Need advice/recc or something. Pls help if you can.

[7wo7rees]

There is a dr in the family. Not quite 50. He is an optometrist. He and his soon to be ex wife are embroiled in what is increasingly becoming diificult at best.

What does it mean when this dr writes in a journal something he fears most is a "medical audit"?
Said dr also has been using and abusing many drugs. Oct, Xanax and we don't know what else. Also alcohol, was going to AA but not anymore. He is all better now. (Not)
Two young kids involved in this mess. 10 and 13.

What is a medical audit? Beginning to see there is a lot of discrepancies in income. Can anyone here advise as to what this is? Tks in advance.

[madokie]

1. Google it

many hits so I think you can find what you're looking for.

Peace

[7wo7rees]

2. Yes. Have been doing that. Was just hoping someone here

could help put it in more perspective. Only just blindsided by this one this eve. Tks.

[Old Codger]

8. You need to

Best I can tell you is get in touch with NA or AA chapter near you, get his wife and any other close family members you can and see about what they call an intervention, do not attempt it without someone who has done it before it is a very high tension situation and someone who knows how to do it needs to be involved a professional if possible or someone from either AA or NA who has experience with this procedure..

Good luck to you and your family the best thing you can do is help him help himself..not a lot you can do mostly it is up to the addict to do it for themselves...

[7wo7rees]

9. Already been there. He believes he is all better now.

Apparently it is way worse than we knew.

[Old Codger]

12. Makes no difference

alcoholic/drug addicts all say they are better, if they accept that they are not better and there is a problem then they have to face the fact and do something about it therefor they deny a problem and since there is no problem then nothing needs to be done.. What I said in the previous post stands regardless of what the alcoholic/addict says, they are not the best source for factual information they are in total denial..

[7wo7rees]

13. I understand and I thank you with all my heart for caring

enough to share. We know he is not ok.
He had the intervention, there are counselors, lawyers, drs all involved. He is in serious state of denial we fear he is still abusing. It is a royal mess. It could ruin him.

[bravenak]

3. This is not good

https://www.aapc.com/medical-auditing/medical-auditing.aspx

If he fears it, it probably has something to do with his billing process and fraud. If I were him I'd lawyer up. A relative of mine did time for something like this. She cannot work in the medical industry anymore, but does work in a tangentially connected field now.

[7wo7rees]

6. Thank you Brave for the info.

Was my 1st thought. This can't be good.

[WillowTree]

4. How's he gettng the drugs he's abusing?

Xanax and, I'm assuming "Oct" refers to OxyContin etc.

[7wo7rees]

5. Prescription, black mkt, we have been kept on dark for

3 years. Only found out last September. This is too close to home. Dr is brother, kids are our nephews.
Shocked and stunned, had no clue. And now this.

How is he getting them? Apparently a multitude of ways.

[Wounded Bear]

7. That's bad...

if he's writing scrip for himself, he could be in big trouble. If he has a drug problem (sounds like it) they could look into the possibility of malpractice. Scary stuff.

Sounds like he has problems that transcend his practice, but it's tough not to try and help out. Doing so could bring him more trouble, though. Lot at stake. I'd say, try to be supportive without enabling the bad habits.

[7wo7rees]

10. Thank you for kind words. We are lost.

It is a real mess. We spent a couple of hours this pm being interviewed separately by the PhD called in by state on behalf of kids. Long distance phone call.

[Wounded Bear]

11. I have a history...

Addiction sucks, no matter what substance or behavior is involved.

[WillowTree]

14. Unlikely that he's self-prescribing those drugs.

I doubt that an optometrist is licensed to prescribe that type of thing in just about any jurisdiction.

[REP]

18. Doctors can't write script for themselves or family members

An optometrist only measures eyes; an ophthalmologist is an MD.

[WillowTree]

20. Which doesn't contradict anything I said.

I'm well aware of what an optometrist is as opposed to an ophthalmologist. That's why I said that I doubt that his license would have allowed the writing of such prescriptions.

None of that has anything to do with whether or not docs can prescribe for themselves. I know of several cases where doctors did just that and paid heavy prices for doing so when they got caught. But since an optometrist has limited prescribing authority, it would be unlikely that he would have even tried unless he got his hands on someone else's prescription pad, and these days, doctors tend to guard those pretty carefully.

[REP]

21. Agreeing and adding info in the middle of the night :-)

[WillowTree]

15. Gawd.......that's really rough, 7wo7trees.

I don't have much in the way of advice, but I'll be thinking the good thought for you and your family. Hope so much that it gets worked out favorably.

[7wo7rees]

16. Thank you. Truly. nt

[lindysalsagal]

17. Make sure the kids' school knows.

And stay close to those kids. They're gonna need you.

[pnwmom]

19. Is the soon-to-be ex-wife sober and stable? Is she a good parent to the kids?

The bottom line is the welfare of two young kids. They must take priority over everything else, even if that means supporting the kids and their mother over your brother.

I am so sorry.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sack-md/children-parents-addiction_b_2589947.html