blood test

[Birky]

Why is something so simple so hard for some people? Went to the local hospital yesterday for a HPylori blood test. My Pc had taken over an order for this. I told her at the window what I was there for and who the Dr. was etc. She then pulled the order and had it right in front of her. I then get a call at work just before 5 from the Coumadin Clinic. Wanted me to know that my INR was 2.7 and that it was great. Wasn't due for another 2 weeks. Why did I get a protime versus the other? Called the hospital lab this morning to see if I did get the other test. Said I did but results had be sent to the Cardiologist. I am a series patient and should have reregistered since another Dr. was ordering the test. I told him that they should have known this when I was there yesterday. I went on to tell him that it costs me $33.00 a protime. This is after what the insurance pays. They are going to credit my account for the protime since it was a mistake. Supposedly the test for the hpylori is going to get to my PC today. His explanation was that it is very confusing when you have more than 1 dr. Mine was that they should have caught it and not me. I think I am having a bad hair day. WHY, WHY, WHY? Now I know why it is better to get out of this area for all medical procedures.

 

[Georgia]

Marcia Marcia Marcia

Marcia Marcia Marcia

You're just got to reduce your expectations for the medical community. Poor folks, it's just too HARD to get such complicated issues straight.

I don't understand how institutions like major hospitals can possibly make any money when the admitting computer can't talk to the billing computer that can't talk to the medical computer . . . so no one gets billed correctly the first or second time out.

Oh, well, preaching to the choir.

But I don't think larger outfits do any better than small local ones. The opportunity for error appears to be infinite.

 

[spillo]

birky's blood test

birky's blood test

Hello,
The H.pylori test is drawn in a red top tube, the pt/inr in a blue top. Do you remember them drawing 2 tubes that day ?
Make sure they not only credit you $33 but pay your insurance back as well. By the way, how much does your insurance pay for a pt/inr ? Find this out. It may be cheaper for you to pay cash for this test and keep the insurance out of it. I would go to the lab owner or director and ask what their cash price is. Let say it is $60 ( and that is alot ! ) ; tell the lab director that you will pay the cash price or he will need to lower his rate to you after insurance.
As an example... Let say the insurance pays $90 and you pay $33 = $123. If the cash price is $60 the lab would rather have the $90 from insurance and nothing from you than for you to pay them 60 in cash. If this is the case tell the director that you come here all the time and you want your fee lowered to just $5.00 over what insurance pays. The lab will look it up and find that they are better off accepting this offer than for you to pay cash or worse yet go to another lab. If they don't see your point ask to use the phone. Call their competition and ask them the price for a pt.
As far as the H.pylori - pt mix up... You may be in the lab computer to have a pt/inr whenever you come to the lab, plus the additional test when ordered; in this case H. pylori. I don't want to be harsh but did you see them drawing 2 tubes ? If so did you ask them why ? That would have straightened it out right then. Also, why did you pay for the pt in the first place if you knew it was wrong ? With all the computers in use the patient must be proactive in their health care and let people know when things are wrong or when they don't "feel" right. It is almost impossible not to make these types of errors. Errors in lab results are extremely rare because of the safety nets that are built in to machines, etc. but billing, ordering... those are all office errors that happen everywhere.
Why I know this is I own a medical lab. We get Dr. prescriptions that are nearly illegible. When we page the doctor they don't call back in time for the patient to wait. If the patient knows exactly what is needed it is very helpful.
If not we may draw 2 different tubes to be safe when we find out later. At least then the patient need not return to the lab. If we end up not needing a tube we toss it ( properly ). This happens maybe once or twice a month.
I hope you get something out of this explaination. It's the best I can do.
Good luck ! spillo

 

[tobagotwo]

I follow you, Spillo, and agree that basic paperwork mistakes happen.

However, when I got a simple chest Xray four years ago, the doctor who does the reading switched mine with a patient with severe lung disease, probably lung cancer.

My wife and I spent four days and nights mulling over what we were going to do with whatever was left of my life. I woke up in terror several times each night (and for weeks afterwards). My orthopedic surgeon (this was all to reattach a tiny tendon in my left middle finger), who had a heart, got me into a quick CAT scan appointment, and sat on them for an immediate reading. He then called and let me know my lungs were fine.

The #@%$&#!!! Xray-reader and the hospital apologized to my doctor, but not to me. I haven't forgiven that yet, but it's only been four years.

I still have trouble trusting test results.

 

[spillo]

xray

xray

I think the time limitations on a court date to determine the possibility of monetary reimbursement for mental anquish due to a medical screw up is 7 yrs.
Why did they give you a chest x-ray to fix a finger ?
Spillo

 

[Ross]

I follow you, Spillo, and agree that basic paperwork mistakes happen.

However, when I got a simple chest Xray four years ago, the doctor who does the reading switched mine with a patient with severe lung disease, probably lung cancer.

My wife and I spent four days and nights mulling over what we were going to do with whatever was left of my life. I woke up in terror several times each night (and for weeks afterwards). My orthopedic surgeon (this was all to reattach a tiny tendon in my left middle finger), who had a heart, got me into a quick CAT scan appointment, and sat on them for an immediate reading. He then called and let me know my lungs were fine.

The #@%$&#!!! Xray-reader and the hospital apologized to my doctor, but not to me. I haven't forgiven that yet, but it's only been four years.

I still have trouble trusting test results.

Now I know where my missing Xray is, could you return it please.

 

[tobagotwo]

Because, believe it or not, it was listed as a "surgery," requiring the normal prerequisites of a general exam and chest xray. It did take them about an hour to find the ends and restitch it, and they put up a sheet and wouldn't let me watch them do it. It was in a cast for weeks.

I was partially anaesthetised, so that was probably the key to determining what the prerequisites were.

Seven years, huh? Hmmm.

 

[tobagotwo]

Sorry, Ross. The xray doctor got it back a long time ago, and gave it to someone else who annoyed him.

Ask almost any woman, and she'll have had a test (or six) from the Gyn or Flattenogram that came up funky or scary. And doctors wonder why they don't want to come in for their exams...

We need these tests to help us understand what we need to do to survive our illnesses. This only points out that I do think there has been a loss in the level of trustworthiness of results.