Could prescribing opioids get you in trouble?

When you think of medical malpractice, you may naturally think of major mishaps, such as errors during surgery or other forms of obvious negligence. However, recent years have seen patients or their family’s suing doctors for prescribing drugs, specifically opioids, in cases involving an opioid overdose.

Why opioids are so dangerous

Opioids are very powerful when compared with traditional drugs used for pain medication. However, they are also extremely addictive. Individuals may take opioids according to a doctor’s legitimate prescription, become addicted and develop a substance abuse disorder.

If their substance abuse disorder leads to an overdose, or even a less serious outcome such as needing to enter a rehabilitation clinic, they might try to blame the doctor who initially prescribed the opioid.

Watch for patient red flags

Check for signs of doctor shopping or drug-seeking behavior when seeing new patients. If you get the impression the patient is exaggerating or completely making up their pain symptoms, consider prescribing a non-opioid drug.

Limit your prescriptions to the lowest reasonable doses and refills according to the patient’s specific circumstance. Keep detailed medical records showing exactly what, when and how much of a certain drug you provided.

Working with patients tapering off opioids

You will likely see patients who are working on tapering off opioids. These situations can also leave you at risk of a medical malpractice lawsuit if the patient accuses you of not helping them taper off properly.

Provide the patient with clear and detailed instructions on how to reduce the medication and dosage. Answer any questions they have. This can help prevent withdrawal symptoms.

Medical records showing that you were attentive and prescribed proper withdrawal dosages can be used as evidence that you were not negligent when prescribing opioids for withdrawal purposes.

Putting on a strong defense

Remember that your goal with opioids, like any pain medication, is to manage pain while minimizing the risk for potential harm, from minor side effects to addiction and overdose. Following these guidelines can place you in a strong position if you are facing a medical malpractice accusation.