Abuse In Healthcare

There is a common question that many pharmacists and doctors encounter while working. The question was, is there any way to know if this customer is getting the same prescription note from other doctors and going to other pharmacies to get the same medication? The answer depends on where you live. A large majority of the states in the country have their own form of a database, but not all. These databases are not connected, either. If every pharmacy or doctors office had access to a shared database regarding their clients prescription abuse rates would be lower, unlawful distribution of drugs would not be as easy, and people would not be able to play the system and lie to doctors. Abused prescription medications usually fall into one of …show more content…
Since Missouri does not have access to peoples records like other states do, many people visit Missouri just to get access to medication they will in turn abuse. They have a growing problem of people simply passing through their state to just get their drugs filled or completely moving to Missouri making population rates higher while also raising abuse rates. While most of Missouri’s legislature are voting in favor of the monitoring program there is a small group of people that are strongly against it. Rob Schaaf, a state senator, argues that allowing the government to have peoples personal medical records violates simple rights to privacy. Mr. Schaaf believes that neighboring states need stand up for themselves and their people and refuse the program to get the government out of their personal information. When asked about the database helping to keep people from abusing medications, Mr. Schaaf replied: “If they overdose and kill themselves, it just removes them from the gene pool.” There is a pharmacists named Richard Logan who lives in Sikeston, Missouri who has grown so fed up with people abusing prescriptions that he has a second job as a sheriff’s deputy to help track and reprimand people who are busted abusing the systems and medication. …show more content…
In other words, help stop the abuse before the program realizes there is abuse taking place. A researcher who wrote a report about the topic, John L. Eadie, says “While doctors may routinely collect and report data to a state program that signals where and when prescription painkillers are likely being misused, the program might not share that information with others who can best use it.” Another researcher that works with Eadie believes that programs should receive and go over the data and alert doctors and pharmacists and the local law enforcement and also people who can prevent or help with the addictions and abuse. (“Report: Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Need to be More