Something I found out the hard way about. 2/3 of my medical progress notes are inaccurate or flat out slander and lies. From this point on I will request a progress note from every visit so I can correct them and rebuttals from snotty nurses and Drs.

Jerie,

I don't know that there is any way for you to get out of being in the database. It differs state by state, though as we know, nationwide access is in process.

As I understand it was created to reduce prescription addiction and diversion which usually occurs at the consumer/retail level.

I've attached the Log in screen for the state of Texas' database which clearly lists the statute of access at the bottom. You can see it covers pretty much everyone and since it's statutory I don't see how it's avoidable....

https://www.texaspatx.com/login.aspx

I agree that it feels intrusive but I do understand why we have it.

Getting a progress note for visits is not a bad idea. Mistakes are not uncommon and nuances can be hard to detail with the check off forms healthcare providers have to use for electronic records.

http://www.drugs.com/forum/featured-...ext-34036.html

I wonder if I've been flagged by the DEA when this clinic dropped me over a pervert dr. Set me up and wrote in my records I have been a drug seeker for several years, let's see since 2011 when I got fb RSD?

My two cents. I think we are living in a difficult transition period. E medical records are both a blessing and curse. Great, because they can be accessed fast, but also terrible due to cut and paste-too much erroneous info carried forward and too many have access.

Doctors IMO are overwhelmed. Too much data processing and vast amounts of medical coding. Fear of being flagged for giving out too many pain prescriptions. Conveyor belt medicine-not enough time to actually get to know the patient. Fear of lawsuits.

I know I was flagged as a medication seeker prior to being diagnosed with CRPS, the pain was off the charts 24/7-making me behave and look like a mad woman. My sister told me I looked insane, well pain does that to you. As terrible as this was, it ultimately benefited me, because I was driven to figure out alternatives-the Bowen Technique and LDN.

I had many difficult situations with medical professionals which I did not handle well due to the crazy pain I was experiencing. This is not to say the professionals were not remiss, but it did me no good to create ill will. I had to switch to another PCP in the same practice and "rehab" my reputation. I wrote a short letter to him explaining that I was in the practice for 20 years without an issue, until I was assigned a new PCP, who immediately went on maternity leave, which sadly coincided with the start of my CRPS. I cited all the problems I experienced from that day forward without using adjectives or adverbs. Frankly, it distressed me to do it this way, but I knew that I needed the PCP in my corner and this would be the only way to achieve that goal. It worked.

Dear BioBased,

Very well said. And also glad to hear you were able to "rehab" your reputation. Once it has been destroyed by others, it is not an easy task to un-do the damage.

So much could be avoided if others would just LISTEN and with an open mind. Too many times, snap judgments are made that prove to be erroneous.

Well it seems that all pharmacies participate in a program called E prescription. What I don't understand is why couldn't my pharmacist just say so? I also would like to be able to opt out but it seems since it doesn't exist or violate hippa electronic pharmacy laws (really?" ) how do I get the gov and insurance out of my script business? I'm asking my dr for a hand written script and paying cash except for my compounded meds because they cost so much. I'm using Mexican meds for my other needs. Once a year I'll get a klonopin script so when I pee test I'm not in violation of drug contracts for compounded narcotics which aren't absorbed anyways on blood stream but probably reported by e Pharm data base. Unless someone else knows s way to keep my dr pt relationship out of everyone else's business.
If I thought paying cash for opiates would do the trick I'd ask for hand script. No more being dumped by chickens of the DEA . Anything anyone knows that I can do to protect myself from this stuff? When you live hrs from pain managements you have to dr shop for help when in trouble and need care or pain meds in the ER.

I debated if I wanted to respond to this topic because of my experience as both a patient and a nurse.

First I wanted to say something about HIPAA. You information can be shared with anyone involved in your care which includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc. You can always ask to see their privacy policy at any time. You probably signed one at your first appointment. Before signing any paper at the doctor's office, ER or pharmacy please read it and make sure you understand what you are signing. The form they have you sign about your insurance most times will say you agree to share medical information.

One of my biggest issues with healthcare today is the control that insurance companies have to dictate care. They probably sent a letter about the Cymbalta because they are trying to get out of paying for it. I was taking Lexapro for a few years but I switched to Celexa during a period of 3 months that I did not have insurance due to a job change. When I had insurance again and tried to get back on the Lexapro the insurance company rejected it and said I needed to try Celexa first. I have seen patients forced to stop therapy because the insurance company refused to pay for more sessions. So in my opinion the insurance company was probably saying you were non-compliant to get out of paying for medications.

I have a love-hate relationship with electronic charting. It does make things easier to keep everyone on the same page. However it can cause problems with button clicking and copy/paste. The push to see as many patients as possible can often lead to carelessness. Don't be afraid to ask for a visit summary. I also suggest when you make an appointment ask to be scheduled for 2 blocks so you and your doctor have a little more time.

It is unfortunate that drug seekers and addicts make it so hard for those of us that have real pain to get treated. But one thing that I was taught was that pain is what the patient says it is. Through my own experience with CRPS it makes me sad to see how many healthcare providers have forgotten this. There is so much pressure from higher ups to protect that bottom line that the patient suffers. Healthcare has become so money centered instead of patient centered and I find it both frustrates and scares me.

I am not saying that doctors are perfect and I know there are so bad ones out there. Being a nurse that has CRPS has provided me a unique experience to see things from both sides. Before I got hurt I knew healthcare needed to make some changes but now I see just how many things are messed up. I am embarrassed by how some of these medical professionals act. These "professionals" make me angry because I love my job and I hate what they are doing to medical field.

Sorry for writing a novel. I love being a nurse, it is more than just what I do it's who I am, and I hate knowing that people aren't getting the care they need. Something needs to change but I am not sure where to start.

Paper scripts and cash will not keep you out of the system. They still have to enter in everything they fill. I'm not clear on the reason you don't want your medications entered into the system. It's primary objective to check for any interactions. Also please be careful getting your medication from Mexico because you have no idea what is in there. There are no quality controls in place in these 3rd world countries.

Thank you for that NurseKris. I completely agree with all that you said and am glad that somebody was finally able to put into words some of what I was thinking.

Dear Nurse Kris,

Thanks for deciding to join the conversation in this thread. It is greatly appreciated.

In some ways, I like the electronic medical record because it makes access easier for ME to see my test results in some cases. A phone call from my doc with "everything came back OK except XYZ" is OK but I usually want to know MORE. And in some cases, after I have talked on the phone with my physician for results, I can then view them for myself and see ALL the results, even those that were within normal ranges.

The flip side is I have personally found HUGE mistakes as you mentioned. I have had docs cut and paste between patients accidentally and have things in MY record that are very erroneous. I have seen many of those clicks on the keyboard distort reality. I really dislike the feeling that the doctor is interacting more with the computer and software being used than with ME. I feel like they are practicing medicine like paint by the numbers. Not that I believe this to be the case, it just makes you feel that way.

I strongly RESENT all the interference between my and my doc. I realize insurance companies have some monetary investment in our care, but they should NOT be dictating what care we get. In order to get the insurance company to provide coverage, sometimes docs have to be creative on how they word things and there starts a slide on the accuracy of our records. Another is the check boxes on the software programs for the electronic medical records. Some things are not just simply YES or NO.

Personally, if my doc wants to order a test, (regardless of whom is responsible for payment, me, insurance, or both), I want to know WHY it is being recommended, ordered, and if truly necessary. Personally, I do not wish to be put through any testing just to cover someone else's butt, so to speak. (And some testing is just that, the doc covering all bases to prevent being questioned down the road why something was NOT done.)

At the same time, I don't think the insurance company should be making those decisions. A lot of stuff today needs "prior approval and authorization" by the insurance company before a test is allowed to be performed. If a physician and patient agree that a test is in the patient's best interest, then why should the insurance company be the one to make the decision?

Doctor / patient confidentiality has gone out of the window and I am not happy about that.

I agree there are benefits and disadvantages to the "newer" systems currently in place in the medical community. Maybe I am too old, and old fashioned, but I liked it better the way it was MANY years ago, when the doctor and patient were in charge.

One other comment but I will put it in a separate post below.