![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jonh kimble on May 5, 2004, at 22:29:39
Sounds like a more devious question then you might think. my gp prescribed me some immovane (sleep aid) and id rather not have my pdoc know (hes unsually fussy about this sort of thing, and doesnt want me taking it even tho i need it...), but if hes going to find out then i dont want to look like im hiding anything. So, my question is, when you fill out a prescription, does the info that it was filled go to your doctors offices. thanks
Posted by chemist on May 5, 2004, at 22:47:55
In reply to Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out?, posted by jonh kimble on May 5, 2004, at 22:29:39
> Sounds like a more devious question then you might think. my gp prescribed me some immovane (sleep aid) and id rather not have my pdoc know (hes unsually fussy about this sort of thing, and doesnt want me taking it even tho i need it...), but if hes going to find out then i dont want to look like im hiding anything. So, my question is, when you fill out a prescription, does the info that it was filled go to your doctors offices. thanks
...but you are hiding something...do you want your psychiatrist to proceed with your treatment in the dark, or rather leave it to a general practitioner of medicine? will you be seeing your g.p. on a bi-weekly basis for assessment of the efficacy of zopiclone and your mental status? will your psychiatrist prescribe an antibiotic for you when you get an infection, and monitor your recovery (and he will, of course, be aware of any allergies to penicillin or sulfa drugs you may have)? sorry to be chastising, but your disclosure is the most important thing to do. as for the answer to your question: i do know the answer, but i'll not spoil the fun....with best wishes (and i do mean that sincerely), chemist
Posted by King Vultan on May 6, 2004, at 7:29:11
In reply to Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out?, posted by jonh kimble on May 5, 2004, at 22:29:39
> Sounds like a more devious question then you might think. my gp prescribed me some immovane (sleep aid) and id rather not have my pdoc know (hes unsually fussy about this sort of thing, and doesnt want me taking it even tho i need it...), but if hes going to find out then i dont want to look like im hiding anything. So, my question is, when you fill out a prescription, does the info that it was filled go to your doctors offices. thanks
I agree with Chemist--any doctor you deal with needs to know exactly what you're taking due to drug interactions. Being honest and open with your doctors builds trust; hiding things does the opposite. As far as them finding out anyway, my GP and pdoc are part of the same health care organization, but mainly working out of different facilities, and if I get a prescription from one, that info somehow does get communicated back to the other. I don't know if that's also the case
when your doctors are not working for the same outfit.Todd
Posted by platinumbride on May 6, 2004, at 10:03:58
In reply to Re: Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out?, posted by King Vultan on May 6, 2004, at 7:29:11
To the best of my knowledge, the answer is no, at least in the US. There are very strict privacy rules in effect now, and in order for any information to be exchanged between docs, your written consent is necessary.
I wouldn't have remembered this if I had not been to a family practitioner the other day who asked me to fill out a release of information form so that he would have permission to speak with my psychiatrist about meds, should the need arise. The form was also dated..that is to say, it expires one year from the date I signed it.
I'm not advocating that one should hide things from any doctor, but rather admitting that sometimes "ya gotta do what ya gotta do"....or at least what you think ya gotta ;-).
I would add this caveat, though....
Perhaps it would be a good idea to get all of your scripts done at one pharmacy. This way, if there is any issue of contraindications, the pharmacist can alert you to it. That, after all, would be his or her job.Diane
Posted by AMD on May 6, 2004, at 16:05:12
In reply to Re: Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out? » jonh kimble, posted by chemist on May 5, 2004, at 22:47:55
Two people reply without an answer, but instead of unsolicited advice. Please. If you "do know the answer" then share it, but the original poster wasn't asking for your opinion on whether or not he should tell his psychiatrist about the medicine.
Posted by chemist on May 6, 2004, at 16:36:06
In reply to Re: Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out » chemist, posted by AMD on May 6, 2004, at 16:05:12
> Two people reply without an answer, but instead of unsolicited advice. Please. If you "do know the answer" then share it, but the original poster wasn't asking for your opinion on whether or not he should tell his psychiatrist about the medicine.
>
>
the reason i did not address the question is that the information could be used in a way that does not pertain to people who are looking to keep their doctors in the dark, i.e., people who go ``doctor shopping'' and get multiple prescriptions for painkillers and the like. so, the answer is still: i'm not telling. maybe they do, maybe not. the homework is left to the reader.....all the best, chemist
Posted by AMD on May 6, 2004, at 16:53:54
In reply to Re: Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out » AMD, posted by chemist on May 6, 2004, at 16:36:06
I think withholding information is such a dangerous practice. The people who need it are kept in the dark, and the people who will abuse it will find out about it anyhow.
John, I spoke with my own doctor.
To answer your question, no, it is illegal for one doctor to disclose information (including prescription information) to another doctor without the written consent of the patient, at least in general. Likewise for the pharmacy. You would have had to have signed something that gave explicit permission to release this information.
Posted by King Vultan on May 6, 2004, at 17:08:51
In reply to Re: Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out » chemist, posted by AMD on May 6, 2004, at 16:05:12
> Two people reply without an answer, but instead of unsolicited advice. Please. If you "do know the answer" then share it, but the original poster wasn't asking for your opinion on whether or not he should tell his psychiatrist about the medicine.
>
>Well, actually, I thought my reply did contain at least a partial answer, as it is clear in my case that prescription info is communicated between my GP and pdoc. As for my (and Chemist's) unsolicited advice, I stand by it, as my opinion is that it was helpful, constructive, and delves to the very heart of the matter. Fundamentally, the issue of one doctor finding out what the other is prescribing is a moot point if one is simply honest with each of them. That may not seem like the most attractive and expedient option, but in the long term, I truly believe that honesty and openness is the best policy, and one we should all continually try to improve at. It was not my intention to provoke offense, and it is certainly your prerogative to disregard my comments.
Todd
Posted by chemist on May 6, 2004, at 17:19:28
In reply to Re: Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out » AMD, posted by King Vultan on May 6, 2004, at 17:08:51
> > Two people reply without an answer, but instead of unsolicited advice. Please. If you "do know the answer" then share it, but the original poster wasn't asking for your opinion on whether or not he should tell his psychiatrist about the medicine.
> >
> >
>
> Well, actually, I thought my reply did contain at least a partial answer, as it is clear in my case that prescription info is communicated between my GP and pdoc. As for my (and Chemist's) unsolicited advice, I stand by it, as my opinion is that it was helpful, constructive, and delves to the very heart of the matter. Fundamentally, the issue of one doctor finding out what the other is prescribing is a moot point if one is simply honest with each of them. That may not seem like the most attractive and expedient option, but in the long term, I truly believe that honesty and openness is the best policy, and one we should all continually try to improve at. It was not my intention to provoke offense, and it is certainly your prerogative to disregard my comments.
>
> Todd
>
i second Todd's reply, and endorse it entirely. enough said from this part of the woods on the matter, chemist
Posted by judy1 on May 6, 2004, at 17:57:26
In reply to Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out?, posted by jonh kimble on May 5, 2004, at 22:29:39
I have very real concerns about my Internist or other specialists knowing about what psychotropic meds I'm on. (and none of it has to do with dr. shopping, etc.) But I do share concerns about possible drug interactions and that is why I agree with Diane's advice to use just one pharmacy- you can always ask your pharmacist, but my pharmacy has an automatic printout with any warnings based on the meds I have filled there- and there was one drug interaction that has come up so far. but no, unless you have filled out a disclosure form, they cannot share information.
take care, judy
Posted by Kon on May 6, 2004, at 21:34:32
In reply to Do doctors have info of all scripts filled out?, posted by jonh kimble on May 5, 2004, at 22:29:39
Not that this will likely deter many and not sure how it works in the US but in Canada there is a legal obligation on the patient to inform the doc of any previous prescriptions from another doc of controlled substances (i.e. narcotics, amphetamines, etc.)within the preceding 30 days.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.