Doctors refusing HB mothers prescriptions

[Tegam]

I'm with Arimeh, Midwives are supposed to have all that, plus oxygen etc JIC it is needed. I'm thinking that the women asking for prescriptions for synctocinon are freebirthing and in that case, like it or not, these are drugs that should not be administered by people who don't know what they are doing.

ETA - Plus I think it opens up a whole other issue that JIC something does go wrong, someone is going to want to know where the woman got a script for it, and if it comes back to a Dr who wrote a script based on a letter from a midwife, then it is him on the line as well and why should he be? Why can't they have the option of saying they don't want to fill the script. Why can't the midwife do it? I'm all for homebirths, but gee, if you want it to work it has to work both ways.

Sorry i havent had time to read all the replys but i had a HB and i had to get my old OB in another STATE to write out the scripts for me as i couldnt get a local GP up here (QLD) to do it! The IM carry a stock of it but can only get that stock with a script, so as in my case we didnt use any of it so she now has it for other patients that cant get scripts! Its crazy but its true!

[Schmickers]

The IM carry a stock of it but can only get that stock with a script, so as in my case we didnt use any of it so she now has it for other patients that cant get scripts! Its crazy but its true!

This is a legal minefield. Using medications prescribed for another person for a current client without an order is risky, medico-legally speaking.

I'm pretty sure "complying" midwives will have medicare provider numbers and prescribing rights as of Nov 1st. Only problem is, in order to be compliant just one of the conditions is that have insurance which homebirths midwives can't access. So hospital employed midwives will be able to do these things... but then they don't need to if they work in a hospital!
One step forward... oh wait, not really.

I doubt one of the things they will be able to order is syntocinon. The main purpose of having a provider number is to order some basic scans. Don't be fooled into thinking this will empower hospital midwives, either - it will make antenatal clinics cheaper to run because they won't need a resident doctor in there to order blood tests and scans, and that is about it.

[Roryrory]

I am completely FOR homebirth and IMs but completely understand why drs are not prescribing. I think particularly with the uncertainty around IM insurance ATM even if a dr believed a woman was choosing the "safe" route (ie: fno freebirth" I think I as a lawyer would advise they did not prescribe without really checking with a medical negligence lawyer how to do it while covering their own back. IMO the risk would be too great without specific advice. (I do leasing and commercial law, so wouldn't have a clue what they could or could not get away with). I understand the AMA's stance to - they are protecting their turf and doing what their members would expect of them. I just think the AMA are completely wrong on the facts.

[Tegam]

[QUOTE=Schmickers;2345201]This is a legal minefield. Using medications prescribed for another person for a current client without an order is risky, medico-legally speaking.

Yes i understood this to be the case at the time. However that was her professional risk/decision at the time. I do not know what she practises now.