Physician Prescribing Practices Program (P4)

Prescribing Fraud Survey Results - 2010

Prescription drug misuse and abuse is a serious problem in Alberta. To quantify physicians’ experiences with theft and fraud of regular and Triplicate prescriptions, the College and the Alberta Medical Association surveyed practising physicians earlier this year.

677 physicians responded, providing a wealth of information. Highlights included:

 Triplicate (TPP) Prescriptions

versus 

Regular (Non-TPP) Prescriptions 
 Stolen pads or prescriptions  

  • 2% of respondents had a triplicate prescription pad stolen in the past year.

  • Of this group, 88% indicated the theft occurred only once, 12% indicated more than once.

  vs.
  • 4% of respondents had a regular prescription pad stolen in the past year.

  • Of this group, 85% indicated the theft occurred only once; 15% indicated more than once.
 Altered Prescriptions
  • 5% were made aware that a
    patient altered a triplicate
    prescription they had written.

 vs.
  • 16% were made aware of a
    patient altering a regular
    prescription theyhad written.

Prescription Fraud
  • 36% had the impression a patient was fraudulently trying to obtain a triplicate prescription for any medication.

 vs.
  • 39% had the impression a patient was fraudulently trying to obtain a prescription for any non-triplicate medication.
Double-doctoring
  • 51% discovered a patient was
    seeing more than one physician to obtain triplicate prescriptions.

 vs.
  • 52% discovered a patient was
    seeing more than one physician to obtain prescriptions.

 

Complete summary of results (PDF format)