# There must be a better way



## Hope1964 (Sep 26, 2011)

There has GOT to be a better way for doctors to tell patients what their test results are instead of just a phone call to make an appt to come in and see them, which is of course a week away so you're left hanging and imagining all kinds of horrible problems!!!!!!!


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## heartbroken50 (Aug 9, 2016)

Hope1964 said:


> There has GOT to be a better way for doctors to tell patients what their test results are instead of just a phone call to make an appt to come in and see them, which is of course a week away so you're left hanging and imagining all kinds of horrible problems!!!!!!!




Ugh... BTDT. Hope all is well. Try not to worry if you can.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## kristin2349 (Sep 12, 2013)

Ugh, that is the worst Hope. I hope whatever you are waiting to hear about is nothing serious. They just want to collect another co-pay in most cases. My Dr. doesn't do that, ever. He e-mails me and will respond to e-mail requests (like Rx refills) and even answers questions. When I had the flu I just e-mailed and asked him to call in a Tamiflu script and it was done within an hour. He even called it in to a pharmacy he knew would deliver to my house. He is an amazing Dr., I realize he is one of a kind and I am lucky to have him. I give him a bottle of Dom Perignon every Christmas! He deserves it.


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## lordmayhem (Feb 7, 2011)

Hope1964 said:


> There has GOT to be a better way for doctors to tell patients what their test results are instead of just a phone call to make an appt to come in and see them, which is of course a week away so you're left hanging and imagining all kinds of horrible problems!!!!!!!


I know exactly what you mean. In August of 2015, we went to see the doctor because of a pain in my wife's abdomen, and the first diagnosis was that this was probably due to some sort of arthritis or something, I don't remember exactly, and we were referred to physical therapy. Unfortunately, the pain increased, and she had lost all appetite and was losing weight rapidly, which is bad because she already didn't have any excess weight to lose. So we had all the tests, MRIs and blood work done.

A week later, instead of telling us anything, we're referred to a doctor of oncology! WTF? Turned out to be our worst nightmare.

So what I learned is if you're not suddenly referred to a specialist, especially an oncology doctor, it shouldn't be too bad.


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## uhtred (Jun 22, 2016)

Some places do better. Kaiser is actually pretty efficient - online test results. They are trying to save costs, so that means that they minimize doctor visits. 

I quite like their approach. They want to minimize the amount of medical care I get, while keeping me alive. That actually reduces a lot of the problems people have from over-treatment.


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## sokillme (Jun 10, 2016)

Yeah it sucks, and the sometimes if the test are OK it's like they forget to call. Then you feel weird calling them but eventually you have to. It' sucks. 

When I was going through my PTSD part of that was the feeling of having a heart attack, so I had all these test. I know the doctor could tell I was young and healthy so it wasn't a big priority but here I am waiting for them to call and they are like, DUDE YOU'RE FINE, why are you calling we told you we would call you. Didn't help though, I feel your pain.


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## Emerging Buddhist (Apr 7, 2016)

My hospital has an app that gives you ALL your lab results, surgery info, every record of every visit, appointments, etc and we are not a metropolis...


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## ShatteredStill (Dec 20, 2016)

My doc has quite a long waiting list usually. I went in for a regular pap & received a call the next morning asking me to make another appointment. I said I'd check my diary & she said "No, today!"....that's when I knew I was in trouble! Ugh!


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