Or is it that doctors who prescribe drugs can prescribe any kind of drug? For example, can a heart surgeon suddenly prescribe an antipsychotic or is he not authorized to do that?
2007-07-22 22:10:10 · 7 answers · asked by na n 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
As long as the doctor requests the proper schedules on his DEA certificate, he's able to prescribe any legal drug he wants. It would be silly to have to wait for a consultation if a post-operative heart patient were to have a psychotic episode (not as uncommon as you might think--there's such a thing as "ICU psychosis") and while he's ripping out his IV's and chest tubes, the surgeon isn't able to control the behavior. Doctors are, however, generally unwilling to prescribe drugs with which they're unfamiliar.
Medicine is a self-policing profession, and it's better at it than the government. You'd be surprised at how much regulation there is, but it's self-imposed by the only people with the expertise to do so.
2007-07-23 04:45:40 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In the U.S. I would have to say that would be a horrible idea because healthcare is expensive and specialists are prohibitively expensive for a lot of people. Without insurance, you can pretty much forget about seeing a specialist unless you are able to get on a payment plan. Even with insurance the costs can be way too high for a specialist. If I had to see a psychiatrist for my ADHD medication, I wouldn't be able to take it because I can't afford that. I would have been fired from my job years ago if I didn't have my meds, and I certainly wouldn't be back in school making straight As without it. While I can see the point of such a rule, it's just not a good idea in the U.S. In a country with socialized medicine, absolutely, let specialists prescribe the drugs for conditions they have more knowledge of than the average GP.
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2016-04-14 06:09:08 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unless a physician has had a restriction put on his/her license as a disciplinary (for example, for over-prescribing narcotics) and provided that doctor has the appropriate registration with the DEA, he/she can prescribe any medications for any condition.. The restrictions by the DEA would only cover scheduled "Controlled Substances", classified from C-II through C-V... Antipsychotics are not controlled substances, so yes, a cardiosurgeon could prescribe an antipsychotic.
But please don't forget that all doctors must undergo certain basic training before undergoing training in his/her area of specialization so that he/she really is qualified to practice medicine outside of the area of specialization as a General Practitioner anyway. A medical license in the US doesn't specify any limits as to the area of practice in medicine-- just that the individual is licensed to practice medicine in that state.
Your question only asks about the legality, not the ethics of a physician prescribing medications outside of his/her area of specialization. Ethics is another consideration entirely. An ethical physician will not practice outside of his/her area of specialization but will refer to a physician who But there are somewhat fringe-y areas, such as the need to order a medication for side effects to other medications, etc. that the physician may need to address as well. And there may be absolutely valid reasons that a cardiosurgeon would prescribe an antipsychotic, for example, or a psychiatrist would order an antibiotic.
2007-07-22 22:24:58 · answer #3 · answered by Megumi D 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Any licensed physician can prescribe any medication. For example, what if the cardiothoracic surgeon's postoperative patient has a reaction to medication and becomes combative? He will need psychotropic meds. A good doctor will ask for a specialist to consult on the case, but what if it's 2AM?
2007-07-22 22:20:20 · answer #4 · answered by barbara 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
generally doctors can prescribe any type of drug. a heart surgeon isn't going to prescribe a anti psychotic. he'd send you to a shrink if he thought you needed an anti psychotic.
2007-07-22 22:23:42 · answer #5 · answered by suse 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No a heart surgeon cannot do dat . The question itself explains that certain type of doctor can prescribe only specific types of drugs.( thats their own field.)
2007-07-22 22:19:29 · answer #6 · answered by YO MAN IS BACK 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
It depends on the medication. Most Dr.s will refer you to a specialty Dr. for whatever problem you have.
2007-07-23 05:50:51 · answer #7 · answered by monnmak 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋