RutlandHerald.com - We Are Vermont

Doctor accused of prescription abuse



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Published: August 17, 2009

LUDLOW — A Ludlow doctor has had his license suspended for allegedly providing large amounts of narcotic prescription drugs to some of his patients.

Mitchell Miller, a former regional medical director for Prison Health Services in Vermont, is accused of over-prescribing OxyContin, Percocet and other drugs to private practice patients between 2000 and 2009, according to papers filed with the Medical Practice Board.

Miller is accused of 55 counts of unprofessional conduct.

Prison Health Services canceled his contract in April, two weeks before the board suspended his license.

Miller's lawyer said there is no evidence that Miller did anything wrong or that the drugs were used illicitly.








READER COMMENTS


Mr. Smith, that is an interesting article from the Burlington Free Press:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090816/NEWS02/90815008

It certainly left me with more questions than answers, of course.
This looks like a very complicated issue. I do not envy those who will have to sort out the situation and decide what course of action to take.

I have absolutely no doubt that Dr. Miller is a kind, honest, well meaning person. His advice to my family has always been valuable, sensible, and has emphasized lowest-intervention remedies.

There was an episode of The Exchange on NHPR this morning on this topic:
http://www.nhpr.org/node/26512

Mr. Smith, your comment has reminded me that I need to figure out how to change my screen name here. There seems to be a lot of None Nones here, many of whom post comments I would not want to be associated with! :)
-- Posted by None None on Wed, Aug 19, 2009, 1:21 pm EST

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THERE ARE 55 COUNTS AGAINST THIS MAN!!
And those are a few of the many that they could have had, they only watched 10 patients. This man had one woman, as printed in a real paper, who "visited Miller 80 times over a 25 month period and was given narcotics virtually every time". Three pharmacies refused to fill this doctor prescriptions because of the extreme over writing of narcotics.
This "doctor" had a patient who wrote a fake prescription for 100 oxycodone tablets but the state couldn't prosecute the offender because Miller couldn't remember if he wrote the prescription or not. He's been in trouble for these issues for at least 5 years, the man needs to be kept under control.
And yes, I take pain meds everyday for chronic pain, it's prescribed by a pain management specialist, I've been on one form or another of pain medications for about 6 years now so I know what it's like and I also know that any real doctor will NOT re-prescibe for "lost" medication, anyone with real pain knows where their meds are at any given time. If it's stolen a good doctor will demand a police report & if you don't report it, you don't get a new prescription, if you "run out early" you're not using the meds as prescribed (I've done this on a couple occasions due to severe pain) and you don't get a new script.
I've heard of this doctor for years, could have used him for a primary care doc, but I'd rather have someone who's trying to help me, not a doctor to play candy-man.
Loss of right to practice in VT for 36 months, rehabilitation, and then allow him back with someone in his office at all times to monitor his prescriptions, this would be called a "Nurse" for all you who don't know.
I wish him the best of luck, I hope he doesn't run into one of the addicts he created when he walks in his house some night, but around this area anything is possible.
-- Posted by John Gregory on Wed, Aug 19, 2009, 12:49 pm EST

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Dr. Miller was my family doctor for 15 years. He was the best doctor I have ever been to. He LISTENED, and made treatment suggestions. If he couldnt figure out what was wrong, he told you that. He is honest, caring, and professional. If anything, he was being taken advantage of by the low life scum who "played" him to get what they wanted. Pain? Sure, anyone can say they are in pain all the time. Pain cannot be proven. Its too bad. I hope Dr. Miller gets a chance to clear his name.
I work with a guy who is prescribed 100 Codien and 30 Morphine pills per month for pain, been that way for years. Perhaps his Dr. should be charged too.
-- Posted by Dr. Gonzo on Wed, Aug 19, 2009, 9:41 am EST

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I also live in constant pain due to severe arthritis and I have to take a narcotic in order to get through the day and it sucks, but I have no choice and because of Dr; Feelgood's and downright addicts, decent doctors are leery about prescribing narcotics and who can blame them? Here in MI we have our own Dr Feelgood and why he has not lost his right to practice is beyond me .He prescribed 10, count them 10 1,000 mg's of Vicodin a DAY for this loser neighbor I had who I know for a fact is an addict, he has been known to give a pt pretty much whatever their heart desires and several people have died from overdoses or got caught selling the pills and what does he do? Stops prescribing anything till he knows for sure that he won't be held accountable! And how do I know this? Thst same neighbor whined to me one day that she could not get her meds because the doctor was worried because a 21 year old pt had overdosed on Vicodin and Oxycotin and died and she went in to get her refill script and he refused to fill it that day??? Now I have a wonderful doctor who KNOWS I live in constant pain as there is evidence to the fact and she takes good care of me and I am grateful to this woman and she also had arthritis and knows the pain .There was another doctor here that was actually selling scripts and you did not even have to be a pt!!! He was selling all the biggies and he was busted and convicted and is now sitting in prison for the next 22 years as narcotics fall under federal jurisdiction and they wanted this guy in the worst way and they estimated that he made thousands of dollars. And now this Doctor is on the hot seat and he might have been a wonderful doctor at one time, till greed clouded his judgment and 55 counts is very serious and he might very well end up in jail himself for a very long time and you wonder what he was thinking of, jeopardizing people's lives because he could have over prescribed to someone that is a stone cold addict and they overdosed and that could be a potential involuntary manslaughter charge.
-- Posted by Linda Brown on Tue, Aug 18, 2009, 10:37 am EST

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I apologize, NONE-NONE. I shouldn't have made that assumption.
I actually posted about the fact that it's impossible to get a primary care doctor, and because of big business it's now close to impossible to get a P.C.P. unless you are willing to travel at least 20 miles one way, and to go to a "Doc-in-the-Box" or some sort of affiliation to one of the main hospitals around, like the "Rutland Hospital Group".

I feel for you, losing your pedi and your PCP all in one, hopefully someone will come in to take Dr.Millers spot right away.

I do believe in some cases he was trying to help his patients, I don't think he ever pushed narcotics on people who didn't want them, but I know he was tossing out prescriptions like candy to the ones who asked and he caused irreparable harm to a lot of families.

You all really should check out the article in Sundays Burlington Free Press, it tells a lot more of the story.
-- Posted by joe smith on Mon, Aug 17, 2009, 6:07 pm EST

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Oh, Mr. Smith, actually I'm a mom of young children. Dr. Miller was our family pediatrician/general doctor.

I don't know any more details than what was written here, but I know Dr. Miller to be a kind, helpful, knowledgeable, honest man.

Let's hope this all gets figured out soon. It's a tricky issue, that's for sure.
-- Posted by None None on Mon, Aug 17, 2009, 4:03 pm EST

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This story was posted in the Sunday Burlington Free Press, and in much more depth.
Way to tell the story "Rutland" Herald.
I have degenerative disc disease, 3 levels are completely shot and do you know what the first thing I heard when I started experiencing "extreme" pain was? There's a doctor in Ludlow who will prescribe you anything you WANT. Not need, want.. I went with a pain mangement specialist @ Rutland Hospital and am glad I made the decision I did.
I have heard about Mr. Miller and his wonderful little prescription pad for years, it was always said if you needed to make money, go to this "doctor" and he'll prescribe enough so not only could I relieve my pain but I could get rich doing so.
Roxanne, maybe he did right by you but I personally know a few people who used this "doctor" over the years, most of them ended up in re-hab and more than one ended up in jail.
When someone is prescribed 120 oxycontin "80's" ,240 percoset "10's" and endless supplies of valium, lorazepam, etc., EVERY MONTH, and I KNOW this same person called on at least 5 occasions saying she "lost all her meds or someone "stole" all her meds and got new FULL prescriptions in less than a week, well, something smells and it sure doesn't smell like roses.
It's hard enough for those of us who really need medication without a "doctor" doing this, I'm a 44 year old man with NO PRIOR HISTORY of drug and/or alcohol abuse and yet I still have to pee in a cup.
And it's people like the one calling himself "None-None" who make things hard on people like myself, tell me "None", how many crimes have you been accused of? How much jail time? I bet we don't get a truthful answer to that one.
The "doctor" was and is a QUACK and needs to lose his right to practice medicine for life AND be sent to the state prison for a few years if only just to see what harm he helped to cause.....
Check Sundays Burlington Free Press for a lot more on this story and for a much better written story also....
-- Posted by joe smith on Mon, Aug 17, 2009, 3:16 pm EST

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I think this is terrible. Not all people who have chronic pain are abusing pain medication. Some of us, have ligitmate problems that need to take these drugs. I happen to be one of them. I have been made to feel like a criminal in some drs. offices. I had a dr for years prescribing my meds but would only give me 10 days worth at a time, when you are in this much pain it sucks to have to jump through hoops but you do what you have to, so you can live a semi-normal life. I then found another dr who wrote me my scripts on a monthly basis. He was such a kind and caring man who understood chronic pain. That dr retired and I was sick wondering who I would find for a dr. I had alot of drs tell me they were accepting new patients, come in and fill out the necessary papers. When I did, they would call me and tell me they weren't accepting any new patients. I ended up with high blood pressure and becoming depressed during this ordeal. Luckily my Dr. got me an appt with a dr before he retired. Now I see a specialist up in Burlington and I don't know how to deal with the fact that they want to give me what I need for my pain. I have been made to feel like I am at fault for my problems. I had surgery when I was a teen on my back and after years of hard word my back is in terrible shape. I am blessed to have the meds so I can live somewhat of a normal life, although it will never be normal because chronic pain is not fun!!!! Some people like to blame the victim but it's not my fault. I did not ask for Scoliosis, I just have it, I did not ask for the Harrington Rod, my drs told us if I didn't have the surgery I would be dead by age 20. So if a dr knows his patient is in terrible pain, don't be mad at him for prescribing what is needed. I hope this dr is able to regain his license, he sounds like a very compassionate man who is giving what is out there to help these patients.
-- Posted by ch mott on Mon, Aug 17, 2009, 2:32 pm EST

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Dr. Miller is a great doctor and an honorable man.

I can only hope that his license will be reinstated very soon- we need this good doctor in his office, helping his patients!

I hope he and his family are not worried about his reputation. Anyone who knows Dr. Miller will only be saddened by the news that his practice has been interrupted by this bizarre hassle.
Let us know when you can open your office again- we'll be lined up at the door!
-- Posted by None None on Mon, Aug 17, 2009, 1:40 pm EST

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It is ashamed for Dr. Miller allegely "unprofessioning" over-prescribing narcotics for 10 years! I was a Registered Nurse at Visiting Nurse in Springfield. Dr. Miller was a professional and a career. I think it is very sad; personally I really like Dr. Miller unlike those "Doctor" who were "unprofession" shooting there mouth out like a FOOL! Again, I won't use names with "Doctor" in Springfield, Vt. Again, Dr. Miller was a professional.

By the way, in 2005 I had a stroke; 4 years of rehabilited my noursing license lapses. It is possible to spread a network for "unprofession narcotic" with in speech; why not? Right here in the school.
-- Posted by Roxanne Shelton on Mon, Aug 17, 2009, 7:26 am EST

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