Not only within walking distance (as the article says), The building OVERLOOKS police headquarters (and central precinct). Incredible irony or...not. It is not unusual for high crime areas to be around government centers...such as state capitols.

It would be really nice if these police officials would at least tell everyone 'what' exactly happened, or more importantly, what do all the rest of the 'legitimate' patients that went there (such as myself) do now? I was actually there that very day of the raid because I had a doctors appointment myself - but after detaining me there for about an hour or so & saw my records, they eventually just told me to go home, however would NOT tell me another doctor to go to, would not give me my records, no referrals - nothing. I've been severely disabled for nearly 7 years now with my condition, and have been under strict pain management for nearly the same amount of time. Now ever since they've closed this location down last week, 'where' is everyone supposed to go now - and 'what' is going to happen to all of our records, x-rays, etc? (or how do we even get them in order 'to go' to a whole new doctor?) Bottom line, if someone (patient, doctor, etc) is guilty of doing something illegal there, fine & so be it - charge & arrest 'that' particular person(s) & be done with it. But by shutting down the 'entire' facility, doctors, etc & simply telling everyone to just 'go somewhere else' - punishes everyone all together - and that's just inexcusable, I'm sorry. This is down right ridiculous & extremely unfair for the other 98% of us all, who have absolutely done nothing wrong, have NO clue as to what is even going on to begin with, and have been in this program for a very long time now.

A message to the editor. Please view my facebook for many photos of myself with The President. My facebook is listed as, Jeffrey John Gonzalez, I'm from Tampa Fl., currently residing here in Tucker for two years. My sister and her husband, Donna and Tim Main are having dinner with The President this Friday evening in Tampa. That dog and pony show they put on at my medical center was intended to do what it did, make us look guilty. So sad our patients had to endure that.

If this was a major crime scene that I imagine require hours and days of planning for this raid, wouldn't the doctors at least be detained? Wouldn't they be the main ones breaking the law for writing false prescriptions?

I think police should monitor criminal situations, but this seems like a huge waste and a poorly thought out plan.

I Am shocked! Iwas a patient and I had to get all MRI and pharmacy records and all doctor information from the past year. They had to get the information directly from the doctors and each time I had to fill out paper work asking what doctors I had been to since my last visit under the warning I would terminated from their program for not releasing all information. I don't know the whole situation but in my case they were legit. I hate this and I hate the stigma because a lot of valid patients are not getting help with chronic pain care. Not everyone is a pill head.

And how we're they arresting patients and towing cars? The only thing I can think of was maybe a setup where they had a fake patient who sent fake information and had a fake doctors office faxing in information. Because if a patient has valid information and they are there to see a doctor how would they be a guilty party? I still don't get it. They were so strict with everything. You had to give a copy of your license and a thumb print copy just to pick up your prescriptions after the doctor visit. They drug test as well. The doctor also gave me information on neck exercises. The media seems to make it out like you could just walk in and get whatever you wanted which is not true. Also people like me don't want surgery at 35. My c3 through c7 are shot and if I have surgery i wouldn't be able to move my neck - period. I want a life. I choose pain control over disability. I'm no pill head looking for a high. I have a masters degree and a full time job and it's unfortunate that myself and others have to suffer for having chronic pain. I hope that this company can get through all this and prove their side but then again it's the DEA. I want to thank them for helping me for the past 5 months.

Love your job--Gotta pay off the medical school loans somehow:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-06/american-pain-the-largest-u-dot-s-dot-pill-mills-rise-and-fall#p2

"According to George’s indictment, doctors at his clinics were paid a flat fee for each opioid prescription they wrote—typically, $75 to $100 a pop. To help maximize their efficiency, doctors were given prescription stamps they could use quickly, over and over. It was common for physicians at American Pain to see 100 patients a day, he says. At that rate a doctor would earn roughly $37,500 a week—or $1.95 million a year."

I’m commenting on this because I am a current patient with Southern Health... Let me tell you how professional these people were with me from day one... First without getting into much detail was injured badly and after months and months of seeing my primary care doctor and seeing neurosurgeons was recommended surgery... With an ongoing lawsuit I eventually went to Southern Management to help because there was no way I could pay for this surgery before lawyers were done collecting a medical settlement... They took the better part of a day checking every doctor, MRI, pharmacy record I had since the injury before finally very politely telling me I would have to come back a few days later due to what would have been a PAIN prescription overlap... A FEW DAYS ONLY!!!... I came back was drug tested while being monitored for tampering, was seen by two doctors after being thoroughly questioned and examined... This place is clean, I was warned about being careful with any medications, and they adjusted me to some non-narcotic meds which in turn lessened my need for the stronger pills some... I have since been 6 times and drug tested twice already, first making sure I was indeed the one taking the prescribed meds, and two that I wasn't taking any other legal or illegal drugs they were not prescribing... Simple as that, the staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and VERY helpful... I will post back when I figure out how to retrieve my medical records that are so valuable to my lawsuit now!