Is a policy others have run into? I had a co-infection test done and I called the LLMD to see if they got the results back. The office girl told me the test is back but she cant give me the results. I have to wait until the end of the month when I go in for my appt.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- It may because so many LLMDs are up against some people so ready to drag them into court. Doctoring over the phone has gotten some LLMDs into major turmoil. This doctor is probably trying to hold onto his practice and not take any chance.
It's a very unsafe political mine field for LLMDs out there these days. The slightest misinterpretation can cost them, and their patients, staff and families - everything.
Of course, it's okay for a doctor to talk to a patient by phone but it could be that LLMDs just have to stop that in order to protect themselves. Also, if it's positive, you would have lots of questions and they probably don't have time for that.
I think if you call again and ask the doctor to give you just a quick call JUST with the results - and if you speak to a different person - you may have better luck.
I wonder if they would MAIL a copy of the test to you. That should be okay. Still, it's best practice to tell a patient in person but, yes, the wait can be very uncomfortable. You might ask to be put on the call list in case of cancellations. -
Posted by cityroam1 (Member # 24787) on :
I was just in his office on 6/23, I only go once a month and my next appt is 7/28. I told the nurse that if the test is positive I dont have any questions that can't wait till my appt. I just want to know pos or neg..
I asked her to fax me the results but she refused. She said I cant know the results until I come in on the 28th.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Ohhhh. So sorry to hear of such a person. I wonder if the doctor knows of this. It really does sound too harsh.
As for a fax, you would first have to sign a release form but she should have OFFERED that to you. I think she should consider another line of work.
If you do make it to the next appointment, be sure to discuss this with the doctor. Then you can find out if this is HIS policy and, if so, why. He may not even be aware of it. The receptionist may just be lazy, or mean. It can take a while for even the best LLMD to find the right staff.
If it helps at all, whatever treatment you are doing may be what he'd want, anyway. I would have thought he'd see your test results and if any immediate change would have been necessary that he would have then called you himself. It may be that no treatment change is required at this time.
But it sure is not an easy feeling, I know. And I'd want to be able to know as soon as possible. I hope this is just a bump in the road and that things smooth out.
Wonder if this person to whom you spoke has a particular day off?
Good luck. -
Posted by cityroam1 (Member # 24787) on :
Yea, I dont expect any change in treatment and quite honestly I dont have any questions about the co-infections, I just want to know pos or neg.
Just needed to complain to someone other than the dog.. Posted by massman (Member # 18116) on :
Ask to schedule a time to talk to the doc. As you only need a minute or two, emphasize that. Even a busy doc should have that time.
IME some staff think that they are "protecting" the doc by doing that.
Posted by jkmom (Member # 14004) on :
Several, maybe all, of the LLMD's we have seen will only discuss test results at the next appointment. I imagine they don't have the time to spend telling everyone their results between visits.
For us, most of the time, the next appointment is a phone consultation, so I think it is more about the time needed to go over results.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
My LLMDs nurse tells me test results over the phone. But it is a 3 hour drive one way for me and out of state so maybe that is why. I only go every 1 to 2 months for appts.
Some docs don't want their nurses telling patients in case the patient has a question that the nurse can't answer.
Posted by LightAtTheEnd (Member # 24065) on :
My doc's office has a policy to call you to let you know if your tests come back positive.
Otherwise they want you to call them and ask about the results, and they will tell you and fax a copy, but they will probably charge you for a phone call.
I think it should be your right to find out the test results if you want them. It's your blood, after all.
On the other hand, one time years ago I had a test come back "abnormal." The office just sent me a letter, which I got several days later, on a weekend, while I was home alone. The letter said something like "Your test was abnormal. This might or might not mean that you have cancer. Please make an appointment to follow up."
Okay, that was a hideous way to tell me. And I didn't have cancer, as it turned out. But I sure freaked out for a couple of weeks, when I couldn't reach the doctor by phone to ask for an explanation and had to wait for an appointment.
Most of the crucial tests for Lyme and coinfections are so inaccurate that knowing the test results doesn't tell you much anyway. You still need the doctor's expert opinion.
So I guess there are good and bad points to that policy.
Posted by cityroam1 (Member # 24787) on :
I have only been to 1 other dr who did this. They had me make an appointment within a couple of days to discuss the results. Once I got there, after worrying for 2 days.. He tells me my results are normal.
Hmmmm, bring me in to tell me my results are normal. $45 co-pay and charge to the insurance for an office visit. I get it..
I am not saying that is what the LLMD is doing but my trust level is pretty low when it comes to the medical profession.
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
Well, as we know testing is iffy and negative tests may be false negative, so I think when telling lyme results, it may well need some explaining as to the meaning of it, and what to do about it.
Posted by METALLlC BLUE (Member # 6628) on :
I don't like having to spend 500 dollars for an appointment with a doctor just to get my results. I tell them to send me copies of my records by mail, including all test results. I'll pay for it, and screw driving 4 hours. Fortunately I have good rapport with one PA and have her give me the info.
Just my opinion.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
There are a various ethical and legal reasons not to give out results over the phone.
Think about this..
1. I could be your snoopy mother-in-law, pretend I am you and call up to find out your test results ... or I could be your nosey employer. How is the docs office to know who is calling?
HIPPA laws designed to protect you can also get in your way.
2. The results may not be understood by the "normal patient" and if taken out of context, it could lead to depression, panic and even suicide. By being there in person the doctor is available for the off the wall questions as they pop up.
3. And I've had this happen several times before... the nurse or office people didn't know how to read the test results... many labs, many different kinds of tests. I've actually walked them though it on the phone to find out what I needed to know.
4. I've actually been told a test was positive when it was negative and the other way around on the phone.
Interesting too.. I had a doctor once that lied to my face about my test results. Yes, an Infectious Disease duck.
He didn't know the results were also sent to my other doc... who I'd been to see and gotten a copy from... and at my follow up with the duck ... before I could say I already had the test results (I was expecting treatment to start)...
He said "I got your lab tests back and they were all negative."
As sick as I was.. I hopped to and decided to NOT say I had them with me and when he tried to move on I questioned him about the results.
He again said they were all negative. I then asked specifically about the babesia test.. which I knew was positive from TWO different labs ...
And he again said they were BOTH negative.
Then.. believe it or not.. he had my chart open and he flipped through some pages and PRETENDED he was reading from the lab report and again said it was negative.
At that point I asked if he had contacted the doctor I had been seeing like he said he would. He said he had not.. but he contacted someone else.
Turns out it was a BIG IDSA guidelines duck.. a toad head at best... that he consulted with and later when I got my records from little ducks office I saw who he called and what they said. Little duck had hand written notes and BIG ducks comments in the column.
The BIG duck had said to IGNORE the test results and to NOT treat. The BIG duck said Lyme patients were nuts and other fine stuff... and basically undiagnosed me over the phone, even with multiple positive tests, a history of tick bites (documented by the way) and all the classic symptoms....
And the BIG duck did this without even seeing me.
Anyhow... I finally reached down to get my purse off the floor- where I had the rolled up lab reports that were sticking up out of my purse...
And I opened them up and started reading the results out loud to him... and all the while filling in the proper medications needed to treat the infections as I went along.
Needless to say little duck was shocked beyond belief that I had the test results and that I knew what they meant... and he turned red as a beet.
And he never did invite me to his annual BBQ.
Shucks!
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
You should have sued his ###.
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
Wow, it sure wasn't ignorance. It was major malpractice. Evidently there is nothing that lyme deniers won't do. OK, Mr. President of IDSA, do you condone this behavior? Yes, and encourages it too. There aren't enough bad words to describe people like this.
Is there any reason we can't out this people on the internet? No lyme doc names, but why not the bad guys?
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
not even my jerkward primary will talk over the phone.
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