Heath Ledger's father on need for prescription monitoring to deter doctor shopping
Read more at http://medisecure.com.au/heath-ledgers-father-on-need-for-prescription-monitoring-to-deter-doctor-shopping/
Another indication of the need for a real-time prescription monitoring system like DrShop, as Heath Ledgerâs father Kim Ledger talks on the Sunrise program on Channel 7 about his work as a patron of ScriptWise to raise awareness of the misuse/abuse of legal prescription drugs and how to prevent it.
 Seven year ago, the world was shocked by the death of actor Heath Ledger from an accidental overdose of prescription medications. Now his father Kim Ledger is raising awareness about the misuse of prescriptions. The actor had visited several doctors for help with his chest infections and sleeping issues. It is believed he mixed the drugs without realizing the danger. His father Kim is a patron of ScriptWise, a not-for-profit organization, raising the awareness of prescription misuse, which is incredibly common unfortunately.
Kim said: âIt is an extremely significant problem and in very recent times, two coronersâ reports, one in Victoria and one in Western Australia, recommended as a result of their findings, that real-time monitoring should be put in place to capture those people who are misusing or abusing the pharmaceutical drug system.â
The Sunrise program host David Koch asked: âKim, ScriptWise as you say wants real-time monitoring, GPs want it, health ministers want it, pharmacies want it, how frustrating is it that everyone seems to want it but it is not happening.â
Kim replied: âI know Koch and I was a matter aware of this only in recent times and being involved with some families that had gone through some terribly tragic circumstances with loved ones. There are people who had been trying to run this program from up to 10 years or live their awareness of the requirements for this program for the last 10 years. The other frustrating thing is that there is a system available and it is just simply it hasnât been adopted.â
David asked: âHow come it hasnât been adopted? Is it too hard or too expensive or whatâs the block?â
Kim answered: âWell, from my experience Koch, and learning about it in recent times, it is not an expensive thing to adopt. Maybe there are some doctors out there who donât like the idea of a slight change in computer technology or whatever to be accepted. But as I understand, it can be blended well straight into existing systems in doctor surgeries so there should not be a problem. And as you say, most doctors want it anyway because they donât want to compromise themselves in this situation so theyâll love to see it. So I am not sure. If it requires mandating, letâs mandate it. Thatâs all I say.â
The other Sunrise presenter Samantha said: âItâs not necessarily malicious either. You can be thinking you are doing the right thing and getting proper medications, but you donât know it shouldnât be mixed with something else.â
David added: âIt seems silly if everyone agrees. We might talk a bit more off air â just see who we need to get on to increase the pressure. It just seems ridiculous if everyone agrees and it is easily there. Letâs get cracking.â
Kim said: âI agree Koch, that will be fantastic. I mean last year in New York, they adopted this system and within the first hour of lighting up, they found 200 doctor shoppers and itâs a massive problem.â








