Pill mill is a term used primarily by local, state, and federal investigators to describe a doctor, clinic or pharmacy that is prescribing or dispensing powerful narcotics inappropriately or for non-medical reasons.
A pill mill is usually a legally licensed heath care facility that resembles a regular clinic (often a pain management clinic), and most have licensed physicians or health care providers that routinely prescribe painkillers without sufficient medical history, physical examination, diagnosis, medical monitoring, or documentation. Clients of these facilities usually receive prescriptions by paying only in cash.