Doctors and staff at the Wattles Park Family Practice have implemented a policy that called for drug testing to screen patients, according to a report on Newschannel 3. Patients at the practice sign an agreement regarding disclosing such things as drug use, so those who do not disclose it up front are in violation of the agreement; to date, there are patients who have been let go by the practice due to illegal drug use.
Dr. Mark Henry shared: “There’s been a lot of reaction, it’s mixed. The more conventional person that doesn’t use any chronic pain medication, they seem very supportive of it, they feel that there’s been lots of misuse of medication.” Henry also shared that the practice has observed a “major increase” in use of illegal drugs, and has encountered patients who tested positive for heavy use of cocaine.
According to a spokesperson of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Detroit, there are also instances where people from outside of West Michigan pose as patients in the area in order to get prescriptions that can either be shared or re-sold to others. It is a reality that, while totally illegal, is happening in the state.
The doctor shares further: “It is suspicious when somebody calls up and says they want to be a new patient, they take chronic pain medication and we try to obtain some history and they can be difficult. I’d like to say they should be honest with their physician about what they use both recreationally and also prescription, if they’re given a prescription they should use the prescription as directed.”
Tags: drug testing patients, michigan drug testing, prescription medication abuse
