phone call from dr. - scared now

Reese,

Bet Karen is correct. The HIPPA Act (Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act) was signed in 1998-ish. But only became effective in mid April. There are two arms to this act and one is to protect the patient's privacy.

I work in a health clinic and there are so many things we could do before that we now cannot do. But the hardest part is that the law, as laws often go, is written abstractly. Exactly what things we can do and what we can no longer do is open to interpretation.

So there are many standard procedures which are clearly no longer allowed, and there is a TON of standard procedures which are just dern unclear. And lots of varying office responses to the law.

It will work itself out over the next couple of years but in the meantime, a few people get caught in the crunch. Like you. I would be a mess also, if I had received a "no message" message. But Karen is correct, most places are not leaving message on phone machines to cover themselves legally about a law made to protect your privacy.

Who might pick up that message? Perhaps someone you would prefer didn't know that you are seeing that particular doctor.

And it may ultimately work out that the new law allows phone messages, but until that is perfectly clear most are not leaving messages. In fact, my worksite had phone signal changed so the patient's caller id box reads "private" when we call. But that is how our administration interpreted the law.

And you would be amazed at the various interpretations!!! Some of the interpretations are just plain silly!

On the other hand, it may be a completely different scenario. Perhaps you left your "little black book" when you last were there. And the nurse, who is recently single again, just wanted to ask if she could borrow it for the weekend. She really needed a good looking guy and found lotsa those kind of phone numbers in your book.

So you may wish to turn your worries to her. The office nurse has one of your beefcakes for the weekend. Boy, she has some nerve, no?!!!

Hoping you have a relaxed weekend and that Tuesday comes quickly for you, Gerry

Reece,
My guess is that the office would have said "Please call us back when you have time, we have some information to discuss" or something in that manner. That is not a privacy invading statement. More than likely, they want to remind you of your office visit. Plus, when I was in the leukemia stage of life, every phone call scared me a little bit! Thought it was the doctors office calling. Finally I had to just make myself stop being so worried. Just try it Reece. It wont happen naturally at first. You gotta make it happen. COncious effort at first, and take your time with it. There are a lot of smart women on this website who can help you with that. Take their advice. Believe me, your better of listening to them than me, unless you feel you need more emotional stress!! Take care, and God bless :-)
-Michael

Dear REECE.
I did the EXACT same thing yesterday!! I went home for lunch yesterday and picked up my phone in the living room and was going thur my caller ID. When I saw my Doctors phone number on there from 11:32 a.m. MY HEART ALMOST stopped! I froze in place for about 3 minutes then ran YES RAN up the stairs to my bedroom to push the answering machine to see if they left a message.

I felt like a total fool when I relized it they were just wanting to change my apointment from the 7th because my doctor wanted to extend his holiday weekend.

NOW WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE I panic like that??? Its good to know IM not alone!

Love
Jerilyn