Wellness

[Group 5 minus 1]

Sissal: What are you talking about?

[Boehm Collector]

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@dusty523 wrote:

Unfortunately, Dr's. do get money for every script they write.  The reps come to the office to push the medication for the company who they are working for and every time the Dr. writes a script for their medication, they get money.  So, in turn these Dr's. do push the meds in order to get a so-called "kick back".  It may be unethical, but it's legal.

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@dusty523  Absolutely NOT true!!!  As I have previously indicated I come from a medical family.  My Dad, brother etc. never got a penny for the meds they prescribe(d).  

[151949]

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@reiki604 wrote:

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@151949 wrote:

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@reiki604 wrote:

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@151949 wrote:

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@reiki604 wrote:

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@151949 wrote:

Where I worked pharm reps would occasionally bring a lunch to our unit  so that people would attend an inservice on a new drug.It was done at the invitation from the pharmacy dept heads because they were planning to introduce a new drug to their formulary and wanted staff inserviced about it. 

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This practice was made illegal maybe about 15 years ago or so. Pharm reps can't even give pens or pads out now.

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My understanding is it is illegal if they are there to try to sell a drug. In other words to get doctors to ask the pharmacy to buy the drug. However, to INSERVICE the staff about the drug after the hospital has added it to the formulary it is legal.

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what you are talking about is a completely different situation than the one I was talking about and I haven’t heard of an in service in the past number of years where any refreshment was served other than something provided by the nursing ed dept. usually cookies, donuts or bagels (a splurge). Nowadays it’s more like an online module done on the nurse’s own time.

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These things are done for the physician - ICU staff doctors and the interns and residents. Our doctors invite the ICU nurses as a courtesy, and because they liked us.

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And how many years ago was this???? Things have changed dramatically since you were in practice.

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The laws pertaining to doctors not accepting gifts were written long before I retired.

[151949]

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@dusty523 wrote:

Unfortunately, Dr's. do get money for every script they write.  The reps come to the office to push the medication for the company who they are working for and every time the Dr. writes a script for their medication, they get money.  So, in turn these Dr's. do push the meds in order to get a so-called "kick back".  It may be unethical, but it's legal.

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This was never true - doctors order what their patient's need. But anyway - what you are describing has been against the law for decades.

[lovesrecess]

His dr has found it does help lower his cholesterol....he has been off of it and the numbers were not as low so he put him back on It...he had terrible flushing with it so he was moved to the extended released...that is $300..extended release.

[lovesrecess]

I now think the insurance companies work with big Pharma in some way...my insurance company switched in May from Aetna to Humana.. and my previous tier 2 drugs both changed to tier 4....insanely expensive, labeled as controlled substances, and huge hassle to get. For the previous two years I was taking them, they were Tier 1, not controlled substances, and easily available....and reasonable. DH takes one BP drug that I also take...same mg. His went up to tier 3 at Aetna and the same drug at Humana is tier 2 for me......down from tier 3...no way is this legit!

[VaBelle35]

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@reiki604 wrote:

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@software wrote:

Doctors don't get "kick-backs" but they sure to get perks, starting with the drug rep buying lunch for the entire staff once a week.   Who knows where it ends.

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Sorry, that was made illegal many years ago. Please fact check before you make untrue claims.

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@reiki604 Pharmaceutical companies found the loophole and they do indeed still buy lunch for the entire staff.

I've been at my gyn, my family doctor and a specialist this year so far and I always get out just as lunch is being served.

[151949]

@VaBelle35 First of all it is illegal and second of all - if they did have a lunch how would you know? It's not like they have it at the front desk? It would be somewhere like a conference room somewhere in the back out of patients sight.

[Cakers3]

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@151949 wrote:

@VaBelle35 First of all it is illegal and second of all - if they did have a lunch how would you know? It's not like they have it at the front desk? It would be somewhere like a conference room somewhere in the back out of patients sight.

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@151949  Kickbacks are illegal.  Payment to promote a drug is not.

The picture isn't so cut and dried.

[VaBelle35]

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@151949 wrote:

@VaBelle35 First of all it is illegal and second of all - if they did have a lunch how would you know? It's not like they have it at the front desk? It would be somewhere like a conference room somewhere in the back out of patients sight.

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As I said, they must have found a loop hole because they did indeed bring in lunch.  The rep was annoyed because I was the last appointment before lunch and she kept asking the front desk "how much longer."  I was in the chair in the hall waiting for my eye drops to kick in so I could be examined by the doctor.

When I came out, everyone was gone to the back and the woman at the desk was checking me out and yelled to the doctor that they had already started eating.  The rep was standing in the doorway waiting for the doctor.  

Then the doctor went to the ladies room and I thought the rep was going to lose her mind.