“Doctor shoppers”: at risk by any other name

GPs need a means to easily and accurately identify prescription shoppers

Correspondence:

1. Health Insurance Commission. About doctor shopping. Available at: www.hic.gov.au/yourhealth/our_services/apbs/doctorshop.htm (accessed Jul 2003).
2. McLean B. HIC crackdown set to target “prescription shoppers”. Aust Doctor 2003; 11 Jul: 3.
3. Health Insurance Commission (additional functions — Prescription Shopping Project) determination 2003 (HIC Act 8AA(4) #/#/2003). Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 2003; GN13: 1071-1076. Available at: www.ag.gov.au/portal/govgazonline.nsf (accessed Jan 2004).
4. Kleinschmidt R, Price J, Caught K. Doctor shopping. Aust Fam Physician 1995; 24: 1037-1041.
5. Cranley v Medical Board of Western Australia. Supreme Court of Western Australia. Ipp J. Case No. 8668. 21 Dec 1990.
6. Martyres RF, Clode D, Burns J. Seeking drugs or seeking help? Escalating “doctor shopping” by young heroin users before fatal overdose. Med J Aust 2004; 180: 211-214. <MJA full text>
7. Health Insurance Commission. Prescription shopping project. Available at: www.hic.gov.au/yourhealth/our_services/prescription_shopping.htm (accessed Dec 2003).
8. Health Insurance Commission. Major IT productivity award for HIC [press release]. Available at: www.hic.gov.au/abouthic/media_room/media_releases/archived/mr_000922_productivity_award.htm (accessed Jan 2004).
9. Kamien M. Doctor shoppers’ rights: privacy or lunacy? Med J Aust 2003; 178: 248. <MJA full text>

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