KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar BluffLocal E.R. docs work to curb “doctor shopping”

Local E.R. docs work to curb “doctor shopping”

Doctors at one local southern Illinois emergency room say some patients are not coming looking for help, they're looking for drugs. 

It's called "doctor shopping" and the director of the emergency department at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale says it's become a big concern.

Dr. Joseph Haake says the fast-paced nature of an E.R. makes it a prime target for doctor shoppers, which he says could slow down service for folks who really need help in a hurry. 

"They shop from one physician to the next until they get that prescription," said Dr. Haake. "It's a very difficult environment to determine whose behaviors are legitimate and whose aren't." 

Haake says some people come in pretending to suffer from ailments or injuries with the sole purpose of getting pain pills. 

"Someone who doesn't have a clear medical problem, who is demanding meds by name or claiming their prescription has been stolen or lost," Haake said. 

That he says could mean you have to wait while doctors separate fact from fiction.

"They occupy resources that are needed by people with real medical conditions," Haake said.

"I was one of the people who would go to the E.R.," said "Shane", a recovering addict speaking under the promise of anonymity. 

"Shane" is a recovering opiate addict, sober now seven months. But before he turned his life around, he admits to trying to get a fix from Carbondale's E.R. 

"I have even heard of people calling the ER to see which doctor is on staff because they know which ones will give them the pills," "Shane" said. 

"Shane" says the E.R. has become somewhat of a target for addicts in Carbondale because it's tough to get pain pills from other local physicians 

"They referred me to the pain management center," said "Shane". "The wait list is two months long, so it's not ideal for a quick fix."

"Shane" gave up opiates after he nearly died from a drug overdose. 

"I wanted to live," he said.

It's been a long, hard road to recovery; one he says addicts avoid by getting drugs wherever they can find them. 

"It's more work to be an addict that it is to get clean," "Shane" said. "Figuring out where to get money, figuring out how to get drugs… You'll do anything." 

That is why Memorial Hospital of Carbondale is now taking extra steps to keep prescription pills from winding up in the wrong hands. 

"The last thing we want is for a prescription with our name on it to end up on the street or be involved in a violent crime, overdose or some other unfortunate event," Haake said.

Dr. Haake says the E.R. is now paying extra attention to patients' prescription histories to be sure "doctor shoppers" aren't filling beds desperately needed in Carbondale's busy emergency room. 

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