fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2073 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2073 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

__________________________________________________

02.

[MCR/Killjoys]

__________________________________________________

03.

__________________________________________________

04.

[Stephen Merchant]

__________________________________________________

05.

[Mobile Suit Gundam]

__________________________________________________

06.

__________________________________________________

07.

__________________________________________________

08.

[Lord of the Rings]

__________________________________________________

09.

[Eureka]

__________________________________________________

10.

__________________________________________________

11.

[Zeta Gundam]

__________________________________________________

12.

__________________________________________________

13.

[Game of Thrones]

__________________________________________________

14.

[Hannibal Lecter]

__________________________________________________

15.

__________________________________________________

16.

__________________________________________________

17.

__________________________________________________

Notes:

Important: I'm really sorry about this, but I accidentally misclicked and deleted the submission post from last week instead of saving it. Managed to save the first page (25) of secrets, but the rest (about 100 or so) are gone.

If you submitted something last week (Aug 26-Sept 1), please resubmit it here.

The submissions post for next week is below as usual.

Secrets Left to Post: ?? pages, ??? secrets from Secret Submission Post #296.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I got this call on my answering machine from the hospital I belong to (? It's where my insurance plan sends me) asking me to please call them back as soon as possible. That's it. I didn't have an appointment or anything coming up that I needed to confirm, and while I called back and was on hold for ten freaking scary minutes I got through basically every horrified thought possible -- the pee sample I gave my doctor last time (that had already been confirmed as fine) was retested for some reason and says I have a horrible disease! My daily medication is contaminated with something else! I'm no longer covered by my father's insurance plan!

When they finally picked up they said it was time for me to have a pap smear. I barely managed not to be extremely rude with my response (it wasn't my doctor's office calling, it was like this branch of the hospital that calls people whose names get highlighted on a list of procedures they're in the age group for.) Seriously, how hard was it to add, "this concerns a medical procedure that you're due for" on the answering machine, or if even that was considered not private enough, how about adding, "it's nothing to be worried about at all"? I mean, does anyone expect a random phone call from the hospital (when you're not expecting test results or the like) to be good news?

Yeah that sounds really random. When I receive reminders it's usually through the mail or e-mail, which always has the information of what they're reminding me about in the letter.

I would speak with them about it, perhaps it's something new they're trying out and for whatever reason didn't realize how scary a phone call from a hospital can be.

Are you in the US? I've noticed stuff like this ever since HIPAA went in. Unless you've given them explicit permission, medical people just won't say anything in VM beyond the minimum for you to return the call.

If you work somewhere where regulations and laws require you to be mindful of "customer" confidentiality, then even revealing that someone undertook a medical prodedure or filed a form or visited your office could been seen as a disclosure violation. So, one can say "This is so and so calling from a place. Please call us back," but can not add any information that could unintentionally inform a third party about your activities.

I'm sorry you were worried, but the vagueness is to protect your privacy.

ETA: Oh, and I don't know why they would have called you instead of sending a letter. Maybe those are their procedures? Maybe they had to have answer in a certain timeframe and couldn't wait for a correspondence response?

Edited 2012-09-06 01:12 (UTC)

My hospital has done that too. Multiple times. They have also sent me mail about it.

They keep trying to get me to test for chlamydia. I am a virgin. You see the problem here? They never believe me when I say I'm a virgin so I've given up talking to them.

I'm a virgin too but I took the test for them anyway (though I did protest) because apparently my insurance company insists that someone my age is more likely to have it than not. It's just peeing in a cup and leaving it at your doctor's office.

Yeah, I know it's peeing in a cup. I just- it's the principle of the matter. My insurance doesn't care one way or another and my family thinks it's hilarious so whatever. At least I get a joke in the mail every so often.

They can't have my pee until I say they can have my pee!

From a public health point of view, it makes sense to screen everyone in the group, even if they say they aren't at risk (because people lie to save face, or are mistaken). From a personal point of view, if you understand all the risk factors and can make an informed decision, I feel no qualms explaining that I have no intention of being screened because the negatives (uncomfortable, inconvenient, risk of worrying false positive and even unnecessary treatment) outweigh the very small risk of a benefit in my personal case.

When I explain this to my doctor or nurse, they agree that in my case the risk is basically non-existent, but tell me that they can't actually take me off the list. So the bit in the letters that says "if you have decided not to be screened, please make an appointment to explain this to your doctor so we can take you off our list" is basically a lie. The doctors have no power to do so, and tell me just to ignore the letters. And, again, I understand why, and this stuff (unlike the stuff I actually need) is a sexy priority target that carries extra funding.

Doesn't stop it being annoying.

Ah, same story here. I have talked to my doctors multiple times about it. There really is nothing they can do and I do understand why.

So I laugh and throw things away.

My gyn doctor hit on a great way to remind me I'm due for a pap... when I went in for my last visit, they had me self-address an envelope on their stationery. A year later, guess what? A letter comes in the mail reminding me I'm due! This was the perfect way to remind me without freaking me out. But still, whoa... yeah, a random mysterious message asking you to call back right away??? So uncool.

I get why they wanted to be confidential but yeah they probably could've found a better way to go about it. Normally when my doctors leave messages they just say "calling you for a reminder" or something. If I got a call like that I'd be scared that someone in my family had gotten into a car crash or something.

Being on the other end, I kind get why they didn't go into detail. I work at a doctor's office, and because of HIPAA I'm always paranoid about how much information to leave on a patient's voicemail in case someone other than the intended recipient hears it.

It's not too often that I need to call someone out of the blue (usually I'm returning a call from them, and I'll just say that I'm returning their call if I get voicemail) but when I do I usually say something along the lines of "Hi, this is ________ from Dr. _______'s office, and there's something I need to discuss with you. It's nothing to worry about, but please give me a call back when you can."

So I get why they weren't more specific, but it's not necessary to scare someone. You can let them know it's not something they need to freak out over without going into confidential details.

[ SECRET POST #2073 ]

Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant

Re: Little Rant