Usually the MRI place I like takes an inordinately long time (about 5 days) to send a report but they were always the most detailed and reliable ones. So I was surprised when yesterday evening, my mail slot opened and an envelope was pushed in by my neighbor who had gotten my MRI report by mistake (I wasn't surprised that our mailman had mis-delivered, that's a weekly occurence) since it was only two days later.
I was shocked, disappointed and angry to read the radiologist's comment: �Is there any postoperative/postradiation MRI studies available for comparison? This obviously may help in further characterizing today's findings� Duh, yes, the MRI I had done last year at the same place. By the time I got the report, the MRI place was closed so I tossed and turned and composed letters in my mind all night.
By 7 am, I had a letter insisting on a new report comparing the images with what I thought to be a conciliatory touch:
[quote]Mistakes happen in medicine and I am willing to forgo filing formal complaints with the executives of [MRI place] and seeking censure and discipline from both accrediting and regulatory authorities if you now do the right thing. I look forward to receiving your revised report.[/quote]
By 9am the doctor was ducking my calls so I faxed another copy to the secretary while on hold and told her to hand it to him and give him this message: "I'm more trouble than I am worth, trust me" By 12:30, I had an acknowledgment of the mistake, an excuse "computer error", a sincere sounding apology from the radiologist on the phone plus his new interpretation delivered orally that everything was fine. I'll get the revised report in a few days.
With all my past stories of doctors doing me wrong, and all the current posts of doctors doing patients wrong, I wanted to share a small victory for our team.
Charm

Charm,

I am so happy that your MRI was clear. It's nerve-wracking enough to wait for the results. I hope that you can relax and catch up on that sleep you missed last night.

I recently had a similar situation with a CT scan. The reviewing radiologist commented on a few structures appearing normal when in fact they don't exist. Whose scan was he looking at? Did he confuse mine with someone else? I called and spoke to the manager of the department and she assured me a revised report would be filed by the end of the day. When I got my copy, I was horrified that the revision was still grossly inaccurate. I wrote a scathing letter to the Chief of Radiology, using words "sloppy, unprofessional, unacceptable" to make my point. I also questioned their level of expertise and said that I would consider changing to a different health system. (It is a business, after all.)

I suggested that he review my studies and submit a new report. He called me and reassured me that he had reviewed my file, that revised reports were being sent to me and my doctors, and that if I or anyone in my family ever needed any additional help, I was to call him and he would be happy to assist.

We gotta be on our toes! My father is a retired college professor and he had this saying, "A teacher is only as good as his students demand him to be". I'm not sure if that saying fits the medical profession but...maybe it does!

My very best to you!
Anita

lol...we are sooo much alike! I love it Keep giving em hell Charm...you're posts keep me going sometimes my friend, thank you!

Glad to hear everything turned out ok with your scan. I know you get nervous and worry about your check up scans. Now go celebrate and have a good nights rest!!! Congrats!!!

By the way, I am so glad that you are on the patient's side! The opposing side against you would have its work cut out for them. Glad the doc saw to it to make his life much easier by giving you what you wanted. Why do things have to always be a battle? What happened to the work standard of doing it right the first time? Good going on making them do the right thing!

WTG, Charm! (and congrats on the scan... when they finally got it right)
d2