My doctor's office does not require that I sign a contract to use just one pharmacy but they have told me that they prefer that I use just one. In the past, it has never been a problem, however, the last time I filled my scripts I had to use a different pharmacy than I normally use. My question is, is there any way that my doctors office will know that I used a different pharmacy (aside from me telling them)?
Most PM docs require only one pharmacy. There are several reasons; one is because if you are using just one pharmacy then they will be familar with previous scripts and could help you find a possible drug interaction. Another reason is to prevent abuse. Many people that abuse these drugs have several docs and several pharmacies.
You should only use one pharmacy for your safety as well as the docs. Docs that prescribed controlled meds, are watched closer than other docs. If they get audited by the DEA, they need to be able to show that they took the proper steps to assure compliance.
At my clinic, you have to put down one pharmacy. You can ask for a change, but they require you to give the new name, effective date, and address of the pharmacy.
Just curious, why do you want to use different pharmacies?
You should stick to just one pharmacy for the reasons stated. At your next appointment you should tell your doctor that you had to change pharmacies for whatever valid reason there may of been so he is aware of it.
To answer your question, I have only used a different pharmacy once and don't plan to do it again. I had to take an unplanned business trip during the week that I would normally fill my script so, unfortunately, I had no choice.
I have been seeing a surgeon who has been managing my meds for the past two years. I've had two back surgeries and have another scheduled. Was just worried because this is the first time I've ever had to use a different pharmacy and was trying to brainstorm on ways that it might get back to the doctor. Do pharmacies usually send copies of prescriptions (or the original) back to the doctor's office once they've filled it? I know they didn't call the doc's office to verify the script when I filled it which I thought was odd.
yes,it will get back if your dr does a casper report like most dr do.So it is best to just tell him,call on monday or tell him your next appt.My pain dr said that all dr do casper reports now.. kelsey1
I'm not sure if a "Casper report" is what the doctors and pharmacies in my area have, but the do have a central data base they can acess that will show all scripts you have filled and the doctor that wrote it. It also give the medication and just about any and all about the script you had filled.
If a person is doctor shopping and getting multiple scripts from different docs and using several different pharmacies, sooner or later a pharmacy or doc will pick up on the fact and the person will get busted.
Is this what you mean when you refer to a "Casper report"?
Thank you, everyone, for the helpful information. I will definitely call the doc's office on Monday to tell them that I had to use a different pharmacy than normal last week.
Kelsey - what the heck is a Casper Report? It sounds ghostly!!! I use 2 different pharmacies and sometime three. Reason being: One pharmacy doesn't carry the Roxan brand of methadone while another doesn't carry the right brand of oxycodone and one refuses to order anything but malenkrud brands of most any narcotic! Another problem is that the pharmacies I deal with WILL NOT hold medication for a customer - as crazy as that sounds! They are both designated as Hospice pharmacies and have to fill all narcotic prescriptions on a first come first served basis. So if my pharmacy that usually fills my 540 tabs of methadone only has 320, I can't go back and get the remainder due me when the next shipment comes in. It's either take what they have and get an additional prescription for the rest, or find another pharmacy that has the entire 540 tabs. You can see how it is necessary to use whatever pharmacy has the pills at the time of the fill date. My doc has never, ever told me that the pharmacy calls him or has called him to report where I have my scripts filled and I know for a fact that he knows I have to go to several different ones to find the correct amount of meds. I'm not doubting you Kelsie - andI'm sure the DEA or someone really is watching over us with a magnifying glass.....but sometimes I don't think the rules hold true for every jurisdiction. I could be wrong... KathyMac
hi all,
A casper report is a report that a dr can get in mintues at his office that tell what meds you are on and where you go to get them filled.Now with that being said you can get your meds filled anywhere thats not breaking any laws ,fda only cares if you go to different phar to get different scripts from different dr.So the only person that cares if one is going to different phars to get the same scipts from there dr is only there dr. Sp if your dr is ok with that all is well.Everytime i have been to different dr and got controlled subs even my primary dr will run a casper before they even give you a nar. they will tell you every scipt you have had that year. This tells them if you are dr shopping at all. It is a great tool pm dr or all dr for that matter.. Wish all a great pain free day. kelsey
Hi all, I agreed to only use one pharmacy, and I chose a large chain store that is open 24 hours. That way I never get stuck by them being closed, Also, If I am out of town, I can use a pharmacy in the same chain and all their computers are connected, so they can see all my other prescriptions. If I use a pharmacy out of town, even though it is the same chain, I always call my doctors office as soon as I get back to let her know. Better safe than sorry! Best of luck to you, Fabby
When I was using a l/a med I had to use one pharmacy, but now that I only use perc. & soma they don't require me to use just one. I have had challenges in the past with the pharmacy on the script being out of one of the meds and having to go back for another script then back to another pharmacy. Plus the one that I was using decided to not fill for one of the docs at my office, so they stopped putting the pharmacy on the script. I only use Wal-Mart and Costco, but they each have 2 locations here and it depends on what type of shopping I have to do when I need to fill my scripts. Plus, now I call the pharmacies and ask if they have the amounts of my meds before i get to the doctor's office. But, my docs office knows all of this.....
What is a casper report?? And I have used two pharmacies with my methadone,be cause sometimes the regular pharmacy is out of the methadone and has to order. If I don't want to wait I go to another pharmacy. babyboomer
I have never heard of casper report but I have heard that I am on a DEA list because of the meds I take. My doc prefers I use only one pharmacy but I have had to use a different one a couple times, but I do let her know. In my opinion honesty with your doc is always the best policy. I have nothing but good results from being honest. You will be much better off telling the truth now rather than having our doc finding the truth out for themselves.
Good luck,
just be honest
MSHATCH
Hey Jon...I just wanted to jump in with a point concerning your post, just ahead of this one. I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's a national thing concerning Schedule II narcotics. If a pharmacy, for whatever reason, connot fill an entire prescription of a Schedule II med, they are required to fill the balance within a 72 hour time frame. It's happened to me a couple times and I always am able to get my medication by the next day.
Hi Folks! Let me explain my previous post. The law in my state, Maryland, is the same as Director outlined in his post. That being the case, many pharmacies choose NOT to follow the law and I guess they can choose to opt out of the "fill within 72 hour" rule. I do have a pharmacy that will partially fill my schedule II scripts as long as they can fill the remainder within 72 BUSINESS hours of the original fill. If I get the initial, partial fill on a Friday, then I'm out of luck if their narcotic order doesn't come in until the following Thursday. So I guess I sort of misled folks about the no partial fill rule. The two major chains in my area (they are also grocery store pharmacies) do not participate in the 72-hour partial fill option. They simply will tell you that it's against the law and if you tell them that the hospital pharmacy will do it, they'll just tell you, "Well, then I guess you better go to the hospital pharmacy." I don't think that pharmacies in this state are even required to carry schedule II drugs if they don't want to. Anyway, that is why I have to go to different pharmacies sometimes. I can remember many, many years ago being seen by an oral surgeon in Northern Virginia to have wisdom teeth pulled. I got a prescription for Percocet. I stopped at a chain drugstore in Virginia to get it filled and waited an hour only to have the Pharmacist call me up to the counter, ask to see my license (from Maryland) and then tell me, "Sorry, we don't carry this medicine." Right, sure!! I was so angry! I think pharmacists can do just about anything they want to do when it comes to filling or not filling schedule II drugs.
OK...This Casper report thing had me so confused. So, I did a little research. The reference to Casper should read KASPER report. It refers to a bill that was passed in Congress appropriating funds so that states could set up programs to monitor the prescribing practices of doctors who dispense Schedule II drugs, the amount they prescribe, the patients who fill the scripts, the doctors they get the scripts from, the number and names of those doctors, etc. The purpose of the program and database is to prevent diversion of narcotics and narcotic resources. Each state has their own program and/or database but they are all designed so that a doctor and/or person with a need to know can request info on the drug useage history of a patient, or the prescribing history of a doctor, etc. The KASPER name is specific to Kentucky. [REMOVED]
KASPER tracks controlled substances prescribed statewide and is designed, in part, to catch patients who are "doctor shopping" for prescription drugs. [REMOVED]
The Bill introduced in the House of Representatives was HR 2743. If you want to read the text of the bill, you can check it out on the WEB. Or check your own states legislation to see how they are using the funds that were made available for this purpose. I hope I'm not steering anbody wrong here, but that's all I know. KathyMac
Last edited by HBMod07; 06-14-2006 at 10:18 AM.
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I had a situation last week when I saw my PM. He had moved his office and there was a pharmacy right across the street, same chain, and I'm not required to stay with one pharmacy so I thought well since I'm here and it's closer I'll drop in.
Well turns out they didn't have enough of my MS Contin (they got tons of new patients since my doctor built his new building there and can't keep up with meds) and if they filled it I would have to forfiet the remainder of the balance and that it would take more than a week to get the meds in! Ended up going back to my regular pharmacy and will just stick with them. In other words, no partial fills on schedule II's in Ohio or so it seems at this paticular pharmacy chain.
Also there are several pharmacies in my area that do not carry schedule II. Most grocery store type ones quit carrying them when there was a rash of Oxycontin murders several years ago.
I also live in OHIO ,I have noticed that some of the big chain pharmacies don't do partial fills,have to forfeit the rest.My little home town pharmacy will complete the script once the schedule II's come in.I don't know if the pharmsist contacts my DR or what.My family has been dealing with pharmacy for 60 years.
