The Hippocratic oath is taken by physicians upon graduation from medical school.  Physicians swear by the healing gods to uphold ethical standards when treating a patient.  Taking this oath is a rite of passage at a culmination of a lot of hard work to become a physician.

The Hippocratic oath is a follows;

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:

I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow. I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of over-treatment and therapeutic nihilism. I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug. I will not be ashamed to say “I know not,” nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient’s recovery. I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God. I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick. I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure. I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm. If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.

More and more we are hearing about physicians running pill mills or simply collecting a fee to write a prescription without a true examination or diagnosis.  In a story posted today a pill mill operator out of Chattanooga, TN was sentenced to 280 years in prison at the age of 61.  One of the pain clinics that she distributed pain pills through was run by a Dr. Jerome Shepard – who has pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally distribute drugs at One Superior Medical Clinic as well as Shepard Clinic.  He was sentenced to serve five years in federal prison and pay close to $200K to the United States.

In the work comp world we see more and more how the choice to prescribe a opioid is more and more common and causing longer claim duration’s and possible addictions.  I am a believer that there is a time and a place for pain medications, but there is definitely an influx of over-prescribing going on in the world today.

Part of the Hippocratic oath that is not there but commonly inserted is “First, do no harm” yet that is exactly what happens more often then it should.  Granted a doctor can be completely to blame because people are well aware and it is well publicized about how dangerous opioids can be.  Patients should be acknowledging those dangers and requesting an alternative.  First and foremost we go to a physician because of an injury at our workplace and look to them to be the experts and that needs to be taken more seriously and a handle on the opioid prescribing problem might start to come under control.

It seems like just pure greed that drives doctors to want to become involved in a pill mill operation.  I cannot think of any other reason, but pure greed to put the amazing power to save lives and the oath you have taken ahead of your own personal gains.  Let’s face it most doctors out there are doing pretty well financially and to risk the lives of patients and their well being means there really can be no other reason.

There are millions of good doctors out there that respect the gift they have to treat people.  It takes just a few bad apples to ruin reputations and bring attention to this growing epidemic.  It is good to see that more and more this behavior is not being taken lightly and that real consequences are happening that hopefully will deter this type of behavior going forward.