Zoomedia Blog
Recently, I have had more doctor visits, tests, and prescription drugs than in my entire 41 years. I put it down to people being like cars - once you fiddle with one part something else gets broken. Anyway, as a way to keep myself entertained while waiting in doctor's offices, hanging out in the ER, and waiting in line at Walgreens, I decided to start tracking my "Patient as a Consumer" experience in this blog.
The ER - The ER is a scary place! Nobody seemed to really know anything and the switch from frantic activity (saving the life of the lady next to me) to drug-induced bliss (me on morphine) to the completely bizarre (nurse yelling at old man with severe Parkinson's to keep his arm still) was like being in several parallel universes at the same time. After ten hours of tests and waiting and morphine dreams, I was sent home with some pain killers.
My "Patient as Consumer" ER experience - glad they saved the lady, sad for the man, wish I'd stayed home.
Bills - I've never seen so many bills! I have counted nine multi-page bills so far mostly full of codes that I cannot decipher for tests for which I have yet to receive documented results. I have insurance so mostly I am covered but for the amounts I do have to pay I tried to use my HSA credit card - it didn't work. HSA bank said there was nothing wrong with it - docs office said there was - same thing at Walgreens. So I paid with my non-HSA credit card meaning I replaced my tax-free money put aside for healthcare costs with my regular money.
My "Patient as Consumer" bill paying experience - confusing, overwhelming, and unresolved...
Diagnosis - I've been told "everything is fine" and "you're perfectly healthy" so that's great but there were also some details of what I was tested for, why, and subsequent precautions I should take, that I'd like to have - also every doctor (there have been four) - have interpreted test results differently and then ordered more tests to test their interpretation - mostly resulting in more bills (see above) Scariest part is that I do have one small issue that I should "monitor" and "if it becomes a problem, just go in the ER and they'll take it out..." seriously I am quoting here...
My "Patient as Consumer" diagnosis experience - vague and open to interpretation...
Medical record - Every doctor of the four I visited asked me to verbally tell them what my problem was even though all of them with the exception of the ER doc (!) had access to my medical records and are all part of the same practice network. My suggestion that they look it up fell on deaf ears even though two of them had laptops in their laps while they were talking to me. Had it been a business meeting I think I might have fired them...
My "Patient as Consumer"personal consultation experience - disconnected, repetitive, circular...
Electronic Medical Records! - My doctor's practice has actually implemented an electronic medical record system. There are signs all over the office thanking patients for their patience while this was completed. I have been a very patient patient and I was excited to think I would actually be able to have up-to-date records available electronically from my doctor.
I get the feeling that someone has forgotten to tell the doctors! As I told you above none of the four doctors I have repeated my symptoms to appear to have consulted earlier test results or my medical record before or during our little chats.
I finally thought I'd just ask for the EMR myself and bring it with me on my laptop to my next doctor visit. So I called and asked - "Hi I would like to access a copy of my electronic medical record please?" "Can you hold please?" 3 minutes later, "Oh.. Hi I would like to access a copy of my electronic medical record please?" "Sorry what do you need?" "I would like access to my electronic medical record" "Your doctor will have to request that..." "Ok, my doctor is there, can you ask her?" "The doctor is not in the office today, can you hold please..." and so on, and so on...
I am still without my EMR, a diagnosis, and haven't ever had any calls back from doctors to discuss test results even though they all said they would. I can't imagine how I would feel if I was really sick...
My "Patient as Consumer" overall experience - I was patient, my money was consumed, and I now understand how very, very far we have to go before patients, health and care are truly at the center of the healthcare system.
Tags: Personalized Medicine, Product Strategy, Patient Strategy