Today, data suggests that over 30 million Americans are taking at least five or more prescription medications on a regular basis. Yet, despite this, most people couldn’t name the meds they are taking when asked, and with each drug added to the cocktail - the risk of interaction increases. Between 1999, and 2010, the number of narcotics prescribed throughout America tripled. However, because these medications are prescribed, many patients fail to recognize the severity over over-using that medicine.
With drug diversion methods, patients have been known to overuse prescription pills through solutions such as prescription pad theft, forgery printing, pill mills, or doctor shopping. Although doctors cannot completely control the way patients use medication―it is partially their responsibility to ensure that medicine abuse does not occur, leading to tragedies, ineffective treatment plans, and other issues that no one wants to write home about.
What is Prescription Abuse?
If a person takes a medicine in a manner that is different to what was prescribed by a doctor - this could be called prescription drug abuse. This could mean using medicines for reasons beyond their prescribed purpose, taking the medicine in a different manner than you are supposed to, taking a larger dose than permitted, or taking a medicine that was prescribed for someone else.
Abuse of prescription drugs can lead to addiction and severe health problems, as every medicine comes with some risk of side effects. Doctors are required to take medicine interaction into account when prescribing, and those taking other medications, or abusing prescriptions without the knowledge of the doctor may receive medicine that is not safe for them. Indeed, interacting medications could lead to further health problems, or reduce the effectiveness of important medications taken to control existing conditions.
Your Responsibility as a Doctor
Although it’s safe to say that not all medicine abuse is the fault of doctors―it’s vital to remember that the government does place a certain level of accountability on doctors writing the prescriptions. The medical community is constantly at threat of facing damaged credibility as a result of prescription drug abuse, and physicians must become part of the solution - instead of becoming part of the problem.
This means that doctors must look into organizations such as USHealth Group, who can offer toxicology services to track drug abuse in an expert format, as well as being prepared to report other doctors who may be engaged in violations regarding prescriptions.
Making the Right Move
In order for a doctor to protect themselves and certainly their patients, it’s paramount to take every step available when it comes to preventing prescription abuse, and this means tracking medication use. Though watching your patient’s every move can be difficult, it is possible to obtain an insight into their drug tendencies with the help of the right services.
If you’re unsure about a particular company and the services that they can offer you, it’s usually a prudent idea to check their social presence online. For example, you can examine the USHealth Group Insurance LinkedIn page for more information about their involvement in the medical world.
