Hi there!
Today’s article is about, “Quick Tip for Families
in Intensive Care: My Daughter is in Intensive Care and They have Refused to Show me the Medical Records.”
You may also watch the video here on our website https://intensivecarehotline.com/blog/quick-tip-for-families-in-intensive-care-my-daughter-is-in-intensive-care-and-they-have-refused-to-show-me-the-medical-records/ or you can continue reading the article below.
Quick Tip for Families in Intensive Care: My Daughter is in Intensive Care and They have Refused to Show me the Medical Records
Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from
intensivecarehotline.com with another quick tip for families in intensive care.
So today, I have an email from Jane who says,
“Hi Patrik,
My daughter is in
intensive care. She’s 24 years of age. She’s in septic shock and they have refused to show me the medical records even though she’s in kidney failure and her blood pressure is dropping and she’s on antibiotics. How can I get access to the medical records?”
Well, Jane, the most important part here is that you take full responsibility for
getting the medical records. Now, most families in intensive care, the 99% who don’t make informed decisions, who don’t get peace of mind, who don’t have power, and who don’t have control and influence, they don’t take responsibility. So, the good news is, I know you are already taking action because I’ve spoken to you on the phone. So, I know you’re already taking responsibility.
But for anyone
watching this who says, “Oh, I can’t get access to the medical records.” You need to take full responsibility for it. Otherwise, it’s not going to happen.
So, how can you manage a situation like that? Well, the first thing is you present the intensive care team with, in your jurisdiction, wherever you are, there are laws, regulations around your right to access medical records, either for yourself or in this situation, it is for your daughter. I know I’ve spoken to you; you are the medical power of attorney. So, there’s no issue around that.
So, let’s just say the ICU team is playing possum or they’re playing dumb or whatever the case may be, they’re not giving you access to the medical records even though it is your right and not a privilege, you will need to escalate that to hospital executive. You will need to write to them or call them and you will see that you will see that things will change.
We’ve never had a client who didn’t manage to get access to medical records for lack of trying. Never. You would be the first one not getting access to medical records. As long
as you keep trying, as long as you follow advice, which my advice is, go to the top, talk to hospital executive to the hospital CEO, hospital general manager, vice president, whatever their title is, do not give up. Make some noise. Don’t be scared, don’t be intimidated, and don’t be fearful.
So, really that is my tip for today because I know you need it, your daughter is pretty sick. She’s only 24
and you certainly want to get a second opinion. You want to make sure she gets best care and treatment. How can you verify that without getting access to the medical records, and having verified that?
So, that is my quick tip for today.
Because we get so many questions for families of critically ill in
patients in intensive care, we have created the membership for families of critically ill patients in intensive care. You can become a member if you go to intensivecarehotline.com if you click on the membership link, or you can also go to intensivecaresupport.org directly if you want access to the membership for families of critically ill patients in intensive care. In the membership, you have access to me and my team, 24 hours a day, in the membership area and via email and we answer all questions, intensive care related.
I have worked in critical care and intensive care for nearly 25 years in three different countries where I
also worked as a nurse unit manager for over 5 years. I’ve been consulting and advocating for families in intensive care all around the world since 2013. I can say without a shadow of doubt that we have saved lives for our clients and their family members in intensive care. You can verify that on our testimonial section or on our podcast section where we interviewed some clients.
If you become a member, you also have access to 21 eBooks and 21 videos specifically designed for
families in intensive care. It’ll help you steer this incredibly difficult territory that is intensive care. It’ll help you to make informed decisions, have peace of mind, control, power, and
influence.
I also offer one-on-one consulting advocacy over the phone, Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp, whichever medium works best for you. I talk to you and your families directly but I also talk to doctors and nurses directly and you can access my wealth of knowledge in nearly 25 years of intensive care nursing, once again, in three different
countries where I worked as a nurse manager for over 5 years in intensive care and where I also have been consulted and advocating for families in intensive care all around the world since 2013.
I also represent you in family meetings with intensive care teams, once again, so that you make informed decisions, have peace of mind, control, power, and influence. When I talk to doctors and nurses
directly, whether it’s in a family meeting or one-on-one, I ask all the questions that you haven’t even considered asking but must be asked when you have a loved one in intensive care.
We also offer medical record
reviews in real time so that you can get a second opinion in real time. We also offer medical record reviews after intensive care if you have unanswered questions, if you need closure, or if you are simply suspecting medical negligence.
All of that, you get at intensivecarehotline.com. Call us on one of the numbers on the
top of our website was simply send us an email to support@intensivecarehotline.com with your questions.
If you like my videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel for
regular updates for families of critically ill patients in intensive care, click the like button, click the notification bell, share the video with your friends and families, and comment below what you want to see next or what questions and insights you have from this video.
Thank you so much for watching.
This is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and I will talk to you in a few days.
Take care for now.
