Posted by OldSchool on January 27, 2002, at 20:17:54
In reply to ANGRY PSYCHIATRIST, posted by trouble on January 27, 2002, at 3:01:18
> It has taken me fifteen hours to get here. Now I know what it's like to climb an ice-covered Kilamanjaro in roller skates. But I've stuck with this b/c I need a peer group so much, and the fact that this site is overseen by a quirky father figure is totally aces with me. Y'all sound plenty smart and charming and I hope I can make a contribution.
> My ruling nightmare is a recent conflict w/ my shrink, who looks like Robert Downey Jr. and wears sharkskin suits. Ergo, I adore him. He became enraged w/me Wednesday when he returned to the office and saw me studying my chart. I've never seen him so upset and we've battled majorly in the 3 years I've been seein him. He said he'd fire me on the spot if I ever did that again. "This is mine," I said evenly, gesturing to the 4 inch thick folder. "It's mine," he intoned, and around we went. Any doctor would be appalled at what I'd done, he said, and I should ask 20 people if they think I was out of line. I replied that I don't care if 50 people tell me I was perfectly appropriate I'll never do it again seeing how it effected him so and I meant it. My question is shall I chalk this hypersensitivity up to HIS STUFF or am I truly out of bounds peeking at my chart when a dr. steps out of the room? Incidentally he isn't withholding secrets from me, he reads me his words verbatim any time I ask him to. Any response would be appreciated!Frankly, I dont see how anyone could "adhore" their psychiatrist. LOL But whatever trips your trigger I suppose. As for your Pdoc being pissed about you mulling over your own medical records, welcome to medicine. In most states, your medical records legally are not yours. Legally the records are your doctor's property. The doctor owns them. You do not have trivial access to them.
This is particularly true in psychiatry, more so than in other branches of medicine. Remember in psychiatry there are no medical tests for psychiatrists to go by. This stuff is heavily subjective and a lot of it is just the Pdoc's personal professional opinion of you. Thus I think there is more paranoia for psychiatrists to closely guard what they really think about you. Ive learned that what they really think about you is usually a lot worse than what they let on to your face. Their charts reflect that. Most psychiatrists closely guard their medical records.
You can "request" copies of your medical records to be given to you. In some states you have a right to have copies of your records. In some states if requested the doctor is must give you copies. In other states like mine (North Carolina) you have no legal rights whatsoever to have copies of your medical records. Im serious here. In NC if the doctor doesnt want you to have copies of your records, they are under no legal responsibility to give the records to you. Its tough shit here.
Of course you can report them to the medical board, which the board will call that doctor and "talk" them into giving you your records. That always does the trick I should add. Ive been told by the medical board here in NC that the board "doesnt like it at all" if a doctor refuses to give you copies of your records. However most doctors figure most patients dont even know about the medical board and will never file a complaint against them if they refuse. However if you file a complaint against a doctor with the medical board in order to get your records given to you, dont expect to be able to go back to that psychiatrist again.
Old School
poster:OldSchool
thread:17255
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020125/msgs/17332.html