looking at my daughters medical record

1 My daughter is 18 and I am her health care power of attorney. She doesn't understand the widely used words of the medical profession. My daughter has been very sick lately and she was misdiagnosed by her primary health care provider. She requested a new physician. Since my daughter was in the hospital for 4 days due to the misdiagnoses, we wanted to view her medical record and get an idea of just what the past physician had written in her record. We had been given a "tip" of sorts by another health care professional who works in the same building, that the record had several errors.

While we sat and viewed the medical record, the medical director and the quality assurance nurse sat there with us. It annoyed me. I knew someone would be there because it's their policy, but to have these two individuals there talking, was ruining my concentration. I was there to look at the record and I have two individuals speaking and asking if we have any questions. I am ready to call back and set up another time to look at her record without these two watching our every movement. I don't care that someone is in the room with us, but to annoy us to the point where we can't even read the record without an intrusion is ridiculous.

Any thoughts?
Ask them to be quiet so you can concentrate.

Demand a Patient Representative or go in with your lawyer if it was truly a misdiagnosis AND admission of 4 days with errors

Request the record in writing so that you may not only peruse it at your leisure, but also so that you can have a hard copy for reference. If your daughter signs a medical release, this should not be a problem to obtain.I sincerely hope that your daughter gets the medical attention that she deserves, and my thoughts and prayers go out to you both.

Thank you SonorityGenius and canesdukegirl for your intelligent replies. My daughter's primary care physician refused to do blood work because she stated my daughter looked "physically well". Upon my insistence, blood work was done and it was found that her potassium level was so low she had to be taken to the ER immediately for IV potassium, CT scans showed her liver and spleen were enlarged and her kidneys were failing. 2 days later her hemoglobin dropped to 7 and she had to have a blood transfusion and hospitalized for 4 days. It has been a very difficult time for us. Thanks again. Karynica

My sincere hopes for a full and speedy recovery for your daughter.However, an independent second opinion as opposed to forensic analysis , should easily confirm or allay your fears.In seeing your response in post #4, your first priority is seeking competent care elsewhere, then you have someone else look to see if there were damages.

Quote from Karynica, RNThank you SonorityGenius and canesdukegirl for your intelligent replies. My daughter's primary care physician refused to do blood work because she stated my daughter looked "physically well". Upon my insistence, blood work was done and it was found that her potassium level was so low she had to be taken to the ER immediately for IV potassium, CT scans showed her liver and spleen were enlarged and her kidneys were failing. 2 days later her hemoglobin dropped to 7 and she had to have a blood transfusion and hospitalized for 4 days. It has been a very difficult time for us. Thanks again. Karynica

Quote from Flying ICU RNMy sincere hopes for a full and speedy recovery for your daughter.However, an independent second opinion as opposed to forensic analysis , should easily confirm or allay your fears.In seeing your response in post #4, your first priority is seeking competent care elsewhere, then you have someone else look to see if there were damages.

Quote from canesdukegirlMy PCP said that I looked physically well also until I insisted that she run some labs, because I was feeling really REALLY run down. Turns out that my labs were completely out of whack, I had more tests and more tests on top of more tests and now I know that have renal small cell cancer. Great. It never hurts to be assertive. I wish you and your daughter the best care. Get the hard copy of her medical record. It helps.

You absolutely have a right to get a copy of your daughter's medical record as her POA. You may have to pay a copying fee, but HIPAA allows pts to have copies of their record.

While I certainly cannot give medical advice, and the thread is tilting a touch that way, as a previous poster stated, sign the medical release so that the new facility has the previous info to go from. You can't change the past, only look towards finding diagnosis and healing. I wish you and family well. We all second guess everything, now you're at a larger facility and I hope you find peace with the care there.

Since you have an ongoing investigation, it would be better not posted on the internet.