Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Gee, why didn't I think of that?

Joe: "Local Hospital computer help, this is Joe."

Dr. Grumpy: "Hi, I went to read an EEG, and the reading room is, um, gone. I mean, completely vanished, and they're building an orthopedic supply closet where it used to be."

Joe: "Is this a problem?"

Dr. Grumpy: "Well, yeah. A lot depends on my ability to read EEG's on the hospital patients. If I don't have the results, then I can't make treatment decisions."

Joe: "Look, we spent a lot of time setting things up so you guys can read EEG's from home, WHICH YOU ASKED FOR, so why can't you just drive home, read them, then come back and round?"

20 comments:

Mama D said...

Just...wow.

arzt4empfaenger said...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

d.o.wife said...

Well duh.....*eyeroll*.....

Anonymous said...

The brains vs the bones, fighting it out for space....

How could they get to the point of construction/removing equipment etc without notifying neurology?

Grumpy, M.D. said...

I'm sure they did try tell us. Likely with a note on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying "Beware of The Leopard".

Packer said...

Seems like about as good a workable solution that I have seen in these modern times. In fact I think it is the only workable solution I have heard in the last 4 years for anything. Deal with it.

Ms. Donna said...

So you neuro folks don't like leopards?

>snicker<

Just askin'

Don said...

IT Guy here. One of my first true "IT Jobs" was at a bank. My job, I worked for the business side as a liason with the IT side. I had some business management classes in college (not a lot, but more than most IT people) so I could act as an interpreter for both sides.

In organizations of all sizes, people talk past each other all the time. Occassionally, they don't have all the information they need to make a good decision.

Conversations probably went something like this

Doctors "Hey IT, why can't you make it so we can read EEGs and other tests from home so we don't have to come into the hospital so often"

IT "Hey that sounds like a terrific project, we will get that done"

Two years later

Facilities Manager "We really need to do a remodel and are looking for some extra floor space, hey IT what is this reading room that just has a couple computers in it? It doesn't appear to be used very often"

IT "Oh, that room. Before we finished that project so neurologists could read their EEGs from home or office, they used to all come to the hospital to read their tests. Project finished a couple months ago, so it probably doesn't get used much anymore. The neurologists are happy they don't have to come here anymore to read their tests. That room probably isn't used anymore."

Facilities Manager - "Great, we will put that space to a better use now."

Notice in this conversation, the Facilities Manager said "It doesn't appear to be used anymore". IT person, excited about their new high tech project said "it probably isn't used anymore" But neither person actually talked to the Doctors about how/when it is used.

My question is all a wordy hypothetical, but it probably happened in a manner very similar to this.

Anonymous said...

This is probably the same type of guy who thinks he should get his medical care for $5.

Anonymous said...

The hospital redid the prodedure room (pacemaker insertion room) next to the ICU. Someone decided that all of that monitoring and fluoro equipment wasn't "homey" enough, so they wallpapered one wall. Bad enough, given what can happen in there, but it was the wall with the suction and O2 in little cabinets with doors that were flush to the wall. That's right - they papered over the doors! Patient not doing well. Nurse scratching at the wall looking for the suction ... "It used to be here somewhere ..." Tricia

stacey said...

Just one more example of how the folks who work in HEALTH IT, do not get the difference between health care and other fields that require computers... The life/death thing....The patient care thing...

Another typical thing for them to do... Turn off things off(network drops,workstations/rooms/applications) off until someone calls support screaming that they need it, just to find out who was using it in the first place because they apparently do not know how to write a simple list. The typical answer... "well we didn't see much traffic so we figured it wasn't being used". I mention to them that the crash cart needs to be accessible, fully charged, plugged in, etc... 100% of the time even if it's not used often either...We don't just throw it in storage due to "low traffic". They don't usually get it. Most Desktop/IT types are:
Socially maladjusted, virgin, boys, more comfortable with video game interaction than human, comic book collecting, dungeon and dragon playing,ITHINKRUSHISTHEGREATESTROCKBANDEVER,still living with their parents at age 30, dweebs with little awareness of the real world.

Anonymous said...

Stacey - sort of reminds you of Nick Burns, company computer guy right? :)

stacey said...

Yes,Nick Burns, and sadly, many mass murderers... Not being political, just observing the stereotype...

stacey said...

To be fair...sometimes there are docs like this:

http://southgeek.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-mouse-and-keyboard.html

brent said...

So just download an app to your Ipad or smart phone and read them from anywhere.

Whelk Lad! said...

But what about the people who were living in the EEG reading room?

Aeris said...

I'm just commenting to note my appreciation of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy reference in one of Dr Grumpy's responses here.

Anonymous said...

Read EEGs on a smart phone?

Brent must work in health care IT.

Anonymous said...

+1 bonus point for the HHGTTG-reference.

LOL@anon9:14.

The sad part is: I'm afraid that Joe was serious the whole time... Pay peanuts.....

Anonymous said...

Reading your blog really scares me. What little faith I have in dr.'s went down the tube. Nice to know how you people feel.

 
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