Ask for a copy of every clinic note and report. You might be surprised at what you learn.
Call your clinic's "Release of Information Office" or Medical Records to find out what their procedure is to obtain medical records. You should be able to do this all via the phone and mail. Once your release form is on file, you can just call them and have them mail you copies of the doctor's clinic note and test results after each visit. A proactive patient knows exactly what is in his/her medical record.
Required Disclosures. A covered entitymust disclose protected health information in only two situations: (a) to individuals (or their personal representatives) specifically when they request access to, or an accounting of disclosures of, their protected health information; and (b) to HHS when it is undertaking a compliance investigation or review or enforcement action.17 ORC Privacy Brief(2003)
-Instead of buying a copy of your x-rays, I have "borrowed" mine from the hospitals where they were taken. agreeing to return them. When I switched Docs. I took my last 2 sets, because although the pictures looked mostly the same, the radiologists findings (opinions) differed. The radiologist's readings are stored with the x- rays so you will have them too. ~CJ Waterhouse
-I ask for copies of everything when I leave my Doc. After only 5 or so visits, he does it automatically.
-Your best bet, is to go to the office of where the xray was taken and get a copy of the Radiologist report. That will do you more good than a copy of the xray. We all need to remember.........the doc's are not doing us a favor by seeing us as patients, they are making a living from our illness. If we had no illness, we would not be seeing them. We pay their wages. ~Barney
-in the UK we do have a right to ask for a copy of test results, even under NHS rules, but it's not quite as simple as it is in the US.
I've found it best to write test results down, as Julia said, or if it's a huge raft of tests, I ask them to send a copy to my GP. It's much easier for your GP to make a printout on the spot than trying to get hospital admin to do, well, anything, frankly. Barbski UK
Takes notes
-I can never remember half what the doc has said once I leave the surgery! So I take pen and paper and scribble down the essentials while he's talking. I think he appreciates that someone's taking his words of wisdom that seriously !! And then I can note test results accurately too. ~Julia
Be assertive
-If I were you I'd be a little more assertive with your doctor. You are her customer. Do your research. Tell her why you don't want to take her advice. It's up to HER to convince you otherwise. If she still sticks to her position, go find another doctor for the MP. See her for other other treatments, if you wish, like putting on a cast for a broken bone.
I look for doctors that I can work with. They are part of my advisory team. I make the decisions. I respect them for their skills and knowledge and they respect me as the owner of my body. I choose to work with them and they choose to work with me. I only follow their advice when I think it's in my best interests for my health to do so. Doctors are not gods. They don't know everything. They often disagree with each other!
It really annoys me when I hear about someone taking orders from their doctors as if their doctors were parents and they were children. Most doctors don't want to be treated as gods or parents. I think this subservient approach to doctors is out of date. Let it go! ~Kenc (on a rant)
Be proactive
BoyK wrote: I have just received written notice that my doctor does not wish me to be a patient at the practice and now have to find another Dr. I live in a small town and all the doctors know each other...I am the difficult patient that no one want to know about. Good luck to me.
P.Bear R.N. replied: Boyk, congrats! It has been my experience that the "difficult" patients are the most likely to get better. Human 'sheep' take any damn poison their doctors give them; whereas people who are pro-active in their own health turn out to be rationally questioning and some docs can't handle not being viewed as God. You are better to be rid of such a physician, even if you must travel a good distance to find a MP doc. Good luck in your recovery. P.B.
KenC replied: boyk, We live in an age where all around us we see the relentless persuite of money. At some point we may conclude that money is the only motivation one would have to help others. I think your respiratory consultant must be having a difficult time imagining anything as significant as a cure for sarcoidosis coming from someone with simply a desire to help himself and others. The consultant can probably find it easier to imagine such a cure coming from a large profit driven drug company. You could ask him if he believes Barry Marshall was thinking about becoming rich when he pursued his interest in discovering a cure for peptic ulcers.
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* We can help you understand chronic disease, but only your physician is licensed to give you medical care * Always consult your physician before commencing or changing any treatment he/she has prescribed for you
!! And then I can note test results accurately too. ~Julia
Most doctors don't want to be treated as gods or parents. I think this subservient approach to doctors is out of date. Let it go! ~Kenc (on a rant)
