California pain clinic with 23 locations suddenly closes

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oreosandsake said:
i had 70 referrals sitting on my desk today faxed in garbage records from PCPs and some phone calls asking why I refused some referrals...
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What did u tell them as to why you refused the referral?
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drusso said:
"It's a free world."

"I don't want to be in a healing relationship with you."

"We're just not a good fit together"

"It's not you, it's me."

"We want different things."
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"It's not me, it's you." - much better
 
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geauxg8rs said:
How many times over the next 30-60 days will patients ask their new pain doctor
“Why can’t you just give me what my last clinic gave me? It was working!”

response should be:
“Just go back to them then.”

“but they are closed”

“exactly”
Click to expand...
"Why can't you just prescribe me what my last doctor was, it worked for years."

"It is a combination of medications that will kill you and landed your last doctor in prison."

"But it works!"

"I lack both the desire to kill my patients and to go to prison so that's a hard no from me."
 
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oreosandsake said:
i had 70 referrals sitting on my desk today faxed in garbage records from PCPs and some phone calls asking why I refused some referrals...
Click to expand...

Gotta love it. PCPs pissed off because you won’t take these high risk Frankensteins created by someone else. What special tools do you have to deal with them ... an Rx pad and a pen? If a PCP or another specialist won’t take your patient do you call them? Ridiculous.
 
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NJPAIN said:
Gotta love it. PCPs pissed off because you won’t take these high risk Frankensteins created by someone else. What special tools do you have to deal with them ... an Rx pad and a pen? If a PCP or another specialist won’t take your patient do you call them? Ridiculous.
Click to expand...
You have PCPs who refuse to see patients?
 
oreosandsake said:
i had 70 referrals sitting on my desk today faxed in garbage records from PCPs and some phone calls asking why I refused some referrals...
Click to expand...
Hi, my name is Oreos. I am no longer taking new patient referrals as my practice is full. I am available for kyphoplasty and SCS only.
 
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drusso said:
Anyone who calls themselves a pain doctor these days is asking for it. I used to think it was a curse, but the beauty of "physiatrist" is that no one knows
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VA Hopeful Dr said:
You have PCPs who refuse to see patients?
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Plenty of pcps around me won’t see a new patient who is on opioids even if the opioids are prescribed from someone else
 
lobelsteve said:
Hi, my name is Oreos. I am no longer taking new patient referrals as my practice is full. I am available for kyphoplasty and SCS only.
Click to expand...

A more PC/gentle approach:

“Yes it’s terrible what has happened. I’ve just taken on 200 new charts** from this clinic and I’m going to need to spend extra time and attention evaluating these patients, as we both know something happened that wasn’t appropriate. I will let you know when I have more availability for these patients but I cannot shortchange my current patients.”

And then...wait it out


**Number fudged for effect but honestly how would anyone know if you’re exaggerating
 
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lobelsteve said:
Hi, my name is Oreos. I am no longer taking new patient referrals as my practice is full. I am available for kyphoplasty and SCS only.
Click to expand...
30 more today.

I need to look into this concealed carry thing....
 
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Agast said:
A more PC/gentle approach:

“Yes it’s terrible what has happened. I’ve just taken on 200 new charts** from this clinic and I’m going to need to spend extra time and attention evaluating these patients, as we both know something happened that wasn’t appropriate. I will let you know when I have more availability for these patients but I cannot shortchange my current patients.”

And then...wait it out


**Number fudged for effect but honestly how would anyone know if you’re exaggerating
Click to expand...

i think 200 will be lowball by tomorrow
 
On the plus side I’ve found patients get much less irate when they are turned away completely or told that you are not accepting new patients at this time than if they come in and you tell them no to their face. Just get a higher capacity shred box next to your desk. Problem solved.
 
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to the PCP: "im sorry i cant get your patient in... btw, remember Dr. X? yes, he was a good guy and it shocking. what a shame. anyways.... im still sorting through what to do with all his opioid refugees when he was suspended. im sorry i dont have more bandwidth"
 
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drrosenrosen said:
Come to Texas, you don't even need a license anymore!
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My staff asked me if I was going to buy a gun. I told them I’ll consider it when I can order it through Amazon prime with no return shipping.
 
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Agast said:
My staff asked me if I was going to buy a gun. I told them I’ll consider it when I can order it through Amazon prime with no return shipping.
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Amateurs.

mccaysvilledrugcenter.com

McCaysville Drug & Gun

Pharmacy & Firearms Dealer. Located in McCaysville, Georgia
mccaysvilledrugcenter.com
 
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Agast said:
Drug and gun? Imagine dispensing someone’s schizophrenia meds and then ringing up their assault rifle 😑
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And then getting them to impulse buy some funions. They only ever put those at the checkout
 
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geauxg8rs said:
And then getting them to impulse buy some funions. They only ever put those at the checkout
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That sort of impaired thinking would be my threshold to call in a tip to the FBI. Gross.
 
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hyperalgesia said:
My guess is legal trouble, as is typical for these kinds of opioid franchise operations.
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On May 19, DHCS temporarily suspended select Lags Medical Centers locations from participation in the Medi-Cal program because of an ongoing investigation by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse, involving allegations of fraudulent billing and potential patient harm. On May 25, 2021, DHCS learned that Lags Medical Centers voluntarily closed 29 California locations this month, even though DHCS only suspended seven National Provider Identifier numbers associated with up to 17 locations, potentially impacting about 20,000 beneficiaries access to pain management care.

The centers are spine, sports medicine, and pain management clinics operating in the following counties: Alameda, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Ventura. See web archive for city locations: LAGS Medical Centers (archive.org)

DHCS is contacting the Department of Managed Health Care and the involved Medi-Cal managed care plans to ensure they are reaching out to their affected members to connect them to needed services. DHCS also is alerting local partners to ensure they are aware of the clinic closures, and that they know to refer patients to their health plan or Medi-Cal Ombudsman (888) 452-8609 or [email protected] if they need help connecting to care.

DHCS anticipates that patients may have difficulty finding new providers, as there is a national shortage of pain management providers. DHCS is particularly concerned about patients dependent on controlled medications, as these patients are at high risk of decompensation and accidental overdose, if this transition is not carefully managed. The attached resource list could be used by local organizations to connect patients to resources.

DHCS encourages MAT providers to consider the use of buprenorphine for pain indications for patients who are opioid-dependent and have difficulty finding providers to continue full-agonist opioid treatment, when medically necessary. These patients are likely to be at risk, if they are unable to connect to ongoing medical care. Please also prescribe naloxone, where appropriate, as a safety measure. The attached resource list could be used by local organizations to share contact information for local resources.

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is working with health plans and community organizations to create transition plans for the patients. However, because Lags Medical Centers advertises over 30,000 patients served in California, we anticipate that many patients may have difficulty obtaining new pain management providers, given the suddenness of the clinic closures and the high volume of affected patients.
 
ziggyziggy said:
On May 19, DHCS temporarily suspended select Lags Medical Centers locations from participation in the Medi-Cal program because of an ongoing investigation by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse, involving allegations of fraudulent billing and potential patient harm. On May 25, 2021, DHCS learned that Lags Medical Centers voluntarily closed 29 California locations this month, even though DHCS only suspended seven National Provider Identifier numbers associated with up to 17 locations, potentially impacting about 20,000 beneficiaries access to pain management care.

The centers are spine, sports medicine, and pain management clinics operating in the following counties: Alameda, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Ventura. See web archive for city locations: LAGS Medical Centers (archive.org)

DHCS is contacting the Department of Managed Health Care and the involved Medi-Cal managed care plans to ensure they are reaching out to their affected members to connect them to needed services. DHCS also is alerting local partners to ensure they are aware of the clinic closures, and that they know to refer patients to their health plan or Medi-Cal Ombudsman (888) 452-8609 or [email protected] if they need help connecting to care.

DHCS anticipates that patients may have difficulty finding new providers, as there is a national shortage of pain management providers. DHCS is particularly concerned about patients dependent on controlled medications, as these patients are at high risk of decompensation and accidental overdose, if this transition is not carefully managed. The attached resource list could be used by local organizations to connect patients to resources.

DHCS encourages MAT providers to consider the use of buprenorphine for pain indications for patients who are opioid-dependent and have difficulty finding providers to continue full-agonist opioid treatment, when medically necessary. These patients are likely to be at risk, if they are unable to connect to ongoing medical care. Please also prescribe naloxone, where appropriate, as a safety measure. The attached resource list could be used by local organizations to share contact information for local resources.

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is working with health plans and community organizations to create transition plans for the patients. However, because Lags Medical Centers advertises over 30,000 patients served in California, we anticipate that many patients may have difficulty obtaining new pain management providers, given the suddenness of the clinic closures and the high volume of affected patients.
Click to expand...

Opioid refugees...
 
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Ducttape said:
if only they were never started down that rabbit hole.....
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I have a few LAGS opioid asylum seekers in my practice. Some are functional human beings with bad pain problems. One of my most memorable is a survivor of a sociopathic spine surgeon who is now an international fugitive for maiming people.
 
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drusso said:
I have a few LAGS opioid asylum seekers in my practice. Some are functional human beings with bad pain problems. One of my most memorable is a survivor of a sociopathic spine surgeon who is now an international fugitive for maiming people.
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Stem cells.

Send her to Aldous Leekie.
 
drusso said:
I have a few LAGS opioid asylum seekers in my practice. Some are functional human beings with bad pain problems. One of my most memorable is a survivor of a sociopathic spine surgeon who is now an international fugitive for maiming people.
Click to expand...

Is that Dr Durani?

www.wlwt.com

Fugitive doctor testifies from Pakistan in medical malpractice case

There was testimony from Pakistan Thursday in the case of a fugitive spine surgeon who practiced in Greater Cincinnati for years,
www.wlwt.com www.wlwt.com
 
Last edited:
oreosandsake said:
i had 70 referrals sitting on my desk today faxed in garbage records from PCPs and some phone calls asking why I refused some referrals...
Click to expand...
Aren’t you pain management? If you don’t take my garbage then what do you do?
 
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drusso said:
I have a few LAGS opioid asylum seekers in my practice. Some are functional human beings with bad pain problems. One of my most memorable is a survivor of a sociopathic spine surgeon who is now an international fugitive for maiming people.
Click to expand...

Was this surgeon up in Seattle?
 
www.ksby.com

LAGS pain management centers close down, leaving patients with little notice

KSBY reached out to LAGS Pain Management, and they said they cannot yet disclose why they closed. However, they’re giving patients a 30-day supply of their medicine and referring them back to their primary doctors.
www.ksby.com www.ksby.com

Other local pain management centers say they’re now getting overwhelmed. Pacific Pain Physicians in Santa Barbara said they get dozens of calls from former patients of LAGS Pain Management every day. “They’re informing us that they’ve been given no notice and they’re freaking out and trying to find a new pain doctor,” said Pacific Pain Physician office manager Erika Placencia.
 
California Department of Public Health has decided to “help” by issuing guidelines for patients affected by the closure.



On behalf of the Statewide Overdose Safety (SOS) Workgroup and partners, please consider these best practices:
• Continue opioid therapy for patients in transition.
• Develop a patient-centered, individualized care plan. • Use caution when tapering opioid therapy.
• Document patient care decisions.
• Prescribe buprenorphine when appropriate.
 
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callmeanesthesia said:
California Department of Public Health has decided to “help” by issuing guidelines for patients affected by the closure.



On behalf of the Statewide Overdose Safety (SOS) Workgroup and partners, please consider these best practices:
• Continue opioid therapy for patients in transition.
• Develop a patient-centered, individualized care plan. • Use caution when tapering opioid therapy.
• Document patient care decisions.
• Prescribe buprenorphine when appropriate.
Click to expand...

go pound sand, California DPH
 
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Another reason Im super happy not to be in California. .....
 
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callmeanesthesia said:
California Department of Public Health has decided to “help” by issuing guidelines for patients affected by the closure.



On behalf of the Statewide Overdose Safety (SOS) Workgroup and partners, please consider these best practices:
• Continue opioid therapy for patients in transition.
• Develop a patient-centered, individualized care plan. • Use caution when tapering opioid therapy.
• Document patient care decisions.
• Prescribe buprenorphine when appropriate.
Click to expand...
"There are no bad patients, only bad doctors"
 
fyi, outsiders are looking at this thread
 
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just started playing this, looks good so far
 
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I’ve read the letter.

Seems to me they are actively encouraging new physicians to continue writing opioids for patients.

There is no legal protection to start writing them for a short period of time, though.

There is no consideration that these opioids should never have been written in the first place.

And they if there are no red flags then you CAN be open to lawsuits. This to me is most egregious. Who will really admit to a positive screening test?

Looks like if you don’t write for them then YOU are the bad guy.

Unbelievable.
 
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