The problem is not only frustrating for the patient, but also for the caregivers
Through your own experience as a patient or by experiencing it as closely as possible through a loved one: everyone must face the problem of managing their medical file that we wish to resolve.
Geoffroy is living proof of this. Not only has he seen for himself how frustrating it is to have to deal with insufficient access to his own medical data as a patient… He also notices firsthand how hard work it can be and why this is so important to make changes.
Frustration
It all started when Geoffroy broke two fingers a year apart while playing sports.
He sought appropriate medical help and decided to go to two different hospitals. And that’s where it started. Having to repeat important medical information several times (about allergies, for example). It was not only frustrating for Geoffroy as a patient, but also for the doctors.
Read also: How you are considered a completely unknown patient by the hospital where you are known
As close family member
Geoffroy not only experienced the problem of accessing fragmented medical information as a patient, but also as a close family member. His father visits the hospital regularly for general check-ups, which include blood tests. Just to make sure everything is going well.
When his father went to see his GP for further advice, someone he has been seeing for years and knows very well, they discovered how much medical information was missing from his records. Together, they had to browse for about fifteen minutes in his file what they were looking for. It was anything but structured. Again, this is not only frustrating for his father, the patient, but also for his GP, unable to give good advice without seeing the big picture. Not to mention the difficulty of providing appropriate treatment.
The right treatment
Another member of Geoffroy’s family is in a retirement (care) home. One day, she had to go to the hospital for an emergency where several tests were carried out. Once back at the residential care center, caregivers were unable to provide appropriate care. Why? You guessed it: they didn’t have access to all of her medical records and labs that were done during that hospital visit.
So close, and yet so far
Finally, Geoffroy also knows how a border can exacerbate the problem. His family lives in France, near the Belgian border. Hospital visits take place in Belgium, with the nearest hospital being approximately 20 kilometers from their home. When they traveled to their GP in France to review the results, they were faced with the well-known problem: the lack of appropriate medical information, simply because it is not accessible. Crazy enough that 20kms turn into a Chinese wall. After all, the problem is already happening on a large scale in Belgium, imagine it between two neighboring countries and members of the European Union.
For Geoffroy, these are not fictional examples, but stories from his own life. Reason enough for him to support #1Patient1Record4Belgium. It is high time to improve cooperation between all hospitals and healthcare stakeholders. The patient must have better access to all medical data and be in control of their sharing. And only together can we achieve this. Join the movement.
Read also: “I thought I was the only one not to find my medical data, but the opposite turned out.”
Leave a Reply