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Hospital blood samples gone missing

free at last

Senior Member
Messages
697
I wonder if anyone has ever heard of blood tests going missing at a hospital. As about 3 years ago i had some blood tests done, but when i went back to my GP, the GP said we havent done any tests have we. The nurse must have been listening because at that moment she walked in and imformed the GP that my blood samples had gone missing or seemed lost ? He ordered a new set of tests to be done, but i didnt go, as flu season was approaching. The tests were for unexplained headachs, well thats what the GP visit was for, The GP stated to me he didnt think it was a tumour or migraine. And didnt know what they was ?
 

rlc

Senior Member
Messages
822
hi free at last, at the hospital I go to in new zealand it is routine for them to lose test results, patient notes and even patients, mainly because of a total lack of organization and care. I,ve had numourous test results disapear, I don't know how it works in the hospital you go to but over here even though the doctors have lost them and can't be arsed looking for them, records of the tests are kept on the computers in the laborities where they where done. I had a very helpful nurse at my GPs and even though it often took her a long time and a lot of effeort, as long as she knew what month they where done in she could always eventually track them down. they weren't lost just none of the doctors could be bothered looking for them. Maybe you can find someone who will put in the time to find them for you, because they should be on a computer somewhere. If not make sure you get them redone in case something important is being missed.

All the best
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
hi free at last, at the hospital I go to in new zealand it is routine for them to lose test results, patient notes and even patients, mainly because of a total lack of organization and care. I,ve had numourous test results disapear, I don't know how it works in the hospital you go to but over here even though the doctors have lost them and can't be arsed looking for them, records of the tests are kept on the computers in the laborities where they where done. I had a very helpful nurse at my GPs and even though it often took her a long time and a lot of effeort, as long as she knew what month they where done in she could always eventually track them down. they weren't lost just none of the doctors could be bothered looking for them. Maybe you can find someone who will put in the time to find them for you, because they should be on a computer somewhere. If not make sure you get them redone in case something important is being missed.

All the best

Ouch!, Remind me not to go to New Zealand for my health care!
 

rlc

Senior Member
Messages
822
Hi ggingues, Yeah you don't want to come here for health care you'd be lucky to get out alive! I'll tell you a funny, but very disturbing story that shows how bad things are here.

Because they finally realised that the systematic loss of patients tests and notes was a problem they should probably do something about, they decided to adopt the Australian system, which is called the yellow envelope system, where every patient gets a large yellow envelope and all the patients tests and notes are put in it, when i heard about this i thought great, they'll be able to lose the whole lot at once.

But are Ministry of Health in it's infinite wisdom decided that they needed to spend large amounts of money on redesigning the envelop??????? My mother is involved in the health sector and was invited a few weeks ago to a meeting where they were going to unveal this new envelope design, However when she got there they announced that they were unable to show anyone the new design because they'd lost it!!! guess they should of put it in a yellow envelope! LOL

All the best
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
Wow, talk about incompetence. Hope the best for you, I guess we all have to deal with varying inadequacies in our health care systems!

GG
 

glenp

"and this too shall pass"
Messages
776
Location
Vancouver Canada suburbs
Tests are often lost or wrong results to wrong patient. Often a doctor doesnt get the results. Its a good idea to keep track of it all yourself as unfortunately important results could be missed

glen
 

rlc

Senior Member
Messages
822
Hi ggingues, it gets worse, a few years ago they dicided that the main hospital in the city I live in, was to small for the number of patients they were getting and spent hundreds of millions of dollars building a new one exactly the same size as the old one! and then sat round wondering why they couldn't fit more people in it, to make matters worse they'd even managed to make the door ways to narrow so they couldn't get the beds through them. (dumb) it would all be very funny if peoples lives weren't being put a t risk.

All the best
 

rlc

Senior Member
Messages
822
Hi glenp, totally agree you have to make sure that you keep a track of everything yourself, and then look up what all the results mean on the internet cause alot of doctors haven't got a clue, which is a total pain in the arse when your sick and all you want to do is go to sleep. Sigh

All the best
 

Enid

Senior Member
Messages
3,309
Location
UK
All a bit surreal here too. On three occasions/visits to another consultant for tests each complained of notes test results or documents which should have been sent were missing so it seems I was a double mystery. Being unable to communicate or recall anything myself at that stage it was a fiasco.