Random Thoughts

I would like to share a short story with you. Yesterday I went to my doctor to get a referral for X-Ray and thyroid ultrasound. (Keep in mind I do not visit a  doctor on a regular basis. Hence, I am not aware of how this process doctor-referral-radiology center-results  works. I am more of a patient who looks for relevant information online, avoids MRI/X-Ray, etc. unless the momentum arrives (like yesterday) and prefers keep a track of my own records.) Therefore, can you imagine my frustration when after getting all these procedures done I was refused to be given the results?

I was told my doctor (not me!) will receive the results in 4 days! Also, I was told they are not allowed to disclose information about my health to me. So, what if I have some serious injures (which I am not aware of) and it may have devastating consequences on my health if I do not address the problem now? But I cannot – I have to wait 4 days…

Moreover, apparently, when the doctor gives you a referral to the radiology center, they have no clue why the procedure should be done. Doctor and radiology center have no communication at all. A gap. Big gap.

Luckily, I knew exactly the reason of having X-Ray and ultrasound. But what if I had an amnesia, or speech disorder, or something else preventing me from explaining to the nurse why I am getting this done,  and my doctor was not in the town in that moment to give them information, what would have happened? Who would have known why am I doing this?

So now, besides having paper medical records at my doctor’s office, I have new paper records started on me in the radiology center (of course, I have many other records at different health organizations collected for last 20 years, I just do not know where are they). And I have no access to either one.  Everything is disconnected. And I do not know how serious my situation is. At least for next 3 days.