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

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 • Feb. 13, 2023

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

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2019

To guard against doctor shopping, Texas lawmakers created a database for checking on patients’ prescriptions in 1982, but the paper system took about a week for a response, Vinger said.

From Washington Times • Jan. 4, 2015

“I might be the third, fourth or fifth neurologist taking a crack at what the diagnosis is. People go doctor shopping and don’t get the right answer.”

From US News • Oct. 27, 2014

Sixteen states use their prescription monitoring programs to proactively send reports to pharmacists and prescribers about patients who appear to be doctor shopping, according to a 2011 survey of state programs.

From New York Times • Apr. 8, 2012