Medical Record

Hi C.! I am so sorry to hear about what happened to your child. That is a damn shame and the fact that they gave you someone else's medical records is illegal. It goes against HIPPA laws(you know that form you are supposed to fill out when you go to the doctor) and they could get in serious trouble. If you want I can find out a number for HIPPA and you can report them. I work in a doctor's office and could ask a manager. Let me know. Good luck with the new doctor because good doctor's are hard to come by!

hi.. I don't know the law much either..... Contact your local health dept and send it in writing...... Also start calling attorneys in your area and see if you can sue that place....

It's worth a try.

Good luck

I am so sorry that you had to go through that. What you need to do is contact the NJ board of pediatric medicine and write them the entire story. I had a similar experience. About four years ago I noticed that my sons back was starting to bow a little. His father has sever scholiosis (sorry about the spelling) so I rushed him to the doctor. She said that he was fine and that I had nothing to worry about. Three months later she abandoned her practice and moved to Florida. We got to stay with her covering doctor, who has been a Gods send as far as I'm concerned, and at his first visit, he read off to me that in my sons chart it stated that he has slight curvature of the back. We rushed him to a specialist and he is fine, but she knew about this for three years. She was horrible and when I tried to report her I found out that her license had been suspended for over a year. I was horrified. The only good thing that came out of this was that my new doctor, her covering doc, is amazing and very very thourough. You are his mother, always trust your insticts and believe what you see. That's what our pediatrician tells me all the time and I'm usually right. keep the faith and hold on, you'll be okay.

i am sooooo sorry that all this has happened to you.you have so much to deal with and now that you sound alot calmer then i would be.well anyway i dont know the law but i would be calling the other parent and calling and calling i dont think they have any clue that all this is going on....i mean im sure you could contact leagal aid....and maybe the medical board???i live in dutchess count and in our phone book we have something under the county offices called office of the commissioner of health..and/or human rights....maybe you have something similiar in your phone book???well good luck and please let me know.....and im again im sorry that you had to go through that i hope that your son i doing better now that a good docs got him...good luck again.....
A.

Cheryl
Hi, you have sooo many responses saying just about all the same thing. YES, there is HIPPA and here is a link http://hippa.eu/
you should be able to find what you want somewhere in that link. and i would definitely go to a lawyer. talk to this new pediatrician and see if they'll testify in court that you almost lost your child because of not gettin the proper treatment (even though you tried countless times). even if you didn't need the money (which everyone with a child could use it, even for a trust fund for their child) that dr. office should definitely be held accountable for what they did (or refused to do) for/to your child. because of them, you could have lost him! and for them to send you the wrong info...who knows where your child's info has gone to? i'm glad to hear that your son is doing better, but definitely make them pay for what they've done, and how they've neglected they're responsibility! they should lose their right to practice medicine in the least! i wish you and our son the best.

Medical history isn't a Connecticut thing it's a FEDERAL thing. That is why we sign all those HIPPAA papers when we go to the doctor. They are not by law allowed to release information on anyone elses medical history. I would call Richard Blumenthal's (the state atterney general) office and discuss with them what happened. They can get in major trouble for this. As a matter of fact these laws are so strict, I can't even get my husbands medical history or information if I call his doctor's offices, only if I had power of atterney over him.

Everyone is SO sue happy. That is the problem with New Englanders. My brother lives out west and lawsuits are not nearly as popular there as they are here. Yes, you had a terrible experience with your pediatrician. But, they arent perfect. And as parents we are ultimately responsible for our children's care. If your sons lips were dry and you thought he was dehydrated, why not take him to the ER?? As parents we have instincts and we know our children best. I dont care what the doctors say, I know what is best for my babies. They are there to monitor their growth, and provide insight when our children are sick. But, as parents we need to listen to our instincts, and make the final decisions.
As far as the paperwork goes, yes the office made a terrible mistake. People do make mistakes. Thankfully, you received the info, and not someone looking to steal their identities. I think it would be wise to contact the parents of the child, and then give back the paperwork to the office. If no harm is done, I cant see the other family having a leg to stand on in court.

C.,

I am a nursing student as well as a mother of 5 and have definitely had my share of idiot doctors. If I were you I would contact a lawyer first and then call the state of CT medical licencing department and do a search for HIPPA and contact them. Also CT has a medical board that you can file a written complaint with, although they comprise of area doctors and you may not get far with them, but it is worth a try. I certainly hope you made copies of the records (your son's and the other child's) before you gave them back to that pediatrician, so at least you have something to back your complaint. Whatever you do do not let this go, God forbid you had not done something, your son could have had serious problems and if you don't take a stand they will get away with doing this again and the next time a child could pass away. By the way, did they end up sending you the rest of your son's medical records?
Let me know how you make out or if I can be of any further help.
Hug,
T.

Hi Cheryl
I would take a couple hours off work in the AM and go to the pediatric office and show them what they did and say you are not leaving without the correct files. It was irresponsible of them to release a file that wasn't complete and to release another child's records to you. 2nd, there is no way it should have taken 15 days for them to release files..again irresponsible. I would also seek legal counsel and speak to them about what happened. document everything. You may think you will remember but you won't. If you need a fantastic pediatrician in Norwalk I have a great practice for you.
Good luck and let me know
B.

I would contact the pediatric centers administration and let them know what was happening. There is something called HIPPA and what they have done is a violation of that law. HIPPA is governed federally not by state. Thats why even now in elevators at hospitals or medical centers you will see signs warning that patient info is private and should never be discussed in public areas. The fact that the medical record was partly that of another child is another issue that should be looked into, exspecially if the decision for your chlds treatment was being based of the history of of a med. record that wasnt even your childs. These days Dr.'s offices are getting soooo over crowded with patients that they rush through seeing patients and sometimes miss a diagnosis. Thankfully you did the right thing and did what every parent has a right and should do when they disagree with a diagnose, get a second opinion. Its a sad thing that your son almost had to pay the price for another persons negligence. I hope your son is doing well, I would definatly look into it and see that something is done if not for your own child but for the next. be your childs advocate. Just because they are small doesnt mean they shouldnt have a voice. I hope everything works out for you and your son continues in good health.