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

I need to see a hematologist, so I was wondering which hospital in Chicago I should go to and what the wait times are looking like right now. Thanks.

Lisa Turner46 said:I need to see a hematologist, so I was wondering which hospital in Chicago I should go to and how long the wait is. Thanks.

Go to Rebro or Mercury.

I’m asking from San Francisco because this specifically concerns the hospital here. I really need someone to get back to me quickly. 😢 I am 16 weeks pregnant and my gynecologist gave me two referrals: one for a primary care lab and another for a blood draw (transfusion medicine). They told me I don't need an appointment for the lab, but I already scheduled the transfusion medicine part via email for tomorrow morning. Since I’ve only been living in San Francisco for three years, I haven't had to get blood work done or anything like that here, so I'm honestly lost. Do I go to the same place for both of these referrals? And since I'm pregnant, should I head over to the OBGYN department first, or does that not matter? Pleaseeeeee help!!😕

Sarah Garcia84 said:I heard from some old lady in the waiting room that you can only get three referrals per year per patient. Is that actually true?

That’s total nonsense. I’ve never heard of that and I’m pretty sure it’s fake news. I mean, my gynecologist gives me two referrals every single month—one for an exam and one for an ultrasound.

Sarah Garcia84 said:I heard from an old lady in the waiting room that you can only get three referrals per year per patient. Is that actually true?

No. They probably just told her that because she didn't meet the medical criteria for any referrals in the first place.

They have certain restrictions on issuing referrals, but it’s not based on an individual patient—it’s calculated on a monthly basis. Basically, they have a monthly cap, and if they go over it, they face penalties or some kind of fine. That’s why everyone is being so stingy with those referrals.

Thanks for the response. Since I've been dealing with some heart issues, my doctor gave me a referral for a cardiologist, and it's marked for a specialist consultation. Does anyone know exactly what that entails? Is it just an EKG and an echocardiogram...

Sarah Garcia84 said:Thanks for getting back to me. Since I've been dealing with some heart issues lately, my doctor gave me a referral for a cardiologist. It’s marked specifically for a specialist consultation, but does anyone actually know what that entails? Is it just an EKG and an echocardiogram, or is there more to it?

It's just the consultation. You have to request an EKG separately, and a TTE is a whole different thing altogether.

So, here is the situation: I have an unused referral sitting right here for a dermatology appointment.
The issue is that the referral has already expired because of the specific date listed on it.

I’ve actually been scheduled for an appointment this coming Monday (to keep it brief—I honestly had no idea they would find an opening for me so quickly!), but I simply won't be able to make it to my primary doctor's office in time to get the referral extended.

I remember one time when I ran into this exact problem and just asked my doctor to help me out; she literally took out a bottle of WHITE-OUT, scribbled over the date on the referral, and told me, "There, now it doesn't have a date anymore!"

So, I am dying to know what you all think—should I try a little trick like that myself? I am currently based in Chicago, but my doctor is practicing over in Karlovac, so it really wouldn't be worth the trek just to have him turn me away because of some correction fluid. 😢

Thanks so much for any advice!

Olivia Robinson7 said:So, here's the deal: I've got this unused referral sitting right here on my desk for a dermatology appointment.
My referral expired because it had an expiration date on it. Seriously? What is even the point of issuing one if it just becomes useless paper after a certain amount of time? It’s incredibly frustrating.

I’ve been scheduled for an appointment this coming Monday—and before you ask, no, I didn't expect it to happen this fast, so don't even start with the "why didn't you know" comments—but there's a massive problem. I haven't been able to get a hold of my doctor to get my referral renewed in time. Now what?

I remember this one time I went in there and practically begged them to extend it. And what does she do? She literally takes out a piece of WHITE-OUT, scribbles right over the date on my referral, and looks me dead in the eye and says, "There. Now it doesn't have a date..." Unbelievable.

So, now I’m sitting here wondering—what do you all think? Should I just go ahead and pull the trigger on this? I’m based in Chicago, but my doctor is over in Karlovac, so honestly, it doesn't make any sense for me to trek all that way just to have him shut me down because of some corrector issues. It feels like a total waste of time. 😢

Thanks for the reply!

That’s just standard practice when you're working with a corrector—you just have to go back in and hit it with the stamp again.

They just white it out, then slap on a stamp and a signature. Honestly, the best move is to play dumb if they ask—just act like you didn't notice it had expired, especially if we're only talking about a few days. 🙂

Sarah Garcia84 said:thanks for the reply. Since I've been having some heart issues, my doctor gave me a referral for a cardiologist, and it specifies a specialist exam. Does anyone know what that actually involves? Is it just an EKG and an echocardiogram?

An echo definitely isn't included, and for the EKG, it really depends on where you go. (Are you in Chicago?) If you hit up the Heart Clinic over on Drašković, they'll probably do the EKG right then and there before scheduling your actual appointment with the cardiologist—though if the EKG looks fine, you might be waiting a bit. At the exam, the doctor will take your history, listen to your heart with a stethoscope, probably check your blood pressure, chat about your symptoms, and figure out the next steps. If they decide you need an echo, you'll likely have to come back in with a new referral.

At Medikol, it's pretty much the same deal—they'll do the EKG and the exam just like I described above.

copperraven53 said:(Are you from Chicago?)

No, I went to the general hospital in San Diego. Regardless, the referral just specifies an initial consultation. I'll be waiting a long time anyway, so it doesn't really matter... thanks

Can anyone tell me if there's anywhere in Los Angeles County where I can get an MRI done?
If not, then Chicago is probably my closest bet—so I was also wondering
what the typical prices look like for an MRI scan?
See, I don't have any supplemental insurance right now, so I'm debating whether it makes sense to start
paying into a supplemental plan, especially since it looks like I might need some scans soon
regarding my lower back—specifically my cervical spine—which could involve an MRI...
and from what I've heard, those aren't exactly cheap to get through out of pocket...

Thanks.

Olivia Robinson7 said:My referral actually expired because the date was off.

So now I'm wondering—what do you guys think? Should I try to pull the same move? I'm based in Chicago and my doctor is all the way out in Karlovac, so it's honestly not worth the trip just to have him turn me away because the paperwork needs a correction. 😢

!

Every time a date gets corrected, the clinic has to stamp it with a new official seal.

There are a few ways this could go down. One possibility is they just reject it outright and tell you to go get a brand-new referral.
The second is they accept you, but then you end up having to hunt down a new referral anyway.
Third, they might not even notice. If you get lucky and Medicare doesn't catch it either, you're in the clear.
But the fourth option? The hospital eventually sends you a massive bill because Medicare refused to cover it due to the invalid referral.

Greetings. I've been hearing rumors that the student doctors near the mosque in Chicago have relocated. Is there any truth to that—and if so, where exactly have they moved to? Thanks.

Sent from my iPhone using Twitter

Everyone has moved to their own specific location, so not everyone is in the same 🙂
. It’s written right on your doorstep...

Sandra Brooks91 said:Everyone moved to their own specific location—so no, not everyone is in the same spot. 🙂
It’s right there on the door...

Alright, thanks. Now I just have to figure out my doctor's name... 😁 😁 I haven't been there very long, and they seem to swap doctors out every few visits.... 😁

maky3685 Asks:
Alright, thanks. Now I just need to figure out my doctor's name... 😁 😁 It’s been a while since I’ve popped in here, and I think my profile settings have changed a few times since I was last around... 😁

It’s actually pretty straightforward. Just give your local Medicare office a call. If you check your insurance card, you can find your member ID number, and once you give them that, they’ll be able to tell you exactly which doctor you're currently registered with. You can even ask them for the clinic's phone number and address while you have them on the line.

Check out this page from the Medicare website regarding their updated drug lists and coverage guidelines: http://www.medicare.gov/drug-coverage-info

I'm assuming this topic belongs here, though I wasn't quite sure where else to put it...
So, my mom is currently in the hospital. Her hearing isn't great, so whenever my dad and I come by during visiting hours, the medical staff keeps ushering us back out.
From what I understand, family members are supposed to have the right to be present during visits, but I'm not entirely certain, so I didn't want to make a scene or say anything prematurely. Does anyone know if we actually have that right?