Still No Scored or Dictated Report

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:02 pm

I stopped in at the sleep lab after getting my hair done. Didn't get the scored report OR the dictated results. Both are ready to go, of course, but doctor hasn't seen them to sign them yet.

I NOT happy and this had NOT been the case my other studies there when "my" sleep doctor was still there. Was this sleep doctor not there as often as the two who had worked there previously AND the sleep doctor I specifically started w/this sleep lab to see?

No, this doctor is at the sleep lab two days a week. But .. Medicare rules say patients can't be given the results until doctor signs off on them. So I related the incidents of WHY I won't use one of the local hospitals and the BIG heart clinic in town tho the cardiologist I've seen and like is part of it. BECAUSE I can NOT get my results from them in a TIMELY manner. That I don't intend to wait forever for an appointment w/the doctor nor to get my results. That I want my results BEFORE I see the doctor so that I can have my questions ready instead of thinking of 20 questions on my way home from my appointment w/him or her.

Well, HIPAA requires that the patient not be given results before doctor signs off on them. BUT, doctor would be in later today and the dictation and scored report are ready for him and since my appointment to see him is next Friday, they could mail the results to me yet today after he sees the scored report and signs the dictation (so how did he dictate the results if he hasn't seen the scored report yet?) And since he's obviously seen the scored report why couldn't I have it today?

And I left. I didn't fly off the handle (pat on the back) and I was civil (another pat on the back). In fact, I was pretty much my usual, sweet, loveable self.

I had intended to ask if they had the Resmed Micro nasal cushion mask in yet but when I was told that I couldn't have either report I forgot all about it until on the way home. That just irritated me more.

Ah well, the FULL data from this PSG "and" my January 2006 PSG should be available to provide to a good neurological sleep lab. I dont much care WHEN I receive this current PSG scored report and dictation now. I go to U of M for two upcoming COPD research trials I might take part in and I'll take the time to go up to the Neurology department whilst I'm there and check out what I can about U of M's sleep lab and sleep doctors. And I'll check further into Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and Harvard and Mass General since I have in-laws in Boston. A fellow PAPper has highly recommend Dr Ursula Anwer in Boston. This reluctance to give me at least the scored report just makes me more inclined to look elsewhere for answers despite the travel and accomodation costs.

Joffive · Post by **Joffive** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:07 am

Sorry you are having to go through all this! If people would only do their jobs....
Regarding other places; Cleveland Clinic is highly overrated. As for their hospital, I wouldn't go there for a bandaid. Although, it's entirely possible their sleep lab is a different story. Just don't think their name means anything regarding better care... Things that would make you really, really cringe go on there, just like anywhere else...

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:01 am

Thanks. I've been to CC to their Gastroenterology department. I've also been to CC for an ovarian cyst (forget the department name now). The gastro dept is the second highest rated in the country after Mayo in MN. I sure wasn't impressed w/the gastro I saw nor their timeliness or efficiency!!! On the other hand, the gyn/onco I saw was excellent and timely. I'll continue to check CC's sleep clinic out before I make a decision. Its not cheap to stay in Cleveland anywhere near the clinic and it isn't in the best of neighborhoods.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN is the EPITOME of EFFICIENCY. No time wasted there to speak of! It was always a very cheap town to stay during your Clinic visits. But like the rest of this country businesses are being sold out to the chains and the foreigners. I was really disappointed to encounter that our last visit. No nearby to the clinic good home cooking meals, same w/the motel we have stayed at for some 30 years or better.

I've sworn for years I would NOT go to a sleep lab that didn't have a sleep doctor on staff who actually saw the patients personally - but I guess I was just spoiled by my previous sleep doctor at this sleep lab. Since I have a VERY GOOD family doctor, in the future I think I would prefer a sleep lab that just sends the dictated report and full summary scored data report w/graphs to my family doctor as the referring doctor. He and I can do better than this. Of course, that doesn't speed up the process of the darn reports being prepared and signed by the sleep doctor ....

mindy · Post by **mindy** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:06 am

Hi Slinky,

So sorry to hear of your ongoing challenges with the sleep lab and/or sleepdocs. Our health care system is in a disastrous state and all the "fixes" I'm hearing about are tiny bandaids to try to hold back a fire hose full of problems.

Waiting is so frustrating and therefore bad for our health and yet everything seems to be "hurry up and wait".

Good for you for checking out your options and I hope you get some satisfaction soon!

Mindy

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:34 pm

Thanks, Mindy. This is so foreign to my prior experiences w/this sleep lab I suspect this may be the new sleep doctor's policy and he wants to check the transcription for accuracy before signing the dictatated report. Whatever. I'm not impressed w/this "new method" of doing business and had been searching on and off for another sleep lab for a second opinion anyway. So this all might have been for the best to get me off my duff to get SERIOUS about finding a good sleep lab.

mindy · Post by **mindy** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:55 pm

Slinky wrote:This is so foreign to my prior experiences w/this sleep lab I suspect this may be the new sleep doctor's policy and he wants to check the transcription for accuracy before signing the dictatated report. Whatever. I'm not impressed w/this "new method" of doing business and had been searching on and off for another sleep lab for a second opinion anyway.

I hadn't heard that HIPAA required this! Although I must admit that I haven't actually read the law. I think that in general in the medical field that docs don't want their office staff (or sleep techs in the case of sleep labs) to be giving out info. To some degree I can understand it. IMHO, if we hear something from a tech and there is interpretation that needs to be taken into account, then it could cause worry on our part even if it's not really worrisome. When I had an echocardiogram that showed my left ventricular ejection fraction was 35%, it's probably just as well that the tech couldn't and wouldn't tell me.

I wish you good luck in finding a good sleep doc that you like to work with!

Mindy

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 4:39 pm

I stay on top of things so if I'm sent for a procedure to find a reason for that problem I have a pretty good idea of the possible answers so whether good or bad results its not going to be much of a surprise, a disappointment maybe, but not a surprise.

If I'm sent for a procedure or test to monitor something we know is going on I know we expect either good new or bad news, either there has been a change or there hasn't. Again, the results aren't gonna be a surprise. Again, a disappointment maybe, but not a surprise.

If I get the report ahead of time, I can formulate my questions and make a list of them so I don't forget to ask them. Most answers that spark another question I can then ask in person. I do NOT like going in unprepared for an appointment. Invarably, going in unprepared w/a list of questions w/o having seen the results report the list will contain a bunch of questions I wouldn't have needed to ask. And other questions will get lost in the long list. and w/o time to digest the results invarably questions will arise that didnt get asked during the appointment.

mindy · Post by **mindy** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:47 pm

Slinky wrote:If I get the report ahead of time, I can formulate my questions and make a list of them so I don't forget to ask them. Most answers that spark another question I can then ask in person. I do NOT like going in unprepared for an appointment. Invarably, going in unprepared w/a list of questions w/o having seen the results report the list will contain a bunch of questions I wouldn't have needed to ask. And other questions will get lost in the long list. and w/o time to digest the results invarably questions will arise that didnt get asked during the appointment.

A very good point!!! I wish that all docs would do that for all patients so that we can have more productive visits.

Mindy

Still No Scored or Dictated Report

Still No Scored or Dictated Report

Thank You.