Prescribing "Powers"

[BlondeDocteur]

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One thing I have vastly enjoyed, with my UW-sponsored DEA number and Full Unrestricted Medical license, is prescribing. Be it antibiotics for a sick whiny husband or diverting thousands of tabs of OxyContin, it's a useful skill. My DEA# will expire though in a few more months and I'd like to renew it.

Path residents certainly write orders (stains and whatnot) but do you have a DEA number? Do any of you prescribe anything for anyone? Even if it's a bit of lidocaine for an FNA, you have to have a DEA# to write for it out in practice, correct?

Just curious if whichever path department I land in next year would continue to sponsor it.

 

[2121115]

DEA # is only required for controlled substances. It has nothing to do with antibiotics, etc.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

Nope. It's required whenever you call in a script, any script. At least in Cali & Washington.

 

[BamaAlum]

Nope. It's required whenever you call in a script, any script. At least in Cali & Washington.

Nope. It may be "requested" but it is not "required" for non-controlled drugs. Pharmacists like it because it is easy to look you up but it is a misuse of the DEA number to use it solely for calling in non- controlled drugs. I've called out several pharmacists regarding this and they all have eventually backed down. An unrestricted state license gives you prescribing rights for non-controlled drugs. Period.

 

[jp123ok]

Be it antibiotics for a sick whiny husband or diverting thousands of tabs of OxyContin, it's a useful skill.

Pathologists can prescribe drugs. I was given a DEA number through my department while a resident. I'd advise you not to prescribe controlled substances though, except in emergencies, it will land you in serious trouble as a pathologist.

 

[LADoc00]

Nope. It's required whenever you call in a script, any script. At least in Cali & Washington.

Uhhh...no. I have practiced in Cali for a long time and surrendered my DEA# long ago while continued to write scripts for non-scheduled pharma.

You are very much misinformed.

No your Pathology department will not pay for it most likely. It was deemed long ago to be HUGE and completely unneccessary liability by most academic programs.

And a "full unrestricted medical license" has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with a current DEA# whatsoever, so I have no idea what you mean by that comment.

You need to be less blonde and more right.

 

[LADoc00]

Pathologists can prescribe drugs. I was given a DEA number through my department while a resident. I'd advise you not to prescribe controlled substances though, except in emergencies, it will land you in serious trouble as a pathologist.

This.
One controlled sub script can pretty much end your Pathology career. FYI blonde one.

PS- I am an expert reviewer for the MBC. Shenanigans will not be tolerated here in Cali.

 

[pathstudent]

This.
One controlled sub script can pretty much end your Pathology career. FYI blonde one.

PS- I am an expert reviewer for the MBC. Shenanigans will not be tolerated here in Cali.

Bull****. If you prescribe a controlled drug for a valid reason, why would you be treated differently than any other physician?

I had a person with epilepsy at my house one night and they had a breakthrough seizure and I called walgreens and called in a particular diazepam, which is what he typically took to acutely break his repetitiveseizure pattern but did not have on his possession. It was filled. I picked it up at 3am and gave it to him. No one ever contacted me or questioned it

You are an M.D. and have a dea number and studied pharmacology just like every other physician. Why should you be marginalized relative to other docs.

 

[Path or bust]

Bull****. If you prescribe a controlled drug for a valid reason, why would you be treated differently than any other physician?

I had a person with epilepsy at my house one night and they had a breakthrough seizure and I called walgreens and called in a particular diazepam, which is what he typically took to acutely break his repetitiveseizure pattern but did not have on his possession. It was filled. I picked it up at 3am and gave it to him. No one ever contacted me or questioned it

You are an M.D. and have a dea number and studied pharmacology just like every other physician. Why should you be marginalized relative to other

Sure obviously that is legitimate. There are few instances where it is though and I think personally more trouble than its worth. At least in Texas, 80% of trouble doctors on the medical board naughty list are composed of DEA violations and such. I wouldn't get one, if a family member needs an emergency script or they run out and they cant get a hold of their primary care doc, pharmacists are usually authorized to give meds for 72hours.

 

[LADoc00]

Bull****. If you prescribe a controlled drug for a valid reason, why would you be treated differently than any other physician?

I had a person with epilepsy at my house one night and they had a breakthrough seizure and I called walgreens and called in a particular diazepam, which is what he typically took to acutely break his repetitiveseizure pattern but did not have on his possession. It was filled. I picked it up at 3am and gave it to him. No one ever contacted me or questioned it

You are an M.D. and have a dea number and studied pharmacology just like every other physician. Why should you be marginalized relative to other

I will tell you: Because your records for the prescribing controlled substances including patient physical exams which must be kept on file can be AUDITED. Im not saying a a single script of diazepam will be audited but if you had a 120 days of Oxycontin refills rolling, you will be.

This is a common flag for the Med Board of Cali (MBC), easily investigated and rapidly prosecuted. Plus they will show up unannounced now and ask for a piss test on the spot. Failure to provide surrenders your license.

Getting a DEA license for a pathologist is a recipe for trouble. You have been warned.

 

[icpshootyz]

I never obtained a DEA # because I have no intention of ever prescribing anything that would require it. But I have called in basic non-controlled prescription meds for my wife and myself, all you need is your NPI, at least here in MA.

 

[2121115]

Nope. It's required whenever you call in a script, any script. At least in Cali & Washington.

Doubt it.

 

[Euchromatin]

Im not saying a a single script of diazepam will be audited but if you had a 120 days of Oxycontin refills rolling, you will be.

This. I suspect if you are only writing scripts for close family/friends that need something urgently, it would be exceedingly unlikely that you would ever get audited. The volume of scripts that any pathologist would write for that sort of purpose would likely be so low that it would not even make a blip on any auditor's radar.

Our path residents have access to the shared DEA#'s that are used by the rest of the hospital's residents and some of us will occasionally call in things for ourselves/family. I think only a small minority of our attending pathologists write prescriptions though (mostly women, now that I think about it), and I'm not sure if they maintain DEA#'s for controlled substances or not.

 

[oldfatman]

This. I suspect if you are only writing scripts for close family/friends that need something urgently, it would be exceedingly unlikely that you would ever get audited. The volume of scripts that any pathologist would write for that sort of purpose would likely be so low that it would not even make a blip on any auditor's radar.

Our path residents have access to the shared DEA#'s that are used by the rest of the hospital's residents and some of us will occasionally call in things for ourselves/family. I think only a small minority of our attending pathologists write prescriptions though (mostly women, now that I think about it), and I'm not sure if they maintain DEA#'s for controlled substances or not.

Having a DEA# makes getting scrips filled easier. What's the point of being a MEDICAL doctor if you can't prescribe medicine? Do you honestly believe that every nurse practioner and physician assistant has had more rigorous graduate training than you have?

 

[deleted314957]

The majority of the hospital medical staffs (~10) that I have been on in my career required a DEA #--even in Pathology. It probably varies with the geographic location.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

Jesus. Obviously I was kidding about diverting narcotics. No need to "young grasshopper" me about being investigated by the state medical board.

And I'm sure you're all right and the pharmacists request DEA#s just for me. There definitely isn't any such thing as state-to-state variability in prescription fraud controls, controlled substance registries, etc. Whether or not a DEA# is actually required to prescribe non-controlled substances by the letter of the law is often less relevant than a pharmacy's policies & practices. A couple of times, when I had just gotten my number, I tried to call in scripts for patients and just plain couldn't remember it. The pharmacy refused to take the prescription, even though no narcs were involved.

Having a full medical license, as opposed to just a training license, entitles one to an individual DEA# rather than an institutional one. It's highly relevant.

Anyway, thanks to all who answered re: whether or not pathologists continue to prescribe every now and again, in either a professional or personal capacity.

 

[LADoc00]

Okay I chuckled at the young grasshopper comment, I will give you a pass.

 

[2010houston]

My mom's a pathologist who almost never writes for much other than as you described- and ended up getting a DEA# for just the reasons you stated; way easier to call things into Walgreens that way.