ZPAK seekers

[McDoctor]

At least when patients harass us for narcotics, they either have real pain or a chemical dependency problem, and are in a desperate spot.

But these ZPAK seekers that call me after hours at least 1-2 times every weekend must be stopped.

"Dr. X is out of town and my nose is stuffed and ZPAK always does the trick"

"I''m going out of town this weekend and have a cold and wanted a ZPAK in case it moves to my chest"

These people are genuinely antisocial, incapable of planning ahead or delaying gratification, or even fathoming the notion that I have a life outside of filling their own impulsive desires to inappropriately take antibiotics for viral infections. They do not lack education, they lack conscience.

We need to stigmatize these people with extreme prejudice. We should be putting their names on lists, and circulating these lists to other doctors and ER's. We should systematically ostracize them from mainstream medical care and recognize them for the abberations to a moral society and the drain on resources that they truly represent.

Who is with me on this?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[tony montana]

Amen!...

 

[Shinken]

We need to stigmatize these people with extreme prejudice. We should be putting their names on lists, and circulating these lists to other doctors and ER's. We should systematically ostracize them from mainstream medical care and recognize them for the abberations to a moral society and the drain on resources that they truly represent.

Or maybe we could spend two minutes educating them on the difference between a viral and a bacterial infection.

 

[deleted87716]

Or maybe we could spend two minutes educating them on the difference between a viral and a bacterial infection.

 

[McDoctor]

Or maybe we could spend two minutes educating them on the difference between a viral and a bacterial infection.

The people I am referring to are immune to this concept.

But it doesn't matter, it is not lack of education that is at issue, it is the sense of entitlement to my time on call for their minor problem. That is the essential sociopathic feature of the ZPAK seeker.

The other physician offices I share call with are often giving me lists of potential "narcotic seekers" when they sign out, and honestly I find these antibiotic seekers WAY more irksome, and loathesome, and worthy of these types of stigmatizing lists than drug addicts (who, again, are at least genuinely in a desperate spot).

I think you are missing my point with your pat response.

 

[montessori2md]

In my neighborhood there are ways to get abx w/o an md (imported from overseas, where you don't need an rx for abx), which irks me b/c saying no might not do any good.

People want to feel better, so give them something to make them feel better, like write a list of stuff like robitussin DM, sudafed, tea, soup, or you know, suggest that maybe cutting back on the smoking might help that sore throat......

 

[cali-ob]

The people I am referring to are immune to this concept.

But it doesn't matter, it is not lack of education that is at issue, it is the sense of entitlement to my time on call for their minor problem. That is the essential sociopathic feature of the ZPAK seeker.

The other physician offices I share call with are often giving me lists of potential "narcotic seekers" when they sign out, and honestly I find these antibiotic seekers WAY more irksome, and loathesome, and worthy of these types of stigmatizing lists than drug addicts (who, again, are at least genuinely in a desperate spot).

I think you are missing my point with your pat response.

I agree. I literally just heard two nurses on the floor talking about this yesterday. First nurse was telling second nurse how incompetent Dr. x was because Dr. X wouldn't give her abx for her runny nose. First nurse goes on to tell second nurse how said incompetent Dr. X told her she had a viral infection but she then told Dr. X "I am not going to leave you alone until I get my abx" So Dr. X says "fine, I will give you amox for your 'sinus infection' " and first nurse then scoffs and says "that's not first line therapy! Give me a z-pak!" Second nurse, hearing this story says, "wow, Dr. x is incompetent, he doesn't even know what first line therapy is for a sinus infection! You had to tell him!?"

 

[deleted87716]

Just say "no."

Try it a few times. It gets easier with repetition.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Best thing I give to these people is the "new abx" great for colds:

Norel SR i po bid x 10 days and nyquil at night

Combo pill: antituss/anti hist/ decongest/tylenol

It's a miracle pill. I have my share of those patients in South Texas where everyone has a witch doctor in their family or gets their meds in Mexico.