Info Desk [Paperwork, ordering, wait times, procedures, booklets, prescriptions...]

I need to get some blood work done and I have a referral for medical biochemistry. I was wondering if anyone knows where in a major city like Chicago I could go to get these specific tests completed?

Regarding the actual blood draw, I think I'll need to double-check if they can handle:
T3
T4
TSH
anti TPO
serum cortisol at both 8 AM and 4 PM
serum insulin
selenium
copper
zinc
biotin
B6
serum Vitamins A and D

I suppose there might be a chance that I go somewhere and they don't actually have the capacity to run all of these particular tests, which is why I'm trying to find the best place to go. And I guess I'm also wondering what one should do if that happens, since I only have this one single referral for everything on the list...

Give the hospital in Chicago a call and ask them.
They usually handle these hormone tests over in endocrinology—though it looks like they send the actual samples down to the lab (if I’m remembering right)... You might be able to get everything done under one roof, though... Just give the lab at the University of Chicago a ring and see what they say about it..

restlessangler said:Maybe give the endocrinology department at Mount Sinai a call and ask them.
I think these hormone tests are handled through endocrinology, though maybe some parts go through a lab instead. It might be easier to get everything done in one spot, so I guess you could just call the lab over at Mount Sinai and see what they say about it.

At Mount Sinai, they really only handle
TSH, anti-TPO, cortisol, and insulin.
And I believe you’ll have to wait until mid-June to actually do it—so, like, three months before you can get the blood work done.

fadeddriver19 said:They’re only running
TSH, anti-TPO, cortisol, and insulin.
Plus, I have to wait until mid-June—so about three months before I can actually get the bloodwork done.

Really? It seems a bit odd to me that they put all those tests on a single referral...

Does anyone happen to know if I need to make an appointment for the lab over at Mount Sinai? I need to get my ANA panel and thrombophilia factors checked out. I've been calling for a few days now, and I even sent over an email with a scanned copy of my referral, but... nothing. Just total radio silence on their end. 😁

Thanks 🙏

gentletiger73 said:Does anyone know if I actually need an appointment for the lab over at Mount Sinai? I need to get some blood work done—specifically ANA and thrombophilia factors. I've been calling for a few days now, sent an email with my scanned referral, and... nothing. Just radio silence. 😁

Thanks 🙏

They scheduled me for immunology tests once, but since I needed a specific time slot, they booked me out a month ahead... Honestly, try resending that email, and if you still don't hear back, just call the main hospital line at Mount Sinai. For a test where you'd be waiting four months at Mount Sinai, I managed to walk into Mount Sinai without an appointment at all...

Does anyone happen to know which hospital here in the States lets you get your sex hormone levels checked without needing a formal referral first? Thanks!

What’s the deal with hospital records... why can't you just find them online and print them out whenever? Too complicated for them?

My contact lens popped last week so I had to hit up the eye clinic for a new pair, figured I'd get an exam while I was at it. Naturally, I ended up in this whole debate with the doctor about my prescription—why it's what it is, when my last checkup was, my medical history... since I've been skipping my appointments lately. And honestly, the answer to basically everything was just...



I don't know, I don't know, I don't know...

Next time I'm at the hospital, am I supposed to just beg them to photocopy my entire life story or something?

If you have spent any time under the care of a hospital, it is absolutely essential that you secure your discharge summary, which should contain comprehensive descriptions of every diagnostic test performed during your stay along with copies of all the individual lab results and imaging reports.

Morgan Newman7 said:What’s the deal with hospital records... why can't you just find them online so any patient can print their own stuff? Is it just too complicated for them?

My contact lens popped out last week. Total disaster. Had to run to the eye doctor for a new pair, so I figured I'd get an exam while I was there. Naturally, I ended up in this endless debate with the doctor about my prescription—why it changed, when my last checkup was, my medical history, all that. I'll admit, I haven't been great about keeping up with my regular appointments lately. And honestly? Every single answer I got was basically...



I don't know, I don't know, I don't know...

So what, next time I'm at the clinic I have to beg them to photocopy my entire life story or something?

The thing is, hospitals don't really keep "files" lying around for you. You're supposed to get a summary of your visit detailing everything they did. That paperwork is meant to be kept and brought to every follow-up appointment, but let's be real—most people just lose it or forget it entirely.

Do I need to make an appointment for an ophthalmologist? Also, does anyone know what the wait times are looking like over in East Chicago?

gentletiger73 said:Does anyone know if I actually need to make an appointment for the lab over at the island clinic? I need to get my ANA levels and thrombophilia factors checked. I’ve been calling for a few days now, sent an email with a scanned referral attached, and... nothing. Just total silence. 😁

Thanks 🙏

You definitely need to book an appointment. I haven't done those specific tests myself, but I have scheduled others before—once I waited two whole months just to get five blood tests done all at once. Back then, I happened to be heading in for another checkup anyway, so I just walked in and booked it in person. But, honestly, I had this situation recently with a follow-up for a gastroenterologist where I tried emailing them... nothing. So I emailed their main headquarters, and they just gave me the runaround, saying they'd forwarded it to the local clinic and that I should wait for a response from them (even though I'd already contacted the clinic directly). After three weeks of hearing absolutely nothing, I ended up having to drive all the way into the city just to schedule it in person, and only then did I finally get a date. ☕

Brenda Ortiz10 said:I suppose you really have to book things yourself. I haven't done much digging into my own appointments, though I have helped others schedule theirs. One time, I waited two months just to get five different blood tests done all at once. At that point, since I was already out for an appointment, I decided to just handle my own scheduling right then and there. But, let me tell you about this follow-up I had with a gastroenterologist. I tried emailing them, nothing. So, I emailed the main corporate office, and they just gave me the runaround, saying they’d forwarded my request to the local clinic and that I should wait for them to reply—even though I’d already reached out to the clinic directly. After three weeks of total silence, I finally gave up and drove all the way into the city just to show up in person to demand an appointment, and only then did I actually get a date ☕
.

Thanks, Bradley Collins5. Honestly, I ended up going down there in person because I just couldn't sit around waiting on divine intervention any longer. Now I've run into another hurdle, though; my doctor at the Mayo Clinic basically turned me away when I asked about thrombophilia testing. I really don't fancy driving back and forth to hospitals just to talk to someone, so I guess I'll have to figure out a more efficient way to navigate this. 🤔

No worries at all, gentletiger73—and honestly, I don't know much about anything regarding thrombophilia. I really hope you can track down a specialist who knows their stuff, or maybe someone else here might have some insight already.

Hi there,
Can you buy antidepressants over the counter at a pharmacy without a prescription?

No.

I'm planning on heading abroad for college soon, and they've asked me to submit a "general medical report." From what I gather, this is basically an occupational health clearance for people moving overseas. Do I need to get a referral from my primary care doctor first? Also, since I'm over 18 and moving out of the country, will I have to pay out of pocket for this? I do have supplemental insurance, so I'm wondering about the logistics, where I should go, and what the damage might be to my wallet...

Thanks

So, I’ve been told I need to check in with hematology because my iron levels are bottoming out. Apparently, every hospital right now is booking out until May or later, though Rebora is still taking appointments for April. My doctor couldn't get me scheduled directly through the system, so instead, I just got a phone number to call. Now that I see there's an email option, I'm wondering—does it actually work if I just scan my referral and blood work over to them? If I call, they won't have my paperwork in front of them, whereas if I email, they can see the actual numbers immediately, which might make it easier for them to decide if I even need an appointment in the first place. Just a thought. 🤷

My doctor also mentioned that if I don't land an appointment within a week or two, I should head straight to the ER. Honestly, I'd rather avoid that if possible. Does anyone know where the hematology ER unit is located, and am I even allowed to show up there while I'm still fully conscious and lucid?

Look, there’s no such thing as "emergency hematology." There’s just the ER, which handles all actual medical emergencies. You can just scan your paperwork and referral and shoot an email over to the central scheduling office or directly to the hematology clinic's inbox. Check under the Department of Internal Medicine on their site. If you play your cards right, you should hear back with an appointment date in a day or two. Good luck.

Thanks. They really rattled me with that whole "emergency" thing, acting like I’m headed straight for an IV drip or something. It was a lot.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/hematology-oncology/overview/ovc-20385235

So, should I be sending this to the email address listed under Hematology at the outpatient clinic? (Sorry, I figured I shouldn't paste the actual email address here on the forum)