Facepalm. I Quit!!!

[nicole.harrison]

Ahhhh so after months of waiting for my gastro referral I received a letter from the hospital this weekend to say that they 'did not consider my case to be urgent and therefore would not be offering me an appointment'.

I'd really like to know what they consider urgent... Apparently it's not 3 hospital visits this months, 3 GP referrals from 3 different doctors and being so sick i had to resign from my job.

My doctor is furious! So at least he is on my side anyways! But now we have the delima of where to go now because without seeing the gastroenterologist and having diagnostic tests done it's likely they wont find out what is wrong and I will just have to 'put up' with whatever this inflammatory bowel disorder is. The other option is to go private (which my doctor is really pushing since the public health sector has done nothing to help me) but that will cost thousands of dollars and seeing as I'm a university student I simply dont have the money. He also suggested he could refer me to the surgical department however without a diagnosis from the gastroenterologist theres little the surgery team can do to help me.

Really frustrated to be honest! Anyone else had a problem like this?

It honestly seems like I am not going to get a diagnosis at this point and I'm just going to have to live like this. Which to be honest isn't really living with how sick i've been lately.

 

[nicole.harrison]

Oh and i forgot to add this. My Doctor believes the reason the hospital doesn't want to give me an appointment is because of the difficulties in diagnosing inflammatory bowel disorders. They don't want to be responsible for trying to find a diagnosis for me pretty much and would rather just not bother at all and leave it with my GP.

 

[Jennifer]

You could still try the surgical department and maybe they could write a referral as well? Worth a shot. Maybe you could even write a letter to the head of the hospital (or have your doctor do it) to see if maybe they might be able to help (just throwing out ideas here)? Is there anyone else at all you can see (for instance try contacting other GIs in the area to see if they will accept your insurance). I've had to contact multiple places before because my doctor's office don't know about every doctor in the area and my insurance told me that they can't give me a list of people who accept their insurance (which is very few I might add). It's worth a try to see if someone might be able to help. Other than that you can have your doctor keep on sending referrals to see if they'll just get frustrated and let you in. Your doctor can't really diagnose you because there are certain tests they simply cannot perform (colonoscopy and endocopy are the main ones that only a GI can do). Maybe you doctor could order more tests like an MRI, CT scan, barium x-ray (might be able to order that one) etc.

Honestly i don't see why your case needs to be "urgent" to see a GI. Isn't that what the surgical department is for? Sorry if I'm not much help, I really do hope you get some help soon.

 

[nicole.harrison]

Hey Crabby Thanks for your reply!

Yeah might just try the surgical referral, it can't hurt anyways. My doctor is being fantastic though! He is completely disgusted at the public health sector and how they have dealt with my case and he has limited resources as a GP.

I've had a CT after they did an apendectomy and that was all clear. My doctor was relying on the gastroenterologist to do an edoscopy and a colonoscopy because he believes its something in my upper bowel and possibly colon.

Unfortunately I only have insurance for surgical procedures and there aren't really any other GI's I can go see where I live. I was relying on the public health sector to help me!

 

[David]

I just reread your Your Story thread. That they aren't sending you to a Gastroenterologist is absolute absurdity. The New Zealand health system should be ashamed of itself.

You deserve quality care.

 

[Aura]

Hi there

Have you thought about making a complaint to the Health Commission?

Do you remember seeing the patients rights posters at your doctors - you can use this to make a formal complaint and copy it in to the gastro departments at Waikato Health.

Good luck and keep us posted or PM me if you like.

 

[nicole.harrison]

Hi David!

Thanks, I totally agree! I'm 20 years old and for the past 3 years i've been studying and supporting myself through work and now I can't work and i'm supposed to start back studying in 3 weeks. I just want to know what is wrong so I can do something to help it.

Really not sure where to go from here or what to do now.

 

[Aura]

http://www.mcnz.org.nz/fitness-to-practise/making-a-complaint/

Here is the link for you

 

[nicole.harrison]

Thank you!!!! Awesome to see another Kiwi on here. Honestly sick to death of Waikato Hospital and their incompetence... They took out my appendix and assumed that would solve everything.

 

[Aura]

And these are your rights 1,3,4 look relevant to you at the moment.

The rights of patients can be summarised into 10 points:

1. Consumers should always be treated with respect.
2. No one should discriminate against consumers, pressure them into anything, or take advantage of them.
3. Services should help consumers to live dignified, independent lives.
4. Consumers should be treated with reasonable care and skill and receive well coordinated services.
5. Service providers should listen to consumers and give them information in a way they can understand and that makes them comfortable to ask questions if they don’t understand. This may require the services of an interpreter.
6. Consumers should have any treatment explained to them, including benefits, risks, alternatives, and costs, and have any questions answered honestly.
7. Consumers can make their own decisions about treatment, and are free to change their mind.
8. Consumers can have a support person with them at most times.
9. All these rights apply if consumers are asked to take part in research or teaching.
10. Consumers have a right to make a complaint and have it taken seriously.

 

[nicole.harrison]

Definitely. Seeing my GP on Thursday so will discuss it with him. I'm sure based on talking to him over the phone he would be more than happy to back me up if I do decide to lodge a complaint.

 

[Aura]

Good luck and I would encourage you to complain - they have a responsibility to you and your GP has requested their engagement - It makes me mad

 

[shamrock15]

Complaints like this can succeed - I did one against my supposed Crohn's specialist to get him fired (not in New Zealand though). The system is splitting hairs in your case - not really an "urgency" because in the medical world that means you are being operated on. It is really long term care that you need, and that is why you need the referral. I believe that is a point that your surgeon should be making as strenuously as possible. The referral is to keep you from ending up on the table a second time.