Dialogue Volume 10 Issue 2 2014 | Page 33

PRACTICE PARTNER W hat do you do if you become aware that one of your prescription pads has been stolen or that forged prescriptions with your name are in circulation? This is one of many inquiries we receive at the College’s Physician Advisory Service. Physicians are often uncertain as to what steps should or can be taken to report the theft and/or forgery, and what actions are permitted in cases where the theft is committed by a patient. The College expects that physicians take the appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of their prescription pads. Physicians often become aware that a prescription pad has been stolen because a pharmacist contacts them to verify a suspicious prescription. If you become aware that a prescription pad has been stolen or that forged prescriptions are in circulation, you are advised to do the following: • Consult with the CMPA and the Information and Pri vacy Commissioner’s (IPC) Office to determine if it would be appropriate to report the theft to the police. The CMPA and the IPC are best able to advise you as to what information may be provided to the police if the theft is committed by a patient. If the theft was not committed by a patient, there will likely be no confidentiality concerns to consider. However, it is still advisable to notify and consult with the CMPA in these circumstances. • Contact local pharmacies in the area and ones which  you deal with frequently to inform them of the circumstances, and request that they contact you to verify any suspicious prescriptions. • Ensure that you have publicly available contact  information so that pharmacists or law enforcement authorities can contact you if necessary. •  ontact the Ontario Public Drug Program (OPDP) C to report the theft and/or forgery. The OPDP is a division of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that will document the details surrounding the stolen prescription pad and any fraudulent prescriptions. The OPDP has the ability to notify pharmacies in the surrounding area alerting them to the situation. The OPDP can be reached at (416) 327-8106. •  ontact the College’s Physician Advisory Service C to notify the College of the incident. If the College receives any subsequent calls from pharmacists regarding the issue, we will encourage them to contact you directly to verify any prescriptions. •  ry to ascertain how the theft occurred and take imT mediate actions to prevent this from happening in the future. Prescription pads should always be locked away for safe keeping and physicians must be diligent in ensuring that they are not inadvertently left in places that may be susceptible to theft and possible forgery. Prescription pad theft and fraudulent prescriptions pose significant public safety risks. While theft and forgery are not always preventable, physicians should be vigilant in safeguarding their prescription pads. After becoming aware of the problem, physicians should take immediate action to ensure that the appropriate authorities have been notified. If you have any questions about this or any other practice related matter, please contact the College’s Physician Advisory Service at 1-800-2687096 extension 606. DIALOGUE • Issue 2, 2014 PRACTICE PARTNER Stolen Prescription Pads 33