Unethical?

[edieb]

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I am a prescribing psychologist in LA. I recently left a clinic, breaking a contract, because the clinic was improperly storing medications and my prescription pads. However, where I am working now is also engaging in unethical bx that I fear could harm my license.

Where i work has legalized cannabis with a prescribing psychologist's or psychiatrist's approval. I am the agency's only prescriber and they are unlikely to find another (huge shortage of prescribers). They are holding a cannabis convention to get people signed up for a medical cannabis card and are saying the participating doctors will earn 10,000$ in 3 days by doing these "evaluations" I refuse to participate so they are flying in a psychiatrist. They are advertising the convention under the clinic name and advertising DJs named "Mr Riding Dirty" as coming. RD means riding in a car with one or more felony conventions, carrying weapons while high on drugs (per Urban DIctionary). Since I am the only prescriber and they are advertising the convention as "riding dirty" with the clinic name, I feel that they are dragging my name through the mud and I know advertising a convention in this way is unethical (it is not promoting the welfare of society). The clinic owners did this without telling me. I am under a 3 year contract. What would you do if the clinic owners are like this?

 

[PsyDr]

Leave immediately. The Wilcoxson study shows marijuana makes ptsd worse, which is one of the only exempt psychiatric illnessss eligible for mmj.

And pm me, I can get you better MP jobs than this.

 

[G Costanza]

Wow. Consult with your state board and have a labor and employment lawyer go over your contract with you. Between the two of them, you should have a better idea of what to do.

But overall, I would get out. Your boss seems to be heading down a road that will be increasingly incongruent with your practice.

 

[AnnoyedByFreud]

What? Where do you keep finding these terrible clinics?

 

[Fan_of_Meehl]

I am a prescribing psychologist in LA. I recently left a clinic, breaking a contract, because the clinic was improperly storing medications and my prescription pads. However, where I am working now is also engaging in unethical bx that I fear could harm my license.

Where i work has legalized cannabis with a prescribing psychologist's or psychiatrist's approval. I am the agency's only prescriber and they are unlikely to find another (huge shortage of prescribers). They are holding a cannabis convention to get people signed up for a medical cannabis card and are saying the participating doctors will earn 10,000$ in 3 days by doing these "evaluations" I refuse to participate so they are flying in a psychiatrist. They are advertising the convention under the clinic name and advertising DJs named "Mr Riding Dirty" as coming. RD means riding in a car with one or more felony conventions, carrying weapons while high on drugs (per Urban DIctionary). Since I am the only prescriber and they are advertising the convention as "riding dirty" with the clinic name, I feel that they are dragging my name through the mud and I know advertising a convention in this way is unethical (it is not promoting the welfare of society). The clinic owners did this without telling me. I am under a 3 year contract. What would you do if the clinic owners are like this?

Sounds like they're trying to set up a mobile drive-thru 'get your weed card here' clinic.

I agree with the advice of just get the hell out of there, but...

Another idea would be insistence on implementing really high standards for the differential diagnostic workups (insist upon using formal structured (lengthy) interviews like the SCID-5, ADIS-5, or CAPS-5 in addition to formal testing with a personality inventory (MMPI-2-RF or PAI). You may be a medical psychologist, but you're still a psychologist 🙂.

How many 'patients' are they planning on ramming through such a sham clinic in three days?

 

[Fan_of_Meehl]

Wow. Consult with your state board and have a labor and employment lawyer go over your contract with you. Between the two of them, you should have a better idea of what to do.

But overall, I would get out. Your boss seems to be heading down a road that will be increasingly incongruent with your practice.

Interestingly...

In Louisiana, the 'state board' for 'medical psychologists' (as opposed to all other licensed psychologists) is no longer the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

Medical psychologists are licensed by the board of medical examiners now.

Not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing for the original poster.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Interestingly...

In Louisiana, the 'state board' for 'medical psychologists' (as opposed to all other licensed psychologists) is no longer the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

Medical psychologists are licensed by the board of medical examiners now.

Not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing for the original poster.

I believe that's been the case for a while. I don't remember the exact rationale behind it, but politics played a role from what I recall.

 

[smalltownpsych]

I am a prescribing psychologist in LA. I recently left a clinic, breaking a contract, because the clinic was improperly storing medications and my prescription pads. However, where I am working now is also engaging in unethical bx that I fear could harm my license.

Where i work has legalized cannabis with a prescribing psychologist's or psychiatrist's approval. I am the agency's only prescriber and they are unlikely to find another (huge shortage of prescribers). They are holding a cannabis convention to get people signed up for a medical cannabis card and are saying the participating doctors will earn 10,000$ in 3 days by doing these "evaluations" I refuse to participate so they are flying in a psychiatrist. They are advertising the convention under the clinic name and advertising DJs named "Mr Riding Dirty" as coming. RD means riding in a car with one or more felony conventions, carrying weapons while high on drugs (per Urban DIctionary). Since I am the only prescriber and they are advertising the convention as "riding dirty" with the clinic name, I feel that they are dragging my name through the mud and I know advertising a convention in this way is unethical (it is not promoting the welfare of society). The clinic owners did this without telling me. I am under a 3 year contract. What would you do if the clinic owners are like this?

Sounds like you went out of the frying pan into the fire as far as unethical places to work. Maybe the writing on the wall is that you need to go into an independent practice situation of some sort. Maybe team up with a legit medical clinic or hospital as many doctors don't want to deal with mental illness much anyway and might appreciate your help while providing you with some medical support safeguards. As far as the three year contract goes, you could consult an attorney, but I would think that when they shift their practice to a point that goes past your ethical standards, I don't see how it would be enforceable.

 

[Sanman]

I would get out of there EdieB, there are better jobs that will not risk your license.

As an aside, is it just me or does it feel like you are a second class provider when you are not a psychiatrist doling out meds in private practice? I often wonder why some of our Psych NPs stick around. I assume that there are easier jobs around than at my company. We had a hell of a time getting a psychiatrist to agree and had to bend over backwards for that, they don't want the deal, yet we can hire NPs.

 

[erg923]

I recently left a clinic, breaking a contract, because the clinic was improperly storing medications and my prescription pads. However, where I am working now is also engaging in unethical bx that I fear could harm my license.

Where i work has legalized cannabis with a prescribing psychologist's or psychiatrist's approval. I am the agency's only prescriber and they are unlikely to find another (huge shortage of prescribers). They are holding a cannabis convention to get people signed up for a medical cannabis card and are saying the participating doctors will earn 10,000$ in 3 days by doing these "evaluations" I refuse to participate so they are flying in a psychiatrist. They are advertising the convention under the clinic name and advertising DJs named "Mr Riding Dirty" as coming. RD means riding in a car with one or more felony conventions, carrying weapons while high on drugs (per Urban DIctionary). Since I am the only prescriber and they are advertising the convention as "riding dirty" with the clinic name, I feel that they are dragging my name through the mud and I know advertising a convention in this way is unethical (it is not promoting the welfare of society). The clinic owners did this without telling me. I am under a 3 year contract. What would you do if the clinic owners are like this?

It also interesting that this does not sell very well for Rx privileges for psychologists.

This, and your prior job, sound just awful, and it sounds like you are treated/viewed as a "prescriber." Where is the dual role as "psychologist" AND medical prescriber that is suppose to make getting Rx privileges for psychologists so alluring and tempting? It does not sound to me like either of your training arms is being respected in this new career?

I am also curious about contracts. Is this something that is common in private practice medicine/psychiatry? I have never seen this in my area with psychologist positions and would sure as hell never actually sign a "contract" that kept me bound to one clinic for 3 years just in case it ended being the dumpster fire that you have described above.

 

[deleted343839]

Since I am the only prescriber and they are advertising the convention as "riding dirty" with the clinic name, I feel that they are dragging my name through the mud and I know advertising a convention in this way is unethical (it is not promoting the welfare of society). The clinic owners did this without telling me. I am under a 3 year contract. What would you do if the clinic owners are like this?

Lawyer up is what I'd do.

I'm burning with curiosity though -- can you share a link to this or a similar convention?

 

[Sanman]

It also interesting that this does not sell very well for Rx privileges for psychologists.

This, and your prior job, sound just awful, and it sounds like you are treated/viewed as a "prescriber." Where is the dual role as "psychologist" AND medical prescriber that is suppose to make getting Rx privileges for psychologists so alluring and tempting? It does not sound to me like either of your training arms is being respected in this new career?

I am also curious about contracts. Is this something that is common in private practice medicine/psychiatry? I have never seen this in my area with psychologist positions and would sure as hell never actually sign a "contract" that kept me bound to one clinic for 3 years just in case it ended being the dumpster fire that you have described above.

Not sure about EdieB's case, but I know that I have psychiatrist friends that agree to multi-year contracts in order to receive a sign-on bonus. Usually if you leave prior to that time, you need to return the bonus. Having never been wanted that badly, I cannot give the details form personal experience.

 

[edieb]

To answer the questions: I don't know if psychologists are treated as second class prescribers, I just think that the area of the country where I live is kind of unsavory; thus, there are more unethical persons here. The clinic where I was working was committing a myriad of illegal acts and now they are threatening on suing me for leaving; however, the ethics board told me to leave now as I could lose my license. I wonder if they sue me whose word gets more weight: Their lawyers or my ethics board?

One thing I would definitely recommend is that providers always work for other providers; never work for administrators

 

[erg923]

I just think that the area of the country where I live is kind of unsavory; thus, there are more unethical persons here

I suppose this could be true, but it seems like quite a broad generalization. Is this area especially drug infested and/or economically depressed? I can imagine that there would be some public outcry about such a publicity stunt in my area, as its a metro area that is a blend of conservative nd liberal in the mid east/mid Atlantic and would probably not be welcoming of "riding dirty" party.

 

[deleted343839]

The clinic where I was working was committing a myriad of illegal acts and now they are threatening on suing me for leaving; however, the ethics board told me to leave now as I could lose my license.

Hopefully you've documented all of this. If the ethics board advised you to leave, then you leave now unless you're ready to move on to a new line of work when this gig inevitably crashes and burns. The threat of a lawsuit sounds like pure intimidation.

Seek professional consultation so you can figure out how not to land in this situation a third time.

 

[ClinicalABA]

I am also curious about contracts. Is this something that is common in private practice medicine/psychiatry? I have never seen this in my area with psychologist positions and would sure as hell never actually sign a "contract" that kept me bound to one clinic for 3 years just in case it ended being the dumpster fire that you have described above.

I've had a contract in my last few positions. Depending on the state you're in, anything related to a "no compete" clause is potentially unenforceable. Many jurisdictions have statutes related to the "public good" that renders illegal contractual obligations that would interfere with someone in helping professions from being able to deliver services to the public. Basically, your obligation and right to serve the public supersedes any contractual obligation that would prohibit you from doing so. In my state, the law is such that any of these types of clauses in the contract are void. In other states, the presence of such a clause renders the entire contract null and void.