Medical Records and Drug Use

[OC80IOWA]

Okay, so last month..I had to go to the hospital due to an abscess from IV Oxycodone. I actually had to make two trips to 2 different hospitals. The first trip, I said I didn't know what it was from could be a bug bite blah blah blah, they couldn't tell the difference. So they drained it and kept me overnight, they eventually saw that it was infected all the way into the muscle...so they said I would need a brief surgery to fully remove the infection.

Right before the surgery, the surgeon asked me if it was from drug use..b/c he obviously wanted to go about the procedure in most effective way possible. I said yes it was. He didn't make anything of it, and performed the surgery and it went great. I stayed in the hospital on IV antibiotics and IV morphine for 4 days, then was released after the wound specialist took a look at it.

So I went home..and a few days later, my arm became red and inflamed again..so I took more antibiotics and kept it wrapped/elevated etc. The next day it was still bad, so I went to a different hospital..(I was in treatment and 100 miles away from hospital that performed surgery.)

The doctor at the second hospital asked how it started, I told her, she didn't really make anything of it. So I had to stay there for 3 more days to be watched and be on more IV antibiotics. This hospital, only gave me 1 Vicodin every 6 hours for the pain..(maybe it was bc surgery was already performed a week before and didn't imagine me to be in much pain?) However, I was feeling pretty sharp pains up and down my arm..and asked for meds, they gave me the Vicodin, and it didn't do anything..(had been on IV morphine every 6 hours for 4 days so tolerance was a little up.) The nurse came in and said due to my history of drug abuse, they couldn't give me anything more.

My main question is, if anybody can answer from experience or just simply knows....will the doctor at either of these hospitals have "flagged" me as a drug user/seeker? Or due to the privacy laws, are they unable to do so? Will anything special come up on my chart for OTHER doctors due to this hospital visit?

 

[T. Calderone]

There is no definitive answer because it depends where you are and what's actually indicated in your file. Most hospitals keep computerized records now. Even if you were to ask for your discharge summary or itemized bill it might not be spelled out in so many words. But the in house records would most likely show the reason for your infection. So when/if you go back to either hospital, those records will pop up.

Privacy laws like hipaa are intended to limit who medical information is shared with, but you have no control as to what they may have written in your chart. Are you in the U.S? If so try a google search like hospital records at xx hospital and you can see their policies in writing.

 

[IHateOpiophobes]

Was the hospital in the same state? If so, some states have controlled substance logs. While you were given the morphine in hospital one, it still came from a "pharmacy".
My guess is though that you just had a Dr. or Nurse that treated you like a junkie because you were honest about it. Also, if you have to have surgery, it WILL require something more than just a Vicodin at the first hospital. Not so at the second.

 

[bronson]

There is no definitive answer because it depends where you are and what's actually indicated in your file.

More or less this nails it. There are too many different policies and laws all different by country, and often even smaller regions. For this reason legal discussion is not allowed on bluelight. The only thing achieved is endless speculation. I'd say be honest with them, the circumstances placing you in your current situation shouldn't dictate a lesser quality of care.

I'm going to have to close this, and I'd invite you to use the PM me link in my signature below if you have any questions. Also checking out the The Pain Management Megathread may well be worth your while.

The best of luck on getting through everything.