Sometimes, doing a consultation can be very frustrating. I saw a patient who had been infertile for many years, and had done 2 IVF cycles in other clinics. When I asked her for a copy of her test results, she said - "The doctor told me they were all normal. " This is not very helpful - after all, the eye only sees what the mind knows, and it's important that you have copies of the test results ( the actual values !) when you seek a second opinion - otherwise, how can your doctor help you intelligently ?
When I asked her for details of her IVF cycle, she said, " I don't have them - the clinic does not provide them. " Of course the clinic does not provide them - why should they ? They are quite happy to keep you in darkness, so you keep on coming back to them ! However, remember that your medical records are your property and that you have a legal right over them. No one can refuse to give you copies of your records. If you don't get your own records, the fault is yours, so there's no point in blaming the clinic or the doctor ! If the doctor or the clinic makes you feel guilty when you ask for a copy of the records, this is their shortcoming - not yours. A knowledgeable patient should know exactly what's happening to him !
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