'Doctor will not give you test results over the phone.'

15 years ago

I had an MRI on my shoulder last week to see if I'd torn a muscle. Before the MRI, the doctor (orthopedist) also ordered physical therapy. My PT appointment is today. When I called the orthopedics office to get the MRI results, I was told I had to wait until August 10 to get the results in the office. "Doctor will not give you test results over the phone."

I asked how the PT people are supposed to come up with an exercise plan if they don't know what's wrong with my shoulder. She said, "All I can tell you is that the doctor and his staff are in surgery and won't be available until Tuesday." (All of them are in surgery?)

So I called PT and asked them to obtain my MRI results before my appointment. I'll keep the appointment, but don't want to embark on an exercise program unless there's a diagnosis.

Whose shoulder is it, anyway? I must have spent 15 minutes at the orthopedics office last week, electronically signing privacy statements. I'm wondering whose privacy they're protecting.

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Comments (20)

monica_pa Grieves
15 years ago
Whenever I get a scan (MRI or CT), I ask up front for a copy to take home(Drs tell me to do this because many testing centers take days to send them). Have yet to be denied, and I copy them for my own records before giving the disc to Dr.
maire_cate
15 years ago
Excellent point! When I went for PT my physiatrist wrote on the prescription exactly what exercises she wanted done at the therapy center. Granted she was a rehabilitation specialist but still she specified what was to be done. Conceivably you could aggravate the problem if PT isn't aware of the diagnosis.
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debo_2006
15 years ago
Hummm, I just has an MRI on my elbow last Wed. and have yet to get a follow up call from my ortho doctor (not sure how long is should take). I know he want me to meet with another sports doc at the same office, which means paying the co-pay AGAIN for the same issue.

I know the Xrays found loose cartlidge around the elbow which could be the cause of it locking, and that's why they wanted an MRI....to see if there is more they can't see on the Xray.

I didn't know I could request an MRI copy for myself. I will certainly do that in the future along with a request for my own Xrays. After all, I'm paying for them...through insurance.
marie_ndcal
15 years ago
You might tell them you will be calling back Tue and expect to talk to the Dr or his nurse. I would not do any therapy until you talk to him. I get so annoyed when these so call specialist refuse to either return calls or make you wait until the next appointment. I just refuse and insist they give me the results. Yes, I do know they are busy BUT I have found out recently that many of them do not even look at the test results until 5 minutes before you see them.
quilly
15 years ago
Well he's not going to be in surgery all day. Call back and tell the receptionist that you need a return call today...tomorrow at the latest.

I honestly can't see why he can't give you the results for this test over the phone. The only excuse would be if he had bad news and wanted to tell you in person. I don't think I'd want to hear that I had a life threatening disease over the phone but an orthopedic problem isn't usually that dire.

When my DH is on call he gets ...and returns...phone calls even at night.
alisande
Original Author
15 years ago
This doctor looked about 17 years old....which has nothing to do with anything, I know, but he has to be just starting out. Either that, or he's had extensive plastic surgery. LOL

I have to leave now (in the middle of a t-storm) for my PT app't. I'm hoping the PT people will give me the MRI results. If not, I may proceed to my other errands, which include buying a certificate for a discount on the spay surgery our stray mama cat is getting on Wednesday. (The calico kitten went to her wonderful new home yesterday!)
susanjf_gw
15 years ago
don't forget it's july almost aug, and the doc's are on vacation, too...had my kidney dr cancel an appt, and know he forgot to tell the staff when he was leaving town...they do it all the time...the office staff get so frustrated...
Charlee_MO
15 years ago
I hope you find out the results soon. My friend just had an MRI on her knee. She has to go back for the results. I think it's for the $$. That's just MHO, though.

Good luck!
Vickey__MN
15 years ago
I wish this had been the case when I found out I had cancer. Imagine being at work and your doctor telling you that you had cancer...over the phone. Yes, I'd rather it'd been that way!

Vickey
schoolhouse_gw
15 years ago
My aunt goes online to the clinic's website to read her test results. I'm not sure how long it takes them to be posted.
jannie
15 years ago
Sometimes doctors send their testing out to be read by radiologists. Maybe the radiologist hasn't reported back yet and your doctor's staff is just following orders. I would cancel PT until after getting the results. Just a suggestion.
matti5
15 years ago
I have yearly MRI's (brain) and each time mine are first read by the radiologist who then sends his findings to the doctor. This can sometimes take up to a week depending on the back log.

I can't imagine PT allowing a new patient without a diagnosis. Not sure the insurance company would allow that either. Mine won't.

Let us know what happens!
joann23456
15 years ago
We're lucky here in that virtually all the doctors' offices are part of an online network that patients can access. You can get medical reports, request appointments or referrals, get prescription refills, or just email your doctor. It's great.

Before that, though, I always asked for a copy of the results to be mailed to me, though my primary care doctor does that routinely.
susan_on
15 years ago
We can go to any hospital that is part of our health system group to get a copy of any xray, scan, MRI etc. When I have my MRI's though, my neurosurgeon calls me at home with the results, and to discuss the case plan. I love that, because it saves me from taking a half day off work to drive there (over an hour away) to get the results. He usually calls at 9:00 at night.
lydia1959
15 years ago
My doctor won't normally give the results over the phone, but she has made an exception for me (and probably others) since I live an hour and fifteen minutes from her office.
3katz4me
15 years ago
Food for thought - doctors cannot bill you (or Medicare or your insurance company) for a phone call but they can bill for an office visit. I get all my test results either by phone or via online access to the EMR.
patti43
15 years ago
Good for you, Alisande. I'm anxiously waiting to hear what happened at therapy. Nice to see someone take control of their own health care/rights. I'm such a wimp!

Vickey, in your case that was just plain cruel. It was probably much easier than having a face-to-face with a patient who will naturally be more than upset.

But in cases where it isn't life threatening, they should let you know the quickest way possible--especially before you start a treatment when you don't know what you have. Geesh!
kathleenca
15 years ago
I wonder if it is because doctors do not get paid by insurance for a telephone call - only face-to-face office visits.
alisande
Original Author
15 years ago
Went to PT, filled out seven pages of stuff (boy, medical offices must be drowning in paperwork these days!), and saw a very nice young woman who evaluated my range of motion, etc.

She told me the results of my MRI: two inflamed tendons, swollen joint, inflamed muscle, some arthritis, and the possibility of muscle tearing (the MRI didn't rule it out). She said the treatment for this sort of injury is basically the same with or without an MRI. For that reason, most physicians take a wait-and-see attitude about the MRI, and hold off until it can be determined whether or not treatment is helping.

So it seems that my teenage doctor jumped the gun with the MRI. Isn't that nice? I know it doesn't carry the sort of risk that a CT scan would (at least I hope it doesn't), but I hate to have anything done unnecessarily. The cost to the insurance company, the waste of my time and gas, etc. Not to mention that lying still in an MRI tube listening to hammering is not my favorite way to spend any amount of time.

Twice-weekly treatment is underway. More time, more gas.....but at least this has the potential to do some good.

Thanks, everyone!
Charlee_MO
15 years ago
Glad you got your results. Here's hoping the PT will be all that is needed!

'Doctor will not give you test results over the phone.'

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monica_pa Grieves

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