Technology is a fabulous thing, something we have come to rely on in almost every part of our day to day lives. But what happens when technology fails, where are we left then ???
Our family has been seeing the same Doctor since we moved to Mackay in 2001. That's almost fifteen years of trusting, comfort and faith.
Late last year, unforeseen family circumstances saw our much loved family GP pack up and move, leaving us to start over. It was easier to stay within the same practice, as all our records were there, and I also didn't have the time nor the energy to search for a new GP.
If your anything like me, seeing a new Doctor sends chills up your spine, leaves your stomach doing flip flops and your anxiety at an all time high.
Let's face it, I become a highly strung mess.
So imagine how many people, just like me had very high stress and anxiety levels when we found out that the Doctors surgery had, had a technical malfunction.
The end result....
EVERY single patient file was gone, vanished into thin air, deleted from the system.
Test results, medication files, EVERYTHING GONE !
The test results that had been done at other clinics would still be able to be tracked down. Phew !
But what about all the little things that add up and make a persons medical history complete ?
Our new GP is not at fault, but he doesn't know his new patients quite like his predecessor. Yet.
It has been a very difficult process, a long winding road that many have had to travel.
Medication wise, we were all advised to bring in what we had, whether it be current prescriptions, old bottles with the labels still attached so that the Dr could make new records of what his new patients were suppose to be on.
How frightening would that have been for the elderly, it was disconcerting for us.
I cant begin to imagine how this error has affected them.
So when it all boils down to it, is technology all that it is really cracked up to be ?
Should companies not be backing everything up in case things like this happen ?
Do you think the good old fashioned way of keeping written patient files on hand should still be around ?
Technology is a wonderful thing, but can we afford to put all our trust into a machine ?
Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT
It's scary when something like that happens but I guess that is why all the IT companies tell you - back up, back up, back up your files - it's so important. And, as I'm typing this I'm also wondering when last I backed up my phone or our home computer !!!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope he is able to piece together enough of your medical history to keep moving forward with you.
Lotsa hugs xox
I don't understand why there was no back up, you would think that something as important as medical histories would be properly looked after xx
DeleteI cannot believe that they didn't have a back up?!
ReplyDeleteI know...that's what shocked me.
DeleteMy old GP had mostly handwritten files. I changed GPs for a lot of reasons to a fully digital clinic, then my old GP joined that clinic!! I choose not to see my old GP, but I did ask reception about my old files and apparently they're in his office. I wonder if I could convince them to digitise it for me....
ReplyDeleteI thought there was some move to store all this information somewhere so it could be shared between clinics? I know when we moved interstate, it was frustrating that we had to start all over again with medical history. Finding a new doctor is the worst. I'm still not sure that I've found one I like for me. Thankfully no one has been too unwell.
ReplyDeleteThere was some talk a couple of years ago about patient files being available to all hospitals/doctor surgeries but I haven't heard anything about it since ... I guess it would pose too much of a security risk as the Ashely Madison hacking proves. I didn't realise you were in Mackay - my hubster grew up on a cane farm in Alligator Creek :-)
ReplyDeleteVisiting from #teamIBOT x
there has to be something that can be done to prevent this happening again.
DeleteWhat a small world we live in, I have found a lot of people who grew up around here on social media : ) xx
OMG hun that is awful!!! Why oh why did they not back up because seriously this is just not acceptable in this day and age. xx
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly Son, I just feel sorry for the elderly:( xx
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