Doctors and telephones

[Shooty*]

Hi,
3 year old daughter had MRI scan 2 weeks ago for possible brain tumours which can cause premature/ excessive growth.
Just got home to telephone message saying "Hi, it's Dr X, just calling to discuss the scan results, there's a letter in the post, I'll try later".

Didn't say whether good or bad. And now they're shut. So we're left wondering "Oh, f***ing hell, why did they call unless it's bad? If it was good, surely they'd have not bothered calling."

Anyone got any experience of how they convey these things? Do they telephone in ALL cases?

THanks

[csgohan4]

Sorry to hear what you've been going through. I hope it's not serious.

Due to confidentiality they cannot tell results over the phone no matter how small the matter is. They don't know the number they have is correct nor you are who you say you are. You have to place yourself in their position and the issue of data protection act.

I could get your DOB just by looking in your garbage and getting data sensitive papers. Not everyone uses a shredder. This is the lengths the courts will go to sue doctors that break this law.

[Rob_B]

Hope all is ok for the little one

[Shooty*]

Thanks both.
Got through on the phone this morning.
Small anomaly on scan, not unexpected, but not malignant, which is what we were worried about.

Lesson for the day: Don't leave a hospital a landline number as your main contact number.

[emersonkelly]

Thanks both.
Got through on the phone this morning.
Small anomaly on scan, not unexpected, but not malignant, which is what we were worried about.

Lesson for the day: Don't leave a hospital a landline number as your main contact number.

Thank God..no tension!!

From this I came to know that there should be a clear conversation over the telephone especially in the case of Doctors!!

[Million]

Well, from the POV of a doctor who has done a GP rotation, getting a phone call doesn't necessarily mean bad news. If they're a sympathetic GP then they will see that you're worried about the scan that your child has had, and would want to be informed of the results as soon as possible regardless of positive/negative outcome. Glad it was good news, that must have been terrifying

[razer121]

Cant imagine what you were going through before you got the good news it wasn't "that" glad its all good chap! have to also agree though I've had the same thing with the landline being left as main, now they have my mobile!