Upsetting scene at radiologist waiting room

[Anonymous]

I think it must be hard to work with 93 yos who can’t hear you, or are giggling, or are unable to answer.

Give the employee a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would an almost dead 93 year old be getting an MRI? What a waste of medical resources. No wonder our insurance costs are out of control,

True true.

[Anonymous]

This is why we have a nurse/case manager who brings mom's medical binder and can answer all questions and advocate. My mother did not want me to know the answer to those questions.

That said, was the elderly woman behind a curtain or was this in the waiting room? I have been asked some private questions behind just a curtain, but it'd a great practice that's convenient and space is limited so I just let it go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would an almost dead 93 year old be getting an MRI? What a waste of medical resources. No wonder our insurance costs are out of control,

Would your mouth be saying this if it were your grandma? I don't think so.

Sit down.

[Anonymous]

It was unprofessional, inappropriate and definitely insensitive. I once went to a radiology center and the receptionist was on the phone with what must have been a medical office; she was trying to get a prescription or records sent, so she was definitely attempting to help a patient (who was not present) but in the process of it she spoke the patient’s name aloud, which side her breast lump was on, what made it concerning, etc. Now THAT is a HIPAA violation. I was sitting a few feet away from the front desk.

[Anonymous]

I think it's a total lack of respect and consideration and sensitivity, and also wrong in terms of practice/privacy because this conversation needs to happen in the exam room. I am not sure why some people are trying to justify the behavior but it is increasingly common. I went to a great ENT doc a couple weeks ago. He was so kind, excellent, but the front office was horrendous: yelled at an older man for not being able to fill the questionaire on the ipad they gave him, chastised a patient for being 5 mins late when the practice (multi doc) was running a full hour behind. It felt like the twilight zone witnessing this woman treat patients like pure dirt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This morning I was at a radiology center waiting to be called back for an MRI. When I arrived I noticed an elderly woman in a wheelchair who was with an older man (but not nearly as old as her) who had just gotten out of a nursing home shuttle. The elderly woman was still being checked in when I sat down after doing my check in process.

Once I sat down I began to hear the employee behind the counter asking the elderly woman some medical history questions. The man who was with her clearly did not know her well, so I assume he was a volunteer or something who was helping get this woman to this appointment. The elderly woman could not hear well at all so the employee had to stand up to look over the counter at her in the wheelchair and speak very loudly. The questions she was asking included, "how old were you when you started your period?", "how old were you when you began menopause?", "when did you get your hysterectomy", "how old were you when your first child was born?", "when were you first diagnosed with breast cancer?", etc. The employee repeated these questions 4-5 times each and even suggested some answers/age ranges. The elderly woman in the wheelchair was giggling nervously and apologetically while shaking her head quietly repeating "I am 93 years old". The man was doing great trying to help her but also was like a deer in headlights.

It was an uncomfortable situation for all involved - employee, helper man, patient, people in the waiting room, etc., and nobody's dignity was respected. I feel like they could have taken her to anther room, or just put "NA" in the answers or even better - the facility or family member or what have you who scheduled the appointment could have answered these questions online beforehand like I always do before my mamo. This certainly doesn't seem like best practices for the facility, but I am also not totally familiar with medical center protocol and also wonder if there were some HIPAA issues there. Thoughts?

My thoughts is you have thought way too much about this, everyone was doing the best they could, and it was insanely inappropriate of you to have posted about it here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would an almost dead 93 year old be getting an MRI? What a waste of medical resources. No wonder our insurance costs are out of control,

MRI is a fixed cost, you alright have the equipment wether you do MRI for 10 people or 18 the cost isn’t going down.

If the 18th wasn't necessary, no insurance company is getting billed and costs don't go up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This morning I was at a radiology center waiting to be called back for an MRI. When I arrived I noticed an elderly woman in a wheelchair who was with an older man (but not nearly as old as her) who had just gotten out of a nursing home shuttle. The elderly woman was still being checked in when I sat down after doing my check in process.

Once I sat down I began to hear the employee behind the counter asking the elderly woman some medical history questions. The man who was with her clearly did not know her well, so I assume he was a volunteer or something who was helping get this woman to this appointment. The elderly woman could not hear well at all so the employee had to stand up to look over the counter at her in the wheelchair and speak very loudly. The questions she was asking included, "how old were you when you started your period?", "how old were you when you began menopause?", "when did you get your hysterectomy", "how old were you when your first child was born?", "when were you first diagnosed with breast cancer?", etc. The employee repeated these questions 4-5 times each and even suggested some answers/age ranges. The elderly woman in the wheelchair was giggling nervously and apologetically while shaking her head quietly repeating "I am 93 years old". The man was doing great trying to help her but also was like a deer in headlights.

It was an uncomfortable situation for all involved - employee, helper man, patient, people in the waiting room, etc., and nobody's dignity was respected. I feel like they could have taken her to anther room, or just put "NA" in the answers or even better - the facility or family member or what have you who scheduled the appointment could have answered these questions online beforehand like I always do before my mamo. This certainly doesn't seem like best practices for the facility, but I am also not totally familiar with medical center protocol and also wonder if there were some HIPAA issues there. Thoughts?

My thoughts is you have thought way too much about this, everyone was doing the best they could, and it was insanely inappropriate of you to have posted about it here.

Not OP. Insanely inappropriate to post this here? GMAFB. DCUM is the perfect place for such a discussion. And they didn’t do the best they could. C’mon. I’m in health care and I would never be so indiscreet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would an almost dead 93 year old be getting an MRI? What a waste of medical resources. No wonder our insurance costs are out of control,

My aunt had cancer surgery at 94, is still alive at 103. Why do you get to decide who gets to live or how long?

Sometimes in light of other dire diagnoses, something may not actually help, but apparently you don't even feel this woman deserves medical care.

[Anonymous]

There's a lot of young techs who just follow instructions but aren't really into nuance. Or they aren't embarrassed about periods as other generations are. It used to be very private, now it’s just conversation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Poor old dear, I imagine lots of women in that generation would feel mortified.

On the one hand, that’s clearly not appropriate privacy wise and I feel certain is against protocol for the center. On the other hand, the person doing it probably makes minimum wage, has no benefits, and no job security-not that it makes it ok but the clinic is getting what it paid for, poorly trained staff and it’s not a lot of motivation to perform at their best, Sorry for the patient, though.

Doesn't matter. I'm tired of reading this excuse for poor service.

Same. That's what's wrong with our society - this "pay me more to care" attitude. Just pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it must be hard to work with 93 yos who can’t hear you, or are giggling, or are unable to answer.

Give the employee a break.

This is not in a fast food restaurant.
You have to protect people’s privacy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would an almost dead 93 year old be getting an MRI? What a waste of medical resources. No wonder our insurance costs are out of control,

Would your mouth be saying this if it were your grandma? I don't think so.

Sit down.

100% yes. 93 year olds should not be getting chemo or colonoscopies or mammograms or mris to look for problems that the doctors can be paid to “treat”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would an almost dead 93 year old be getting an MRI? What a waste of medical resources. No wonder our insurance costs are out of control,

My aunt had cancer surgery at 94, is still alive at 103. Why do you get to decide who gets to live or how long?

Sometimes in light of other dire diagnoses, something may not actually help, but apparently you don't even feel this woman deserves medical care.

Alive and living are not the same thing.
I pray that I do not live to 103!