Trisha Torrey writes about an issue we see at MedExtra on a regular basis in her blog post:
Another Patient Advocate Request « Every Patient’s Advocate
We help people like Jane everyday. Our members turn to us with every kind of medical problem. Our Care Managers work with them to find the the information, answers and resources they require to arrive at an answer, and achieve peace of mind.
People come to us not only with their unsolved medical issues, but also with everyday issues which range from simple to complex. From arranging medical tests (bloodwork or diagnostic imaging) to confirming a diagnosis and treatment plan through a Remote Second Opinion. Further, though our provider network, we are able to lower the costs of tests and care!
What we have come to appreciate in cases like Jane's is that as a result of the case going on for years, the medical record can become quite extensive. This has both positive and negative consequences.
On the up side, clues to the answer can be found in the workup and analysis that have been done over time. On the downside, the size of the record makes it like finding a needle in a haystack.
For services similar to MedExtra outside of Canada, Jane should be in touch with Health Advocate.
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posted by Evster @ Friday, February 09, 2007
1 Comments:
I would like to share the story of an Ottawa-area woman and the suffering she experienced at the hands of not one, but numerous doctors - this is a must read!!
http://canadahealth.x10hosting.com/mainpage.php
Summary: I wanted to share my Mom’s experience with the Canadian Healthcare System in the hopes to increasing awareness about the problems that exist within the Canadian Healthcare System and the unnecessary emotional and physical burdens these problems place on patients seeking adequate, timely medical care.
I wish I could say that my dear Mom’s medical treatment went smoothly without physical or emotional stress, but I cannot. In fact, my Mom had a tremendous amount of difficulty getting quality care in a timely manner, which not only contributed to her earlier death, but also caused her an enormous amount of anxiety and grief. I suppose these are the times when our healthcare system is really tested, when a patient enters the system with a time-sensitive illness, not a patient with a simple winter cold who leaves the doctor’s office happy and able to recover. For my mom, the combination of long wait times, inadequate preventative care, lack of communication among doctors, and lack of continuity during her medical care all played a critical role in contributing to her death.
I should preface this story by saying that, like many Canadians, my dear Mom was very proud of the Canadian healthcare system. She firmly believed that each and every Canadian should have access to the same high quality healthcare, regardless of financial status or social ranking. Sure, my Mother understood that there were a few short-comings within the system, but she felt that these short-comings were small sacrifices to ensuring equal healthcare access for all. Unfortunately, it was this very same healthcare system that ultimately let her down and most certainly contributed to her heartbreaking early death.
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