No light bulbs lit up on my dad's bone scan.....

[Andrea]

My dad had gone for a MRI of his spine due to tingling in his arms, very common condition. The one thing I was not worried about It showed a "scleotic lesion" which led to the need of a bone scan to rule out cancer.

The neuro promised us he would call immediately with results yest, of course that never happened and they were quite rude when my mom called and ask if they could get the results. My mom wanted to tell them that it was not a customer service call, they wanted to know if it was cancer! The concern was Multiple Mylema or Lymhpma of Bone

A lot of you will disagree with what I did, I know I simply called the imaging center and said "can you please fax the bone scan report for patient ___, social security #____ to _____". They said sure, they did and I am reading it and it said most likely begnin. Also showed uptake by rib which is most likely prior injury. Not sure waht else they are going to do, will wait for dr, but I was getting upset that my mom was getting upset waiting, so I figured I would try and it worked.

[shelliemacs]

i'd have driven my car through their front window so you handled it better than i would have.

[Kris]

Andrea,

Good for you! That's exactly like something I would do. I am very impatient and can't stand to see anyone suffer, especially when I can do something about it. I say, "great job"!

Kris

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Good idea Andrea. I think I'll try that the next time I have to get a scan at the picky, finicky "Health City". Uh, I better get a fax first.

Glad to hear the results. They sound very positive (as in negative - well you get the idea)

[Andrea]

WARNING: There ARE downsides to what I did--sometimes the conclusions themselves are hard to understand and can make you crazier. I have an advantage in that I work with a nurse whose job is to interpret reports for our cases, so when I don't understand something, I have someone on hand to go to

There should be a new policy in the medical world, and I know there are cons to it, but there has to be a way that results are given quicker instead of making people wait. There are institutions that tell you right away, I think more should.

[Snowflake]

Andrea, I think that what you were ABLE to do should be a concern for YOU. Did you identify yourself? Has your father listed you as someone that can receive his records? With the new HIPPA thing and my doctors not even being able to leave their NAMES on my answering machine, I find it highly concerning that you were able to have a report IN YOUR HAND that wasn't yours! Hell, I'm not mad that you did it, I'm mad that you were ABLE to! Do you know how confusing it is when you are seeing FOUR DIFFERENT doctors at one time and get a message on the machine that says "Please tell Rebecca that her doctor called"?? ARGH!

Seriously, Andrea, for confidentiality reasons, does it not concern you that you received the records without Dad's approval?

[Andrea]

It 100% concerns me. And let me tell you, this is not the first time. I was able to do the same for my mom's blood clot scans months ago. It concerned and shocked my parents and my co-workers (I was just showing the report to some b/c it said a few different things).

I literally JUST said fax it, gave my dad's name and social. No one asked questions. I am grateful b/c my parents can "relax" today and go about their business in helping me get food for Relay, BUT on the other hand, it is VERY disconcerting.

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

My tests are usually done at a nearby hospital. I call first, ask for the report and show up at Radiology. I am always asked for my ID and then am given the report.

I don't like the fact that the clinic associated with the hospital makes you go through your doctor first. That can take days while you wait on pins and needles. With my med. onc. they NEVER called with results of negative scans. That's why I show up at Radiology asking for them. The Freedom of Information should allow the individual person with identification to picked up the reports as soon as they are ready - usually within 24 hours or less (at the hospital)

[Elaine]

Andrea,

So happy for you and your family.

elaine

[jamie]

Andrea

Great news... Keep it coming!

jamie

[Andrea]

Katie,

I am listed too as someone they can talk to, but in this case, the dr was speaking to no one. I am hypocrtical too, I have peace of mind tonight, but am like hmm, that was not too smart of them

My parents are really disappointed in the neuro. He promised after the scan my parents could call the office and he would call in for the results. That never happened. TOday they were rude when my parents called again. It is not like we were waiting for something routine or minor, we were waiting for a bone scan, the only reason it was being done was to check on a lesion to make sure it is not cancer. Don't these drs realize how nuts the patients are and how they are sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring.

My dad was likegood work, keep it up. heehee.

[karen335]

Andrea,

Happy to hear that your dad's scans were good and not something really serious. Praying real hard for continued good health and scans...

Blessings and prayers,

Karen

[jamie]

Andrea,

As you know,,, waiting is the worst Its so aggravating having to wait for a test, and then wait for results, even though you know someone else already has the info. and all it is, is a matter of relaying it....

I know how ya feel

Jamie

[MommaL]

Andrea,

I am very happy for you and your family about the results. When my husband had his last Pet Scan, he waited for the scan, traveled to the onc.'s office, the onc. consulted with the necessary doctors, and we then met with the doctor. The whole process took about three hours but it was great, to know immediately.

[Andrea]

Of course the neuro still never called him officiallty with the results How rude!

[Cindy RN]

I love the way you handled that. I have several nurse friends at my hospital, (I worked there for along time) so I have them look up the results in the computer and then they read them to me over the phone. Otherwise it might be 2 weeks til my apt. to find out the results. Don't ya love technology!

Cindy

[Andrea]

My dad wrote a letter today to the neuro and asked for all of his records and reports back and said how disappointed he was. The neuro STILL never called back! My parents called at least three times! And the neuro himself told my dad to call him when he gets the bone scan so the neuro can get the results right away. Not a nice way to treat people!

I know you are supposed to assume no news is good news, but that is not always the case. I recently had to sign something at a doctor's office which said "If you don't receive a call, don't assume your test results are negative. Make sure you call us if we don't call you." It does not take much for a dr office to have a nurse or someone on staff to just call and say all is ok. This part of patient care bothers me