ER Narcotics
Posted by 
Seeker on Mar 03 2008 |
Uncategorized
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ER doctors are prescribing strong narcotics more often to white patients than to minority patients. Even in cases of severe pain minorities are prescribed narcotics less often than white patients.
The underlying belief may be that doctors fear narcotic abuse by minority patients. The irony, however, is that blacks are less likely to abuse narcotics than whites. Hispanics are becoming almost as likely as whites to engage in narcotic abuse.
Stricter protocols for prescribing narcotics is needed to close this gap.
A New York hospital recently studied its emergency patients and found no racial disparity in narcotics prescribed for broken bones. This center aggressively treats pain and is developing protocols for painkillers that dictate initial dosages and times to check with patients to see if they need more pain medicine.
Its high time to move past any disparities and get them narrowed. Doctors also need to be aware of any personal attitudes that may influence how they prescribe to patients.
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