Terry, you said, "the same goes for MDs, lawyers, and anyone else who loses their license. And you can reverse it... some patients dr-hop so they can get more scrips."
With doctors in Australia, we have an over-riding government health system (HIC) which checks all prescriptions for certain drugs, especially the ones most likely to be abused. I have to see just one doctor (who had to apply for a licence to prescribe this drug regularly). I can't see another doctor in the same practice - it has to be MY bloke. In an emergency I can get about two weeks' supply for any GP, but you quickly run out of GPs who will do this for you. Besides, they are supposed to call your main prescribing doctor, send him a letter or whatever.
When the doctor prescribes these medications they have to telephone HIC. An authority number is issued, the doctor writes it on the prescription as well as on the patient's file.
At the pharmacy, the chemist notes that number (as well as all the other info) on his computer. The records are kept both in his shop and also the copes which get sent back to HIC. Computer cross-check EVERYTHING.
But even with this system, people can scam it. I saw an emptied rubbish bin on Tuesday, right outside a pharmacy's back door. There were two cardboard pill packs, one inside the other. I recognised the medications - nasty, strong opiates. The prescription label listed the same patient, the same doctor and the same pharmacy. I know the medications - very strong painkillers. And these packets, heavy doses of these painkillers, which had been issued 24 hours earlier, were empty. There should have been a month's supply there, at least. The doses prescribed were too strong - 3 x 12 hour tabs per day!??!? Plus the second pack, which shouldn't have been needed as well. These were terminal cancer doses (I know) but the packs shouldn't/wouldn't have been discarded by a legitimate patient.
I'm a snitch - I took the packets to the pharmacist. He was horrified and immediately began to note the data into his computer. I suspect he will be ringing the doctor and if he doesn't get a reasonable explanation, that doctor will be reported.
But even with these checks and balances, people get through the system. And this is just medications. We SHOULD be more careful of our children, but too often we're not.
Once again in Australia, our welfare agency (it's HUGE) is one big organisation, all connected with HIC and the Tax Office, so they KNOW what money you're getting and will insist you account for it. So even with different agencies providing vulnerable children to ineffectual parents, the system should spot those abusing the system.
However, it doesn't catch them all. And too many genuine cases get caught in the net and constantly have to justify their money and their family.
To legislate improvements in a system that permitted this to happen - you would have to give up a lot of personal freedom and admit Big Brother into your life. Civil libertarians would have a field day.
In Australia we don't HAVE a constitution like the US one. We don't have a lot of the rights you take for granted. Of course, we DO have the basic ones proclaimed by the UN (if we can get them to be taken on board - breaches happen all the time) but the sort of changes you would need to protect these kids would tread on too many influential toes, unfortunately.
I'm not saying you guys are better off, or we are better off - it's just different. We both have advantages and disadvantages. Some people say Australia is becoming more like the US - not in this area. When it comes to government control, we will NEVER be like the US - our governments would never permit it because THEY would lose too much control.
For all of us - we take the good with the bad.
Marg
