand them. Why are you worrying about providing them to a prospective job?

 

[Armadillos]

I kept my DEA in an encrypted file on my phone for a while, until my phone got destroyed.

/which reminds me, I need to renew my DEA this week.

Why encrypt on your phone, it’s on your prescriptions lol

 

[AD04]

You give every patient these numbers on every prescription you hand them. Why are you worrying about providing them to a prospective job?

More reason for a physician to learn how to detect fraud.

 

[WingedOx]

Why encrypt on your phone, it’s on your prescriptions lol

I haven't made a paper script in at least 2 years. The VA does have some advantages.

 

[Trismegistus4]

I look up my NPI number when I need it by googling my own name.

I do the same thing. It's frustrating.

Pharmacist: Can I have your NPI?
Me: Umm, sure... hang on a second... [tappity tappity tap tap... Muttering to self: don't YOU know how to use Google, Mr. Pharmacist? You already know my first and last name, which are all you need to know; this is taking longer than if you'd just done it yourself...]

 

[WingedOx]

I do the same thing. It's frustrating.

Pharmacist: Can I have your NPI?
Me: Umm, sure... hang on a second... [tappity tappity tap tap... Muttering to self: don't YOU know how to use Google, Mr. Pharmacist? You already know my first and last name, which are all you need to know; this is taking longer than if you'd just done it yourself...]

I did once get away with calling in a script over the phone and asking them to look up my DEA for me... which seems like the type of thing that could be abused easily, though I've yet to get away with that a second time.

 

[littlefred]

If you look up someone's NPI number, call a pharmacy, and sound vaguely like a doctor, you can prescribe whoever you want just about any non-scheduled substance. It's kind of frightening how easy it is.

If you make a habit of it you'll get caught, obviously, but if it's just once or twice under a given name and you were careful about not repeating it frequently at a given pharmacy, I imagine you'd get away with it for a very long time.

I would recommend deleting this post to deter people from doing exactly this.

 

[clausewitz2]

I would recommend deleting this post to deter people from doing exactly this.

This information is all over the internet. This is not a secret.

 

[FlowRate]

I look up my NPI number when I need it by googling my own name.

When CVS asks me for my NPI, all I can think is "Sure, let me Google that for you."