So frustrating. Makes me wonder if there should be some kind of AI component crosschecking medical cases (obviously with human judgement involved if concerns found).
A nurse told us she thinks things are WORSE since computers came into play. She said doctors used to talk to each other about patients, but now they just check their computers for information. 
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To be fair, thatâs what many of us do in our occupations. So much less face to face. It doesnât have to diminish good care. As with anything there are positives and negatives. Those that are not local actually can benefit from keeping abreast of a loved ones condition with access to MyChart. And docs can be more efficient with their time (and time spending with patients) because they donât have to be tied to a telephone or day time hours, etc.
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It doesnât have to diminish good care but the nurses think it does.
Itâs been our experience (both parents, my son, DH) that computers have made things much worse. The reliance on âthe system will catch itâ is widespread, the excuse of âwe canât change that in the systemâ is too, and the âthe insurance bot wonât accept that codeâ is a real problem. My son, for 21 years, took a medicine that we constantly, constantly, had to work through various computer generated problems. My DHâs diagnosis was delayed because radiologists assume a computer will flag any problems (but of course it can only flag " ordinary and expected" problems, not weird and unexpected ones).
For most of his childhood, I had an entire notebook of test results, etc for my son. At one point, his doctor waved his hand at me and said âthe book, the one you carry, lemme see it, and that will be fasterâ
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I have to say that, using one hospital/healthcare network, MyChart has been a great blessing. Yesterday I saw a venous specialist who was able to use a CAT scan ordered by a rheumatologist several months ago to order a particular treatment for a problem Iâve been having, without re-ordering the CAT scan. And my PCP, who I saw the week before, read the report of the sonogram ordered by the vein doc and told me that said doctor would explain it to me. None of these doctors know one another personally and they practice in different buildings.
Now, of course, insurance..vein doc said, âUnited isnât going to like this, but weâll work on them.â Terrible waste of time and $$$ for staff for sure.
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Thatâs certainly the intent and hope for every system. Our experience has been that the specialists â in the same system, in the same BUILDING â do not use the same charting systems and so cannot see everything. Tying in to the system is optional. The pcp cannot see the oncology reports. THe urologist cannot see the cardiologist. So we run around between them, ferrying information. The often-asked question is âwhat do people who donât have capable advocates do? " and the answer in an awful lot of the USA is 'they die.â
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That sounds really awful. My experience in NYC in 2017 was that my records from a different healthcare network were visible when I went to another networkâs freestanding emergency room.
CityMD, not so much.
Iâve also had a very good experience with our providersâ digital records. Everyone uses the same system, referrals can be made digitally, appointments easily made, and records shared. The only sticky thing is that test results sometimes hit the portal before our primary sees them so it can be scary to read findings without context.
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My 93 year old father called me today to ask if I can send him âthose gummies that will help my arthritis shoulder painâ. I told him to talk to his doctor.
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I am fortunateâwhen my MD retired (he wasnât on same electronic system as my other docs), I got my lung doc to refer me to an internist on his electronic health system and fortunately my UCSF lung doc is also on same electronic system so I can see all my records and have granted permission so they can see my records on both systems, HI & UCSF.
When I was tracking my momâs medical care, I created an account for her and shared info with all the sibs so we could all keep track of tests, results, etc. It worked ok for us because everything was pretty expected.
Iâm not a great fan of electronic health records but have made my peace as best I can.
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Before this turns into 'the computer thread" rather than taking care of parents although very much relatedâŠ
I very much appreciate the lab reports etc being centralized and accessible. Same for many x rays etc. It has simpllfied life in many ways.
BUT when my dad was in the hospital his number one complaint was that nurses spent more time looking at a computer screen (with their back to him) than listening to him or actually looking at him to see how he was doing. My initial reaction was âDad, no way!â but I watched. It was true. A nurse came in, turned to the screen, focused in on how to record giving a med, recorded it (finally) and left. 70% of patient time was focused on a computer screen.
I had the nurses take me through their process (I worked in hospitals for 20 years). Letâs just say UX/UI design needs to hit the medical field big time. There is no excuse for what can only be called computer malpractice.
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Lots of good expertise here. Looking for hints about visiting a friend in memory care unit. So far we talk about the old times. And possibly I can just repeat same conversations. I have heard that about participation in group puzzle time for the social aspects⊠but I know those skills are gone.
My Mom sometimes likes looking at photos. I recently bought her some books, which are all pictures, no words. One is âKittensâ, another is âFlowersâ etc. My Mom also really likes getting little presents (eg a cheap necklace, a couple of pieces of her favorite candy)
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In addition to looking at photos, my mom enjoyed listening to music and going for drives.
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I agree that with medical charting, providers end up paying more attention to screens than looking at patient and miss important cues. Sometimes they have a scribe which they may (or may not) introduce (they should). In theory, the scribe can take notes and free the provider to look at and interact with patient.
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YMMV on what changes are being made in health care and health care systems that may influence how to assess your parentsâ care (near and far) â hospitals have hospitalists, so now in our area, PCP doesnât follow hospital patients, but the specialists do. I am going to verify with our PCP at my next visit to confirm, but our retired PCP who was so on top of things and truly did coordinate care with the best specialists in our area.
I keep very thorough records for both DH and me â and at some future point we will be on the receiving end of âparents caring for parentsâ - our current PCP has very good dialog with me during DH or my appointments, as he can focus on key issues and use his medical judgment versus trying to flip through their still paper chart on us (very thick).
Some specialty offices, I have needed to analyze their âsystemâ and coordinate information properly to the specialist. Only get the best care with proper information going to the MD.
To tell a short story, I know from a friend how now retired PCPâs attention and skill/foresight help saved her childâs life (grade school kid) - mother was going to take the child to Women and Childrenâs ER but did call MD first â MD told them to first swing by his clinic (it was close to end of the day) â he took one look at the child in the car, jumped in and they speedily went to the hospital ER ambulance entrance; PCP then coordinated all the stat tests and care (IV etc.) in ER and gathered some specialists there to help read the situation with the lab work, test results, examination, etc. It turns out the child had been sent home by the school nurse midday due to swelling of the neck â in hindsight they found out that he actually had gotten scratched by a chicken or some farm animal some days earlier at his dadâs farm and a dangerous infection developed; the mother decided at home that the neck swelling was not a good sign and needed to have MD follow up at that time by going to ER but was not realizing even at that point how quickly things would get critical. The rapidly developing strep infection actually had already gone to his chest area and while in the hospital bed on monitors his heart stopped (the mother was in the room while the doctors who were conferring in the hallway) the doctors rushed in and they got his heart going again and they all went up to OR for immediate surgery, draining the infection and saving his life. The mother told me she sank against the wall during that crisis in shock - of course signed whatever was necessary while her son was going to OR.
I am sure people on this thread can relate with various circumstances with their parent or loved one about medical issues/delays/not reading the entirety of the medical situation, or cumbersomeness of getting the right care at the right time.
All we can do is use the resources available, the information available, and work with cooperation of medical system and the patient.
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This week I did bring photo book from sonâs wedding last year. Maybe other times I could bring some vacation photo books.
I will check with family to see if there are any dietary restrictions. I love the idea of bringing a treat, if it is allowed.
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My mom enjoyed singing. We had a CD player and a few CDs there of some of her favorites. We would play them, and sometimes sing along.
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Childrenâs painting projects âmy mom has enjoyed painting pages that only need brush and water to activate.Itâs simple,but fun in the moment.
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