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coffeelover
10-14-2009, 02:02 PM
Today I spent far too much time on the phone trying to get my medical information from one clinic to another or one specialist to another. I have an appt tomorrow and found out, inadvertently, that the requirement of my rheoumy was to go see my ENT (nosebleeds) BUT she did not get the paper work started and therefore when I went to the ENT they did not know why I was there. No biggie, I told them, they examined me and said all was fine. (or as fine as it can be....need to saline/salt flush)
so tomorrow I am supposed to go back to see the rheumy and they do not have my ENT results. GRRRRRRR........This could all be avoided IF the doctor who recommends the ENT visit would get the paper work started right away.
I can guarantee that this will be a discussion item during my visit tomorrow........No wonder people do not listen to their doctors! I am a problem solver and THIS WAS A PROBLEM for me, so I will find a way to resolve it.
In MN we have strict HIPPA laws to "protect our privacy". How is this in Canada or other countries? If it's better...I'm moving!
Thanks for letting me vent
Hoping for a reduction in pred soon.....maybe tomorrow.
coffeelover (how about a coffee icon?)

jola57
10-14-2009, 02:18 PM
HI Lisa, it is a bit better here but not by much. We too have privacy laws that realy are a pain in the @$$. I know how you feel, my rheumy is new at this and wings it just like me. My family doc also has no idea how to take care of the disease and just does what I ask. Neither will have me checked out by other specialists like ENT, pulmo, renal, neuro if I don't ask. I would think that at least once a year consult would be routine at least to see if there is any improvement. The communication between the docs is slow as well even though most are now totaly econnected. Grrrrr

andrew
10-14-2009, 05:06 PM
I think you should take the Pred-squirrel in to the next appointment and tell him if he doesn't get his act together then the Predinator gets all medieval on his @$$.

Sorry, had to say that.

Seriously, it's a frustration that you could do without. Hope it gets sorted out quickly.

Doug
10-15-2009, 01:22 AM
Predinator! Oh, Andrew! I just had my first belly laugh of the day! Thank you! You know this presents a challenge for someone to come up with an avatar or icon of some poor squirrel suitably doped up on the official site drug.

I've had a different experience with doctors here. It may be because of the way health care in the boonies of Nebraska is organized. My local hospital supports a specialties clinic where regional specialists (doctors come from as far as a three hour drive away) have regular weekly or monthly days they come to the clinic. In consequence, local doctors (or Physician's Assistants or nurses in communities where they have clinics but not hospitals) are old friends with these specialists, and are comfortable talking with them about all matters. The regional specialists, likewise, have regular contact with specialists in the university hospitals as far away as Omaha (8 hours away) and Denver (3-3/4 hours away), the two most likely places people from this area are sent. Further, regional and general hospitals in the boonies of Nebraska and Colorado pooled resources to build (I'm amazed!) a hospital in Ft. Collins, Colorado, that specializes in heart disease. All of these clinics and hospitals are in the process of digitizing patient records, which will be a major improvement in how records are accessed and made available to doctors at each level. The doctor who treats my WG is very good about talking with other doctors, as noted elsewhere.

Jack
10-15-2009, 01:34 AM
We don't have a problem here in the UK either, probably because all the medics dealing with a patient are members of the NHS. There would probably be the potential for a problem if you were to be treated as a Private patient. The NHS is also in the process of transferring to an all computerised system which is proving very useful for sharing X-ray and scan information.

Sangye
10-15-2009, 01:41 AM
That Predinator idea, Andrew. Thank you for the huge laugh today. I really needed it!

Ah, the endless records mess. It's one reason why I do everything at Johns Hopkins, even when I can do it elsewhere (routine labs, etc...). Even so, I spend a LOT of time calling one department to make sure the other dept faxed the order, etc.... And due to some bizarre computer deficiency, certain depts there can't access my records (some or all) on their computer system.

I used to have docs all over the state when I lived in Arizona. That was really, really fun. :rolleyes:

jola57
10-16-2009, 04:24 PM
Andrew, I can just see the Predinator chew a doc's @$$. Oh how we all needed that laugh today. That's why his mouth is so full didn't you know.

Sangye
10-17-2009, 01:36 AM
Omigosh, too funny. :D:D:D:D