MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

cookiegal

Hi OG.....how are you!

They have liquored up milkshakes in Brooklyn too!

Have a great weekend all. I may have big news early next week.

Meece

Changing the subject for a minute...

A year and a half ago my Ob/Gyn passed away.  I had been seeing him every six months for follow-up of an issue, and he had been my Dr. since 1986.  His office contacted me and said all the records had been sent to Dr. X'sd office, so I started going to Dr. X. I asked Dr. X where my records were, because I noticed my file was quite small.  He said they are all on computer.  Okay...So today I get a letter from Dr X's office (remember I am now his patient), it states that if I don't contact them in the next 4 weeks, they are going to destroy myrecords from my original Dr.  AND they are charging me $25 to get them!!!  Am I right in being angry?  I plan on paying, getting the records, then asking for my own records from Dr. X as well, and off to search for an new gyno.  I am too old for all of this change!!!

Eph3_12

Meece, Well finally a topic I know a little something about.  When I order medical records for my job we are always (almost always anyway) charged to retrieve them, but I have always told clients that if they request their records, most of the time, the docs won't charge you for your own records.  In this case since they are old records that aren't theirs technically, I suppose they can get away with it, but I would be sure & tell them that you know lots of people and you will tell anyone you know not to use that office.

Meece

I dislike the office because it is so commercial.  They have spa services and he even does Breast augmentation and claims you can walk out of the office within an hour.  He does "rejuvinations" and all sorts of stuff.  I want my dr, to be focused on the medical aspects of my care, if I want PS, I will go to a PS.  It's like a factory, that he keeps the patients running through for the top dollar.  I have no idea how he finds the time to deliver babies, (he even has someone at his facility who will make a cast of your prenant tummy so you can hang iot on your wall.)

I don't mind paying, but am irritated at my dr's widow for selling off the files so soon after his death (Literally within a week)!  

elimar86861

Meece, just play along with Dr. X's legalized medical extortion scheme, pay the $25; then cut him loose and be done with him.  In the long run I'm sure it will feel like money well spent. 

It does throw us into a whirl to have a doctor close up shop for whatever reason.  My long-time holistic chiropractor passed away and another bought out his client records.  It just was not the same.  My son's orthopedist went off to Africa for indefinite missionary work once, but it was long after the bone had healed so that one did not matter so much.

sheila888

 Meece....My PCP changed to that all computerized system about 4 years ago.

He is my DR also since 1986. If there is a insurance problem and i have to change doctors, now Im wondering if they still have my records on file?

Meece

This OB/gyno, had delivered two of my children and saved both of their lives, he had also become a friend.  I'd go to my appointments and we'd talk about the issue at hand and then about family and such.  He was never rushed, I liked that.  I also knew that he and his wife were not happily married, which is probably why she so quickly sold off his practice.  He was only 58 years old, so it was a real surprise to find out only a couple of weeks after I had seen him, he was gone.

I plan on paying, and getting out of there.  I can always get a gyno through my Onc.  That way all my records are together.

cookiegal

The radiology facility charged us 150 to send copies to the hospital after I was diagnosed with cancer. I know how you feel Meece.

Meece

Well I went at lunch and got my old records.  The ones prior to 2004 are missing.  They claim they never received them.  (I do know I had two files, so they could be right).  I asked for Dr. X's files and had to fill out a request and he will review and decide whether they will release them.  If so they will charge me .25 a page.

shannon56

Meece - Have you checked with your local branch of the AMA about this releasing of records?  It has been my understanding that the records are yours and they must be released to you upon written request.  They can only charge a reasonable and customary amount to copy the files or print from computer.

Also - check with you insurance company as they may have the records also.

Meece

I didn't think about the insurance company.  That's a good idea, Shannon.

I jsut thought it was crazy that the dr. had to review my request and verify he would release them.  I restrained myself from telling him all the reasons I really wanted them and only wrote that I wanted my records to have for a new physician.  I thought it would be more likely to be approved.

Kleenex

Did anyone see the episode of Seinfeld where Elaine looked at her file in the doctor's office? Don't remember much detail other then that she was in BIG trouble and they continued to write in it and not let her see it. Popped into my head with this discussion. I'd love to see MY files. First, prior to surgery, they seemed to have me labeled as a "flight risk" because I canceled a bilateral 16 hours after they'd pushed me into scheduling it, and it took another week or so for me to schedule a lumpectomy. THEN, before my first follow-up on Tamoxifen, they tried to schedule me with the P.A., so I faxed in my list of 12 questions which caused them to re-schedule me with the actual oncologist. "Patient is bizarrely direct and aggressive. Likes to think she is funny. Never lets me leave the room until she's done with me." Then the last time, I noticed I was "inappropriately touchy" with the oncologist. She's very nice and will pat you on the shoulder or touch your knee, and I think at some point I touched her arm and I remembered thinking, oh, my, I think I am only allowed to be the touchee here, as I am the patient in need of reassurance...

On second thought, I do NOT want to see my files.

elimar86861

Meece, I don't know if the rules on medical info. vary from state to state, but I have been asked by doctor's to bring in hard copies of my records from other offices.  Sometimes they were free, sometimes .25 a page, but I always got them without a struggle or pending review.  Maybe they need to "edit" the records before you get them (and redact all the inappropriate comments they made about you) or do you think they are just messing with you?

Meece

They may well have negative comments about me.  One visit I went in and Waited well over an hour in the waiting room, then another 45 minutes in the exam room.  I wrote a letter of complaint and the next visit I went to, the dr, had a little blue slip on my file.  It had a place for times from check-in, vitals, into exam, and dr. in.  He stated, that "Now I have to do this because of your letter!"  Oh, well.  I bet they don't do it anymore.

I also took time off work to go to an appointment and sat there for a half hour or more only to be told I was wrong and my appointment was for the next month.  I went home and faxed a copy of my appointment card to them along with a letter of displeasure.  The office Manager called me that day and said she would get me in at the first appointment the next week.  So I went in (time off work) and still had to wait 30 minutes past my appointment time for the first appointment of the day!  

That being said, they probably do not have "Patient is easy going, relaxed and pleasant" wrtitten in my chart.

gillyone

This is not cancer related but does relate to medical files. I was in hospital for the birth of our second son - a c-section delivery. I had decided not to breast feed as I'd had many problems with our first son - he was a preemie and never did very well, it was always painful for me etc etc. So I happened to look at my file one day and it said "mother reluctant to feed baby" after they'd brought him in to me in the middle of the night for me to give him a bottle. I was so mad. I think the nurses thought I ought to feed him even though I'd asked not to be woken up in the night. The few days in hospital were my only chance to try and get a good night's sleep as at home I was still getting up every night with our first son who was only 20 months old! Still - water under the bridge now - they are 22 and 20.

cookiegal

Robbiedrums....I thought of you

http://www.projo.com/news/content/GEMMA_DRUMMERS_06-20-10_0IIUBDT_v56.168a8f3.html 

smithlme

When I was thinking about changing insurances I was told I would have to pay a price per page, I forget what, or my new doctor could have them transferred for free. I remember seeing in my chart that I was "slightly hyperactive" because I get nervous in the ER. Well, gee...what a place to be calm!

I'd love to see my chart and the notes in it, especially after my failed TRAM. How in the world did they describe THAT one and my attitude afterwards!? Lots of #@^%%@#!!!

Kleenex

Meece - wow! I am proud of how you don't put up with appointment torture! That doctor didn't need to keep records on the little blue form because of your letter - it was either his fault or his office staff's fault. I must say that even though I don't work outside the home it is STILL irritating when wait times are ridiculous. I have found that if I don't bring my own reading material, I will DEFINITELY have to wait a long time, possibly in a waiting room with someone with a suspicious cough. If I bring things to do and interesting reading material, I will barely have a moment to catch my breath before the appointment is over... During radiation for example, there was only ONE day that the machine went down and I ended up waiting about an hour for my zapping, and it was the ONLY day I didn't bring a book AND there were no good magazines in the waiting room.

suzwes

Hi ladies, just back from a lovely long weekend of sun, beach and wine tasting in Northern Michigan.  Belated thanks for the birthday wishes and the cookies are lovely Elimar!  Thank you.

I could say so much about personal medical records but I'll just leave it at this - we should have total access to them without paying extra and waiting to see a doctor for that long is unconscionable.  Good for you Meece for writing a letter.

Have a great day.

Meece

I was skimming over my records yesterday, and saw where my good ol' doctor charged an insurance company $35 for a copy of my records for life insurance approval.  I have to pay the higher rates for that for about one more year, then if I am still NED, I get lower rates!!!  Whoopee!!

barbe1958

....ah, Dr. Murphey's Law of appointment waiting and good magazines....hehehehhehee

Meece

My GPs nurses lost me twice in the exam rooms and I ended up getting a no charge on the visits. The nurses put me in the other dr's exam room and left me.  My GP didn't know I was even there.  Now she has instructed me to go out into the hall and yell for the nurse.  I guess I am/was the type of person whom people could jsut overlook.  Beware of my darkside now!!!!

shannon56

I can top your story Meece.  I got lost in the ER when I was having a life threatening asthma attack.  The EMS brought me in and the dr saw me and had me given 2 breathing treatments.  The nothing for 2.5 hours.  I finally went out and asked when I could leave and found out that somehow I had gotten lost during shift change.

elimar86861

Hope the reconstruction went well for our NativeMainer yesterday.  The real suspense, of course, is whether they made a human pincushion out of her?  How many times did they they have to stick her to get an IV line in?  My money is on four times.  Betting pool now open. 

 Happy Healings NativeMainer!

Eph3_12

What a cute greeting.  Yes NM-bee well!! I say she doesnt know how many sticks cause she was out already!

smithlme

I'll take 3 tries...

Meece

I say she had a super special person start it up and they did it right the first time.

barbe1958

I always say "good luck with me! My veins duck..." Every since I started saying that, they get it in one! It's like they try harder or something.

Meece

They say my veins roll.  I inherited lots of big veins, the phlebotomists look longingly at my left arm, but that's off limits.    I have very little target veins in my right arm, they use the back of my hand now.

Poor DS3 is embarrassed over how prominent his veins are, and the skinny whip already has varicose veins in his legs. (6'3" and 155 lbs.)  He was blessed with my genes...

suzwes

I'm with Meece - I'm guessing a really good nurse/doc got NM's IV on the first try.  Hope all went well for her.

My two boys and one of my two girls have really prominent veins but the oldest boy (28 years - 6'3 and about 175) faints every time they come near him with a needle - LOL, LOL.  I give him such grief about it - I'm such a uncompassionate mom/nurse.