PeteSpencer wrote:Back to the original post:
I would suggest OP sits down with patient in question and from diaries etc writes down an accurate dates trail:
Date/place/name of consultant out patient appt.
Ditto date etc of operation Names of all medical staff. Date of discharge (notes can get lost in 'coding' for months)
To be honest, Pete, I’d be really surprised if the hospital doesn’t hold much of that information electronically. Everywhere has electronic ADT (admission, discharge, transfer) systems these days. Ours knows which consultant was reposonsible for you at each time and not only which ward you were on but which bed. There’ll be similar electronic information regarding out-patient &. ED attendances.
Notes tend not to get lost in coding these days as hospitals won’t get paid if things aren’t coded. You see clinical coders on wards coding while the patient is still admitted. So, there’ll be ICD10 (diagnostic) codes and OPCS4 (procedure) codes which will almost certainly be electronic.
As I said earlier, all x-rays and other imaging are now electronic (no more doctors peering at those illuminated screens)
Additionally, the hospital will have sent info to the GP post discharge whic h will probably be electronic (and both GP & hospital) will have.
All lab results will be electronic & prescribing may be electronic. (Is the hospital Southampton? That does have electronic prescribing.)
It’s prob worth asking them what information they do have in their electronic databases.
I'm assuming you don't want the notes for medico legal reasons: If you do, all bets are off: Give the request to your solicitor and let them get heavy.
Indeed....