By EPATIENT DAVE DEBRONKART
I had a pores and skin most cancers recognized in November. It’s my third, and I researched the final one closely, so I knew what I needed (Mohs on the nostril). However the hospital that did the analysis insisted I wait and have a seek the advice of go to in January, and *then* they’d let me schedule the process, most likely in March.
I mentioned I do know what therapy I need – can’t I schedule the surgical procedure now? They mentioned, “That’s not how we do it.”
So I went dwelling and known as round. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Middle mentioned if I might get them the data they’d e book me for January, proper then and there.
How lengthy did it take me to get them the info? quarter-hour. I went again to the primary place’s portal and downloaded my go to be aware and pathology report and emailed all of it to BIDMC. An hour after I dialed the telephone I had the appointment I needed.
Affected person energy. I took my data – and my enterprise – elsewhere.
That is after all a nightmare for suppliers who assume they’ll lock us in. And it’s a dream come true for suppliers who’ve been longing to win us away by offering higher service.
(I’d have had the surgical procedure prior to now, inside January, however COVID struck so we postponed.)
Medical document entry is empowering! Thanks to those that labored so lengthy and exhausting to create these insurance policies!
It’s additionally nice information for suppliers who’re attempting exhausting to be #patientcentric: now we will simply reward them with our enterprise!
It’ll be even higher within the coming years as a result of information #interoperability through FHIR will let apps and hospitals go GET the info … or, even higher, let shoppers already have their information in their very own app, to do something they need with it. True affected person autonomy.
Dave deBronkart is a affected person activist, speaker and writer. This was initially printed on his LinkedIn web page
