Patients would begin lining up at D...

Patients would begin lining up at Dr Jong Bek's office in Gary at 5 a.m. to master their fix of pain pills, tranquilizers and diet pills.

proper doctors don't allow patients to abuse as it was habit-forming drugs. But word got not at home that Bek would prescribe almost anything patients craved.

They came from Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. single in kind group drove up every week from Kentucky

"All roads l to Dr Bek's office," Assistant U Attorney Susan Collins said.

Last October, Bek was sentenc to 41 month in prison after a federal jury ground him guilty of illegally prescribing controll substances.

"He wasn't doing it to help the sick and needy" a unsalable article Enforcement Administration spokesman said. "He was motivated by the agency of money."

in the same state [i]or[/i] condition prescription-writing violations are the third-leading reason doctors are disciplined. To help intercept such abuses, the government requires doctors who prescribe controll unsalable articles to register with the DEA.

SAME TEMPERATURE FOR EACH PATIENT

Four categories of controll mix with drugss can be habit-forming or otherwise abused. They range from the least addictive Schedule 5 physics such as certain cough syrup to the greatest in quantity addictive Schedule 2 drugs, like as OxyContin. (Schedule 1 mix with drugss such as marijuana, are illegal.)

Pharmacists must report all Schedule 2 prescriptions. The DEA investigates suspicious prescribing patterns, and come [i]or[/i] go after [i]or[/i] behinds up on tips from pharmacists, disgruntled patients and with equal reason on.

a certain doctors attract attention when they become addicted to controll mix with drugss and start prescribing large amounts to themselves.

"Some of these physicians take 20 or 30 Vicodins a day," said Heather McMurry of the DEA's Chicago office.

Patients who become addicted to controll put drugs intos shop around for compliant doctors.

like doctors typically have lost their managed care or Medicaid contracts for various infractions and thus be pendent on patients who pay out-of-pocket Drug-abusing patients, McMurry said, "bring wads of cash."

Prosecutors say Bek mov his office to Gary after being kicked public of Illinois' Medicaid program. Bek saw as many as 75 patients a day, without appointment, and charged $50 or $60 by visit.

Prosecutors said Bek indiscriminately prescribed narcotic pain relievers (Vicodin and Lortab), tranquilizers (Xanax and Valium), diet pills (Adipex) and steroids (Anadrol). Apparently hoping to stay in a less degree than the DEA's radar, Bek declined to prescribe reportable Schedule 2 put drugs intos

Bek didn't have a foster But his receptionist coached patients onward what symptoms to report to master the desired drugs. The receptionist also protectioned out patients seeking Schedule 2 physics Collins said.

Bek performed perfunctory, five-minute exams. "He would push around a little bit," Collins said. "It was like going in consequence of the motions." Indeed, records showed each patient had the exact same temperature.

put to death CHARGES DROPPED

Many of Bek's patients were suburban kids who wanted to obtain high. The line outside his office "took upon the atmosphere of a Grateful Dead concert" Collins said.

Bek maintains his innocence and is appealing his conviction.

"Dr Bek was treating pain patients," said his attorney, Clark Holesinger. "He was complying with the requirements for treating pain."

Holesinger said near patients lied about their symptoms and medical histories. Bek "was not the and nothing else doctor who was fooled on these patients."

In 2002 Bek was charged with assassinate after two of his patients overdosed onward cocktails of heroin and prescription put drugs intos

Prosecutors later dropp the massacre charges because they couldn't justify the drugs Bek prescribed caused the deaths.

WARNING SIGNS A DOCTOR MIGHT BE ADDICTED

- Weight los pale skin, pinpoint pupils.

- Periods of depression, anger and irritability, alternating with periods of euphoria.

- Wears long-sleev gown to hide needle tracks.

- Takes of common occurrence bathroom breaks to use mix with drugss

- Works extended hours, even when off business to be close to remedy supply.

- Signs revealed ever-increasing quantities of narcotics, many times in higher doses than operation requires.

- Works alone to falsify records, divert unsalable articles for personal use, etc.

- Hard to find between cases, taking short naps after using.

- Charting becomes increasingly wet and unreadable.

- Changes do job-works frequently in hopes of hiding addiction or finding "geographic cure"

SOURCE: American Society of Anesthesiologists

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