Prescribers at the Pharmacy

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mydogatemysuboxone27

Full Member
5+ Year Member
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So I'm just curious what y'all think about prescribers coming to the pharmacy and saying they're going to "call" in the script while they're standing there. I've had it happen on three occasions in the last month. Twice because they were inpatient that their doctor hasn't sent it in yet and one showed up with his friend and said he needed eye drops and asked to give it in person. I complied in all three occasions but part of me thought it was a bit strange.

Anyone have this happen before? Anyone deny them? Anyone not care one way or another? I'd love to hear some opinions on this one.
 
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So I'm just curious what y'all think about prescribers coming to the pharmacy and saying they're going to "call" in the script while they're standing there. I've had it happen on three occasions in the last month. Twice because they were inpatient that their doctor hasn't sent it in yet and one showed up with his friend and said he needed eye drops and asked to give it in person. I complied in all three occasions but part of me thought it was a bit strange.

Anyone have this happen before? Anyone deny them? Anyone not care one way or another? I'd love to hear some opinions on this one.
It happens a lot. I don’t really care. If they can phone in the Rx from their cell phone standing there, why not?
 
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I denied a dentist once for writing a script for himself for acne. I reported it to the dental board.

Nothing happened because it was claimed he did not violate the Dental Practice Act aside from, you know, the whole part about unprofessional conduct (practicing medicine without a license does not count). He might have gotten a warning.

In-person scripts are annoying because they think you should drop everything on the spot to cater to them but I just treat it as a phone Rx. Also just because it's a phone Rx doesn't make it any more legit. I have caught retired prescribers writing benzos out of their own home (don't have a clinic anymore) and requested summary of office visit/chart notes (didn't get them).
 
I don't think I would have reported a dentist to their board for trying to self prescribe acne meds unless they were pushy trying to get me to break prescribing laws. Although it's funny how they can violate the law and the boards do nothing to other professions... Meanwhile we are subject to routine inspections and commonly fined for clerical things that didn't result in patient harm. The only time I refused to dispense an Rx to a "physician" at the pharmacy counter was when they denied to show me a copy of their medical license and when asked about it told me "where would I even have a copy of that?" (huge red flag) and also because the Rx was for their daughter (family) to get birth control. He was unaware that the state issued him a license to practice medicine that comes with a number and must be legally displayed at his place of practice. With a copy (or even a picture) of the license and a photo ID to prove he is who he says he is I would have done it.
 
I did it because this guy was wasting my pharmacists' time and it was not even any urgent or emergency situation, oh and the part about practicing medicine without a license.

It is ****ing pathetic that a pharmacist is more likely to be fined by their board for taking an invalid script (that part about "unprofessional conduct" being a catch-all for wrongdoing) than a prescriber knowingly practicing medicine without a license. TBF the probability is very low esp for non-controls
 
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I see no issue, all the possible information you typically ask, the person could know. This is no different then a phone call.
 
I did it because this guy was wasting my pharmacists' time and it was not even any urgent or emergency situation, oh and the part about practicing medicine without a license.

It is ****ing pathetic that a pharmacist is more likely to be fined by their board for taking an invalid script (that part about "unprofessional conduct" being a catch-all for wrongdoing) than a prescriber knowingly practicing medicine without a license. TBF the probability is very low esp for non-controls

Wouldn't that have to be reported to the board of medicine?

I think I may be more lax, I just wouldn't want to harm someone's career or profession over trying to get acne medication. If it was a control that would be another story though.
 
I don't think I would have reported a dentist to their board for trying to self prescribe acne meds unless they were pushy trying to get me to break prescribing laws. Although it's funny how they can violate the law and the boards do nothing to other professions... Meanwhile we are subject to routine inspections and commonly fined for clerical things that didn't result in patient harm. The only time I refused to dispense an Rx to a "physician" at the pharmacy counter was when they denied to show me a copy of their medical license and when asked about it told me "where would I even have a copy of that?" (huge red flag) and also because the Rx was for their daughter (family) to get birth control. He was unaware that the state issued him a license to practice medicine that comes with a number and must be legally displayed at his place of practice. With a copy (or even a picture) of the license and a photo ID to prove he is who he says he is I would have done it.
I don't carry around my medical license, and I don't know a single doctor who does. The copy the medical board sent me is framed on my office wall.
 
I don't carry around my medical license, and I don't know a single doctor who does. The copy the medical board sent me is framed on my office wall.

Many states give you a pocket license card (I have several for pharmacy). I would have accepted him giving me the license number for me to verify online or a picture of the wall license with a valid photo ID to prove identity, not necessarily a physical hard-copy issued by the government. Bottom line though I'm not going to let a stranger unknown to me claim they are a physician and offer no proof and resist requests for proof when prescribing for their family member. I don't think that's reasonable.
 
I denied a dentist once for writing a script for himself for acne. I reported it to the dental board.

Nothing happened because it was claimed he did not violate the Dental Practice Act aside from, you know, the whole part about unprofessional conduct (practicing medicine without a license does not count). He might have gotten a warning.

In-person scripts are annoying because they think you should drop everything on the spot to cater to them but I just treat it as a phone Rx. Also just because it's a phone Rx doesn't make it any more legit. I have caught retired prescribers writing benzos out of their own home (don't have a clinic anymore) and requested summary of office visit/chart notes (didn't get them).
PRO-TIP: Dental boards are full of *****s who want DDSs to be able to do literally anything, regardless of training, qualifications, etc...
Report them to the MEDICAL board as well, who could go after them for practicing medicine without a license. lol.
TMB is known to go after people who claim "I'm a doctor" at a car accident / whatever.

Failing that, humiliation of the dentists works better than calling their boards.
 
PRO-TIP: Dental boards are full of *****s who want DDSs to be able to do literally anything, regardless of training, qualifications, etc...
Report them to the MEDICAL board as well, who could go after them for practicing medicine without a license. lol.
TMB is known to go after people who claim "I'm a doctor" at a car accident / whatever.

Failing that, humiliation of the dentists works better than calling their boards.
Incorrect, the medical board doesn't go after non licensed prople in most places because practicing without a license is just plain against the law.
 
Incorrect, the medical board doesn't go after non licensed prople in most places because practicing without a license is just plain against the law.

Ok, to satisfy my ass burgers let's all just pretend that I went and found the last few examples in TMB's press release and posted them here.

I'm late for brunch, lol.
 
Acne meds are within the scope of practice of dentists because they can prescribe anything relating to the teeth, mouth, or jaw. You can have acne on your lower jaw, so this isn't really even a stretch. Same reason they can prescribe acyclovir.
 
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Acne meds are within the scope of practice of dentists because they can prescribe anything relating to the teeth, mouth, or jaw. You can have acne on your lower jaw, so this isn't really even a stretch. Same reason they can prescribe acyclovir.

So we're supposed to ascertain the location of acne? LOL

Treatment of acne has almost no direct relevance to dental health and I use "almost" only as a hedge against some fringe outlandish clincial scenario, not like "muh depression due to being ugly causes me not to care about my teeth"

Any dentists signed up for iPLEDGE?
 
Many states give you a pocket license card (I have several for pharmacy). I would have accepted him giving me the license number for me to verify online or a picture of the wall license with a valid photo ID to prove identity, not necessarily a physical hard-copy issued by the government. Bottom line though I'm not going to let a stranger unknown to me claim they are a physician and offer no proof and resist requests for proof when prescribing for their family member. I don't think that's reasonable.
okay that is messed up. I at least have my license number memorized and can pull that out pretty easily. Although truthfully whenever I'm calling in something I always use my DEA because that covers everything
 
Incorrect, the medical board doesn't go after non licensed prople in most places because practicing without a license is just plain against the law.

so, I went back and looked:

It looks like TMB issues Cease and Desist orders and alerts local authorities to the felonious activity.
 
Yeah I never had a problem filling, I was just curious if anyone else had this happen. I found it strange that it's happened so much recently but with the switch from Rite Aid to Walgreens for some reason doctors still can't figure out how to find us in the system. They've all been super polite and courteous which was good.
 
I don't work retail anymore - but I think it is reasonable to ask for a photo ID in person - although if they called it in from their car - how would we know? but walking up to the pharmacy just seems so bold I doubt anyone would have the guts to do that if they were faking it,

I did once have a doctor (old retired guy) try to write himself a rx for darvocet (for you young -ns that was a crappy controlled substance that little old ladies liked) - I told him he can't write a rx for himself (even thou the Rph that used to work at that store let him) - he said "I have a license, I can write it" - I said it was against the law to self prescribe - he said "OK, I will just write it for my wife" - ya - actually can't do that either in this state.

anyway - fun times.
 
I don't work retail anymore - but I think it is reasonable to ask for a photo ID in person - although if they called it in from their car - how would we know? but walking up to the pharmacy just seems so bold I doubt anyone would have the guts to do that if they were faking it,

I did once have a doctor (old retired guy) try to write himself a rx for darvocet (for you young -ns that was a crappy controlled substance that little old ladies liked) - I told him he can't write a rx for himself (even thou the Rph that used to work at that store let him) - he said "I have a license, I can write it" - I said it was against the law to self prescribe - he said "OK, I will just write it for my wife" - ya - actually can't do that either in this state.

anyway - fun times.
I would hope no one would fill a control that one of us tried to write for ourselves...
 
I would hope no one would fill a control that one of us tried to write for ourselves...
I think this is an obvious outlier - but in some states it is (or used to be) allowed. The tricky one was the doc that used to write himself ultram (before it was controlled) - and showed signs of abuse, then told me he was getting a pilots license and couldn't take the med and get the license. Ironically I then saw he prescribed it for his wife - smh. But hey - there are a few bad apples in every profession (I could tell you dozens of stories of Rph's doing similar things)
 
I think this is an obvious outlier - but in some states it is (or used to be) allowed. The tricky one was the doc that used to write himself ultram (before it was controlled) - and showed signs of abuse, then told me he was getting a pilots license and couldn't take the med and get the license. Ironically I then saw he prescribed it for his wife - smh. But hey - there are a few bad apples in every profession (I could tell you dozens of stories of Rph's doing similar things)
In my state the pharmacy board hasn't said you absolutely can't fill if a doctor write a controlled substance for themselves, but the medical board has.
 
Similar trend with Gabapentin; have had many relatives Rx it (not yet a controlled substance in my state...yet). Have yet to have an MD self Rx Gabapentin though
When I worked retail, a doctor literally went crazy when I refused his phone in high dose gabapentin for himself. He literally drove to the store and took out his phone to film me. Lol I wonder if that footage is online somewhere.
 
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When I worked retail, a doctor literally went crazy when I refused his phone in high dose gabapentin for himself. He literally drove to the store and took out his phone to film me. Lol I wonder if that footage is online somewhere.

The doctor was trespassing but I doubt the medical board would do anything.
 
When I worked retail, a doctor literally went crazy when I refused his phone in high dose gabapentin for himself. He literally drove to the store and took out his phone to film me. Lol I wonder if that footage is online somewhere.
I actually had that happen to me minus the filming. Doctor filled Oxy 20, Xanax 2 and Soma 350 at CVS and had his scripts sent to me early and wanted them filled. I told him he couldn't, he said he would borrow some of his brother's and he flipped out and told my techs to **** off. Then he came back in the store and said how he wanted to apologize man to man. I thanked him and told him I still couldn't fill his scripts. This went on for three days lol he finally filled the scripts at another pharmacy 45 minutes away.
 
When I was an intern at CVS, had a doctor come in looking to prescribe eye drops for his wife. Let him just come in the pharmacy and look through what we had in stock and make a decision from that.
that is an entirely different thing thou - I would let someone I know do that - a stranger? likely not