Wellness starts with better information (continued)

A few months ago, I wrote this post about my frustration with our health care system – specifically about user data. It was after my own interactions with my doctor and hospital.

Well, since then I discovered that back in 2005, I had an MRI at a different hospital for the same foot.

I completely forgot about it but the 2005 scan was in my records somewhere. Not the results of the scan but just the fact that I had one done. 

So my current doctor asked me to get an actual copy of the 2005 MRI report and send it to  him.

Naturally I followed his recommendation.

Here’s the process I had to go through.

First I had to go online and download a request form 

Then, after completing the request form, I had a choice to snail mail or fax it back. I faxed it. 

Then I had to wait to get a thing in the mail that confirmed my request and it came with an order form because there is an administrative fee to get my data.

I filled out the confirmation form along with my credit card info and faxed it back. 

I called many times to see if there was a way to expedite this request but was told this was the process. 

And after all of this, I got the report last week (two months later) but not the actual MRI scan itself which my primary physician wants.

This whole thing is kinda sucky.