I rec'd a call from my county health dept. regarding my test results reported to them through the Mayo Clinic.
They have all three positive test results taken from the hospital and 2 other doctors. (Funny, b/c I never knew I tested positive in the hospital 'til this call).
Anyhow, the health dept. has a symptom check list they check off as you describe all symptoms you experience or experiencing.
Have any of you received this type of call?
I find it funny...considering the docs I've been to think all three tests are false postives.
Just a little curious..
Posts: 72 | From Virginia | Registered: Nov 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Did you talk to them? Did you answer their symptom check-list?
If not, don't.
more later. Yes, these calls happen and sometimes they are not good for our doctors. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Yes, I did answer them. I thought I had to answer the questions. I was reported to the health dept. Sorry! I didn't know it would hurt our future health. I thought it was odd, but I also thought it might be helpful.
Now I feel horrible. Sorry. Why is it hurtful?
Posts: 72 | From Virginia | Registered: Nov 2009
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posted
I understand these calls are routine for positive tests reported to them.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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Amyqu
Unregistered
posted
Justchugging, I got the same type of call when I initially tested positive for lyme.
My doctor didn't have any problem with my talking to them as he's the one that reported the postitive results.
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- In California, doctors are protected and can treat chronic lyme without fear of loosing their licenses. However, in some states, these calls are not just for record-keeping, but to ferret out doctors who treat after the IDSA thinks treatment should be done.
Insurance companies also seem to be behind some of these surveys as they don't like to cover lyme treatment.
It's one thing that the county health dept. call to confirm that, yes, you were dx with this or that tick-infection and where you may have received the tick bite. This is valuable information.
However, for the questions about symptoms, length of treatment or - especially - the length of time between bite and treatment - depending upon the state, this information can (and has) been used to pressure LLMDs.
In my state, (where no LLMD is allowed) when a doctor called in a dx of lyme, the health department called that doctor back to try to have him change mind and drop the case.
In one of the southeastern states, one LLMD has been told to stop treating lyme patients beyond a certain time. So, some lyme patients have lost their LLMD. This came after several lyme patients received survey calls from their county health departments. And this is not the only time this has happened.
Answering "yes" to being dx with lyme. Saying where the tick bite may have occurred if one has memory of that is enough.
As for symptoms and treatment details, that is to be between doctor and patient. The health dept. folks can look up symptoms.
By completely such a survey, the risk is high for the county health dept. to second-guess the doctor and make judgements about your treatment. A phone survey like that may miss important details but - nevertheless - it's not their business to be asking anyone about symptoms or treatment specifics.
They should record where the tick might have been, what infections were diagnosed . . . so it can be entered into the record. And that is enough for them. The rest is private. -
[ 03-01-2010, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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