Drugging Up the Family Care Home Residents : NC vs NY

Just who are the prescribers that allow the developmentally disabled to have their anti-psychotic medications tripled without the approval of the family? That's the key to this story and hopefully the NYT reporter will address the issue.

What I have noticed as re: family care home residents in NC, where there has been marked improvement over the past couple of years for the most part, there is a a 'set' provider group that prescribe the medications for the residents of the family care homes. In other words, one practice will service dozens of residents of a family care home.

This, of course, makes sense as the family care homes are expected to provide visits to physicians. What happens is that a medical provider comes around to the family care home about once/ month in order to update medications. There is very little time spent w/ the resident, best I can tell. It is not like going to see your doctor; you don't even get ten minutes.

Is that in itself following Medicaid guidelines which require face to face meeting with clients for a set period of time?

It is usually rather large psychiatric/ medical groups who manage the medications and it is very difficult to get in touch w/ them if there are medication issues. You either catch them when they come around or forget it.

See today's article in the NYT:
Potent Drugs, Few Rules, as State Treats Disabled

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/nyregion/potent-pills-few-rules-in-states-treatment-of-the-disabled.html?pagewanted=all