Big deal. They buy dank snacks and philly cheese steaks for everyone at the office here. They get an inconsequential amount of the doctor's time to make a sales pitch/hand over a brochure/kiss the doctor's ass. It is a waste of the company's money, because the decision to prescribe is ultimately up to the doctor. I welcome the free lunch. Every drug company does this. Medical equipment salespeople too!

Patients who are prescribed painkillers and come in asking for refills are referred to pain management. There, they are subject to random drug tests as well as signing a contract that states they will pursue every avenue of pain control until they find something that works. This includes even stupid shit like acupuncture. While this contract is in effect, their prescription is titrated down over a period of 1-3 months until the level of drug is low enough to safely discontinue without withdrawal or relapse. The patient may still see their primary doctor during this process, but he will not prescribe anything for pain. He will continue diagnosing and developing a plan for treating the actual cause of the pain. If there is one.

This policy was developed after the doctors grew tired of dealing with addicts. They are generally unreliable, late, difficult to reason with, and noncompliant when it comes to the treatment of their other health issues. Plus, they throw a fucking fit if they don't get an appointment on the exact day they are due for a refill. They treat the staff like shit. Our staff is yelled at and harassed almost exclusively by patients who only show up to get percocet/norco/morphine etc. Young, old, black, white - doesn't matter.

I think it is a step in the right direction. Many of the other clinics in the area chose to take the easy route and stop accepting medicaid. I know addiction isn't specific to any particular demographic, but at the intersection of addiction and primary care, it is generally the patients who don't have copays and never see a bill who abuse the medical system the most.

But back to the main point: I don't think free chocolates and sandwiches are causing the prescription drug crisis.