PHARMACIST STEVE

lawyers weren’t interested in the case because her father’s life didn’t have much value.

http://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/mass-tort-litigation-class-actions-plaintiffs

I have talked to… exchanged emails with… read chronic pain pts statements that they have contacted law firms to sue some healthcare provider for cutting their opiates, discharging them for no – or trumped up – reasons.

And without exception, the law firms have replied NOT INTERESTED !!!!

The truth of the matter is that in our legal system… the “value” of the life of a handicapped/disabled, elderly, unemployable person is NEAR ZERO… because these people are considered “takers” as opposed to “makers” within our society.

No potential future earnings… no “value of life”.  Likewise, in suing a individual healthcare provider they can use the defense of “it was my professional opinion” as to the treatment needed by the pt’s and their medical issues.

Now that we have large medical practices and large corporations (hospitals) that are the employers of prescribers and these entities are making decisions on the limitations of mgs/day of opiates that their employed prescribers can provide to ALL PTS… then we have two interesting concepts… first of all the corporation – or collusion of partners within a large group practice – attempting to practice medicine by some “cookie cutter edict”.  Secondly, they are professing that they are implementing the CDC opiate guidelines.. when in fact they are implementing selected portions of the guidelines and not the guidelines in their entirety… so they are lying about their policies.

IMO… while suing individual healthcare providers, they can claim that they are using their “professional discretion” in determining a individualized pt therapy/treatment.

These large practices or hospitals typically have VERY DEEP POCKETS and their treatment edicts are causing hundreds or thousands of pts having their quality of life adversely affected.

Here is four quotes from the CDC opiates guidelines:

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/rr/rr6501e1.htm

“The guideline is intended to ensure that clinicians and patients consider safer and more effective treatment, improve patient outcomes such as reduced pain and improved function.”

“Clinicians should consider the circumstances and unique needs of each patient when providing care.”

“Clinical decision making should be based on a relationship between the clinician and patient, and an understanding of the patient’s clinical situation, functioning, and life context.”

“This guideline provides recommendations for primary care clinicians who are prescribing opioids for chronic pain outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care.”

All of these changes, has probably changed the entire equation for law firms. I have put a link at the top of this post of the major CLASS ACTION LAW FIRMS.  If your are seeing a prescriber – particularly one who is an employee of a larger practice or part of a hospital system – and your opiate dosing has been lessened – because they are following the CDC guideline  – and it has adversely affected your quality of life… Then it may be in your best interest to contact one or more of the above listed class action law firms… the more people that contact them…the more likely that the chronic pain community can get their attention.  It has been less than one year since the CDC guidelines have been published… the number of practices that are adopting these guidelines as their practice’s policy is growing… in all likelihood … if they have not impacted your quality of life yet.. it is just a matter of time before they do.

Until now the prescribers and their employers have only had to fear the DEA and their Hippocratic oath of “doing no harm”… now applied to their own license and financial well being. Several class action law suits could change their focal point of fear to from the DEA to the patients.

These various entities represents a lot of  “DEEP POCKETS” to law firms that specialize in class action lawsuits.  Remember you are not talking about really suing the prescriber that have reduced your medication… you will be suing their EMPLOYER who has dictated this change in your medically necessary medication and your quality of life.

As a final thought… if you are reading this… and regardless if you are being affected right now or not… Does not mean that you will be affected within the next 6-12 months.. I suggest that you share this across web far and wide… more and more pts are being adversely effected.

 

Filed under: General Problems