Rant time again..

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Well my insurance payment will be here this weekend but I have to get more doctors visit to get the rest of it..

Now rant time...Five hours of phone calls after finding out that..

1) My GI doctor never sent not one document to my short term disability claim insurance. The only thing that got the claim done for now is my FMLA paperwork and my HR department at work..

2) My test results for my Anal manometry test are not on my charts. In fact the test is not on my charts except when it was scheduled for the day it was done.
3) GI has no chart review for any time I went to the Er, meaning that they never looked at my CT scans and told the Er doctors that I was cleared to go home.
4) They will not answer their phone or the person who sent them an emergency request to follow up with me for what I should do about not going #2 in 36 hours

5) They will not call me to schedule the theropy with someone else because that person canceled allow of their appointments due to an issue.

6) The patient advocate office took fifteen calls for me to get a person on the phone.

7) yeah I am I a lot of pain and non of this is okay.

 

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And who says we dont need lawyers

 

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Can you you get a hard copy of every test you have every result of every doctor visit so you have the records to show the next specialist
I know you are in pain and this is hardly the time to be saying this

 

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My hospital has a way to sign up and log on and thrn you print or view the results

 

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@Doug Same with my hospital system; they have an app and I can see all of my own records - and I always do look at them and print them, and save them to my computer. After every radiology appointment I get a copy of the x-Ray/CT/MRI. It’s the law: they *have* to provide that to you at the time of service, if you request it. It’s part of HIPAA. You have the right to your own medical records.

@ThatFLGuy We’ve suggested to you multiple times to ALWAYS get a copy of every medical record, and keep it for yourself, then to take a copy with you every time you go to the ER and to a doctor. I do! But you continue to ignore our advice.

We (at least 20 of us over the past few months) keep suggesting that you change medical systems and physicians, yet you refuse. You’re only harming yourself as you continue to put up with these jerks. You actually PAY THEM to treat you this way. Stop and think about that. You’re *rewarding* them for treating you like crap by continuing to put money in their pockets. It’s high time you move on to another facility(ies). You should have left months ago. You’ve told us you don’t live in the middle of nowhere. You have other choices for providers that your insurance covers. So move on! You’re literally wrecking your body and keeping yourself in pain by continuing to retain these providers. At the rate you’re going, one of your frequent trips to the ER is going to lead to major surgery, or worse. You could die just because you stubbornly refuse to get new doctors.

I don’t know what you want from us. We give you suggestion after suggestion after suggestion after suggestion, but you do almost nothing to change your situation. You also aren’t listening to us when we tell you to hire an attorney.

You’re keeping yourself in your own rut.
I’m not trying to shame you but it’s hard for us to continuously have empathy for someone who doesn’t do everything he can to improve his problems. You’re really stuck in a circle that only you can pull yourself out of.

 

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Your tests and results are technically your property. My hospital Grant's access to your tests and results using a special account. Only the patient can ask for this.

 

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If this is the one that uses geisinger hospital they also have an app with medical records on line you just need to sign up

 

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@ThatFLGuy, first off on your earlier post today you told us you were making some progress on some of your insurance claims and that some back pay is in the pipeline. And I did suggest you get a "paper trail" of everything you've done, that is, tests, office visits and everything that's documented. Those are strictly your records and you have a right to obtain that.
I do not like the sound of this outfit you're dealing with. From what you describe it sounds like they are not doing their job and I question their competence and wish you would do the same. There's no law that says you need to stay with them and be party to their shenanigans. It may be part of your insurance plan but it's obvious it's not working for you. The fact they are stringing you along like this is in itself is a clear sign you need to get established with another doctor ASAP. These schmucks are just jerking you around and no patient has to be expected to go along with that.
This latest round you had today is all the more reason you need to get a lawyer. Meet with the lawyer and show all of the paperwork you have accumulated. Give the lawyer the names and numbers of those who are jerking you around. That way he can get some answers. Many times you have told us about the pain you're in but to be honest that pain is a sign that something is clearly wrong and if you don't get competent help it can lead to disaster.
Now please listen and take this to heart: Get a different doctor who will take you seriously and also talk with an attorney. If you don't do that then you will dig yourself into a hole so deep that you can't get out. We'd hate to see that happen.

 

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@Garfield I remember you’ve told him this before. Unfortunately he’s not open to suggestions.

 

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I am sorry you are in such dreadful pain.

As far as record-keeping, in addition to what the others wrote, it is important to make a written record of every phone call with:
date and time of call,
number of calls you made,
length of calls,
topic
plan for follow up.

I am a member of Kaiser in Calif. We can submit complaints to the Member Services Dept. There must be someone in your system who can address complaints. You should be able to get help from someone higher up in the system.

 

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@boasammy We’ve already told him that over and over and over again.

 

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Hay peepes...so never got a call back from my doctors...go figure.. The issue with the Anal manometry test is that there was no record of it on my charts at all, only that it was scheduled for the day and time that I had a charted precedure done. That is it, the chart only say presedure nothing else. And yes I can and will be requesting all of my records notes and precedure documents tommorow from the hospital and if needed be I will reach out to my cuisn who works at the hospital.

 

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Hi FLGuy the fact that there is no record of what was done in your anal manometry test in your charts raises a huge red flag for me! The chart should have the findings and diagnosis. This was done like a couple or three weeks ago? And the doctor should have made notes on the findings well before now. Now please do yourself a HUGE FAVOR and follow through on requesting that your records, notes and procedure and other documents be turned over to you so you can in turn, give these over to a doctor who will take you seriously. I can't make it any plainer. There is too much at stake for you to continue to mess around with this outfit. You have a right to those records just as you have a right to get the treatment you need. So do it for you! You're the only you you've got!

 

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Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Snow. I wasn't aware.

 

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SNOW: your one that begins with :"@doug". Look, while I agree with some of that, I think some of it is out of line. You others. Read his posts. He's being told the paperwork doesn't exist and, in one extreme case, that he didn't have an appointment that he actually went to. We all agree he needs to dump those Docs and system, but does he have a choice? Can he afford to go through all that again, from scratch? How does he get the paperwork?
Doug: Like you said: And who says we don't need lawyers?
ThatFLGuy: is there a law firm or service or organization that does Pro Bono, near you? Even the American Legion or VFW,, sometimes groups like the Eagles or Elks? How about the VA? Who pays the short-term disability? Can you sic them on the next-in-line?
This is ridiculous and extreme. Take extreme action. If you've invoked the FMLA, see it that group of Feds will help - those Docs are violating that law.
My older employer (a certain State Government) was scr***** a member by ignoring the law and not providing the paperwork. When the judge sent in a trooper with a supeana and a threat of "contempt of court", why, lo-and-behold, the paperwork appeared like magic. Now, you don't probably have a Judge and a Federal Agency on your side, but how about the VA?
There must be a State Medical Board. Some choicely worded letters (sent Certified Return Receipt Requested) explaining, and one asking for the medical people to be disciplined, might help? Worth the time to type out and the postage. Don't worry about offending these clowns. They deserve it, and being nice isn't working, I gather. A challenge to a Medical License might get their attention?
Come on, people. I grant you he's getting nowhere with the currant medical crop. How long is it going to take to start over? Time for some weed-killer. Write the State Licensing Board.

 

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I agree, AlasSouth, the state licensing board should be made aware of this whole boondoggle. And finding a lawyer that does pro bono is a great suggestion,too. Then again there's always the local newspaper looking for a human interest one-consumer-versus-big- medical corporation story.

 

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THAT FLGUY --Sometimes a person has to cut their losses and start over. In my experience the battle is usually not worth the energy, time and extra expenses. First, getting a lawyer who will have your interests as a priority over his compensation may be the first hurdle. After looking at a case that I presented to a reputable attorney for pro bono, he told me there wasn't enough money in it for him to consider taking the case.

Second, the medical facility often outsources their medical record-keeping and billing, therefore obtaining copies (apparently they don't put this info on a CD or USB) may be very costly.

Filing a report with the medical society is a good idea. At least it may protect someobdy else who is looking for help. When I see a new doctor I read their framed certificates to see what schools they graduated from and ask questions if I feel I have to.

My husband had been getting his medical help from the VA for many years and he liked his doctor. I insisted that he go for a checkup because he didn't seem to be as sharp as he had always been. So the doctor gave him a "test for dementia" (I think it was 10 questions) and Bill passed the test 100%. He was relieved. I was skeptical. I convinced him to see MY doctor through a different healthcare program. My doctor, through a simple blood test, diagnosed Bill with pernicious anemia and right away started him on B12 shots which he continued to have for many years. My physician was alarmed that my concerns had been discounted by the VA doctor. Bill could have died from this. Needless to say, even though Bill was getting free care through the VA he switched his allegiance.

Another time when he had been hospitalized for unexplained seizures, a doctor from a cancer clinic, outside of our health provider but in the network, trying to figure out the cause for the seizures, did a spinal test and told us that Bill had some kind of slow-growing cancer.

We saw this doctor every two weeks for several months (waiting to see what the cancer would do) and then the doctor suggested that it was time for treatment, even though there was barely any change. I was skeptical again and took Bill to see a specialist in our health program. This new doctor was clearly disgusted by the cancer diagnosis and drew graphs for us to show us the stages of the "cancer" growth. He said that Bill, at 75, would die of something else before this particular cancer woulld kill him and recommended against costly treatment. After a lot of internet searching I learned from a chat room what was causing the seizures and Bill stopped using his statin drug. Then we had a little disagreement with his cardiologist about his quality of life. She was not as interested in that aspect as she was protecting his heart. Go figure!

As somebody else noted: the medical people are providing a service to you and you are paying in one way or another. They are accountable to you. They're no different than a Big Box store. So if you don't like the service take your money somewhere else. As part of the Women's Consciousness Movemnt in the 1960's I took an Assertiveness Training course and, man, has that paid off for me and my family. We're all assertive! LOL

 

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What a wonderful example of a true advocate for a loved 9nes health care!
The person who is the patient cannot do this for themselves because they arent well and its overwhelming.
What a blessing you are!
Ps I give every young woman in my family a copy of Our bodies Ourselves the early editions were dynamite

 

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Amen to all of that

 

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Maymay941 - Great that you mentioned Our bodies Ourselves. I had a copy of the original manuscript in the 1960s, before it was accepted for publcation. I think I paid $2 for it. I also had a long play vinyl recording and my two girls memorized the songs. In fact my 54 year old daughter can still recite verbatim the conversation between the two babies. I wore out the book reading it over and over.