Need some honest advice!

Boo&BugsMom wrote: This may get long, so bare with me. It's health related. I recently switched OBGYN's. The last office I was at I was not happy with, and now after getting my records in the mail it just reconfirms why I left in the first place. The office itself was way too big and within a 4 year stretch I saw the actual doctor only once, even after all my bleeding and breast problems (I had a lot of abnormal bleeding and a breast biopsy and tumor removal last year).

Anyways, I requested copies of my records and I recieved them in the mail this week. There were two things on there I was totally SHOCKED by. #1, when my son was born they had to use that vaccum thing. It is reported on there that the mother and father were told the risks and then gave consent. We were NEVER given the risks or gave consent, they just did it without any words spoken about it, period. #2, until now, I had no idea that there were two moles in my...nether region...that they were watching and concerend about. Apparently it says that when they first recorded them they discussed them with me and they told me that they were going to keep an eye on them. This was recorded three years ago. Until now, I had no idea I even had two moles "down there". None of this was discussed with me EVER.

What are my legal rights? Should I even worry about it or just be thankful that I am now at a better doctor? Should I voice my concern to the office manager or something at least? What CAN I do that will serve SOME justice, is my question.

I am LIVID that there are things in there that are completely inaccurate. Things that are reported that never happend and things that are in there that I never even knew about. What would you do, besides get extremely ticked off?

C&K*s Mommie replied: I could not answer the legalities of this. But with our first, and almost with our second child (the doc did not make it in time) we had to use a vaccum. It was an emergency thing, for the sake of our daughter so I was aware of things but nothing was discussed and no prior approval was given. I was supposed to have a water birth at a seperate facility so even then no consent was given other than to say that in the event of an emergency with the unborn child I should be taken to ______ Hospital for care.

Was the usage of the vacuum predetermined, or was it an emergency situation for Tanner and yourself?

holley79 replied: Honey I am so sorry. My mom just went through the same thing with her old doctors. There really isn't anything you can do because it is all documented and it is their word against yours.

I woudl defiantly point all these things out to your new doctor though and make sure s/he checks you out very well. I would deifantly make sure I point out the moles.

mom2my2cuties replied: First


Ok - you need to find out who did the charting and things on the stuff that is inaccurate - and check for little things -weight etc that may be off as well.

I don't know if you have a common name or not - but sometimes people get lax and dont pay attention.

As far as legal rights - I am not sure off the top of my head - Med Law is something I haven't thought about in about a year But I do know - it is 100% illegal for them to put inaccurate information in the chart and they CAN loose thier license over it.

I am glad you found another office to go to considering the personal nature of an OB office - you should not be in a place you do not feel totally comfortable with.


ETA - you need to take a mirror to that area or have your husband check to make sure there are actually moles there...Because they may have gotten patients confused. That happens more than what people would like to admit.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
It was an emergency situation. It doesn't bother me they had to use it, it's the fact that the records are inaccurate and it says they discussed it with us and actually didn't, which is all. I'm more ticked off about the moles I never knew I had until now actually. Especially when cancer runs high in my family and I have had a prior tumor removal.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Thanks for all the great quick responses guy! I'm not looking to sue anyone or anything like that just so everyone is clear that I'm not that type of person, but I do want to see justice served, even if that means just going down there are complaining my butt off. But, I don't want to waste my breath if it's not going to do anything, ya know?

mom2my2cuties replied: I wouldn't say sue - but I would file a big ole complaint with your state Medical Exam/Review board - that will get thier attention and quickly.

Charting the wrong and untrue information is so very dangerous. Because if you don't know or weren't made aware of something in your chart (or if something was left out) it could threaten your life or your babies life as that chart and your word is all that another doctors office has to go by.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
How do I go about doing that?

mom2my2cuties replied: That depends on your state. Do a search by the state and then Medical Examiner Board.

For example - (This is TX, LA, and CO)

www.tmb.state.tx.us/

www.lsbme.louisiana.gov/

www.dora.state.co.us/Medical/ -

boyohboyohboy replied: jennie, how horrible this is happening. i think i would call the office manager of the old practice and complain, and be prepaired for some attitude. i am sure their first response is to ward off a legal suit.
but second i would immediately get those moles checked d/t your history. i think thats the most important, and take those records with you.
i dont think i would mention the vacuum part, since there is really nothing that can be done about that, and it will turn into a he said she said, but the moles you can dispute, is there also a dr listed that you saw that day, that says you talked to about it, maybe demand a return call from that md.
but most importantly is that you are ok, so i would have the new dr check it out asap.

take care

Boo&BugsMom replied:
I am going to have my new OB check it out on Monday when I go for my next prenatal appointment. The scariest part is that it says on the last record that one of them grew in size over the course of two years. I have lots of beauty marks and that on my entire body, but it was recorded it grew and didn't tell me?!!? The crazy thing is that the actual ob is the one who signed off on it all. I don't recall seeing her for more than one exam in the last 3 years. They were mostly done by the PA's. In the meantime I am going to call the office and file a complaint with our local Medical Society. I'm just so irked!!! They better pray nothing is wrong with me!

Thanks everyone.

Oh, and get this. I found another mistake. It says that something was abnormal (the O-Sullivan test) when I was PG with my boy and I was told everything was free and clear, nothing came back abnormal!!! AHHHHHH!

ETA: Ok, wait...I take that back. I just looked up what the O-Sullivan test was and it was the diabetes test. Never mind, I did have slight GD with Tanner. Now I am just so mad I'm jumping to conclusions now!!! GRR!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I would call and make a complaint to the office manager. He/she can look up your records and see who wrote what. As a manager, I would want to know this type of mistake for sure.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Do you think calling or writing a letter would be better?

mom2my2cuties replied: I did want to say something - when/if you do say something to the Office Manager or State Board - Make sure you are calm and collected when doing so - You will get farther if you aren't hysterical and overly upset.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Thanks for the reminder. I often have that issue, as I take after my father who likes to blow up. Although, I'm not as bad as he is though. I have the ability to remain rational, he doesn't. That's why I'm wondering if I should write a letter first and request to have someone call me. That way I will have had time to cool down a bit.

CantWait replied: My honest opinion is to get a complete head-to-toe checkup from your new doctor. If everything turns out well, thank your lucky stars and forget about the other guy. I don't think there's a whole lot you can do about it, except make a formal complaint.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Here is the letter I typed up. It's going in the mail tomorrow!

To Whom It May Concern:
I recently obtained a copy of my medical records from your clinic. I requested them because I have switched my OBGYN to better fit my needs. After obtaining my file I began looking through the papers out of curiosity and accuracy. I was astonished to read how a couple things have been recorded completely inaccurately including a couple false statements.

According to my visit on 2/5/03 they had recorded that I had 3 vulvar moles. It was also recorded that they were discussed with me and they were indeed never discussed with me. On another annual visit on 5/3/06 it was recorded that one of the moles had grew slightly larger and that they would need to be monitored. Again, the moles had never once been discussed with me. I had not even known I had 3 moles in that area until I obtained and read through my medical records as of this week!

I find this very disturbing and unprofessional, especially given the history of cancer in my family and the fact that I have had a tumor removed from my body within the last year. I was also baffled that on my last visit it said a Pap smear had not been taken, when that was the very reason I had been to that appointment!

I would like to discuss these records with you, as I am extremely upset by these inaccurate records and very upset that a recorded concern was NEVER discussed with me, yet it says it was. I will be having my new OBGYN check out the moles that are recorded to get her opinion as well and I will also be filing a complaint with the WI Medical Examination Board. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
JRU

mom2my2cuties replied: That looks good.

I would also make sure you write that letter to the physician and mark it as Urgent so that way it is put on the top of his/her stack.