Medical reports released without written consent

teknomom wrote:Sleepyhead_2, I interviewed several DMEs before choosing one and I did NOT authorize them to have access to my medical records. I understand your anger and would have felt the same if one of them had assumed that I was their patient without my authorization. I have the right to shop around for any other product without handing out personal, private information. DME shopping should be the same. I hope you can put it behind you after letting them know of your displeasure. Good luck with your therapy!

Did you even read sleepyhead's post?

It said in part:

sleepyhead_2 wrote:

However, during this process I located a DME in my town which is affiliated with the local hospital (not the hospital in a nearby town which administered my sleep study in 2004). As this DME has a respiratory therapist, I made an appointment to visit with him and indicated I would be bringing in my sleep study and if it worked out would see that they received my prescription. My appointment with this DME is scheduled for 1/5/12. I did give them my name, my Doctor’s name and location of the sleep study.

That is an excellent practice for the RT to make sure he has a copy of the new patient's sleep study at the first appointment. Without the sleep study the RT is relying on the patient's version of the sleep study.

Most patients have not read their sleep study or if they have they do not remember nor understand any details. Even the ones who have read it and have a fair understanding of it will confuse some of the details and not be able to answer accurately important questions the therapist may ask.

It is a very rare case for a patient to show up for an appointment with the sleep study in their hands.

What would you have? That the patient takes the time and travels to the DME and there is no sleep study available and the visit is wasted for both the patient and the RT? Schedule another appointment/another trip/more time/more expense when the sleep study is available?

Do you want to "gum up" the medical system so that information does not flow swiftly between the providers that are trying to help us?

The DME in this case took the proper steps.

"No good deed goes unpunished."

Let me add that sleepyhead should make sure she gets the machine she wants. Many doctors are not very familiar with the machines and their patient-data features. Same for many DME employees including RTs.

I’m unfamiliar with this venue so not sure how to respond to each person. Please forgive me, I’ll learn.

To GumbyCT: I do know my Doctor didn’t currently authorize this, but I will make sure I didn’t sign something back in 2004. Thank you. I will check out your previous posts pertaining to HIPPA and appreciate the info. I live in a suburb (approx. pop.100,000) of a metropolitan city of approx. 600,000. The hospital which conducted the sleep study in 2004 and then recently released that info is a major hospital in this metropolitan city.



To Slinky: Yes, this is the 2004 sleep study, the only sleep study I have ever had, so there were no results to compare. I’m not certain study results would be needed if I had a current script from my physician. I wanted the results to see how the report was written, to see if an exact pressure was specified or a range given. My intent was to visit with the RT to see what kind of follow through they provided, if they were interested in my health and providing me with efficacy data or just in my compliancy and also to get a feel for their way of doing business. I am concerned that a DME can get archived medical records without my written consent. I told them I would be bringing in the study. The DME in question is affiliated with the local hospital here in the suburb where I live, not the hospital which did my sleep study in 2004.



To GumbyCT: Yes, this is the second machine I am seeking. I have logged almost 10,000 hours on the first machine and I guess it does ok for what it was designed for considering I was totally ignorant of options and went sometimes months not using it before I would try again. It is 8 years old and honestly, before stumbling upon this site, I didn’t know I was entitled to a new or better machine. It does seem my physician would have followed up on my treatment, but I realize we are ultimately responsible for our own health.



To RocketGirl: Thank you for sharing my outrage and frustration. I was clear with the DME. And yes, I think the DME suspected I was after a Resmed S9Autoset and sent a prescription request to my doctor for an Auto which, if I understand, is a variable cpap but with compliancy data only. Thank you for the information regarding to whom to address my complaints if I do in fact determine I have just cause. I so appreciate all of you. Thank goodness for the internet and for the knowledge more available to us.

teknomom wrote:Sleepyhead_2, I interviewed several DMEs before choosing one and I did NOT authorize them to have access to my medical records. I understand your anger and would have felt the same if one of them had assumed that I was their patient without my authorization. I have the right to shop around for any other product without handing out personal, private information. DME shopping should be the same. I hope you can put it behind you after letting them know of your displeasure. Good luck with your therapy!

Thank you, teknomom. I was shopping around and made that clear when I called this DME. It was they who insisted I get my questions answered by their RT and therefore encouraged me to schedule an appt to do just that. I told them I would bring in the report..not summary and that if I was satisfied to do business with them I would have my DR send a script. When the DME contacted my DR they requested a script from him but made their recommendation as to what I equipment I should have and at what range the vpap should be set. I never designated them my provider nor had my physician. I hadn't met with them yet. I perhaps should have had a new sleep study as my initial machine recorded no efficacy data...just hours used, but all things considered I thought a vpap with efficacy data would most likely be a vast improvement over what I have had. Thanks again for your input.

chunkyfrog wrote:Now that you have the info, you can flat-out REFUSE to accept or sign anything until you can get a machine that offers all you need. Beware of the 'Advance Beneficiary Agreement' or whatever they call it. This says you agree to pay additional charges, and it is how they get around the 'no balance billing' agreement with your insurance.
DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING unless you read (and agree with) it thoroughly.

I was not aware of an "Advance Beneficiay Agreement" or whatever is used to get around the no balance billing stipulation. I appreciate the information. I have had a DME tell me my insurance only pays for 'bottom of the line' equipment and if I want something more it would cost me several hundred dollars more. I'm not really sure what it is that is included in the 12 month rent agreement. Do you know if I pay for the hose, mask and even humidifier myself at the time of purchase and the machine is the only thing figured into the monthly payments? My insurance company does pay by code and insists on the monthly agreement, but I am not certain what to expect is normal/average out of pocket expenses excluding the monthly payment. Smiling...I guess I need to be addressing these ?? to my insurance company, but was just wondering if there were general rules..Thanks again.

sleepyhead_2 wrote:I guess I need to be addressing these ?? to my insurance company, but was just wondering if there were general rules..

YES, Insurance policies are as individual as we are. You will be best served by asking them directly as your DME will likely spin the info around.