Dr appointmet

[QUOTE=momcat;2347499]

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Originally Posted by Freedom

I've written to everyone I can possibly think of in support of HR-2360 The Patients and Physicians Privacy Act. This important bill would allow patients and doctors to opt out of this degrading piece of dehumanizing crap.
This is privileged information, under state and federal law it cannot be entered onto anything without the consent of the individual. This is a violation of federal law! No matter how anyone tries to rationalize this IT IS WRONG! I have no intention of tolerating this intrusion and will do anything and everything I can to fight it. If the non functional illiterates that came up with this ultimately win out at our risk and expense I won't miss jabbing myself with an insulin needle several times a day.

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Yes, your medical records are privileged information. However, at the moment there's absolutely nothing stopping the janitor in the doc's office, random clerks/receptionists or anyone else from picking up your file and perusing it.

Making medical records electronic properly will be a great aid, as if they are electronic in a centrally accessible database, I can allow my dermatologist to look at the records from the skin cancer biopsy done by another doctor without filling out 15 forms and having them get lost in the shuffle.

Frankly, it's a rather foolish battle, as used properly it will reduce errors and aid care.

As to this being a violation of Federal Law, I sincerely doubt it, as one of the reasons HCR is so voluminous is that each section modifies applicable federal law line by line.

I recently switched carriers because I wanted an electronic records system (among other reasons). I have worked with confidential files long enough to know they are only as confidential as the people handling them. Originals left in the copy machine, papers set down and forgotten, wrong papers clipped together - happens all the time.

I like that if I am sent to a specialist I do not have to repeat all the same information - it is right there. I like that I get the results of all my test electronically. I may not know what everything means - but I can ask my doctor if I see something "out of range." It makes me feel more in control than "Doctor Knows Best."

Now they just need to make keyboarding a mandatory class in medical school!

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Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Frankly, it's a rather foolish battle, as used properly it will reduce errors and aid care.

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I'm sorry you see this as a "foolish battle" because it's anything but that. Any information off a computer is wrong. You can't convince me that the information isn't being entered by a bunch of non functional illiterate bottom feeders that can't think. If they could they would be doing honest, real work. The only reality here is a considerable INCREASE in errors. The quality of medical care is severely compromised and tremendously increases the chance of medical malpractice. How many patients will receive the wrong treatment because some incompetent computer low life entered the wrong information? How many times has it happened already since this has been shoved down our throats? For those patients who go along with this, let them deal with the dangerously increased risk to their safety, overall health, well being, and privacy. Don't force this pathetic bs on those of us who see this as the irresponsible and indifferent scam that it is. If computers were used "properly" medical records would never be entered on them. Nothing positive can possibly come of this. If we're lucky, HR 2630 - Protect Patients and Physicians Privacy Act will be enacted and put an end to this dehumanizing, degrading insult.

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Originally Posted by momcat

I'm sorry you see this as a "foolish battle" because it's anything but that. Any information off a computer is wrong. You can't convince me that the information isn't being entered by a bunch of non functional illiterate bottom feeders that can't think. If they could they would be doing honest, real work. The only reality here is a considerable INCREASE in errors.

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DO you realize how many people hard working people you have just insulted, including members of Pet Talk, one of whom (data entry personnel, when need be, after all, she can't find REAL work) I'm married to?

Apologize.

As to the need for medical records to be computerized.....

You're in a car accident 1200 miles from your house.

You need med treatment NOW.

Someone punches in your record ID pulls up the fact that you're allergic to antibiotic XYZ, and stops the med you were about to be prescribed.

OR.......

They can't get to your record, you're allergic to the med the give you in the IV, and you go into a seizure and die.

Take your pick. I know which one I'd chose.

Gosh. It is my doctor or her nurse who does the data entry. I feel confident they are literate.

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

Gosh. It is my doctor or her nurse who does the data entry. I feel confident they are literate.

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In my Dr office we have both written and computer files. My Dr takes care of the written stuff and the receptionist (nurse) enters everything in the computer. The receptionist/nurse has been there since I was born (24 years ago) and she has always been very competent. As far as I know, doctors don't hire particular people to type things into the computer. Their nurse or receptionist does it, and these people are always qualified to do these things, or they wouldn't be working there, as far I'm concerned.
Honestly I think that the computer route would keep information alot more private, and the records would be easier (and alot faster) to find.. Always kept clean, always kept in order.
I don't really see why the privacy issue is such a big deal anyways, but I live in Canada and our health care system is different, so maybe I'm not understanding the point.

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You can't convince me that the information isn't being entered by a bunch of non functional illiterate bottom feeders that can't think.

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Hang on there. Medical transcriptionists hardly count as illiterate bottom feeders.

Data entry clerks may not be the highest-paid members of society, but that does not make them nonfunctional or illiterate. As a matter of fact, they need to be more literate, in the case of medical data entry staff - than many people, because they often have to read doctor's handwriting, which is notoriously bad.

My Primary Care Physician enters the data into her computer when in the exam room with me. She carries her laptop in the room with her, with my info in an electronic file on it. Should I consider her illiterate and nonfunctional as well, given that she has been my doctor, and a very good one, for 15+ years by now? She has never left the computer in her car, on the subway or anywhere else, and seems by all accounts to be an extremely responsible person.

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Originally Posted by wolfsoul

In my Dr office we have both written and computer files. My Dr takes care of the written stuff and the receptionist (nurse) enters everything in the computer. The receptionist/nurse has been there since I was born (24 years ago) and she has always been very competent. As far as I know, doctors don't hire particular people to type things into the computer. Their nurse or receptionist does it, and these people are always qualified to do these things, or they wouldn't be working there, as far I'm concerned.
Honestly I think that the computer route would keep information alot more private, and the records would be easier (and alot faster) to find.. Always kept clean, always kept in order.
I don't really see why the privacy issue is such a big deal anyways, but I live in Canada and our health care system is different, so maybe I'm not understanding the point.

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We have had both written & computer files. Now they are up grading & everything is going into the computer. I wish they would keep the written files too.

Don't people that are allergic to certain medicines wear a bracelet on their wrist saying so & carry a list of their medicines in their billfold & have family members to the same. I have a list of hubbies medicines I carry on me all the time & have had to use it in the past.

There are precautions you can take for yourself & loved ones in case an emergency does happen. You have to be your own advocate for yourself & your loved ones.

Thankfully I have no allergies to medicines, and my food allergies and intolerances are far too numerous to fit on a simple bracelet. Everyone who knows me, knows this, and knows not to try to feed me without checking first. I do carry a list with me, and an Epi-Pen, which various folks know where to find and how to use.

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Originally Posted by Bonny

Don't people that are allergic to certain medicines wear a bracelet on their wrist saying so

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Depends on whether the docs have said you're allergic to a med or "sensitive" to it. It also depends on what the med is.

In addition, I cannot wear anything metallic at work, so that compromises the whole concept.

How did this get so nasty? I just wanted people to be more informed about their health appointments.. Geez.
And I am not a bottom feeder. That was uncalled for. Anyone who gets ot of bed in the morning and does an honest days work deserves respect wheather you mop a floor, work for a fast food chain or install someones plumbing.
I am not a nurse but I was trained by one of the best Docs in the US and I take my job very seriously. I am one of those so called bottom feeders you refer to. I am a medical receptionist and a damn fine one otherwise I would not be working for this man. I take great pride in job I do. I take great pride in working with him and helping the patients.
I enter their info and I don't make mistakes as I sometimes do here on PT. This is personal fun, like sharing a cocktail with friends and sometimes telling off color jokes, work is DIFFERENT.
Lets also add your local pharmacy to the list of bottom feeders. I take it most people like having their prescriptions all documented electronically. Or have you not noticed that you are in the system when you pick up your meds? Your name, birthdate, SS and other info. Walmart bottom feeders have that as does every place you go to fill a med. They also have all the side effects, allergies you might have to a certain script. If there is a problem a pop op window will tell the bottom feeder. Hopefully your Dr, nurse or someone like me has entered it in the system and updates it correctly.
And yes as someone here mentioned if you are in an accident out of town, this info will possibly save your life.
It is not a perfect system, we as humans are not perfect. Docs make mistakes everyday that kill people as do nurses, drunk drivers, people drinking a cup of coffee, texting while driving.
But I do believe most people try and do their best. I go into work tired, sad, happy, worried every emotion in the book but when I walk in the door the only thing that matters is the patient just like when I get behind the wheel of my car.
So I think it would be nice if you just apologized to all the bottom feeders as you so call them. We do our best everyday and we take pride in our work.