Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Have we really come to this?

When my doctor (gyn) called me with my cholesterol test results, I asked to get a copy. He discouraged me and wanted to know what I would do if I had it. He would send it to another doctor for free, but I would be charged a fee. Okay.

At the clinic, the office manager comes out to again quiz me about my NEED to have a copy. She explains that they are now being discouraged from giving patients copies of their lab results because people lack the ability to understand them. She says that the State of Missouri now requires her to charge me $17.50 to get a copy. (LOAD OF CRAP?) Maybe they "allow" her to charge that much, but I doubt the "require" it.

She gave me the brief lecture and the copy, but didn't charge me for either.

I understand that a great portion of the people in the world are in fact morons. But I doubt that it is the morons who are requesting information to be more pro-active about their health.

1 comment:

Holly Bee said...

Your lab results are just that, YOUR LAB RESULTS. They are the holders of your results, but it is technically your information. When you leave their office (which I would), they can charge you to have the information moved, but that info is yours.

Sorry, I'm a lab technician, touchy subject. That data was generated from your body, it's yours. Fight the Man!