Medical Delays - Anyone Else Experiencing these?

JonSR77

JonSR77

Senior Member
Medical Delays - Anyone Else Experiencing these?

Getting results from labs delayed, other delays.

Anyone else experiencing these?

Is it a by-product of the pandemic, job loss, etc?

Thanks,
 

No delays here. In fact, I had to go get some blood tests done this week and got the results within hours. Went in yesterday for pulmonary tests and got the results this morning.

Maybe there's a staff or equipment shortage at your lab. I know for certain there's a severe shortage of contrast and radium needed for MRIs and CT scans, but that only effects imaging/xray departments. I think contrast and radium are imported from China.
 
I have posted on this in the last few months..
I suffered the amputation of my right thumb due to lack of proper attention over a three year span ... referrals that were not referred resulting in late bookings ... one surgery that should never have happened and on and on until it was a state of emergency.....and of course old age played a big factor.

Ultimately seven doctors involved to get to final act starting with my family Doc of 22 years....
 

Mizmo said:
I have posted on this in the last few months..
I suffered the amputation of my right thumb due to lack of proper attention over a three year span ... referrals that were not referred resulting in late bookings ... one surgery that should never have happened and on and on until it was a state of emergency.....and of course old age played a big factor.

Ultimately seven doctors involved to get to final act starting with my family Doc of 22 years....
Click to expand...

very sorry about your experiences.
 
To be clear, I am looking directly for a solution to these problems and information about why they are occurring.


I could create a separate thread to discuss the medical horror shows we have experienced.

I am directly looking for information how to deal with this problem.

It involves direct medical problems that need to be resolved.
 
Mizmo said:
doesn't really matter...combination of covid excuses and staff shortages but emergencies are still emergencies and should be treated as such
Click to expand...

Oh, you are from Canada.

You live in an entirely different world.


I have Canadian friends. When I discuss health care in America, they look at us like we are barbarians. And frankly, that is probably right.


Down here, we literally kill folks, rather than surrender.

My friend was working with AIDS patients in NYC. His friend was getting such constant bureaucratic hassle, that he just gave up. Stopped taking his AIDS medication. Died within a few months.

And while things that extreme are not commonplace...they are not exactly rare either.


My wife's father, dying of brain cancer, was left on a gurney, in a hallway for 48 hours.

Endless stories, from many people.


Tell Trudeau to invade the US and take over. We would welcome it!
 
I was just waiting on a biopsy. Told me it would take a week. Two weeks went by, nothing. Called. Nothing. Called again, nothing.

Then they started getting annoyed with me.

I am trying to find out if I am going to live or die!!! And they are treated that concern like I am ordering shampoo or something.

Finally found out after three weeks and endlessly pressing them. No cancer.

Wife just encountered same thing. Not with biopsy, but with other very serious results.
 
Doctor told me to contact specialist hospital for necessary follow-up.

I did.

No response.

Three more calls, no response.

An email, no response.

Talked to doctor to have him contact hospital. Left doctor a message, no response.


Anyone have a clue what to do?????
 
All of the above has happened to me so Canada is not any better than U.S. in that respect.
I had to book myself in to emergency twice and that was after the cancer diagnosis.
They report back to any and all Doctors involved.
Oh and we do have to pay for ambulance and fire truck cost if breathing problems involved.

My sister in California has done the same thing in the case of her husband. Kidney problems. Did get some action

You might want to try that.

It did work for a friend of mine too. He fell and called an ambulance.
He finally got an MRI after months of waiting and now has date for hip replacement which he has since been told should have been done three years go!

Sadly, emergency visits seemed to get the ball rolling a bit faster.
 
When I fractured my ankle 9 months ago the surgery was cancelled 4 times because of lack of staff due to covid.
The bone was initially cracked, by the time of surgery, the up and down movement of the heavy plaster cast caused the bone - Medial Malleolus - to break away from the Tibia, requiring a plate and 4 screws.
 
Mizmo said:
All of the above has happened to me so Canada is not any better than U.S. in that respect.
I had to book myself in to emergency twice and that was after the cancer diagnosis.
They report back to any and all Doctors involved.
Oh and we do have to pay for ambulance and fire truck cost if breathing problems involved.

My sister in California has done the same thing in the case of her husband. Kidney problems. Did get some action

You might want to try that.

It did work for a friend of mine too. He fell and called an ambulance.
He finally got an MRI after months of waiting and now has date for hip replacement which he has since been told should have been done three years go!

Sadly, emergency visits seemed to get the ball rolling a bit faster.
Click to expand...

I have had endless, horrible experiences with Emergency Rooms. One time after my breathing collapsed they put me on a gurney, next to a patient with pneumonia...and left us there for hours. Either my problems could have killed him or his problems could have killed me.

And I don't mean that in the sense of hyperbole. I mean that literally. They easily could have caused my death.

I complained.

When I complained, they put a painful shunt in my arm...that had no medical purpose and left it in for 18 hours.
 
I have had a couple of slow downs during this time of Covid. The majority of it involved call backs for refills or a question. My GP's clinic did lose a lot of employees during the pandemic. I think it was the combination of fear and overwork.

I did have one major problem, diagnosis of a hip problem. Once the issue was identified, I got a hip replacement the following week in March of 21.

I think is a wide spread event within the healthcare industry. Healthcare workers were at the frontline of Covid. Many working double shifts with no relief in sight. I know I could have not handled the stress. I think it will take a while before the healthcare industry recovers.
 
Hubby has been delayed twice now for a specialized CT scan due to a lack of dye they use in the scan.

Since they are only doing the most urgent cases I suppose to look on the bright side he is not an emergency, so you wait.

My surgery, minor on my hand is scheduled for the 24th of this month. I expect it will not be cancelled as it will be done as an out patient, half hour, in and out the doc said.
 
No. In fact, I was surprised when twice over the past year, Quest Labs processed my full panel work up (blood & urine) and sent them to my doctor and my Quest page within 24 hours. Sometimes I have to wait a couple of weeks to see my PCP but not if it's something is really wrong. 99% of the time, I see him for routine visits and schedule those a few weeks in advance. I haven't had to deal with the emergency room for more than three and a half years (since my husband died), but according to which one a person goes to, the wait can be horrendous.
 
Lee said:
Hubby has been delayed twice now for a specialized CT scan due to a lack of dye they use in the scan.

Since they are only doing the most urgent cases I suppose to look on the bright side he is not an emergency, so you wait.

My surgery, minor on my hand is scheduled for the 24th of this month. I expect it will not be cancelled as it will be done as an out patient, half hour, in and out the doc said.
Click to expand...

My wife encountered that as well, a shortage of the dye itself...
 
Moonbeam52 said:
Well,well,well I am not the only one. Awaiting for a minor eye surgery for the last 3 years.
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3 years is a very long time. Might want to contact some agency for help with that.

Some of the major charities or even a conversation with your Congressman's office.

3 years sounds ludicrous and insane...
 
I've had no problems here in southern Massachusetts.
To say I've been having (or not having) medical difficulties doesn't mean much to readers if I don't identify my living area. Is my area of concern Idaho, Vermont, or Georgia?
 
Moonbeam52 said:
I do get in touch with the hospital, unfortunately due to back log no dates in sight.
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No dates, in sight, eh? Hmmm..sounds like you have been practicing your pun work, there...

I can't imagine that it is legal to delay something that long. Many states have a "patient bill of rights." And, I think they usually do include some timely manner to the care.

You really might want to contact a lawyer or an advocacy group.
 
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