Question Why do some doctors are not able to prescribe pain meds?

[uncfnp]

Per DEA rules, if they can prescribe Tramadol they can prescribe Hydrocodone unless the institution they work for does allow it, and I would find that hard to believe. If they are Interventional Cardiologist, it is possible that they don’t typically prescribe medicines and so have not bothered with a DEA license. I would presume that there’s an anesthesiologist present for the procedures and any controlled substance given for the procedure may be through their license. But of course this is all just speculation.

Federal and state governments are making it more and more difficult to prescribe narcotics so beyond the ability to prescribe schedule Ii some practices/providers elect not to.

 

[Mrs. B]

So it is being normalized that society gives free narcotics and needles to addicts but not those having painful medical procedures?

 

[uncfnp]

So it is being normalized that society gives free narcotics and needles to addicts but not those having painful medical procedures?

Some reluctance from providers in office practice is understandable. When I started working at a relatively new urgent care office (many uncounted years ago ) we would get obvious drug seekers. Finally word spread that we didn’t prescribe routine narcotics, even if you provided MRI results of your back pain, and those visits dropped off dramatically.

But that’s not the case here. In North Carolina providers are limited on the amount of pills prescribed for acute pain but we are certain not restricted from providing some initial treatment.

 

[Mrs. B]

It seems to me that licensed clinicians should be able to say no if they use their clinical judgement instead of punishing “everyone” due to the drug seekers. It seems they, as a group, have chosen to take the path of least resistance. Where have we seen that before?

If I knew a practice would not prescribe for a procedure I’d go find another practitioner that advocated for their individual patient.