Medical Record Mix-up

[disneychrista]

Yesterday I had a consultation with a pain management doctor to schedule an epidural steroid injection for my neck. They had me have the hospital where I got my MRI send the report so they had it before my appointment. Well yesterday the doctor starts reviewing the report with me. He questions if the numbness and tingling are always on the right said, which I confirm. He said it was odd because most of the issues are on the left side. And then mentions something about the MRI being 3 years old. I told him no I just had it last month. He shows me the report. It has my name on it but the date clearly says 2021. The only MRI of my neck that I had was last month. Not sure what report was sent nor why do I understand how it had my name on it. How the heck does that happen? Do I contact the hospital and ask what happened?

Thankfully I had brought a copy of the report for my MRI.

 

[focusondisney]

Yesterday I had a consultation with a pain management doctor to schedule an epidural steroid injection for my neck. They had me have the hospital where I got my MRI send the report so they had it before my appointment. Well yesterday the doctor starts reviewing the report with me. He questions if the numbness and tingling are always on the right said, which I confirm. He said it was odd because most of the issues are on the left side. And then mentions something about the MRI being 3 years old. I told him no I just had it last month. He shows me the report. It has my name on it but the date clearly says 2021. The only MRI of my neck that I had was last month. Not sure what report was sent nor why do I understand how it had my name on it. How the heck does that happen? Do I contact the hospital and ask what happened?

Thankfully I had brought a copy of the report for my MRI.

Well, do you want to know what happened & why someone else’s report has your name on it?? Who else would be able to tell you except the hospital?

 

[StarCruzer]

I would see if the hospital where you got the MRI has an person/office for patient advocacy. Either that or a way to contact the radiology department directly? It seems like that was likely where the mistake was made

 

[disneychrista]

Well, do you want to know what happened & why someone else’s report has your name on it?? Who else would be able to tell you except the hospital?

I want to know how the hell that could happen. I don't expect the hospital to actually give me any answers though. If I was to contact the hospital it would be more to make them aware of the issue than anything.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I want to know how the hell that could happen. I don't expect the hospital to actually give me any answers though. If I was to contact the hospital it would be more to make them aware of the issue than anything.

The hospital probably doesn't know what happened, but they sure need to know they messed up so they can figure out how to prevent it from happening to someone else.

Several years ago I had a mammogram and they lost my x-rays. I lit into them big time and they magically found my records.

 

[Lewisc]

Does it have your correct date of birth? Different patient with same name.

An uninsured patient borrowed your insurance card. Check your credit reports for possible identify theft.

 

[slo]

With everything being electronic today, I’m hearing of more and more mixups like this from the patients at the doctors office I manage (they complain to me about issues they have at other doctors offices),

I would definitely call the hospital, ask to talk to a manager, to see if the report is correct in their system, because you don’t want an incorrect report with your name on it. After that, I would tell them about what happened, in regards to an incorrect report being sent to your doctors office. I wouldn’t make a big stink out of it, since It was an accidental error. My main concern, if I were you, would be to just make sure that the report is correct on their end.

If they tell you that their email or fax is correct, because they should keep a record of that, then the error is at the doctors office.

Good luck, I hope you get it figured out

 

[jo-jo]

The hospital probably doesn't know what happened, but they sure need to know they messed up so they can figure out how to prevent it from happening to someone else.

Several years ago I had a mammogram and they lost my x-rays. I lit into them big time and they magically found my records.

Last week I had a heart calcium scoring test. I had a paper script. Called a few months ago. Was told before they would schedule the test, the script had to be faxed to them. Talked to dr office, faxed it, made appointment. So I figured I don't need the paper. About 18 hours before the test, I get a text, be sure to bring the paper script. I called them explain I don't have it. They told me they don't see any script in their records. Just call the dr and ask them to send it again. I said but you had to have it or else I wouldn't have the appointment. Again they said just call the dr . I (knowing nothing happens in a matter of hours) was hesitant. Then the office says, they will do it. remember they work for you. Again, I stated but you had it. Puts me on hold, going to speak to supervisor. Comes back, it was found, wrong page was open.

 

[kymom99]

I work for a hospital. We are required to do periodic FIT testing. This is where they check you for proper fitting of an N95 mask for airborne illnesses. I work 2 jobs so finding a time to go isn’t easy. I went for my test, and a month later got an email that I still needed to be tested. Testing is done at employee health where they do employment physicals, vaccinations, etc. I call to say I had the test already. The lady said no you didn’t come for your appointment. I said I assure you, I did but I’ll come again. I also emailed my supervisor to tell him I would have to repeat the test. He just said sorry that happened. I had no evidence but someone dropped the ball. What if it had been a vaccination?

 

[cvjw]

Family took MIL for a biopsy of tumors in her abdomen. Emory hospital thought they were doing a biopsy of her arm. Spent most of the day trying to get Emory to figure out that they were about to biopsy the wrong body part. How does something like that even happen? So wrong on so many levels. The mistake was caught by family, not Emory.

 

[KPeterso]

Had an incident with the eye doctor last month. Went for what should be a 6 month follow up to my cataract surgery. The doctor is talking about something else and something they had seen last visit and was gone now. And had I had my bloodwork done that was apparently tied to that issue in some way. Uh no, don't recall you or my primary asking for blood work. And then not doing any actual eye exam. I was confused as I figured we needed a new vision test. As we were going out, the doctor and one of her techs say something about the insurance and I said that is not who I have. And then said, oh it is under your husband. Don't think so since not married and never have been. Checked the birthdate and they were looking at the file of someone with a very similar name to mine. Oops! The front desk immediately jumps up and starts looking through charts for my chart (seems it was out of place alphabetically) as it took some time to find it. Was taken back again and had the correct exam. No wonder the eye issue was gone - I never had it.

 

[tvguy]

I can't speak to mix ups, but in the last three years I have gone from having just a Primary Care Doctor, to also having 10 Specialists. It was a little unnerving how often one Specialist would question the diagnosis of another Specialist. Or when one Specialist would ask you to ask the other Specialist about a condition, and when you do, the second Specialist says to ask the first Specialist about it because it is within the realm of the first Specialist's specialty.
Also unnerving when your Primary Care Doctor admits, that two of your health issues uncovered by Specialists, he has never heard of. Yeah to my Primary Care Doctor for referring me to the right specialists when he spotted something wasn't right, but Boo to him for having to Google the diagnosis because he had never heard of it. The good news is, I has been discharged by 7 of Specialists as no longer needing their services, so just have 3 now.

 

[Turn the Page]

Last month I went for a check up with my primary. She had a print out of my labs that had been drawn this past spring and going over my cholesterol numbers said one (I can never remember which) had gone up a bit and asked if we had done anything regarding medication for that? Umm....no, my cholesterol has always been really good. She looks at the sheet again and it says my total cholesterol is 245 !!!! That's not mine! Luckily, it was easily resolved, the front desk had just given her the incorrect print out.

DH's ex and I have the exact same birthdate which caused massive issues with the health insurance company the first few years we were married. I would call about something and they would tell me the policy was invalid and I would have to argue with them that they had the wrong patient pulled up and we would go back and forth for a bit until I convinced them that my name did not match what they had on the screen. Thankfully that hasn't been an issue for a few years now.

 

[Skippy918]

It’s possible there’s another patient with the same name as you.
In one of my local groups, someone shared that their kid has the same name and birthday as another patient at the same clinic. Their records kept getting mixed up. In that case they need to have another identifier to distinguish between the patients.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I showed up to my doctor's office once a few years ago for my annual physical, and I was told they had canceled it because I had the exam two months prior. Turns out there was someone else in my office with the same sounding last name (different spelling) and they just assumed I was the same person -- didn't even check my birthdate. All of the labs, etc. were screwed up.

I was peeved because they would obviously had used my insurance for the other person. They finally untangled everything and from then on asked for my date of birth (which they should've been doing from the beginning). I was so peeved. There were also some staffing changes following that incident.

Definitely get it squared away. It's a definite HIPAA violation, and the mandated reporter will need to disclose it.