When Inheriting a Patient Panel Means Inheriting Unsafe Prescribing

I didn't choose this panel. I inherited it from a physician who had retired after decades in practice. He hadn't changed how he prescribed in a long time.

I opened the charts and found years of controlled substances for pain and anxiety. I found psychiatric conditions managed well outside what primary care is set up to handle. And I found patients who expected a refill, not a conversation.

I wanted to practice safely. I also knew that unwinding someone else's prescribing would be real work. This is how it started, and the 2 moves I made first. If you've just inherited a panel like this, I'd make the same moves again.