Derby nurse among highest prescribers in U.S.

By Lisa Chedekel
Connecticut Health I-Team
A Derby nurse practitioner was among the top 10 prescribers nationally of the most potent controlled substances in Medicare’s drug program in 2012 — an anomaly in a state where Medicare records show nurse practitioners rarely prescribe such drugs, which have a high potential for abuse.
Heather Alfonso, an advanced-practice registered nurse (APRN) at the Comprehensive Pain & Headache Treatment Centers LLC, wrote out 8,705 prescriptions for opioids and other Schedule II drugs in 2012 — the most prolific prescriber among all Connecticut practitioners, including pain specialists and other physicians, according to Medicare data compiled by ProPublica.


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