Workman's Comp rx requiring DEA number?

[True Anomaly]

Has anyone had this happen to them?  Just got a phone call from a pharmacist about a patient one of our physician residents saw last night- wrote a patient a rx for Zofran, and because it was done under workman's comp (don't ask me why), the pharmacist said that workman's comp requires a DEA number for a rx.  It didn't seem to matter that it was for a non-controlled substance.  So bizarre.

[KMD16]

Not true. Never heard of such. Could be state law dependent. Was the pharmacist a tech, an intern or fairly new pharmD and doesn't know what the heck s/he was talking about?

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

I've run into pharmacies (large chains) asking for a DEA number for non-controlled substances previously and frankly, they wouldn't release the med without one since they "use it for billing, documentation, records"(name the excuse).

[True Anomaly]

Not true. Never heard of such. Could be state law dependent. Was the pharmacist a tech, an intern or fairly new pharmD and doesn't know what the heck s/he was talking about?

 

Don't know if it was the tech or the actual pharmacist, and with a busy ED shift I didn't push much further.  I was incredulous on the phone with her and she kept throwing up the same defense of "they require it".  Such BS, and I also have never had this happen before- have written plenty of nonscheduled meds for workman's comp patients who wander through the ED.

 

At least it's happened elsewhere before

[ToppDog]

Is it possible that this pharmacy has never processed a prescription from you before?  Usually pharmacies do require that they have the DEA numbers on file for any provider they process rx's for, regardless of what the rx is for.  Once they have it, you usually never get asked again.

 

Maybe this is the first time you've been asked directly, but I guarantee you that the staff members under you get these requests all the time.  If you use rx pads or print digital scripts that do not have the DEA number on them, whenever they are taken to a new pharmacy that doesn't have your DEA number on file, they will usually call & request it.

[True Anomaly]

Is it possible that this pharmacy has never processed a prescription from you before?  Usually pharmacies do require that they have the DEA numbers on file for any provider they process rx's for, regardless of what the rx is for.  Once they have it, you usually never get asked again.

 

Maybe this is the first time you've been asked directly, but I guarantee you that the staff members under you get these requests all the time.  If you use rx pads or print digital scripts that do not have the DEA number on them, whenever they are taken to a new pharmacy that doesn't have your DEA number on file, they will usually call & request it.

 

It wasn't my prescription originally- it was one of our physician residents.  It's very unlikely that they haven't seen a prescription from this resident before (or me, for that matter) since we've both been here for a few years and the pharmacy is one of our local ones near the hospital.  Now, the residents don't get their DEA until their 4th years (they're required to pass step 3 by the start of their second year, but no one gets their DEA until their 4th year), and this resident is a 3rd year.  I have also personally fielded plenty of prescription-related calls, because one of the "joys" of the way our deparmtent runs is that when the pharmacy has a question about a prescription, they are referred to either the person who wrote the script or another physician/PA- never the nurses or techs or ED administration staff.

 

So...despite all that convoluted red tape that I just laid down, it's possible the above situation you described is true.  Either way, it's still really bizarre.

[EMEDPA]

I was recently asked by a pharmacist for my NPI # which is really bizarre as they are a matter of public record. if you do a google search "your name, NPI number" it will kick it right out for you.

[KMD16]

In the past, I have been asked of my NPI #. It is also very common to be ask for your DEA & NPI # by the pharmacist haven't fill script from you/new to the area as a provider.

[dmdpac]

Are you sure it was someone from the pharmacy?  A guy I used to work with got a call asking for his DEA number for a non-narcotic medication he had written.  It turned out to be the patient impersonating the pharmacy while trying to alter the script.  (She was busted when she handed in a single prescription that was written for both thirty 800mg Ibuprofen AND fifty 10mg dilaudid with no DEA number on it.)

[skyblu]

So, did you give your DEA number for a script you hadn't even written in the first place?

 

I wouldn't do that. If the resident doesn't have a DEA number, it's their attending's responsibility to co-sign scripts, not yours.

 

I know Zofran is mostly benign, but do you know the resident made sure no h/o of QT prolongation or other reasons to not give it? Unlikely to cause problems, sure. But as a general rule, I would avoid putting my name to a script I didn't write for a patient I never saw. That's what attendings are for. And part of why they make a lot more money than us.

[True Anomaly]

So, did you give your DEA number for a script you hadn't even written in the first place?

 

I wouldn't do that. If the resident doesn't have a DEA number, it's their attending's responsibility to co-sign scripts, not yours.

 

I know Zofran is mostly benign, but do you know the resident made sure no h/o of QT prolongation or other reasons to not give it? Unlikely to cause problems, sure. But as a general rule, I would avoid putting my name to a script I didn't write for a patient I never saw. That's what attendings are for. And part of why they make a lot more money than us.

 

No, I didn't

[skyblu]

Ah, cool. Good call.