Medical Communication Sucks

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:18 pm

The medical community needs to get into the 21st century in so far as computers are concerned. Oh yeah---they have computers, that's not the problem. The problem is sharing patient information like patient history, lab results, tests not only from doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital, but within the same medical facility. Stupid Privacy Laws plus some doctors unwillingness to join the computer world has created not only high costs but massive inefficiency. I have reached the age where utilizing medical facilities is a regular occurrence so I am cognizant of the problem. I have three docs----a Primary Care Physician (Internal Medicine), Oncologist & Cardiologist. The Primary Care doc is right on the ball with computers and the other two are not, therefore they do not communicate with one another re: the same patient. This results in repetitive questions being asked of the patient, again & again by each doc or medical facility. I really don't care who knows my medical history & see the current Privacy Laws as a detriment to practicing good medicine. If I were in London and fainted on the sidewalk and was taken to hospital, it would be nice if all they had to do was access my medical history on the computer. This would not only save time and expense on the London side, but result in the right kind of treatment. If you sense that I am a bit pissed, you're right. The last couple of months I have had to deal with not only the over blown egos of some in the medical profession, but this massive inefficiency as well, and no matter what kind of Health Care the U.S. eventually winds up with this will still be a problem and perhaps even get worse.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:23 pm

I don't experience this problem, the VA is absolutely outstanding with their computer system and communicating. I guarantee that no American on this site can touch my medical care....none.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:31 pm

Ahso!;1355477 wrote: I don't experience this problem, the VA is absolutely outstanding with their computer system and communicating. I guarantee that no American on this site can touch my medical care....none.

You are missing the whole point-----------try going to Tampa, Florida for example, get seriously ill. Tampa should be able to access your medical history etc. from your VA (could save your life). At present----no way that will happen.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:40 pm

If its a matter of life and death it will happen and fast. No one hospital or business should be able to access private information from any organization or health care facility systems without proper consent or emergency protocol, and then it would be sent but not through access to your account or information with your health care provider just not done for safety and security reasons. Each Hospital and its satellites have their own Data Systems secure and private to that HOSPITAL or Clinic they just don't allow access across those system to anyone for any reason. If your Hospital isn't sharing info with its associated clinics in network they should be.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:44 pm

Part of your complaint was that records are not adequately available even within a given network.

The problem is sharing patient information like patient history, lab results, tests not only from doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital, but within the same medical facility.

BTW, you wouldn't find me dead in Tampa.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:55 pm

Ahso!;1355482 wrote: Part of your complaint was that records are not adequately available even within a given network.

BTW, you wouldn't find me dead in Tampa.

Many of the large medical groups have multiple locations and have doctors that work within the group that are independent of the group, like a group of oncologists. Many patients aren't even aware that they are really a separate entity within the group. It is these specialists that seem to not have the capability to communicate via computer, info on mutual client patients. In my opinion----it would be nice to have all medical people have access to medical data on an individual that they are treating no matter where the physician is located. Moving from one town to another----of course the records can be mailed from one doc to another------how antiquated------access via computer with patient authorization.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:28 pm

Again, I don't have that problem. I was down in Louisiana, went into the hospital and they had everything on computer.

Sounds to me like the private medical establishment is everything it claims is wrong with government care.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:01 am

I use this system and my medical data is entered------too bad not all docs, clinics, hospitals etc. are not using it at this point.

https://mylifelog.org/