Re: What if your medical records are wrong?

Sunshine Kate · ‎03-10-2010

I don't like Patient Portals. I have so many log in names/passwords already. I've tried the portals and tell the doctor's office I'm not using any of that anymore.

I'm always told, "We hear that a lot".

Mj12 · ‎03-09-2010

I don't understand this reluctance to use patient portals. It puts all (or most) of your records in one place. It allows you to quickly communicate with your provider.

tansy · ‎01-02-2011

@Tinkrbl44 Patient portals are good. I can access my lab values quickly. I can message a provider and get a quick response easier than trying to call in. Everything is there whether you choose to utilize it or not 🤷🏼‍♀️

ETA : I had mammograms performed at 3:45 yesterday. I just got an email to check the portal to see the results at 10:30 this morning. Benign. 😊

TheOver40Diva · ‎09-17-2022

@AuntG Hi there! I've previously worked for a major healthcare system in their Privacy office and dealing with HIPAA related issues. Actually, this is a HIPAA related issue. According to 45 CFR § 164.526 - Amendment of protected health information, you have the right, as a patient, to request to have your medical record amended (changed). Each organization and state may have different ways they require this request be made. For example, in writing with a maximum number of words, etc. The people in the Privacy Office, or if it's a small organization they may use legal counsel, review your request and why you would like it changed. They will then find the original doctory, nurse, assistant, etc. who entered it into your chart and have them reveiw it as the patient is saying it is untrue. If it is in fact not true, for example, your medical record says you have diabetes, and you really don't. You have no testing that shows you are diabetic, etc. these requests are approved and are changed. On the other hand, if someone states they were in a motor vehicle accident and at the ER told the staff they were in the car with their sister, but the medial record states that the patient states they were in the car with the sister and her nephew. This type of request is 99.9999% of the time going to be denied because it's based on a fact a physician was told on the night of an incident. The patient then has a right to leave it alone, or write a statement that they disagree with what is in their medical record and every single time that that medical record is requested by anyone, the patient's statement is required to go with it. So if a request is ever denied, but you still want your version told, you can do so and have it made part of your medical record. This can get very confusing, so I hope I didn't do that to anyone. That's not my intention. I just thought I might be able to help out. Have a nice day!

AuntG · ‎03-09-2010

That is very helpful @TheOver40Diva . I really want my records correct so I suppose I need to find out the process in my state.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

The good news is even if something in your records is wrong, most sane doctors know to ignore it and trust the patient. There's not a lot they can't retest to verify who's right or wrong. Medical records aren't viewed by most sane doctors as being the gospel truth. They've all seen enough major screw-ups to know to trust the patient or their family members more than the records.

I wear a Medic-Alert necklace and was asking a doc once why no one ever checks it. He related a story of how when he was a young doc in the ER they had a teen-aged girl come in unconscious wearing such a necklace. It listed a very serious heart condition, and he was about to order a med that would be useful in such a patient but harmful for a "normal" person. The doc over him stopped him and made him wait for test results. It turned out she didn't have the heart condition. The necklace had belonged to her grandmother who had died, and she wore it as a memento.

Sane doctors will treat what they "know" is wrong with the patient first. They'll wait for testing or confirmation on anything in the records of whatever sort there are before acting on those. They know they can't trust the medical records. It may annoy you that it's in there, but in the real world, it probably won't affect the way you're treated.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

CatsyCline · ‎07-24-2013

Portals are usually 3rd Party. Doctors don't have the resources to admin. My PCP is on their fourth Portal system. They just merged with another practice. What happens to all the data when prior Portal system is eliminated. Is it archived, encrypted i have a portal with the Hospital where i've had 3 surgeries. So far their HIM and portal is not 3rd party.

Years ago, i saw a NP for anxiety before re-locating out of state. She shared office space with other medical providers and some therapists.

About a year after moving i requested my medical record. When i got the report in the mail i was stunned. Only a few lines were correct and they cut and pasted - in different fonts - into the report a number of other clients' serious Dx and personal data not intended for my eyes !! or anyone elses!

i asked the practitioner to remove the incorrect data. from her reaction i guessed she had not compiled the report herself.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

@gardenman wrote:
The good news is even if something in your records is wrong, most sane doctors know to ignore it and trust the patient. There's not a lot they can't retest to verify who's right or wrong. Medical records aren't viewed by most sane doctors as being the gospel truth. They've all seen enough major screw-ups to know to trust the patient or their family members more than the records.

I wear a Medic-Alert necklace and was asking a doc once why no one ever checks it. He related a story of how when he was a young doc in the ER they had a teen-aged girl come in unconscious wearing such a necklace. It listed a very serious heart condition, and he was about to order a med that would be useful in such a patient but harmful for a "normal" person. The doc over him stopped him and made him wait for test results. It turned out she didn't have the heart condition. The necklace had belonged to her grandmother who had died, and she wore it as a memento.

Sane doctors will treat what they "know" is wrong with the patient first. They'll wait for testing or confirmation on anything in the records of whatever sort there are before acting on those. They know they can't trust the medical records. It may annoy you that it's in there, but in the real world, it probably won't affect the way you're treated.

Do you know many insane doctors????

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

"Do you know many insane doctors????"

I've come across a few in my 63+ years.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

Well, here's another wrinkle. A couple times I have told my doc something I didn't want her to write in my chart. She didn't enter anything, and told me she wouldn't do so.

NOT that paper charts are secretive, but you have to actually have it in your hands to read it.

Now that the visits are written into a chart on the computer, there's no telling how many can access the information.

Granted, there are a number of reasons "they" can access your medical information without your knowledge .... but it seems it's even less private -- or secure -- in a computerized system.