You would think that in this day and age all hospitals and doctors have access to all information from other hospitals and doctors and that it's all online somewhere in a big cloud.
This isn't true.
In this area they are starting to work towards this but it's not there yet. At my hospital we can't even access records from the pediatric clinic that is upstairs from us and many of our patients go to.
So when you come to the emergency department and tell me that your child had something done on her neck last year at the other hospital across town and it was done by some doctor that starts with a P and she takes a medicine that starts with an M but you didn't pick it up from the pharmacy yet it doesn't help me care for your child!!!
If your child has any ALLERGIES to medication it is VERY IMPORTANT that you memorize this information. If you can't memorize it WRITE IT DOWN and put it in your wallet so you can tell me what her allergies are!
If we don't know all the important information about your child we are at a significant disadvantage and could potentially make a decision that could harm your child! If you tell me that your child is allergic to an antibiotic but you don't know which one and I need to prescribe an antibiotic this is a problem.
So bottom line.
Please do not assume that all your child's medical information is in the sky somewhere and we have access to it. If you cannot remember your child's medical history you owe it to your child to WRITE THIS INFORMATION DOWN and give it to the emergency department provider!
Ok rant done now.
:)
Subscribe in a reader
No comments:
Post a Comment