By KRWG News
New Mexico – New Mexico wants doctors and other health professionals to help spot financial fraud against the elderly.
A new Elder Investment Fraud and Financial Exploitation Prevention Program will train medical professionals to spot signs of financial abuse so they'll be able to refer at-risk patients to adult services or state regulators.
State Securities Department spokeswoman Bernice Geiger says it's important to involve doctors because they're in a position to know which patients might be susceptible to scams.
But Geiger says many physicians aren't aware the Securities Division can help.
New Mexico Medical Society president Dr. Lynn Bryant says she wasn't aware of the program but it's worth considering.
However, she also says doctors have only a limited amount of time with patients, and their focus is medical care.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.