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

Hey everyone, I find myself in a bit of a situation.
I went to see an orthopedic specialist regarding a knee injury—it happened during some squats. I have this swelling, almost like a protrusion just above the knee when I bend it, near the VMO muscle. There’s significant pain during squats, and even a general, tender ache during everyday activities. I requested an MRI for the knee; I saw my primary care physician, and they scheduled it for early October. But then, just this morning, I noticed my orthopedist noted a diagnosis of S833 on my chart. I looked it up online, and apparently, it refers to a recent meniscus tear.
So, is this his working theory? If that’s the case, why didn't he advise me to request an urgent MRI, or why didn't my primary doctor mark the referral as an emergency?...
If that truly is what's going on (God forbid), who knows what kind of damage could be done over the next month or so...
Do you think it's possible to appeal to my primary care physician and ask them to perhaps change the referral to an urgent one?

Regarding Bepanthen ointment, every time I search online, all I see is Bepanthen baby ointment—is that actually the same thing? I haven't really gone looking for this specific ointment before, so
I’m assuming that the standard Bepanthen ointment and the cream share the same formula? It seems like the "baby" version is just marketed specifically for diaper rash, but the ingredients should be identical, right?





Is there an actual difference between Bepanthen baby ointment and regular Bepanthen ointment, or are they essentially one and the same? I'll probably double-check at the local CVS, but since I don't need it immediately—probably in about a week—
I figured I'd ask here first. Thanks! 😉

I honestly wouldn't mind if it was the baby version, though sometimes those products for infants have a slightly milder formula, and I can't seem to find the regular Bepanthen ointment anywhere. Personally, I much prefer the ointment
over the cream; in my experience, ointments have always been more effective and provide much better, longer-lasting protection.

https://www.bepanthen.com/products/It only shows the baby line... but it’s probably the same stuff, otherwise they'd likely list other ointment options given how extensive their product range is.

What a massive disappointment at Holy Spirit... I’m not sure when things went downhill, but it’s clearly a recent development because it certainly wasn't like this before. Regarding the lab... under this "new" system, you have to wait forever at the information desk just to even get a turn at the service window. You take a number from the machine and then sit there like an idiot for maybe two hours waiting for your turn at the counter, only to finally get registered and then head down to the basement to wait all over again for bloodwork.

I arrived this morning around 8:30, thinking since it was almost the end of the rush, it wouldn't be too crowded. Not a chance. My number was 136, and there were 90 people ahead of me??? Since I had no idea what that number actually meant, I thought it was for the lab and headed downstairs to wait there. It wasn't until about 20 minutes after they called about ten people that I realized—I had to go back upstairs to wait for the registration window. The woman next to me, who was only about 20 numbers ahead of mine, had already been waiting for an hour and a half, and the screen still showed 30 numbers to go before mine. In the end, I just left; I can't justify waiting two hours, even if I didn't have a little baby at home or a deadline to meet. The system is a total DISASTER!!!! And they supposedly take patients from 7 to 9... Well, it's past 9 now, and a crowd of people hasn't even made it to the counter yet. I don't know if it's always like this, but I am definitely not going back upstairs.

I sent an email to Vineyard since they handle the scheduling; they don't accept walk-ins for bloodwork without an appointment. Honestly, I'd rather wait a few days for a scheduled slot than spend hours stuck in this chaos.

Hey everyone, I’m thinking about getting some thrombophilia testing done on my own initiative. Should I be asking my primary care doctor or a gynecologist about this? Also, is this something I can get done through the local clinic, or would they have to send me over to a hospital...

I need some advice because I’m honestly not sure if I’m even in the right place to ask this.

So, I need to get some blood work done for an elective cosmetic procedure at a private clinic, but my primary care doctor is being a total pain and refusing to give me a referral for the lab unless I already have existing test results signed and stamped by a physician.

Is she actually allowed to pull this? Who do I even complain to about this nonsense? I don't have any prior results to show her! How can she just block my right to get basic lab tests done?

Look, I’ll admit it—I’m a bit of a hypochondriac. If it were up to me, I’d be getting these panels done every single year just for the peace of mind of knowing everything is running smoothly. But since I don't have some "baseline" medical history to point to, she’s basically telling me I’m stuck in a loop where I can’t get the tests because I haven't had them yet. It's ridiculous. 🤦 👎

I would suggest reaching out to the Legal Department via their PDF inquiry form. You will likely receive a much more specific answer there.

From what I have heard, you are entitled to one complete blood count (CBC) per year through a referral issued by the AMA (regardless of whether there is a specific medical indication for the test). Apparently, you just need to state that you want to ensure everything is functioning properly. It should be roughly equivalent to how you are entitled to dental cleanings twice a year at your local dentist...

wanderingbadger0 said:Maybe hit up the legal sub on Reddit instead. You’ll probably get some actual useful info there.

I heard you can actually get a full CBC once a year through a referral from your primary doctor, regardless of whether you’re even feeling sick or anything. Like, you just tell them you want a general check-up to make sure everything is running smoothly. It should be pretty much the same deal as how you’re entitled to a dental cleaning twice a year at the dentist.

Honestly, that makes total sense to me; I don't see why we wouldn't have that right.

The folks at the clinic are telling me they've never had a case where a doctor refused to write a lab referral without prior symptoms—they claim just saying what you need is enough and they'll document it, but I told them I didn't need that headache since I already checked prices with a private clinic earlier. And look, I pay for supplemental insurance... I'm not about to end up paying out of pocket for stuff because these people... well, I won't be rude, but you know how it is.

Hey everyone, does anyone know if there's a massive waitlist for shoulder ultrasounds through the hospital system rather than going private? I’m asking because if a specialist refers me, I really need to get this checked out—X-rays just don't show tendon inflammation at all.
I've been dealing with a sports injury after years of pushing myself through some pretty intense training sessions.

Check the waiting list

Hi there! Does anyone happen to know which hospital in Washington, D.C. offers the Quantiferon blood test? My doctor suggested I check with the CDC facility on Mirogoj, but their website claims they don't perform that specific test there... according to the CDC site, the location on Rockefeller only handles stool samples... any help would be appreciated. 🤔

If you want to get things done at the CDC over on Rockefeller, just give them a call at 4863236 and set up a time for your blood work.

analogsailor9 said:If you want to get it done at the CDC under the Rockefeller umbrella, just call 4863236 and set up an appointment for your blood work.

Great... the doctor told me I didn't even need a referral, and I'm heading to Washington, D.C. tomorrow... thanks a lot!

Way back in the day—like, a long time ago—I ended up on some antibiotics because I sliced my hand up. Is there any way I can actually track down which specific ones they were? I was thinking maybe a pharmacy might have it on file and could just tell me? I’m pretty sure my doctor has the records, but honestly, trying to get any information out of her is such an uphill battle... it's just not worth the headache.

So I just noticed this health portal exists, and it says:

You can log in here to the Patient Health Portal, which is an integrated part of the e-Government portal. This portal is part of the CEZIH system and is designed for patients to review their own medical information.

Right now, I can't even get logged in—I guess I'll need to set up one of those official login methods they offer—but does anyone know if the info I'm looking for is actually in there? Specifically, I'm trying to track down which antibiotics I was prescribed over 10 years ago.

Hey, I’ve got an abdominal ultrasound scheduled for two months from now. Can I try booking at a different hospital, or is my referral already locked in with the first place I went to?

Also, how do you even check the wait times? These waiting lists are pretty confusing to me.

Or if anyone has a good recommendation for somewhere private.

Austin King28 said:Hey. I’ve been scheduled for an abdominal ultrasound in two months. Can I try booking at a different hospital, or is my referral stuck with the one where I already made the appointment?

How am I even supposed to figure out the wait times? These waiting lists make zero sense to me.

Or just suggest a good private clinic.

Private options include Agram Hospital or the America Clinic—there's also a spot on Vukovar Street if you're in Washington, D.C.
You can book elsewhere too. Just grab the earliest available slot and cancel the other one.

Hey there, quick question—can you just pick up Arcoxia tablets on your own, or is a specialist referral strictly required?

Never mind, I just got them from the general practitioner today.

Honestly, Holy Spirit is a total mess of a hospital.
I spoke with a very frustrated woman on the phone—I was just trying to find an email address or a direct line for the outpatient clinic to ask a quick question—and she told me they don't work like that; they don't handle inquiries via email or phone.
Instead, she suggested I email the main central office so they can print it out and physically carry it over to the clinic. 😂
It’s the 21st century, yet at Holy Spirit, the central office still prints emails just to run them around the building.🙏 🙏
To make matters worse, there isn't even a digital system to check their ongoing tests, so you have to send an email, wait for them to print it, and then wait for someone to walk it over to you.🙏
They even told me they couldn't email my blood test results; I actually had to show up in person to pick them up.

The absolute peak of this inefficiency—on top of printing and hand-delivering emails—is how they handle scheduling follow-up appointments for the day clinic. They sent me to a different outpatient unit than the one I actually visit, claiming the nurse there handles the scheduling for both.
But when I got there, the lady told me there were no openings.
She said I should try calling back in a week or two.
The problem is, getting anyone on the line is nearly impossible.
So now, if they don't call me back, I'll have to drive down there in person just to get an appointment scheduled.🙏 🙏

Brenda Alvarez24 said:So, Holy Spirit is a total joke of a hospital.

Some incredibly irate woman just yelled at me over the phone. I was just trying to find an email address or a direct line for the outpatient clinic to ask a question—apparently, they don't work like that. No email, no phone.

I’m supposed to send an email to the main switchboard, and then they print it out and physically carry it over to the clinic.

Eee, welcome to the 21st century. At Holy Spirit, they print emails at the central desk and run them around the hospital like it's the 1800s.🙏 🙏

On top of that, there’s no digital record of the tests they perform. So, just send an email, wait for them to print it, and watch them walk it across the hall.🙏

They even told me they couldn't email blood test results; I have to show up in person to pick them up.

The absolute highlight—besides the printing and running errands—is their "system" for booking follow-up appointments for the day clinic. They redirect me to a different clinic entirely, claiming a nurse there handles their scheduling too...

But when I get there, that lady tells me there are no openings.

She says I should call back in a week or two.

Good luck actually getting anyone on the line.

And if they don't call me back, I'm expected to just show up in person to book the appointment.🙏 🙏

I just send an email to the main office, attach the medical history and all the data they need, and eventually, I get an appointment.