Can you tell I'm a little frustrated? My DD had an accident on Sunday (slip & slide) and we think she broke her arm. Took her to the Pediatrician yesterday and they sent her on the the hospital to have X-rays done. Well, they told me that the Dr. would call as soon as she got the X-rays. So, I waited and waited and finally called around 5pm yesterday and was told that the Dr. would call me as soon as she knew... blah blah, so, I call this morning around 10am and they said that the Dr. was with patients but as soon as she reads them she will call. Fast forward to 2:30 this afternoon, I called again and was told that it didn't appear that they had my DD's films yet and that the Dr. had left for the day and would read them tomorrow and call me!!!! I just want to know is her arm broken or not?? A 5 minute phone call from the Dr. or nurse would have been a nice update. I do love my kids pediatricians' office but this is really frustrating!!!!

By Mrs_B on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 - 04:47 pm:

Ugh.... that would annoy me so bad! I would probably end up taking a drive to the office and telling them i'm not leaving until I have an answer.

I hope her arm is okay, poor thing.

By Vicki on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 - 06:30 pm:

I can't believe they didn't read them right then and there at the hospital! I have never heard of such a thing. Around here, they read them and put it in a cast if need be.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 - 07:30 pm:

If the hospital is not a large hospital, they may have not had a radiologist on duty to read the x-rays, or the radiologist may have had a lot of other, more "emergency" emergency room films to read. And, the person responsible for transmitting the x-rays and report to the doctor is a clerk, about 10-15 steps down the scale. My personal rule is that if I have x-rays or other films made, I ask when I can pick up the films and report, and I pick them up and either take them to the doctor at the time of the appointment (assuming a non-emergency advance appointment) or take them directly to the doctor's office in an emergency situation.

Sadly, it is more and more important that we take charge of our health care. Much too much of hospital resources has had to be diverted into bureaucratic procedures to meet the billing and record keeping requirements of the multiple insurance companies and government agencies each hospital has to deal with. Not medical record keeping, per se, but a variety of financial and other record-keeping. Which means the hospital spends as much (or even more) on staff, particularly "support staff", but the patient doesn't see the benefit.

That said, I am astounded that your doctor's office was not on the phone to the hospital on Monday, requesting at least the report to be faxed over and the films to be sent immediately. My hospital now puts all x-ray and other radiology (and other test) results on computer and can either give me a disk with a copy of the x-ray or e-mail them to the doctor. In fact, my hospital now gives me the disk at no charge, but if I want actual fims it is $2 a sheet of film.

By My2girlygirls on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 - 08:29 pm:

It's actually a big children's hospital. The hospital does send them to the Dr. office digitally. What I was told today from the Dr.'s office was that the Dr. had not yet reviewed the films and would do so and call me. Well, she left the office early today. I will be calling first thing. The protocol at our Ped. is that they typically wait a few days to cast to allow for the swelling to go down. She is in a splint so she is protected. We just went to the Dr. on Monday morning. I'm just a bit frustrated.

By Bellajoe on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 - 08:53 am:

That's awful. Unbelievable that they didn't read it right then and there!

Poor dd!

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 - 03:21 pm:

Good grief. When people come into the walk-in clinic, they find out right away, but always give the disclaimer that the radiologist might see something different. During the day and during the week, they often go to radiology to consult with the radiologists, to be sure of what they are seeing.

By My2girlygirls on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 - 04:20 pm:

We finally found out that it is not broken. It is sprained, she has to wear the splint for 7 days. If we would have gone straight to the ER on Sunday we would have found out right away but we didn't want to deal with all the sickness in the ER so we waited and went to the pediatrician on Monday and then was sent to the hospital for the X-rays. Next time (hopefully there won't be one) we will probably just go straight to the ER. It just does away with the middle man.