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I have a worry so I think if I write it out here and ask for advice, it might help. Especially from medical people.

As you all know, last year I had pneumonia and was in the hospital. While there, during a CT scan of my lungs, a cancer was found at the top of the right lung lobe. I was sent for yet another more intense CT scan (with dye) to confirm after leaving the hospital. While in the hospital the first time with pneumonia, I met with a pulmonologist who became my specialist. He is the one who followed up and sent me for the second CT scan. That scan confirmed the cancer. From there I was sent to the surgeon who put me in the hospital for two different overnight stays to do biopsies on lymph nodes to make sure the cancer had not spread. When it was determined the cancer was contained to the top of the right lung, my surgery to remove the cancer was scheduled. It's been a slow recovery and I've dealt with several episodes of bronchitis which really has bothered me and my ability to just breathe.

Now, here is the issue. My pulmonologist's office SEEMS to have me mixed up with another patient. This is very scary to me. I've had two CT scans since the surgery with follow up with the pulmonologist afterwards. On BOTH visits to the doctor is where the confusion comes in. The first time his PA came into the room and said ..."well Great! You survived the surgery and you have finished with your chemo and radiation very successfully!"

I informed her I didn't have to go through chemo or radiation! She looked confused and said she would be 'right back.' I waited for another 45 minutes before someone else came in and took my vitals. Then the doctor came in and said ..."you are doing great and we won't need to see you until September and no more CT scans are needed until December. Three weeks after that I caught a terrible case of bronchitis and had to go to ER as I was having trouble breathing. I was given an injection and two RX to deal with the bronchitis. Three days later I got a call from the doctor's office telling me I needed to come in and gave me an appointment for the following week. I posted on here about how that really scared me as I was fearful something showed up from the CT scan when I went to the ER. So ... I go in and AGAIN I was confused with someone else because the PA asked me WHY i was there! I told her about the phone call telling me to come in. Again she left the room for about 15 minutes. When she came back, she apologized for the call having me to come in. She even brought a fuel gift card to me - to compensate for my unnecessary trip. At the same time she gave me a new business card and said the doctor was moving his office and this would be the new address where I'd have to go in the future. It's 60 miles away. Very discouraging.

Here is another thing - there is a woman who lives exactly 10 miles south of me with the EXACT same name as mine. She is 4 years older than I am. Of course I am wondering if SHE is also a patient of my specialist and that is who I've been being mixed up with. Because of HIPPA, of course I can't ask the doctor.

I'm sorry this is so long but I AM concerned and also wondering if I should just ask for my records and find another pulmonologist? Would YOU be concerned if your specialist has mixed you up with someone else on two occasions? He is a very BUSY man with a large staff and his waiting room is always FULL - and the PA was indicating it was the staff who had me make the unnecessary trip in. However, when the PA was looking at her computer, she seemed to have someone else on her screen because of her statements and questions.

Opinions?
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This is just frigging scary!

Do you not have a medical ID number?

In Ontario I have a "health card" with my photo, date of birth etc and its got a series of numbers followed by letters. I must show that card any time I'm at the doctor ER etc. Even when I went for my MRI the tech checked my wrist band against the doctors orders which had all my identification on it.

I woukd be making a big deal out of this and demanding they make sure they have to correct patient.

Dragn, I don't know about a medical ID number. I have "Cadillac" insurance that pays for everything, no co-pays of any kind and my RX are all free. (I have the same health care insurance the president and Congress have) ... and when I was sent to the surgeon he told me it might take a while to get the okay from my insurance to do the surgery. About 5 minutes later his nurse came in and said they FAXED the info and the surgery had been approved. The surgeon said they had never had the go-ahead that quickly. So I just don't know ... sometimes I feel they know my insurance pays quickly so therefore the 'extra' visits. The woman with the same name as me (first and last) also has the same middle initial. I've known about her for a while as I sometimes get phone calls meant for her -- and mail -- usually from someone trying to collect a debt. Because of that, I keep a close eye on my credit report.

I'm just not comfortable with this entire situation. I feel I'm justified to worry. When initially seeing a new doctor, they DO make a copy of my photo ID. Up until all of this, I've been blessed with good health so I don't have a lot of 'doctors' in my past. Most troubling to me was the PA talking to me about my 'chemo and radiation' as she looked at her computer screen - and then being so puzzled to find out I had never had chemo and radiation.

I've already started to research for a new doctor. I really don't want to travel 120 miles round trip either - just to be confused with someone else again.

You have a right to review your medical record. I'd talk to the nurse and tell her your concerns and ask for a review of your record to make sure that there hasn't been a mix up. And ask for them to let you know what they find out. If they don't, ask to review the chart yourself. (Don't ask for copies, because they can charge you for those. Ask for somebody to sit in the room with you & review.)

If that doesn't work, talk to the clinic administrator. If that doesn't work, ask for the Compliance Officer.

Did you see any insurance statements that looked like they weren't yours? You can ask your insurance company to review claims because you think you might have been billed for somebody else's services.

Don't they confirm your medical record number and date of birth? They check mine at check in and then the nurse confirms it again. I would think there would be potential for lots of screw ups if they just asked for your name.

Do you have access to your records electronically?

I'm a Jr. and used to get confused with my Dad quite often. Once got out of a ticket that way.

Whenever they'd say something wrong I'd ask when my birthday was. They'd say I liked really good for my age. I'd tell them that they had my father.

I'm a Jr. and used to get confused with my Dad quite often.

We named DS after wh with one slight change to the first name to avoid the Jr.

Even so, the pharmacy and optometrist both got them confused. Luckily they confirm birth date and since I was doing with them I knew which person they were trying to talk about.

I plan to ask for a copy of ALL my medical records with this doctor. I am also going to talk with my primary care physician about this. He should have received copies of everything too.

Personally I like this doctor. He's very personable with a great bedside manner -- but maybe he's over extended with patients. Maybe they are all over extended though.

Ok couple of things.
1. It's HIPAA, not HIPPA (giant pet peeve of mine, sorry).
2. Your Dr's office when you call, when you come in, and when they place you in the room should all be verifying who you are by name, DOB, and 3rd identifier, if they are not, then you need to let the OM know, and include your experiences when you let that OM know. Under no circumstance is this ok.
3. After any hospitalization you should be seen by any specialist treating the condition you are in for within 2 weeks. So yah it was appropriate for you to f/u and I'm surprised that they didn't repeat a film on you at that visit.

There are certain standards of care, and safety, time out's verification of patient identification that should be happening and it isn't. Raise HELL.

Tushnurse, thanks. And of course I know it's HIPAA, sorry about the typo.

After the ER visit and I received the call to come in for a doc appointment, it worried me so much that I called and asked why I needed the appointment since I wasn't scheduled until September. I was told by the staff that anytime a patient has to go to ER, the doctor wants to check them out -- so I felt better about that. But after getting there I was told I wasn't supposed to have an appointment. I didn't even see the doctor on this visit. I only saw the PA and a nurse.

I'm not going to let this go and will follow up.

I think it’s really odd they gave you a fuel gift card.

Is that to pacify you? I would be concerned with all of this.

I would of asked the PA right then and there why she was asking you about chemo and radiation, made sure she had your chart open and not someone else. Did the nurse verify your DOB?

Definitely request all your medical records, check the date of birth on everything. I work in a Dr. office, people should be concerned. I know when we have patients admitted to the hospital we want to see them in office within a certain time frame in order to get paid more by the insurance, now isn’t that a bunch of crap? Like was the correct films read, we’re those yours or someone else?

It sounds like they are only asking for your name and there is another patient with the same name. Probably the same one with the mail mix up. You haven't answered if they ask for your birth date or address or any other identifying information.

I'd be going elsewhere.

Littleturtle, they haven't asked for my birthdate upon check in - since the initial visit when they took a copy of my photo I.D.

I'm collecting my medical records and searching for a new doctor.