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- #21
Ok, ready for my story of yesterday? (This is why I hate the local hospital).
I got an appointment with my primary care physician. He was concerned, and kept asking "are you sure they didn't give you something to drink before your CT scan?" Nope, nothing to drink, not even water. He wanted me to get a contrast CT, so his nurse went to schedule it. Apparently, my insurance wouldn't cover it unless I was A) in the ER again, or B) if it was ordered by a surgeon. So, I get an appointment later that day with a surgeon. Another co-pay.
So, I go see the surgeon. He doesn't examine me, doesn't feel my side; he just sits down and asks why I'm there. I tell him the story and basically say all he needs to do is sign on the bottom line so I can get a contrast CT. He says "well, you had one done yesterday". Ummmm.....no I didn't. He showed me the ER report and it clearly states "Oral and IV contrast" which I did not get. I didn't get an IV until AFTER the CT was done. He said, basically calling me a liar, "Well, it's easy enough to see once I pull up the images"....(ummm....why didn't you do that before???) So, after 1/2 hr fighting with his ipad, going out to the main computer in the reception area (which had a broken mouse), he was FINALLY able to get the images to load. The first words out of his mouth were "oh, she's right....there's no contrast".
So, he gets on the phone with the ER and basically tells them off, then gets transferred to radiology to make an appointment for me for right then and there. I'm sent down with 2 bottles of that barium crap to chug in 2 hrs. NASTY stuff, especially warm. I got another CT scan and now have another appointment with the surgeon this morning to see what the issue is. Apparently, according to the radiologist that did the scan (the same one from Tuesday), they are checking my appendix, ovary and kidney for stones. I told him what happened and he said he thought it was strange he didn't have to give me an IV, but he was just following doctor's orders.
For the record, I'm getting a copy of the ER records and images along with today's records and images. Just in case. Because I have a feeling I'm going to be fighting with the business office about this.
I got an appointment with my primary care physician. He was concerned, and kept asking "are you sure they didn't give you something to drink before your CT scan?" Nope, nothing to drink, not even water. He wanted me to get a contrast CT, so his nurse went to schedule it. Apparently, my insurance wouldn't cover it unless I was A) in the ER again, or B) if it was ordered by a surgeon. So, I get an appointment later that day with a surgeon. Another co-pay.
So, I go see the surgeon. He doesn't examine me, doesn't feel my side; he just sits down and asks why I'm there. I tell him the story and basically say all he needs to do is sign on the bottom line so I can get a contrast CT. He says "well, you had one done yesterday". Ummmm.....no I didn't. He showed me the ER report and it clearly states "Oral and IV contrast" which I did not get. I didn't get an IV until AFTER the CT was done. He said, basically calling me a liar, "Well, it's easy enough to see once I pull up the images"....(ummm....why didn't you do that before???) So, after 1/2 hr fighting with his ipad, going out to the main computer in the reception area (which had a broken mouse), he was FINALLY able to get the images to load. The first words out of his mouth were "oh, she's right....there's no contrast".
So, he gets on the phone with the ER and basically tells them off, then gets transferred to radiology to make an appointment for me for right then and there. I'm sent down with 2 bottles of that barium crap to chug in 2 hrs. NASTY stuff, especially warm. I got another CT scan and now have another appointment with the surgeon this morning to see what the issue is. Apparently, according to the radiologist that did the scan (the same one from Tuesday), they are checking my appendix, ovary and kidney for stones. I told him what happened and he said he thought it was strange he didn't have to give me an IV, but he was just following doctor's orders.
For the record, I'm getting a copy of the ER records and images along with today's records and images. Just in case. Because I have a feeling I'm going to be fighting with the business office about this.
Wow Linda, I never even thought about back issues. Something else to ask them about.....
Please let us know how you make out.
