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I wish you the best with the outcome of the biopsy, whatever the best is in this case.
What I wonder in relation to your post is why the ENT was interested in giving you a copy of the report. I'm thinking either he wanted to see your reaction (if you read it while there) or wanted you to know what was in it because he doesn't have a good feeling about reading this doctor's reports in general.
I'm glad you're going to a cancer center. They're good places and helped some people I know.
It was actually the ENT’s nurse who gave me a copy of the report, before I even saw the ENT. The ENT himself didn’t mention it. For all I know he believed every word.
I actually wasn’t listening very careful when the nurse first mentioned it. I thought she was talking about giving me a copy of the radiologist’s report. I told her, thanks, but I already have a copy. (I had gone by the imaging center to pick one up a few days previously.) But she insisted. I seem to remember her saying that the oncologist’s office accidentally send them two copies and she didn’t know what to do with the second one. She seemed pretty keen on giving this second one away. It was only when I actually looked at the report that I realized what it was. I got pretty upset in the exam room, but she didn’t say anything.
And it was only later that I realized there was basically no way the oncologist’s office accidentally sent them two copies. I mean, it’s not like they were using snail mail. I am assuming they had access to electronic files and she printed off two copies. Or maybe I am wrong? Maybe they still do use snail mail and the other office accidentally sent two copies. I find that a little hard to believe though. I think she was just being a Good Samaritan and trying to give me a clue.
It was actually the ENT’s nurse who gave me a copy of the report, before I even saw the ENT. The ENT himself didn’t mention it. For all I know he believed every word.
I actually wasn’t listening very careful when the nurse first mentioned it. I thought she was talking about giving me a copy of the radiologist’s report. I told her, thanks, but I already have a copy. (I had gone by the imaging center to pick one up a few days previously.) But she insisted. I seem to remember her saying that the oncologist’s office accidentally send them two copies and she didn’t know what to do with the second one. She seemed pretty keen on giving this second one away. It was only when I actually looked at the report that I realized what it was. I got pretty upset in the exam room, but she didn’t say anything.
And it was only later that I realized there was basically no way the oncologist’s office accidentally sent them two copies. I mean, it’s not like they were using snail mail. I am assuming they had access to electronic files and she printed off two copies. Or maybe I am wrong? Maybe they still do use snail mail and the other office accidentally sent two copies. I find that a little hard to believe though. I think she was just being a Good Samaritan and trying to give me a clue.
Many medical offices still use fax due to encryption problems with email and not wanting to pay for appropriate upgrades. It is probably quite easy to accidentally fax over two copies- particularly if at the time the oncologist was actually intending to send one copy to the ENT and one to the PCP.
Many medical offices still use fax due to encryption problems with email and not wanting to pay for appropriate upgrades. It is probably quite easy to accidentally fax over two copies- particularly if at the time the oncologist was actually intending to send one copy to the ENT and one to the PCP.
Well, I’m that case the nurse was helpful and I got lucky.
Many medical offices still use fax due to encryption problems with email and not wanting to pay for appropriate upgrades. It is probably quite easy to accidentally fax over two copies- particularly if at the time the oncologist was actually intending to send one copy to the ENT and one to the PCP.
True, but depending on the relationships between the parties, they may both have access to a shared electronic medical record. Or not. Either way, I think the nurse was troubled by the report and wanted to make sure OP saw it, so as someone else just said, nurses rock. I think they have an innate need to protect the patients they work with and this fell into that category.
OP, as everyone else has said, I'm very glad you are moving on to a new oncologist. If you do have lymphoma or another form of cancer, the treatment is long term and absolutely has to be based on a level of trust with your caregiver, and one who makes presumptions about you and puts them in a medical record despite your clarification is clearly not someone you would or could ever trust.
I will continue to hold out hope that this is not cancer, or if it is cancer, one that is easily treated and very curable. You are doing all the right things to make sure you get appropriate care, and I wish you nothing but the best.
Today, I saw the ENT to whom my oncologist referred me. The idea is that he was going to exam me, then set up an excisional biopsy of a lymph node/tumor. Both my PCP and my oncologist told me they think I have lymphoma.
The very first thing that happened was that the nurse told me they had an extra copy of the report from my oncologist’s office. Would I like to have a copy?
I thought was a little strange, but, sure, why not?
Well ... it was really eye-opening. My oncologist repeatedly suggests that I am a chronic smoker and drinker and am lying about it! For the record, I am a “never smoker.” Not even one drag once. Not even marijuana. Nothing. However, when I saw him for my initial visit, the very first thing he said: “Well you smoke! You said you don’t smoke but you do!” I have never had any medical professional act like that before, so I was perplexed. Eventually after about 5 back and forth accusation and denials, I said: you know I walked up the stairs, instead of taking the elevator. Maybe people smoke in the stairwell?” He seemed to agree with me and I thought the issue was solved but apparently not.
In the report, he appears absolutely obsessed by this — he brings it up in no less than 5 different places in the report. He also states that I was “counseled on the health risks of excessive alcohol use.” Um, what? I have not had a single drink in 3 years. Before that I was a very light social drinker (one glass of wine a week).
Anyway, although the oncologist told me in the office that he suspected lymphoma, lymphoma appears nowhere in the report he sent to the ENT. It’s just all about my “smoking,” my “chronic cough” (I had a bad head cold when I saw him, with a cough), that fact that I look “malnourished and chronically ill” (got a good laugh out of that one).
So, the ENT tells me they are going to do a fine needle aspiration. I said, that is not how you diagnose lymphoma. What are you looking for? He finally said that he suspects me of having squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus! I said ... hmmm... that is actually kind of rare. I think lymphoma is more common (OK, there is no “I think” about it, I was just being polite.) Maybe it is more common in smokers and drinkers? Hmmm?
Just feeling so incredibly peeved about this.
He could take chest x-rays and see if your lungs show damage from smoking, if that would convince him. I'm surprised he didn't do that right off the bat, since he thinks you're a smoker with possible cancer.
Is there a chance of switching to a different oncologist? Why would a patient lie about a smoking history? Do you have an individual ACA policy, so you'd save on premiums, if you would lie about smoking? There has to be some reason he suspects you'd lie for.
I'd be very peeved, too. I wouldn't want to go back to him.
One thing to consider: if your insurer thinks you lied, they could deny your claims. Is that the oncologist's game? Does he have a close relationship w/your insurer?
He could take chest x-rays and see if your lungs show damage from smoking, if that would convince him. I'm surprised he didn't do that right off the bat, since he thinks you're a smoker with possible cancer.
Is there a chance of switching to a different oncologist? Why would a patient lie about a smoking history? Do you have an individual ACA policy, so you'd save on premiums, if you would lie about smoking? There has to be some reason he suspects you'd lie for.
I'd be very peeved, too. I wouldn't want to go back to him.
One thing to consider: if your insurer thinks you lied, they could deny your claims. Is that the oncologist's game? Does he have a close relationship w/your insurer?
A chest X-ray might or might not be helpful just to try to prove the patient is a smoker. Smokers can have perfectly normal chest X-rays. The test that can confirm whether someone smokes is cotinine, which can be measured in either blood or urine. Normally I would do a link but I am having a problem creating them right no.
People do lie about smoking (though I am sure the OP is not). It could be for a number of reasons, including just not wanting to disappoint the doctor.
The oncologist would not want a claim to be denied. He is the one who would not get paid.
I think I mentioned in a previous post that I have a friend who is a public health expert. Well, she got me the number of someone in the administration of the cancer care chain this oncologist works for. I spoke with her on the phone yesterday. She looked at my file and said that she hadn’t seen anything like it before. She gave me the contact info of a senior VP to whom I wound up writing a detailed account of the many inaccuracies in my file.
The first woman I spoke with said that the VP would make sure that my file was cleaned up and would arrange my transfer to another oncologist (with a very good reputation) in a different office. Hopefully this will happen tomorrow or Monday.
I am still planning on seeing someone at Moffitt too.
It’s good that the VP of the group is working on correcting the record — but you really should file a complaint with the state medical board pronto. I wish you the best.
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