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Sent me home without an MRI

Posted By Out Paintient Im still in pain

"Sent me home without an MRI"

About: Royal Melbourne Hospital / Emergency Department

(as the patient),

I recently went into Royal Melbourne Hospital.  I see the doctor to find out what exactly is wrong with my knee after 30 days of degenerating mobility following an accident. I have clear ligament or tendon damage requiring an MRI, but the doctor wanted to rule out a fracture/break first.

Now, firstly, I know a doctor, there was a very low percentage that I had a fracture due to my range of mobility, lack of intense pain and my ability to hold my body weight. But I think because radiology is cheap and quick... or something. Anyway, we proceed into radiology, no break or fracture. The doctor then tells me that they can feel extra length in my ligament - your ligament is clearly quite loose, but until you get an MRI we won't know to what extent or the specifics of the damage -  so, you'd think they'd order me an MRI or a consult. Nope. Instead the doctor wrote me a letter to give to my GP, so my GP can order me an MRI... at the same hospital. Now, ok, they've just wasted the 1.5 hours we spent waiting to see the doctor, who's also wasted the hospital's resources (triage nurse, radiologist, their own paid time), but now they're wanting to waste more of my time as well as my GP's time, to order what anyone who knows anything about knee injuries already knew, regardless of the radiology result, which is that I would need an MRI to find out exactly what is wrong with me.

To make matters worse, it seems to me the doctor was wasting my time on purpose. Referring to my expectation that radiology would come up with nothing, which I confessed alone to the radiologist, while discussing why I didn't get an x-ray or chase down an MRI earlier.

I think the doctor just wanted to give us the run out, wasting State resources as well as my own comfort, capacity and ability to make educated choices concerning my injury, out of nothing but some un-evolved and unprofessional spite. 

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Responses

Response from George Braitberg, Executive Director Strategy, Quality and Improvement, Melbourne Health 6 years ago
George Braitberg
Executive Director Strategy, Quality and Improvement,
Melbourne Health

Submitted on 23/04/2019 at 3:53 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia at 3:57 PM

picture of George Braitberg

Dear Out Paintient Im still in pain

Thank you for providing feedback about your experience in obtaining an MRI. Let me first say that I can only respond to your feedback in general terms as I don't know the specifics of your injury or circumstances. I would therefore encourage you to leave your details by contacting our consumer liaison service at the following email address:

consumerliaison@mh.org.au

With regard to your first concern about the need for an Xray. As you rightly point out, Xrays will only show bone and some joint abnormalities. That being said I do not agree with your comment that an Xray is a "waste of time" because we often see patients with underlying fractures walk into the Emergency Department. In other words being able to walk does not exclude some forms of foot, ankle, leg and even hip fractures.

Without knowing the details of your complaint I can't answer why you were referred back to your GP to organise an MRI. We commonly organise MRI and other investigations from the Emergency Department or outpatient clinics.

Like all health services in Victoria we are mindful of wasting resources and are constantly trying to improve the timeliness and efficiency of the care we provide to our patients and I can't support the notion that we would deliberately place obstacles in your way.

Our aim is to provide safe, timely effective person centred care and I hope that you give us the opportunity to discuss your case further with you by providing your details to our consumer liaison service.

On behalf of the Royal Melbourne I do apologise that we have failed to meet your expectations and for any inconvenience we have caused you and I look forward for the opportunity to resolve your concerns.

Regards,

Prof George Braitberg

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Out Paintient Im still in pain (the patient)

Hi Prof. George Braitberg,

Yes I understand the X-ray isn't a waste of time. But in me having an X-Ray and not an MRI, it was a waste of time. I have since flown to the Gold Coast, where I saw my GP within 5 mins of checking in (on Monday) who organised an MRI as soon as Queensland X-Ray was open, which I had today. All public. All bulk-billed. I explained my circumstances in RMH to my Doctor who couldn't work out why I would be referred from a hospital with available equipment to a GP who wouldn't have the equipment but who would have to refer me somewhere else to find the equipment that they understood existed already at RMH, unless my doctor was wrong in their understanding. So, they were puzzled.

I am more than happy to provide details of my experience with you and I have already filed a complaint with RMH, as well. When I reach back to Melbourne I can provide you the letter written by my consulting Doctor which explains that I require an MRI... but that they would need to organise it.

Forgive my presumption, but it seemed and seems very much like the doctor attending me had a chip on their shoulder. They seemed annoyed when I stood up from my wheelchair, even though I could only limp at less than half the speed of a non-injured person and my partner grabbed the wheelchair for me because we parked at RMH carpark which is quite a distance from the ED. The doctor then wheeled my wheel chair away from us, so I would have to limp to radiology saying as they wheeled the chair off - I'm going to put this out front in case someone needs it... ummm... ok... but I didn't 'NEED' it, because I can very slowly limp? I mean, if it was El Salvador and there was only one wheelchair in the hospital I would understand that comment and action, but there were empty wheelchairs all over the place.

I will receive the MRI results tomorrow or the next day and can provide them as well. It feels like a meniscal tear (had one at 17 other knee) and as the doctor presumed, Dr. Useful on the Gold Coast also believes a possible ACL tear, but we won't know for sure until tomorrow.

I will contact consumerliaison@mh.org.au, reference code in the subject box: Dr. Useless, RMH

Response from George Braitberg, Executive Director Strategy, Quality and Improvement, Melbourne Health 6 years ago
George Braitberg
Executive Director Strategy, Quality and Improvement,
Melbourne Health

Submitted on 24/04/2019 at 12:12 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia at 12:32 PM

picture of George Braitberg

Dear Out Paintient Im still in pain

Thank you for taking the time to update me. I look forward to reviewing the details of your feedback through your contact with our consumer liaison service.

Regards,

Prof George Braitberg

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
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