The doctor-patient relationship is sacrosanct, and you have every right to seek second opinions or even change doctors whenever you want. In fact, patients are encouraged to fire bad doctors and seek out new ones when they feel like a doctor isn’t appropriately addressing their health concerns.
So how can “doctor shopping” be a crime? It’s because “shopping around” for a better doctor is one thing (and perfectly legal), but going from doctor to doctor to find one that will write you prescriptions for unneeded controlled substances is another (and illegal).
To avoid criminal charges, you have to be upfront and honest with each provider
“Doctor shopping” was a term that came into vogue in response to the opioid crisis. It specifically referred to the behavior of some patients who went in search of “Dr. FeelGoods” who were passing out prescriptions for anxiety meds, muscle relaxers, stimulants and painkillers more or less upon patient requests.
However, it also refers to the behavior of patients who purposefully deceive reputable doctors by lying to them about their medical history, current symptoms or the prescriptions they already have to get that doctor to prescribe certain controlled substances. For example, a patient might go to a new doctor and ask for a prescription for benzodiazepines for anxiety or painkillers for a back injury while conveniently forgetting to tell the physician that they’re already receiving prescriptions for those drugs somewhere else.
In Georgia, doctor shopping is a felony offense, and a conviction can result in a $50,000 fine and eight years behind bars. That makes it critical to keep all of your doctors informed about your prescriptions, especially if you’re in the process of changing providers. It’s better to remain above suspicion at all times – so never assume that the information has been transferred as part of your electronic medical records.
If you find yourself charged with a violation of this law, exercise your right to remain silent until you can seek the appropriate legal guidance.
