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Doctor's records

mikeyarmo

Co-Founder
Have any of you ever seen the records that the doctors keep on you? I do not think you are supposed to be allowed to see them, but I am curious if anyone has ever had the inkling to take a quick peak at what was written about them :).

I never have had the chance to, but think it would be fun to see what was written. In the hospital each patient seemed to have a large binder about them, and I remember before one procedure (putting in the pic line) I was left alone for quite some time with my records. I did not look through them, but I was tempted to a bit :D.
 
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DannyB

Guest
Across here you can apply and pay money to see your records if you want no problems at all. I haven't actually been to bothered to know what they have put about me so i just left it at that.
 
(I posted about this before, so skip it if you remember that. :ybiggrin: )

I had an insurance claim against my former employer, to collect unemployment for work-related stress. I won. During the process, the lawyer for the insurance company petitioned to have my complete medical record. They had to send me copies of everything they got, so I have that. I had only been in Hawaii for a few months when my guts ruptured, and the claim was filed two years later. That two-year record is about four inches thick! And that's just the medical record. There was also a separate record for psyche, but it was very slim because my MSW didnt' take a lot of notes, bless his heart. The insurance company had hoped, of course, to prove that my stress was all related to my physical condition instead of work-related. It wasn't too hard to prove that it mostly stemmed from the job from hell, LOL. :mad2:
 
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vixen

Guest
My hubbie had a quick peek of records as myself and the doctor were out of the room in examination. He shat himself as he quickly read terminal ileam and took terminal in the wrong text. poor Gray. You gotta be carefull as you may not like what they wright or agree with it. Id love to get hold of the notes they wrote when i was having my first bambino as there was lots of complications.
 
I never did and I was left with my charts for a while once as well. But I did not want to be like Elaine in Seinfeld and get flagged by doctors.LOL
 

Cara Fusinato

Sarcastic Forum Comedian
When I switched from one GI doc to the next, I had to get his notes and all the hospital records and pass them across by hand. I read them. That's when I found out I had an ovarian cyst found in the tests and no one ever told me! From now on, I will request copies of everything done on or to me to read for myself. All those notes they take have to be transcribed and put in the file.
 
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btcrv

Guest
This is a good one...

Once when I was in the hospital, it was really weird because I didn't see a GI doctor (I had switched to a new hospital). The next morning, the nurse practitioner came in and was doing some interview kinds of stuff. I looked in the chart where she was writing and saw some notes that said...

Spouse states...

For those of you who don't know me, I don't have a spouse. This night owl doctor had come in late in the evening and talked to a friend of mine who was visiting after I had fallen asleep.

Good thing I saw that... I had some things to clear up haha
 
I was under the impression that everyone has a right to view their medical records. All you have to do is ask for copies of your file. Don't ever feel guilty about looking at your own information.:)
 
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xrayzerase

Guest
i've gotten some copies when asked..whether you get all the notes ..not sure.
i am asking for copies next time i go in.
(not that i question the dr! (as if i have the learnings to do that!!!)-but-well..for me..i like having records to keep track (kind of like for the same reason many of us keep a journal on what we eat/stools made/etc-especially after first dx'ed or when in flare..)
also..i am just a totally NOSY sort! ;)
 
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Skinsfan1229

Guest
You have the right to get a copy of your records for yourself for free. Its the law. But they CAN charge you if you want them to send it to another doctor, which is why you should always ask for a copy for yourself.

I've got mine and read them, makes me feel bad because my records are so bad, and you can literally read me steadily get worse for years, but at the same time I can see how thorough my doctors were and that I owe them my life literally.
 

Kev

Senior Member
In this province you can get copies free of charge... And a copy of evrything is to be sent to your GP IF it's requested... If you change doctors, and the next doctor wants a copy, the original dr can charge for time/materials, etc.. If a report (exam, test, etc) is prepared, and another doctor is to be Cc'd, they need your consent AND they may charge for that copy (pretty complicated & convuluted - if you ask my opinion).. Since your GP has (or should have) the whole book on you (full case file) I think it's smart to have your own copy, and to be your own advocate (means keeping it current) SO you can take a copy with you on any trips to the ER while your doc is away, asleep, out of contact, whatever... ESP if you are off travelling..
 
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