[Anonymous]

#1152481

There is something known as the “patient bill of rights.” We are now known as consumers of health care. We want results, we want value for our money.
Whether you live in the U.S. or Canada (paid thru taxes) you are paying the doctor’s salary. Incidently, I take a self addressed pre-paid envelope with me and tell the doctor’s office to mail me the results. It costs .32 cents less than the phone call to their office and it works great!
Plus you or your insurance is paying for those tests and you are entitled to tem. Lab reports,CAT scans, MRI even copies of your medical file you hae a right to have a copy!

Under the patient bill of rights you have the right to the following:
1. To know what the doctor visit is going to cost before being seen.
2.You have a right to know the diagnosis,alternate forms of treatment,doctor’s recommendation and his or her basis.
3.Time to address questions and concerns. (if he doesn’t have time, he should set up a reasonable time with you to go over your concerns).

4.Adequate emergency care and who is his substitute when he is away.
5. Who has access to your medical records. This should be disclosed to you. No records should be released unless you have signed a release form.

I got carried away with this one but hope it helps!!!

Good luck,

Dee

[Anonymous]

#1152482

According to my endo, my GP, and every other doctor I’ve seen lately, these test results are MINE. The doctor obviously has to have a copy of these records themselves, but I have not had a single one of them refuse to give me a copy. Typically, the test results come from the lab with a duplicate copy already there. If not, they make me a xerox. No arguments. .

[Anonymous]

#1152483

Because of legal restrictions, doctors cannot give out copies of lab results to anyone, even yourself, without a signed release. My latest endo will only give them to me if I sign a release and pick them up in person. This is to protect them from privacy lawsuits.
However, those results should be given to you freely. I keep copies of all my results for years now and it is the only way I have of proving that my body does not react like most. Without this history of results, I would be inappropriately treated.

[Anonymous]

#1051786

I asked my dr. for copies of my test results and was told that it was against clinic regulations to give them to me. They would read me the numbers over the phone, so I could write them down, but they wouldn’t send me any results or give them to me in person. Have you ever heard of such a thing!?

[Anonymous]

#1152484

Frankly, I would RUN, not walk, to another doctor!
I can understand not giving you the originals,
but they could surely provide you with copies!
Most places have duplicate copies so as the patient, doc and insurance
all have one. RUN!

Regards,
JAN

[Anonymous]

#1152485

Getting a copy of all of your medical records is part of your
patient rights. Many clinics don’t like to give out medical
records. The doctor might just be old fashioned. But it is
your right to get those records.

That said, it also the doctor’s right to make you pay for the
record. I don’t know where you live but here in Michigan the
practicioner may charge up to 0.50 cents per page.

I also think that you should mention what the receptionist said
to your doctor. I think that the Doctor would suffer the
reprocussion of their statements and no one wants to violate
patients rights, or pay for that mistake.

Carolyn

[Anonymous]

#1152486

I was interested to read that others had encounter difficulties in getting copies of their lab results. Neither my internist nor my endocrinologist will release the test results to me (as a matter of fact, they don’t even give the numbers – they just tell me if the results are normal or abnormal). My father is a doctor, and he has requested that the doctors talk to him about the results, but they won’t do that, either. How can you make an informed decision without the facts?

[Anonymous]

#1152487

Those of you who have responded to my post about my difficulties in getting my dr. to release copies of my test results may be interested in knowing that the clinic I go to is affiliated with a very well known midwestern clinic. Also, 2 friends of mine who see the same dr. have had similar problems.

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