LETTERS

Re: your April 27 article “Electronic Records Have People Abuzz. What’s the Reality?” I would like to suggest that there needs to be a cross-check system for electronic records.

A few years ago, I had a physician treating me for symptoms that were hard to pin down to a single diagnosis. Based on medical records in my name that the physician had on his laptop, he prescribed a medication that had potentially serious negative effects on vision.

While I filled the prescription, as a good patient would do, I delayed taking the medication because I read of possible consequences and I really did not feel that my medical condition required such drastic measures.

I called the doctor’s office to ask who entered the laboratory results. (Having worked in both a laboratory and for cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons, I know the importance of correct documentation.) I was told that the doctor was the one who input lab results.

I decided to make an appointment for a follow-up visit with the doctor and spelled my concerns out for him. When he checked his computer and the lab results, it turns out he had indeed input another patient’s lab results in my file.

He was apologetic. But my concern was for the possibility of this happening to other patients. Not only that, I had purchased this expensive medication. And now my medical records indicated that I had a diagnosis that was not my own.

I asked the doctor to please contact my insurer and indicate that he had made a mistake. I also gave him the medication and asked him to please give it to a patient who could not afford to purchase the medication.

Something needs to be done to make sure that e-records are correct.

Aileen Heimlich

Carlsbad