Technology Might Be a Killer

Hick had a doctor appointment last week. It was an endocrinologist he goes to once a year. Specifically to check on his thyroid, which had a growth or enlargement a couple years ago. Hick's report was good. The thyroid hasn't changed. His doctor said he'd check it again next year, and if it was till the same, he'd release Hick.

Hick also went to his regular doctor for a checkup. And maybe the cardiologist. He's still trying to get everything in order for some minor surgery he was supposed to have when he caught what they thought was pneumonia or a collapsed lung! Anyhoo... somewhere amongst those appointments, Hick was told to check his blood pressure, and report the readings. That's because they cut his blood pressure medicine, since his BP was running too low.

Hick came home with a bundle of papers from the appointments. One of them had a code number, telling his to log into his YourChart account (heh, heh, let's call it HisChart), which he's never set up. Whichever doctor told him to check BP said Hick didn't have to write it down on the log they gave him, but to just upload the readings on HisChart.

Hick showed the papers to The Pony, with the code number, and The Pony set up HisChart. Not a big deal, you would think. I have my own account. I don't LIKE it, but I can log in to check in for appointments, and pay bills when notified. Also I can read the doctor notes after an appointment, and check my labs.

Anyhoo... Hick is upset with HisChart. 

"My doctor said I could find out when they schedule my surgery again by looking in there. But something's wrong, because it's got doctors listed on there that I ain't never seen. Some in Oklahoma. Some in Arkansas. And it don't have my regular doctors on there. It's like it's for somebody else. I asked the gal down at the endocrinologist if she could help me with it, and she said no. She give me this phone number, and said I'd have to call and do it myself."

Well. I can understand that. They can't have just anybody logging into patients' electronic records. Hick has not called yet. He thinks maybe it got confused with The Veteran, who has Hick's name, but is a Jr. He has been to a doctor in Oklahoma. But not Arkansas. You would think they would consider the birthdate and/or social security number when recording such information, since you get asked that all the time for verification.

It can't be good for a doctor to look at Hick's HisChart, and assume he's had some of the ailments and treatments listed there...