Many people rely on doctors to help manage pain or treat health conditions. Most patients follow their treatment plan and work with one primary provider. Sometimes, however, individuals may visit several different doctors for the same issue.
This can happen for different reasons. Some may hope to get more medication, while others are looking for an answer that fits what they want to hear. This behavior is called doctor shopping, and it has important consequences for health and well-being.
At First Steps Recovery in Fresno County, California, we understand how prescription medication issues can develop, and we’re committed to helping people find their path to recovery.
What is Doctor Shopping?
Doctor shopping is when someone visits multiple healthcare providers to get multiple prescriptions for controlled substances without telling each doctor about the others. You might also hear this called “doc shopping” or “doctor hopping.”
Here’s how it typically works: A person will go to three, four, or even five different doctors within a few weeks or months. Each time, they’ll ask for prescriptions for medications like painkillers, anxiety pills, or sleep aids. The key part is that they don’t tell each doctor about the other prescriptions they’re getting. The definition of doctor shopping includes several behaviors:
- Getting duplicate prescriptions: Visiting different doctors to get the same medication multiple times.
- Opinion shopping: Going to different providers until finding one that gives the answer they want.
- Avoiding detection: Using cash payments or different pharmacies to hide the pattern.
Most experts agree that seeing three to five doctors for the same condition within 30 to 90 days counts as doctor shopping. This pattern raises red flags because it’s not how typical medical care works.
Why Do People Engage in Doctor Shopping?
People engage in doctor shopping for different reasons. Understanding these reasons helps explain why this behavior happens.
Prescription drug dependency is one of the most common reasons. When someone becomes dependent on medications such as opioids or benzodiazepines, they may feel like they can’t function without them. As tolerance builds, they need more pills to feel the same effects.
Undertreated pain drives some people to seek additional prescriptions. If someone’s chronic pain isn’t being managed well by their regular doctor, they might visit other providers hoping to get stronger or more frequent pain medication.
Mental health struggles can also lead to doctor shopping. People with anxiety, depression, or other conditions might seek multiple prescriptions for medications that help them cope with their symptoms.
Some people engage in doctor shopping to sell the medications they obtain. This is called prescription drug diversion, and it’s done for financial reasons rather than personal use.
How Common is Doctor Shopping?
Doctor shopping has become less common in recent years, but it still happens. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks this behavior through various monitoring systems.
According to recent data, prescription drug monitoring programs have helped reduce doctor shopping significantly. These computer systems let doctors and pharmacists see if a patient has gotten similar prescriptions from other providers recently. The practice is most common with certain types of medications:
- Opioid pain medications like oxycodone or hydrocodone
- Benzodiazepines for anxiety, such as Xanax or Ativan
- Stimulants used for ADHD, like Adderall
- Sleep medications like Ambien
People who have doctor shopped in the past often did so because they were struggling with prescription drug misuse or addiction.
Warning Signs of Doctor Shopping
There are specific patterns that suggest someone might be engaging in doctor shopping behavior. These include:
Visiting Multiple Providers
The most obvious sign is seeing several different doctors for the same medical problem. This might include traveling to clinics far from home or visiting emergency rooms in different cities. When someone is shopping for doctors this way, they’re usually trying to avoid having their visits tracked.
Paying Cash for Medical Care
Paying cash for doctor visits and prescriptions, even when insurance is available, can be a warning sign. People do this to avoid creating insurance records that might reveal their pattern of visits to multiple providers.
Requesting Early Refills
Asking for medication refills before the prescription should be finished is another red flag. Common excuses include claiming the medication was lost, stolen, or that extra pills are needed for travel. When this happens repeatedly, it suggests the medication is being used faster than prescribed.
Is Doctor Shopping Illegal?
Yes, doctor shopping is illegal in all 50 states. The laws vary from state to state, but the practice violates both federal and state regulations about controlled substances. Most states use Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs to catch doctor shopping. These databases track when controlled substances are prescribed and dispensed, making it easier to spot patterns. The legal consequences depend on several factors:
- First offense: May result in fines, probation, or mandatory treatment
- Repeat offenses: Can lead to jail time and larger fines
- Intent to sell: Often charged as a felony with serious prison time
At the federal level, obtaining prescription drugs through fraud or deception breaks the Controlled Substances Act. Individual states have their own doctor shopping laws with specific definitions and penalties.
Health Risks of Doctor Shopping
Doctor shopping creates serious health risks. The biggest danger is overdose, especially when someone gets multiple prescriptions for similar medications.
When different doctors prescribe medications without knowing about other prescriptions, dangerous drug interactions can happen. For example, combining opioids with benzodiazepines significantly increases overdose risk.
The practice can also make underlying health conditions worse. Without coordinated care, medical problems might go undiagnosed or untreated properly.
Mental health often suffers too. People engaging in doctor shopping frequently experience:
- Increased anxiety: Worrying about getting caught or running out of medication
- Relationship problems: Lying to family and friends about doctor visits
- Financial stress: Paying for multiple appointments and prescriptions
Treatment and Recovery Options
Recovery from prescription drug misuse that involves doctor shopping is possible with the right support.
Medical Detox
Medical detox helps people safely stop using prescription drugs under medical supervision. This process typically takes several days to a week, with healthcare staff monitoring withdrawal symptoms and providing medications when needed to ensure safety.
Residential Treatment
Residential rehab provides 24-hour care in a structured environment. These programs combine medical care, therapy, and peer support to address both the addiction and any underlying mental health conditions. First Steps Recovery offers comprehensive residential programs that use evidence-based treatments alongside holistic approaches.
Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)
An Intensive outpatient program allows people to attend treatment while maintaining work, school, or family responsibilities. These programs include therapy sessions, education, and support groups. Some programs offer online options for added flexibility.
Moving Forward With Recovery
Recovery from prescription drug misuse is absolutely possible. Many people have successfully overcome these challenges and rebuilt their lives.
Getting help often starts with recognizing that the current situation isn’t working. Professional treatment addresses both the physical aspects of prescription drug dependence and the underlying reasons why doctor shopping began.
At First Steps Recovery in California, we understand that each person’s situation is unique. Our personalized treatment approaches consider individual circumstances and goals, helping people develop healthy ways to manage pain, stress, and mental health challenges.
Doctor Shopping FAQs
How many doctors does it take to be considered doctor shopping?
Visiting three to five different healthcare providers for the same condition or similar medications within 30 to 90 days is generally considered doctor shopping.
Can prescription monitoring programs detect doctor shopping?
Yes, Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs are specifically designed to track controlled substance prescriptions across different providers and pharmacies, making doctor shopping patterns easier to detect.
What happens if someone gets caught doctor shopping?
Legal consequences vary by state but can include fines, probation, mandatory treatment, or jail time, with more serious penalties for repeat offenses or intent to distribute medications.
How do treatment centers help people who have been doctor shopping?
Treatment centers address both the physical dependence on prescription medications and the underlying reasons for doctor shopping through medical detox, therapy, and ongoing recovery support programs.
If you or someone you care about is struggling with prescription medication misuse or doctor shopping behaviors, help is available. First Steps Recovery provides individualized treatment plans that address both substance use and the underlying factors that contribute to these behaviors. Our experienced team offers comprehensive care from detox through aftercare in a supportive, understanding environment. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
Dr. Curl is the Medical Director and primary on-site provider for First Steps Recovery. He is a Board Certified Internist and Addiction Medicine Specialist having attended the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and completing his residency at Mount Auburn Hospital with Harvard Medical School. Following several years work as an internist and physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation). Dr. Curl completed the Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Howard University in Washington DC and participated as a RAM Scholar (Research in Addiction Medicine). While part of the fellowship, Dr. Curl pursued research investigating the barriers to expanding and improving medication for opioid use disorder. Following his fellowship, Dr. Curl spearheaded the Opiate Use Disorder outpatient clinic and worked in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences within the Howard University Hospital. In 2023, Dr. Curl completed his Board Certification in Addiction Medicine.
