In June, my Neurologist whom I am extremely pleased with, sent me to the hospital he works out of for an MRA. It was extremely stressful due to the lab tech getting upset with me because I didn’t know exactly how many MRAs I’ve had over the last seven years, didn’t have a card that showed I was MRA compatible, didn’t know the strength. Frequency or type of MRA machine WFBH uses and hadn’t had an MRA for the radiologist to compare with.
The male kept throwing questions at me while I was still trying to answer his first one. I finally got into my portal from WFBH and was trying to count them all. I got frustrated and said here, you count them. He asked me something and as I was trying to answer, he held his finger up as he had gotten the Radiologist I presume on the phone. He asked the location of my aneurysm and the type. I said LICA bifurcation 5 mm multilobed ruptured, coiled 3x last with balloon assist. Had to explain LICA meant left internal carotid artery. He said the carotid was here and pointed to his neck. Really??? I explained it was in the brain this the Internal. The more questions he fired at me the worse my speech and tremor became. Luckily, a very nice woman came in and explained that coils were all changed to MRA compatible sometime in the ‘90’s and people after the change didn’t need a card. She got everything under control and I literally wanted to hug her. The set up was much different than I’m used to and I got to listen to music of my choice sort of. I wanted to listen to the Blues but he didn’t know what the Blues were and hadn’t heard of the few people I could name in the moment so I went to my old standby 60’s and 70’s.
A few days later and the reading was in my portal. I couldn’t believe what I saw. A few days after that I had my televisit with my fantastic Neurologist. I ranted about the experience of course, then asked him why the radiologist made no mention of my aneurysm. I said something to the effect that even I could see the white blob on my scans, why couldn’t the radiologist? Dr. R said “Good question, I’ve put in a call to talk about just that.”
I’ve been having spinal issues and Dr. R wanted me to get an MRI. Initially I agreed to have it done at his facility and then called and said no, please do it at WFBH. The anxiety it created was a bit much. Dr. R ordered all three sections. I signed a release for him to receive images and readings. He was excited to get both as he never receives the images. He ordered a nerve conduction study and EMG to be done by a colleague at another facility. These results were sent to my Neurosurgeon.
Now skip to September. My MRA reading from the one hospital has now changed three times and the “final” won’t be in until OCTOBER 4! The Nitwit Radiologist appears to have plagiarized from the WFBH MRAs. But he threw me a curveball that for someone reason really upset me yesterday. Nitwit says the neck of my aneurysm has opened to 3.3 mm x 4.2 mm! I requested that my images and results be sent to my Neurosurgeon last Wednesday. Yesterday I asked Dr.Q-W’s PA if she received them, nope. So I was on the phone on hold for about twenty minutes trying to get through to medical records that the portal says I need to go through. I finally hung up and called my Neurologist, spoke to the nurse who sent them, only to find out she only faxed the readings. I went off and used curse words in describing the Nitwit that definitely would have caused my Mother to whip me. She stayed calm through my tirade and suggested I call the hospital, ask for radiology and get a copy of the scan.
I did just that. Was on hold for 15 minutes before they answered, but the radiology department doesn’t have a secretary. I can get my copy today from 8-5 the tech said. We decided to take the drive to WFBH and hand deliver it on Friday. Before I get my copy, I need to go next door from the hospital and apologize for my cursing as the nurse definitely shouldn’t have had to deal with that. I have no excuses nor reasons. I’m more upset with myself than I can imagine, it is just not like me. Has anyone else just gone off the deep end?
I didn’t want to read and not respond. There are at least 20 spots in your story where I would have lost it. I just kept reading it and thinking how much can one person possibly endure? Throughout my experience I had one really awful nurse who I raised my voice to over the phone and she screamed at me. The PA at my neurosurgeon’s office told me to complain to the hospital (I’m sorry I can’t remember the department I contacted!)and they were amazing and ever since then the nurse has been super nice. Anyways, if it make you feel better you can apologize but also I’m a social worker in a hospital and any employee should be trained to have the perspective that patients are under enormous stress and at a very vulnerable time so they should understand. Is there a social worker or case manager who can advocate for you? I’m sorry you’re not getting the support you deserve!!
Thanks so much for responding Ms. Elizabeth! I was once an On Call CPS SW and worked very closely with Hospital SWs
I was upset because I am definitely educated enough to have used better words. I did drive to my Neurologist’s office to apologize to the RN in person. She doesn’t work in the same office roflol. So armed with her name and which building she works out of, I drove home and called her.
The RN, April was very gracious. She knew my profanity was not directed at her and accepted my apology. I had a nice speech figured out and of course lost my words when trying to deliver it,
I think they were all amazed I wanted to apologize. For me, it was the right thing to do. Just because I have aphasia, just because I’ve lost some IQ points, just because I have survived an SAH, doesn’t give me the go ahead to be mean to someone who doesn’t deserve it. I was the brunt of people’s frustrations and fears for many, many years. I know better. Now, if it’s someone who deserves it…I may be singing a different song.
I am sad to hear that you were hassled by by MRA technician and Radiologist who does not appear to be competent. I would definitely reach out to Hospital’s Director responsible for customer complaints. It is not only for yourself but future patients who has to endure a rude MRA techician and sloppiness of the Radiologist.
I had a similar rude MRA technician who would not intimately perform the test on me after I explained that I had coiling. I told him that Stanford Neurologist ordered the test and she has superior knowledge than you. Then, I explained that it was titanium coils and ask him how long that he was doing his job. As far as Radiologists go, I do not trust their opinion. I DO trust my Neurologist and Neuro-Surgeon. My Neurologist and his teacher, Professor of Neurology at UCSF (an expert in strokes) look at each planar scan of the MRA and found a minor stroke in the brainstem that has been causing all my problems. The Radiologist was too lazy to look at each planar.
PS Kudos for you to reaching out to the RN at your Neurologist.
I hate to say it, but this makes me feel better. I just had a bad experience with radiology as well (they didn’t do the procedure my brain surgeon asked for despite me spending hours on the phone confirming they could). when I arrived to the MRI (was supposed to be a perfusion, not regular angio) Radiologist tech said, “no, we only do that right after a stroke”. They radiologist had said, “she doesn’t need that” and changed the order!! I found that out later when my surgeon’s office called and said, “they didn’t do the right test”. So skip 3 weeks later (that’s great while my face is numb) arrive to NEW hospital where they can do it, and the tech doesn’t know that it’s a perfusion! “oh really, they usually tell us that up front”. Didn’t give me confidence at all as she seemed to not know what to do! Ugh! And I was billed for the wrong procedure from the radiologist!
Thanks as always 2Fight! Yes I did reach out to the individual over the hospital the day I experienced the MRA tech back in June. I learned to reach out with my parents and again when BH had ischemic stroke. The Hospitalist had thrown in an unnecessary CT (IMHO)scan instead of going by the MRI/A. I understood the first two CT scans, understood the MRA following the CT scans but did not understand the third CT scan after the MRA With BH, I actually spoke to the Hospital Director who shared they were following the hospital protocol and they do not follow the guidelines of the American Heart/Stroke Association. The Director of that hospital assured me that their Neurologist over the hospital will look over their protocols and update if needed,
I needed the laugh, thanks so much! For others who may not understand, here in N.C. “bless your heart” can be taken one of two ways either as I can’t believe the troubles the person is going through, or something akin to the person doesn’t have a lick of sense.
Thanks trekhard! Have you figured out a way to make a formal complaint? Have you spoken to the insurance company and explained that despite having an order, they decided you didn’t need what your specialist ordered?
About 18 months ago I needed an abdominal MRI with contrast. My PCP set it up and noted that I am allergic to the dye. Radiology Dept called to schedule and I reminded them I am allergic to the dye. A month later, I’m at the radiology department and the intake tech won’t let me have the MRI because I’m allergic to the dye so MRI cancelled. Apparently the radiology outfit at my local hospital will not do contrast dye if someone is allergic to it. This was all due to one of their radiologist’s recommendation. Who of course would have seen on my record that I am allergic to dye, if they would have looked.
I tried calling the Radiology Office, the hospital director’s office, the State Medical board and another state department over hospitals. I was told by all that they don’t handle complaints about Radiologist groups. Best I can figure out is that they are really subcontractors for the hospital which is why we get two bills when we deal with them. had to use WFBH as they don’t care if I’m allergic to the dye.
I am a southerner…lol if that’s a word. I totally understand.
It was meant with heartfelt sincerity. I go through the same stuff. I even had a guy tell me we were going to just go into this other room and it was the waiting room out front. I turned around and he shut the locked door and disappeared leaving me standing in the lobby like a dork…lol. I must have scared the crap out of him.
Yea that’s how I took it! Years ago, I had a client tell everyone in a team meeting that I was an “implant” lol. Yes Southerner is a word, just ask anyone from the South.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could train the techs!?!
I am so sorry you had to endure being badgered like that, and treated so poorly by such an inept tech!! Also, I applaud you for going the extra mile to apologize to the woman you behaved badly towards. We’ve all been there, and you are a shining example of how to handle the situation. I’m sure that woman, who was so gracious in her acceptance, actually was so filled up with joy to be acknowledged the way you did! Good job!
I have decided not to make any formal complaints as my brain surgeon is out of state and I am having a hard enough time getting treated by the locals. I am contemplating getting a lawyer though!
One of my clients is a nurse and she said it is common for the radiologist to change an order, so that made me feel better. But what I didn’t like was they had no idea why the order was put in, so how could they decide if it was the correct test or not? (considering my doctor is at different institution). On the phone, they said, “the radiologist is going to look into it”. Well how? They don’t have my symptoms in their system!
Ohh yeeaaa, more than once or twice.
I have played their ‘Yes Sir. No sir’ games and just gone with the flow before BUT I have my limits.
You and I are expected to follow thru with their advice and when we don’t they tend to get rather anti but when they don’t follow through it’s like ‘Ohh well…’ and I will no longer play these games. I am an educated man and I HATE being spoken down to or having my concerns minimised. On a few occasions I have had medicos use their qualifications as a ‘well, we know better’ and I won’t play that game either.
In my former life a big part of my role was client advocacy, to obtain the best outcomes for my clients. Now I use those skills to advocate for myself. I’ve been described as a bit of a ‘Dog with a bone’, I won’t let it go. Throughout this neuro journey I’ve had a few ‘What the hell?’ moments and I have spat it or ‘gone off the deep end’. My pet hate is having a medico discredit my levels of pain, because when it’s bad, it’s VERY bad. I tend to arc up when they make comments like 'Ohh, it cant be THAT bad…"
@Steelblu33 Girl, I have a tremor, stutter and aphasia which all get really bad when I’m stressed. You should see some of the looks! ROFLOL
@Sarah_D Thank you so much Ms. Sarah it means a lot! I’m of the age that was taught if we wrong someone, we need to make it right the best way we can.
@trekhard wow hiring an attorney! Perhaps one of the groups affiliated with the American Disabilities will help at a lower cost. One would think someone associated with the radiologist would’ve called your surgeon’s office, or better yet the two doctors could actually talk to each other. How difficult could that be?
@ModSupport. Thanks Merl! I once had a doctor prescribe a course of medicine that I questioned and he literally told me he was the doctor, I wasn’t. But I did read the warnings on the label. It caused a third degree burn to have gangrene set in. My regular PCP came back from vacation and was livid. Here in the States, they have you rate your pain level. It’s supposed to be subjective, it’s not their pain, it’s yours. Sometimes I think, if you’d walk in my shoes, you’d know how I feel but I really wouldn’t want anyone to have to do that. At times, I find myself explaining why I picked that number due to my experience, just so they understand where I’m coming from. I recall once my mom told the RNs in hospital her pain level. Within ear shot the two were disagreeing as mom had four children. My poor mom was confused and reminded them, that delivering a baby was a pain soon forgotten. I had to laugh being the youngest and I was well into my 50’s at the time. I told them all I was the pain in my Mom that could never be forgotten lol
My hand is raised in the back of the room and my head is hanging in shame. I don’t know if your tech was a youngun but I call these people the new breed of customer representatives. From Walmart to the hospitals, they are everywhere. I have worried for years about them and say when I am unable to take care of myself, these are the people who will. It makes you try your best to stay strong.
They use a similar ‘rate your pain’ here too. A young Nursey asked me that rate your pain out of 10 and I said ‘15’. ‘Ohh it can’t be THAT bad’ she says. Here I am laying in a hospital bed in the fetal position, clutching my head in agony post surgery and she says ‘Ohh it can’t be THAT bad’??? So I told her “You lay on the floor and I’ll boot you in the side of the head and then you can tell me…” She was offended, well, so was I. ‘Don’t EVER discredit someone’s pain then…’ They may think they know, but until you have been here, honestly, they have no clue how BAD bad can be. I agree with you “…if you’d walk in my shoes, you’d know how I feel…” and 99.9% of them NEVER have. Lucky them.
Like your Mom, I too have caught them having a conversation about me and had to remind them in my usual non subtle way, “I am here and I can hear you…” Respect works both ways. They expect me to respect them and that’s fine, BUT I demand that same level of respect.
There is someone out there that does understand.
I am a southerner…lol if that’s a word. I totally understand.
I am contemplating getting a lawyer though!
ROFLOL