Everyone makes mistakes. This is part of being human. Patients can routinely make mistakes or omit details when they visit the doctor. Doctors can also make mistakes when they enter information into medical records. There are a lot of people who are involved in the process of creating an accurate medical record. There are patient technicians to enter vital signs into the record. There are nurses who collect information and pass it on to the doctors. There are multiple doctors involved ranging from surgeons to anesthesiologists, radiologists, and even primary care physicians who are involved in creating an accurate depiction of what a patient is going through. Unfortunately, because there are so many cooks in the kitchen, errors can happen along the way. Therefore, it is important for you to make sure that your medical record is accurate.
Why Is Accurate Information in the Medical Record Important?
There are numerous reasons why it is important for everyone to make sure that their medical records are accurate. First of all, it is possible that other doctors are going to use information that was written by other medical health professionals to make decisions regarding your treatment plan. You want them to make sure they have accurate details when they are formulating for treatment strategy. Second, if you are ever involved in a legal issue involving an injury or an illness, a lot of the case is going to be based on your medical records. Therefore, it is important for you to make sure that this information is as accurate as possible.
How Can I Correct my Medical Record?
If you spot errors in your medical record, then you need to make sure that you correct them appropriately. Even though you might be tempted to make these corrections yourself, this is not how it should be done. These corrections are only going to be seen as true and valid if they are corrected by medical professionals. Therefore, you need to reach out to the medical provider who wrote the statements in the first place. Then, you should ask them to change or amend your medical record. Be sure that you explain to them why this is important. That way, you can make sure the information in your medical record is accurate.
