Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the release of a new WCRI study that found evidence that physician dispensing encouraged some physicians to unnecessarily prescribe strong opioids.
The study examined prescribing behaviors in Florida after the state’s ban on physician dispensing of strong opioids, and found that rather than prescribing the same amounts of strong opioids (which would be filled at pharmacies) physician-dispensers instead began prescribing (and dispensing) greater amounts of weaker pain medications like NSAIDs and weaker opioids.
WCRI noted that more attention is now being paid to whether the financial benefits of dispensing are leading to the prescription and dispensation of unnecessary drugs, with the study results raising concerns that a significant portion of strong opioids that were physician-dispensed prior to reforms were not necessary.
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