Dear US-type-people, a query

[innocent_lex]

This might seem odd, but I want to get this right. Here in the repubic of olyparalympic-land we have our own doctors (GPs). When we need to get tested for pretty much anything beyond blood tests, we have to make an appointment with a hospital and get it done there. So if I needed an xray I'd have to get it done at a hospital. Is that the same for

Comments

[readerjane]

I think a small-town doctor would be more likely to send his patients to a hospital to get x-rays. Our doctor's office has an X-ray machine on premises, but for any more advanced imaging (CT scan, MRI) we still have to go to either a hospital or a facility that specializes in imaging.

Officially, no one's allowed to see our medical records unless we've signed a waiver for them to see. We sign a blanket waiver on being admitted to a hospital so the hospital can send info to our insurance company and our primary physician. Most doctor offices will also ask us to updated the signed permission once a year so they can bill our insurance.

Practically speaking, that flexes a bit. Medical staff will talk with me about my husband's records up to a point without checking whether he's signed for me to know about them, and then if the conversation goes on longer or gets more detailed they'll stop and verify that the permission is on file, or they'll call him to verify. It's a balance between good customer relations and patient privacy: if a medical professional is very strict they can offend family members and lose customers, but they try to stay within the limits of the rules. Same thing with talking to me about my grown children's health.

[innocent_lex]

Thanks. It sounds like US doctors have a bit more equipment than we do, which is a helpful thing to know. I think we have the same kinds of restrictions on talking about medical situations with families, which can be a bit weird at the GP. But in the hospital discussions are generally fairly open with family members.