Full Court Press?

[lydialou]

Mistakes in records

I am glad to hear that others report they see errors in their records. I have never really requested my medical records until I had a foot surgery in 2010 that failed. Because of that I sought a second and third opinion and requested a copy of my records from the ortho. I was upset when I read the notes from the office visits too. I saw things that I never remembered saying or asking about. At first I thought maybe I had been " beamed up by Scotty" and missed some of the visit! But then I saw things that bothered me in the next note and the next and the next( you get my drift). So then I was just ticked off. First what he did didn't work and then there were the records too. Grrr.

Boy am I glad that I didn't go back to him!

Lydialou

[Shiela]

KyleW--I'm very impressed. You are very fortunate. Where I live there is nothing like that. My neuro just happens to be interested in research in MS. Took me a long time to find him.

[onlyairfare]

When I was seen at mayo Clinic in Minnesota, it was obvious to me that the various doctors had gotten together and discussed my case before the neurosurgeon presented a proposed plan for me. I was seen there for a brain tumor though, not MS.

At medical schools and their teaching hospitals, there are often team meetings where the various practitioners discuss the best management for each patient. This is especially common in cancer cases (particularly difficult cases with no clear treatment path), and the meetings are often called "Tumor Board."

My understanding of medical records is that you can request and are entitled to copies, and doctors/hospitals may charge for reasonable copying costs. Records for psychiatric or psychological treatment may be withheld if the contents could be damaging to the patient, and patients may request that psych records and HIV/AIDS not be distributed to others (insurance companies, other treating physicians) without specific permission.

There is federal law on this, but individual states may make additional regulations, so YMMV.

[KyleW]

You are very fortunate.

Don't I know it!