doctor shopping

American  

[dok-ter shop-ing] / ˈdɒk tər ˌʃɒp ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or practice of illegally obtaining prescriptions for a controlled substance from more than one healthcare practitioner at a time, concealing from each the fact that one is doing so.

   Doctor shopping and prescription forgery are common methods of prescription drug abuse.

2. the process of visiting one physician after another in search of a satisfactory one or a particular outcome.

   I did some doctor shopping before deciding on the plastic surgeon recommended by a friend.

   She had to do a lot of doctor shopping, as it was very hard to get a diagnosis for her rare symptoms.

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Etymology

Origin of doctor shopping

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

They may require help getting out of bed, taking a shower or going to the bathroom; getting to the doctor; shopping for groceries or making meals.

From New York Times

Cui Yang, a 31-year-old doctor shopping for a Tesla in Beijing after the recent price cut, said he was won over by "the minimalist interior style and tech feeling".

From Reuters

His staff collected online posts in which parents skeptical of vaccines discussed doctor shopping for medical exemptions.

From Los Angeles Times

They oppose a rule to require players to be evaluated by doctors within 150 miles of home to prevent “doctor shopping.”

From Seattle Times

Despite the growing cost of opioid addiction, Missouri remains the only state without a statewide system to adequately prevent “doctor shopping” and other practices used to obtain often-lethal doses of opium-derived painkillers.

From Washington Times