A Botched Echocardiogram!!!!

[Harrybaby666]

Hi Guys and Gals,

Just wanted to let you know that I got the results of my Echocardiogram from June and BOY DID THE TECHNICIAN EVER BOTCH IT GOOD!!! from what the Doctor reported on the echo, the technician recorded over another study and ruined 1/2 of the echo, so they couldn't report on the valves, any of the other measurements....they couldn't even tell what time the echo was done.

I am fuming about this and I am wondering if I should demand that they do a repeat echocardiogram....Anyone else go through this mess? Harrybaby666

 

[Cris N]

I would definitely expect & demand a retake. You are entitled to get your (or your ins. co.'s) money's worth. Anything less than that is theft IMHO.

Good luck!

Cris

 

[Nancy]

My gosh--of course you should have another done, and free too. If you were a contractor and you were building a house for your doctor and left the job half done, what do you suppose he would do to you???

You deserve no less than another echo done by a different tech.

 

[Harrybaby666]

I am wondering if...

I am wondering if...

This is why I have had such a hard time getting the report from them these past couple of weeks...I am really enfuriated with this, and I will be calling them tomorrow and demanding that they do another one on me.. I cannot believe that they can be so unprofessional as to try and get away with somthing like this...About the only thing that they have acknowledged is the fact that I have Congestive Heart Failure and nothing more. Maine Cardiology Associates are supposed to be the best in the area (Portland Maine), but they certainly are not showing it to me at this moment....ERRRRR....

I am really worried also because I have been having more chest pains, and I have also have been hearing/feeling a swooshing sound in my heart and obviously, they couldn't catch it because they ran over the tape with a study that followed my echo...Sorry for venting...I am just peeved!!! Harrybaby

 

[Phyllis]

Harry,
You should definitely get a repeat at no charge- surprised they didn't suggest that themselves!

 

[Marguerite53]

No question!!

No question!!

Harry. No question you should get a retake on the echo. Free. Duh! I would try using a calm, lovely kind of voice, and when you call and ask for the doctor or nurse, just say, bluntly, nicely.......when would it be convenient for you to schedule my echo? When they give you a date, have them mail you a confirmation that there will be NO CHARGE due to the technician's error.

It's possible that this happens frequently enough ( I know, ) that they are accustomed to re-takes. Maybe it's just one particular tech who maybe shouldn't be there at all! or maybe his grandmother died that morning, or his girlfriend walked out -- who knows!) I know it is very important to you. Try to work with them on it, they MUST feel like idiots.

Now, of course, if they don't seem to respond well, then ball them out for sure!!

Hang in there. Don't get all anxious. Doesn't help the situation on any level. They have to make it right. Try not to worry. How frustrating....

Marguerite

 

[Wise]

That is so bad!!! I hope you get them to cooperate, own up to their responsibility and re-do the echo without cost to you. I hope it all turns out for the good Harry.

Wise

 

[Diesel]

I completely agree with Marguerite!! She has the right aproach to this. It might be hard biting your tonge a bit BUT later on you might need thier help!!

I must say, I have had amazing care with Maine cardiology Associates. After just recieving OHS they have been amazing to me and my family. The after care is unbelievable. They call me all the time to see if i need anything and check in on how i'm feeling.

I'm definately not saying it was wrong or a horrible acident, because i would be very upset too if it happend to me. But I would call and talk with them very calmly about having a re-due and at NO expense to you. Explaine your situation and ask kindly if you could have a different tech to help you with your echo!

I would just hate to see you be soo upset while you talk with them, and then later on need to deal with them because you are going to (maybe possibly have????) Something to do with them later like surgery.

IF surgery is somthing in your future (im not sure....) I will tell you that at maine med i had a GREAT experience and i would deffinately tell you to look at that facility! If you choose not to stick around your area!

Diesel

 

[Lynlw]

could you find out if that is the origonal or a copy. hopefully the origonal was a blank tape and the copy for the doctor is the bad one. probably not, but it's worth a try, otherwise yes they should do another asap for free, at atime that is good for you, Lyn

 

[sam]

Echo

Echo

Hello my name is sam ,I am from RI. I am sorry to hear about your trouble with your test results. It is tough enough to go through test never mind the tech messing it all up. There is a wonderfull Adult Congenital group in Boston that I go to . I have all of my Testing at Boston Childrens Hospital even though they are a children's Hospital my Dr likes the testing there. They treat you with great respect and a lot of the test are preformed by Cardiologist. Go into the Boston Childrens Hospital web site amd in the search type in Boston Adult Congenital Heart Service . The DRi n charge is Mike Landzburg.

 

[Harrybaby666]

I think I will have to call them...I am tired of changing Doc's...

I think I will have to call them...I am tired of changing Doc's...

I completely agree with Marguerite!! She has the right aproach to this. It might be hard biting your tonge a bit BUT later on you might need thier help!!

I must say, I have had amazing care with Maine cardiology Associates. After just recieving OHS they have been amazing to me and my family. The after care is unbelievable. They call me all the time to see if i need anything and check in on how i'm feeling.

I'm definately not saying it was wrong or a horrible acident, because i would be very upset too if it happend to me. But I would call and talk with them very calmly about having a re-due and at NO expense to you. Explaine your situation and ask kindly if you could have a different tech to help you with your echo!

I would just hate to see you be soo upset while you talk with them, and then later on need to deal with them because you are going to (maybe possibly have????) Something to do with them later like surgery.

IF surgery is somthing in your future (im not sure....) I will tell you that at maine med i had a GREAT experience and i would deffinately tell you to look at that facility! If you choose not to stick around your area!

Diesel

I went to Maine Cardiology Associates because my sister in law is a nurse at Maine Medical Center, and for the most part, they are terrific, so I don't understand what went wrong this time. I also suspect that they were trying to blow me off with giving me my echocardiogram report due to their screw up...I will contact them tomorrow and see what they will do, but if they tell me they won't do anything, I will turn them in to Medicare and Medicaid...I drive an hour from my home (Dover, NH) up to Portland to get the quality care that they provide, and I am relying on them to keep me going, so yes, I will talk with them calmly and hopefully I will get somewhere...Harrybaby

 

[Diesel]

I will talk with them calmly and hopefully I will get somewhere...Harrybaby


I really hope you get the results that you want THIS TIME!! Best of luck to you as I hope that they come good for THIER MISTAKE!

Diesel

 

[Lynlw]

Sam, I took Justin there last summer when I was looking for a new doc for his interventional caths, he was 16 so I wanted to getdocs that he wouldn't have to get new ones again in a few years. I thought they were great there, Lyn www.caringbridge.org/nj/justinw

 

[901]

I went to Maine Cardiology Associates because my sister in law is a nurse at Maine Medical Center, and for the most part, they are terrific, so I don't understand what went wrong this time. I also suspect that they were trying to blow me off with giving me my echocardiogram report due to their screw up...I will contact them tomorrow and see what they will do, but if they tell me they won't do anything, I will turn them in to Medicare and Medicaid...I drive an hour from my home (Dover, NH) up to Portland to get the quality care that they provide, and I am relying on them to keep me going, so yes, I will talk with them calmly and hopefully I will get somewhere...Harrybaby

They should have offered to redo the test as soon as they knew there was a problem with the data. If they won't work with you on getting the test redone on their dime, you may want to contact an attorney and have him/her send them a threatening note that flags their malpractice.

 

[twinmaker]

I would definitely want another echocardiagram. And I think they should have already offered to do another one. I wouldn't start out screaming at them tomorrow but calmly, confidently tell them that you would like another done asap. Then go from there depending on what they say. Personally, I think they will do another at no charge because I can't imagine any office allowing something like this to happen and not making it right. You or your insurance paid for a full echo done the right way and you haven't gotten that yet.

 

[Nan]

Oh MY Goodness, Harry!!!! What a shame! Of course you are upset. Anyone would be.

But I echo (sorry about the choice of word!) other's comments:

1) You clearly need to have it re-done
2) There shouldn't be any charge to anyone for this
3) They really should be offering to do the above right up front.

If I were in your position when I called/went, it would be with a calm demeanor and the clear expectation that an appointment would be made immediately for a re-do. If you act as though that is the expected response, then it should be easier for them to do so.

Clearly someone (tech) made a mistake. We are all human, but they should have said so up front and made arrangements for you to have another. Maybe even at the time of the original echo.

Let us know what happens!

 

[Mama2Rylan]

Sorry to hear about your crummy experience...I too had the same experience with an MRI...(or MRA whatever it's called) I went in for the test and had to lay in that big tube for 45 min..of course I was extremely happy that this was over (since I get very nervous in tight spaces) Well just a couple days ago, my doc called me and told me I would need another one because the person doing the test didn't get all the info. they were supposed to Even though I am very upset, they were very appologetic about the situation and made sure I understood that the "redo" test would be at NO COST to me!!

If I was you I would call and demand they do a "redo" for you aswell...it was CLEARLY their mistake...especially since you are not feeling the greatest!! If they are a respectable hospital they will honor your request...NO QUESTIONS ASKED! You should also remind them since it was their mistake that this second test will be at no cost to you...you shouldn't have to pay $$$ for someone elses mistake...just having to sit through ANOTHER echo is payment enough

 

[Harrybaby666]

Well Gang, I am schedualed for a RE Do on my echo....

Well Gang, I am schedualed for a RE Do on my echo....

Just wanted to thank yall for the support and I did call today and they have me reschedualed for Friday, August 19th. God I hope that they get it right this time...I asked for a different technician and I also requested that it be put in my records that I get a copy of the report As soon as it's avaliable, and none of this dilly dallying around...Harrybaby

 

[Yaps]

Very good Harry, pray it will be correct this time, and sorry you had to be put through this aggravation.. best of luck

 

[Nancy]

Good for you, Harry. Finally some sensibility on their part. Now, is it going to be on their dime???