Doctor's after visit notes have so many inaccuracies and come across as demeaning

[Anonymous]

Doctor wrote that a former doctor of mine diagnosed something that was never diagnosed. It's not a huge deal, but it is annoying. She also wrote several other inaccuracies.

Also wrote things like "Educated the patient on the Mediterranean diet" when I told my doctor that's the diet I've been following for the past few years. She didn't educate me on it, just agreed that it's a great diet to follow.

I have slightly elevated cholesterol and this is nothing new. I've been following this diet for a long time and my cholesterol lowered by 20 points in my most recent labs. (I'm 20 points over what I should be in my overall cholesterol). She didn't even note "Your cholesterol is down from the last time." Just said "Your cholesterol is high, but not high enough to start medications." I'm 80 points below what it would be to actually start a medication.

She is a newer doctor and the way the notes were written, it seems like she's trying to boost herself up in the notes. I don't feel comfortable with this doctor anymore. On one hand, the inaccuracies were not a huge deal but it makes me feel less secure with her. Would you feel this way or am I overreacting? I feel like if I were to have a major medical issue, I wouldn't feel confident with her.

[Anonymous]

Let it go for now but continue to monitor her notes. If you ever feel the need to, you can submit your own clarification

[Anonymous]

Send back corrections, what's the big deal

[Anonymous]

I hate the notes and I have a lot of them. I think there is a lot of boilerplate that the docs have to check off in order to meet their metrics. Mine have a lot of “patient indicated understanding” “patient indicated she had no further questions at this time” and my favorite “emotional support provided”.

I would not let it keep me from a doctor I really liked but take it as yet another indication that doctors are mired in bureaucracy instead of patient care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Send back corrections, what's the big deal

The healthcare system I go to makes you send your request for corrected notes to the main office and then they send it on to the doctor. And they make you complete it by mail and then you have to wait for the doctor to "approve" your request. It's kind of an ordeal and feels unfair, especially when the doctor made mistakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate the notes and I have a lot of them. I think there is a lot of boilerplate that the docs have to check off in order to meet their metrics. Mine have a lot of “patient indicated understanding” “patient indicated she had no further questions at this time” and my favorite “emotional support provided”.

I would not let it keep me from a doctor I really liked but take it as yet another indication that doctors are mired in bureaucracy instead of patient care.

I understand that. I have to write clinically as well because I'm in the medical field myself. It can make you cringe when you read that stuff about yourself.

I'm talking more about inaccuracies - blatant ones. I never told her a former doctor diagnosed the thing she said was diagnosed. It just never happened. And that concerns me because if I go to another doctor in the future, they could see that and think "Patient has a history of x" when I don't.

[Anonymous]

Ask for the mis-diagnosis to be removed from your notes and record. Say it's an error. Put it in writing.

then move on - either with this doctor or a new one.

A lot of this is NBD

[Anonymous]

I think it’s odd. I would probably change, assuming you didn’t like her

[Anonymous]

I saw my chart once it had four diagnoses across the top - including depression, fibromyalgia and two others.

I was shocked. At the time, I was seeing a new doctor for a current issue and was giving them some medical history. What I had told them was that I had previously had an extensive work up and that those four diagnoses had been RULED OUT! But the doctor entered it as my medical history and current diagnoses. I had stayed at that practice for a few years and realized that every health care practitioner I saw had been misinformed about my health and was working from false information.

[Anonymous]

“Patient education” can be chargeable, so maybe she was just trying to sure up her claim for insurance payment.

Or she could just be a bit of a jerk. Personally, I don’t read my notes for this reason. Unless something is unclear or in question, it’s better not to know. They’re never going to write “Patient is a saint who needs no medical care and will live forever.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate the notes and I have a lot of them. I think there is a lot of boilerplate that the docs have to check off in order to meet their metrics. Mine have a lot of “patient indicated understanding” “patient indicated she had no further questions at this time” and my favorite “emotional support provided”.

I would not let it keep me from a doctor I really liked but take it as yet another indication that doctors are mired in bureaucracy instead of patient care.

I understand that. I have to write clinically as well because I'm in the medical field myself. It can make you cringe when you read that stuff about yourself.

I'm talking more about inaccuracies - blatant ones. I never told her a former doctor diagnosed the thing she said was diagnosed. It just never happened. And that concerns me because if I go to another doctor in the future, they could see that and think "Patient has a history of x" when I don't.

It sounds like you’re answering your own question. You do not trust her anymore so find a new doctor. It doesn’t matter whether we think you’re overacting or not, it’s about how you move forward w this doctor w the feelings you have about her notes and inaccuracies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doctor wrote that a former doctor of mine diagnosed something that was never diagnosed. It's not a huge deal, but it is annoying. She also wrote several other inaccuracies.

Also wrote things like "Educated the patient on the Mediterranean diet" when I told my doctor that's the diet I've been following for the past few years. She didn't educate me on it, just agreed that it's a great diet to follow.

I have slightly elevated cholesterol and this is nothing new. I've been following this diet for a long time and my cholesterol lowered by 20 points in my most recent labs. (I'm 20 points over what I should be in my overall cholesterol). She didn't even note "Your cholesterol is down from the last time." Just said "Your cholesterol is high, but not high enough to start medications." I'm 80 points below what it would be to actually start a medication.

She is a newer doctor and the way the notes were written, it seems like she's trying to boost herself up in the notes. I don't feel comfortable with this doctor anymore. On one hand, the inaccuracies were not a huge deal but it makes me feel less secure with her. Would you feel this way or am I overreacting? I feel like if I were to have a major medical issue, I wouldn't feel confident with her.

You fire this doctor. Done.

[Anonymous]

Find a new doctor. Done.

[Anonymous]

I would be very annoyed, OP!

[Anonymous]

It’s a combo of legal CYA and confirmation that many doctors believe that women, especially middle aged and above are hypochondriacs who are just wasting their time.