Incident with dr's office. Please help!

[tennsplyr1]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Georgia

As stated in the starter my spouse had an issue with the dr's office. My wife was diagnosed with adhd approximately 12 yrs ago, and has taken adderall since then to level her out and calm her down. We recently moved here from out of state and this was a dr recommended to us. The 1st issue was that they required her to take a drug test (which we received a bill for the remainder of what the insurance didn't cover) to get her prescription even though they have her records and history. This was for the first refill, the second they did not test and she just had to go in for an office visit. They had not had the prescription ready so they told her she could pick it up 2days later. My wife and I drive to the dr's office to pick up the prescription and the office staff could not locate it. We then go to the local pharmacy to pick up her stomach medication to find out the office had given the scrip to THE WRONG PERSON! My issue is the fact that the scrips have personal info ( full name, address, phone number, birth date and gender) and the fact that someone tried to fill it in her name to get the adderall. What can I do? What would be the solution in this situation?

 

[ecmst12]

It was an error. You can file a complaint with the HIPAA board but the only likely result is a possible re-education on good HIPAA practices for the office. But you were not damaged so you don't get to sue, and it wasn't intentional.

Requiring a drug test before prescribing a controlled substance is not unusual. Being billed for a service you received is expected.

The solution would be to schedule an appointment with the doctor when you need a new script, and have him write it while you sit there and hand it right to you. I get my adderall filled via mail order and I see my doctor every 3 months and she hands me a new script at the end of my appointment. Simple. I have a much better experience after switching to a psychiatrist to manage my meds instead of just getting my family doctor to write the scripts for me.

 

[Proserpina]

I have a much better experience after switching to a psychiatrist to manage my meds instead of just getting my family doctor to write the scripts for me.

I think this is very important advice. I've been through something similar some years ago - and switching to an actual psychiatrist (and a psychologist but they can't prescribe as a rule) made my life so much easier.

 

[ajkroy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Georgia

As stated in the starter my spouse had an issue with the dr's office. My wife was diagnosed with adhd approximately 12 yrs ago, and has taken adderall since then to level her out and calm her down. We recently moved here from out of state and this was a dr recommended to us. The 1st issue was that they required her to take a drug test (which we received a bill for the remainder of what the insurance didn't cover) to get her prescription even though they have her records and history. This was for the first refill, the second they did not test and she just had to go in for an office visit. They had not had the prescription ready so they told her she could pick it up 2days later. My wife and I drive to the dr's office to pick up the prescription and the office staff could not locate it. We then go to the local pharmacy to pick up her stomach medication to find out the office had given the scrip to THE WRONG PERSON! My issue is the fact that the scrips have personal info ( full name, address, phone number, birth date and gender) and the fact that someone tried to fill it in her name to get the adderall. What can I do? What would be the solution in this situation?

Firstly, drug tests are extremely common. I would tell your wife to get used to them if she plans to continue to take Adderall or any other drug that can be abused or sold.

It seems there are several issues here, but a prescription is easy to recreate if the provider is available. If they had given the script to the wrong person (and it happens, particularly with new patients...especially if your wife has a common name), all you had to do was ask them to create another. Easy-peasy. It was their error, and there was no reason your wife should have to wait any additional time because of it. Unless that other person was picking up on her behalf...then you have an issue. Any good office will have a copy of that person's ID on file, and will be able to tell to whom they gave the Rx. If that person claimed they were picking up Adderall for your wife and now your wife is claiming she knows nothing about it, I would expect a discharge letter in the mail from the provider soon. It is a classic scam used by drug-seekers and is rarely effective more than once.

Whether the other person tries to fill the prescription or not isn't your problem. They will most likely be caught at the pharmacy, unless identity theft is involved or you guys are trying to pull a scam of some sort.

You can complain to the office and ask them to be more careful in the future. Technically, HIPAA was violated, but you don't see any of the results of that (and frankly, there wouldn't be from a slip of this nature if it was an isolated incident). That's about all.

Good luck.

 

[ecmst12]

Yeah my family doc was willing to do it, but he wasn't really comfortable with it, and I like the extra expertise and attention that I get from the specialist. We are ALL happier this way!

 

[tennsplyr1]

Thank you so much for the help! The issue I had with the scrip being given to the wrong person with my wife's information on it. The nurses know who my wife is and have mutual friends so they see each other outside the office at that individuals house or out. It's a small town too, and that specific dr's office is very, very gossipy (the reason I switched physicians). I think you are misunderstanding my intentions, I want to know what i can do to register a complaint other than at the office. I am normally a level headed person but this got me agitated especially considering if it had gotten past the pharmacy and someone had been caught with it it would have caused us legal issues and I think they should be held accountable for the error also. Fortunately for us it was stopped at the pharmacy though, But thanks again I do appreciate the help and advice!