Can any doctor or pharmacy see all medications your prescribed? Like if you get one prescription from a specialist or other doctor, and don't tell your primary care provider can they findout? I heard there is a MAP program that lets doctors and pharmacists see all the prescriptions you have. Is this true, and is it true for the whole country or state by state?
Can doctors check all of your prescriptions online?
Question posted by wmuslut02 on 18 April 2011
Last updated on 7 November 2022 by ErikT
10 Answers
ErikT
7 Nov 2022
While I have also never heard of the MAP, it is apparently not just controlled substances(narcotics) that any Doctor can see if you have been prescribed. I recently went to a foot Dr. and he asked me if I was still taking clindamycin. I was like wha?? I had been prrescribed clindamycin several years prior for an infection in tooth. That startled me and I did not like it one bit. Other than narcotics, what business is it of another Dr. to know what I have been prescrobed in the past? Don't be fooled, it is NOT just narcotic meds these Dr.s can see, it is apparently EVERYTHING and ANYTHING you've been prescribed. I reside in Ohio, but my hunch is this is nationwide. Disgusting.
RetiredArmy1992
14 Oct 2019
It is true all doctors can check any prescription you have received. My dentist recently told me about this. We were discussing the drugs I received from my pain mgt doctors. He said he could go there and see what I am getting before he wrote me a strip so that I could not get some of the same from him for say pulling a molar or such tooth. So, if my dentist can check I would suspect any doctor can check what drugs you are getting from what doctor so that they do not give you a drug you might be shopping doctors to get more of a drug for your over use of pain drugs, etc.
Kira Erikson
29 May 2018
We now live in a police state. I have fortunately never needed pain medication but what is being done to reasonable (sometimes dying) people who do need pain meds is brutal. Part of the reason prescription meds are so expensive is the constant surveillance. Before the American Medical Association decided to create a new source of income for doctors, one could get pain meds from the pharmacy without interference.
Regena2010
25 April 2017
Can an emergency room check to see all of your medicines or is it just controlled substances and narcotics?
bluetomcat
26 Oct 2018
Here in Texas, they can see all the controlled substances and narcotics that you are taking. They can see all the doctors that are prescribing it and where you go the medications and how often.
Tammy Moulton
17 Dec 2018
Same in most states anymore! They check for controlled substances mostly but can see all. This was put in place to make it so they can see who is Dr shopping, running to the ER for extra or just ran out of your script early. This unfortunately is one of the reasons why Ppl are having such a hard time finding or keeping a Dr. And making it more difficult to continue on the medications you need to live a normal life. Ppl always say it's just because of the overdose epidemic. But most started out by using different Drs and different pharmacies to obtain their prescriptions.
Lisagw72
2 Dec 2016
It doesn't matter if you pay cash or not, I had a script for pain meds, and then a few days received another one from one of my specialty dr's. I paid cash for the 2nd one and my PCP found out still
Lynn 1995
20 Oct 2016
As a nurse I know that any med's a person is on is supposed to be protected by the medical privacy act and the hippa law . Unless you have signed a contract with a pain clinic is the only people that are allowed to know all Ur other med's.
Huskylover
28 Oct 2016
I too am a nurse and can tell you that the HIPPA Act has been amended. Much of the initial privacy protection is gone. Health care practitioners (HCP) must still abide by this but your info is available to anyone that has access to your insurance numbers, or less. Drug stores are linked and all prescriptions are available to your HCP even if you pay cash. Your info can be examined regarding hiring & promotion as well. May not seem fair but check out the amendments.
Gela6
3 Nov 2016
Another fellow nurse here. I believe that all scheduled medications are tracked by the DEA now. Any time you fill a scheduled narcotic of any kind it is automatically logged regardless of where you have your Rx filled. Any physician can pull up your Rx records from the DEA and see what narcs you are on, when it was filled, how many pills, who prescribed it and how frequently you fill your script. I believe that is part of why PCPs are not wanting to write for narcotics of any kind any more. I understand it's in place to prevent Dr shopping, but the effects it is having on those of us who have been taking these medications for years for serious health conditions are the ones that are being hurt by all of this.
Inactive
19 April 2011
I live in Illinois & don't know (don't think so) if they participate, but I just changed Pain doctors & now go to one in Iowa ( I live right on the Mississippi) anyway Other than signing a new contract & submitting to random urine tests they didn't say anything about the Map program.
Cathleen186
19 April 2011
Hi wmuslut02,
I never heard of a Map Program but what happened to me is this: I went to a Pain Clinic to get a second opinion on my back pain. The doctor was already holding a piece of paper she had brought in before even seeing me. It was from the DEA she said and it listed all my meds I have picked up whether it be cash or credit and told me bluntly that she will not be giving me any pain meds before I had even a chance to ask. Hope this helps. BTW I live in CA so I don't know if this happens in every state. Cathleen
DzooBaby
19 April 2011
Yup! This is the MAP program (or whatever your state calls it) but it is a tracking of all your Rx's of controlled substances they can pull up by computer!
Cathleen186
19 April 2011
Wow they are really cracking down!! I am relatively new to this pain stuff, and I guess I won't be taken care of as well as some of you, but I hope not. Cathleen
wavespell
10 Feb 2013
Yeah, big brother is watching you (DEA). Go to your state's Board of Pharmacy (Google it), and you will learn that most state's have a PDMP security program in place to keep you from doctor shopping. Georgia has not implemented their mandated program, so you might be good there.
Beach boy 24
25 Jan 2017
Hey my name is Brady ? what city are u from ?
DzooBaby
19 April 2011
The MAP program depends on your state. Not all states participate. If you live in a state that does participate, the Dr or pharmacy can pull up your name and can see if you have filled controlled substances, what, when and where, even if you pay cash. This is to help prevent Dr shopping. If they see you have recently filled a controlled substance they can deny to write or fill another controlled Rx, if they wish. To see if your state participates you can google your states Board of Pharmacy.
bipolar4life
18 April 2011
If u go to the same pharmacy which u should for safety reasons and interactions then thery can see what u are taking and such through your insurance but if u pay cash from what i learned they cant track it it is best to stay with onr doc and a primary or as many specialist as u need and tell "each" one what meds u are on honesty si the best policy i went one time to my specialist forgot thata my PDOC added a benzo to my long script of medications and my pain doc went nutso like i was trying to hide it from her we have a good relationship now and also remember doctors are in clicks and such and taslk about there patients to each other they can find out that way too
lol janymak hope this helped
Related topics
pharmacy, doctor, prescription, medication
Similar questions
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.
