Doctors Files

shoes34

Should your Doctor have a file on you? I have been attending the same Doctor my whole life but never for anything to serious just the flu, strep throat, the pill and last year for a back injury and had to get some injections and a referral for an MRI Scan. When I visited the Consultant after the MRI he told me that he would be writing to my Doctor and he (my Doctor) would contact me with the results, I never heard anything and I guess its my own fault as I never chased him for them and then I went to see a physio etc. about my back.

My main query is should my Doctor have a file on me? I was talking to a friend last night and she said none of the Doctors in the town we live in have a filing system and she wouldn't go to any of them for this reason.

Quiet Lurker

Yea generally speaking all doctors have some type of filing system. At this stage 80%+ have electronic systems where letters from consultants either arrive electronically over health link or else are scanned into the file. So I think that your friend is mistaken and means that they do not use paper files.

Hi there,
I agree with Quiet Lurker. I would doubt very much in this day and age of openness and accountability that there is a single GP practice in the whole country who does not have some sort of filing system, either paper or electronic or both. Files would detail date of visit, reason for visit, treatment/advice/bloods/medication, letters of referral to specialists, results of scans, consultant reports etc.

NUTLEY BOY

Out of curiosity are there any regulations, as distinct from conventional practices, about what records G.P.s must keep and for how long ?

I am thinking of a situation where you have not seen your G.P. for years and when you need some information about an old medical problem you find that they have died and that the practice has closed !

drkpower

NUTLEY BOY wrote: »

Out of curiosity are there any regulations, as distinct from conventional practices, about what records G.P.s must keep and for how long ?

I am thinking of a situation where you have not seen your G.P. for years and when you need some information about an old medical problem you find that they have died and that the practice has closed !

There is a very chunky piece of guidance from the National Hospitals Office on medical record retention etc.. and there is a ICGP code of practice on the Data Protection Commissioner's website abouyt medical records, destruction, what to do when a practice closes etc etc.

Sid_Justice

shoes34 wrote: »

Should your Doctor have a file on you?

yes

edit: i just reread your post. what is the question? Should Doctor's keep records on patients indefinitely, as this is encroachment on individual privacy even though they must be kept in strict confidence?

Or is it more like is it slightly negligient and unprofessional for a Doctor not to keep a record, either hard or electronic of every patient encounter, test, result and procedure?