Am I being unreasonable?
 

As most of you know we lost our Dexter (11) to an illness in July. Well, when he was at the vet they did some tests, sonograms, etc. In one of the sonograms I immediately saw his little face and a few days after he died I contacted the vet to get that picture, but she never called me back. So, my husband called earlier this week and spoke with our vet about getting that for us and she won't give it to us. Don't get me wrong, we love her, she was very supportive with Dexter, etc....however, I feel like that is OURS and they have no need for it. He will not be back for treatment, we aren't in any legal situation with them (he was sick and they did all they could for him), we made the decision based on his quality of life to have him put to sleep.

As I told my husband, there were numerous sonogram pictures and I want just that one. I was really mad and hurt to know that they say we can't have that one picture. They will file that until their time frame has expired and then they will either send it to archives or destroy it. I have thought of writing a letter to her, I can't call or I may come across as a real b__tch if she tells me the same thing.

Am I being unreasonable? I don't actually "need" the picture but I would love to have it.

Merry Christmas to you and yours and may 2007 be the best year ever,

They might be afraid your persuing some sort of law-suit??

Other than that I don't see why you cant have the picture. I would ask them why, and if it is because they think your going to use it as some sort of evidence, maybe offer to sign something saying your not. Also, ask what there policies are on these sort of things, and was there anything you signed when the sonogram was done saying you couldn't have the picture?

Thanks Rae Rae -- I don't think they are thinking we are filing suit, but anything is possible this day and time. We love our vet - she cared for Dexter and has always done an excellent job.

She was standing there when I said "oh that looks like his cute little face when he was younger" and she even agreed.

She did tell my husband that right after his death their computer system crashed and they lost everything and "that is the only copy we have" - well, there were at least 6 pics of sonograms all taken at the same time. I only want that one.

Thanks for the help - I will ask their policies and see what happens. I work in an ER and we can put patients scans on CD to take with them. So, maybe since their computer crash they can't and they don't feel like they can give me the original.....but they will never need it again.

Thanks again,

Copies should be able to be made. (I used to work in X-ray). Even if she could sign out the sonogram for you to borrow it, then maybe you could take it to your work and have the X-ray department copy it for you. I do know that when I was in X-ray, the doctors rarely would give patients the original copies, and kept the originals for themselves. Also, they would usually charge for the copies. If the patients did need them to go to another doctor, they would either get copies, or sign them out to return.

They only have the printed copies - their computer crashed, dumping anything that could have been put on a disk.

Thanks for your replies - I truly appreciate the suggestions,

since hes passed they dont need it anymore
if you were to switch vets they would have to give you all the files they belong to you
i would go there in person and ask her nicely

I work in the medical field - and am constantly giving patients copies of their records.

But - this is interesting because it's the only copy they have.

I have copied sonograms (ultrasounds) on the copy machine many times. They don't come out as good as the original - but they are fairly decent and are better than nothing.

It's true (with people) that legally we need to keep their records for a certain number of years (even if they have died). At my office, we keep paper records for 10 years before we destroy them. And, different types of records have to be kept for different periods of time. We have to keep children's records (regardless of their age) until they reach the age of 21. And - it's possible that we may not have seen them for 20 years.

******* If getting a copy of this study is very very important to you - I would make arrangements for it to be copied. And to get a decent copy, you might have to have it done by someone with a "state of the art" copy machine that can do it.

I doubt that a vet's office would have as good a copy machine as we have in our medical practice.

But ask the vet's office about getting a copy. I can understand their being required to keep the original.

Stop by Kinko's sometime and ask them if they could make a decent copy for you....(if they know what an ultrasound looks like). You could even call a radiology office and explain your situation - and ask how a decent copy might be made.....since there is only one original...and it's a hard copy.

I don't think you're being unreasonable wanting a copy of this exam - but, I do think you are going to have to find a way that they can keep their original and you can get a copy of it.


Good luck - Carol Jean

PS: A sonogram, an echo, and an ultrasound are all the same exam. These are just different names for the same study.

I'm wondering if they are legally bound to keep it. I agree with having a copy made.

I think they are definitely worried about a lawsuit. And I can understand why. There are lawyers out there who will make a case on just about anything. In any kind of medicine, people or animal, decisions are made by Doctors that may end up being second-guessed by someone else after the fact. Lawsuits, even those with no basis, cost Doctors and vets time, money and they hurt their practice. So they may end up settling the suit, and their already sky insurance goes up even more. Of course there are many suits that need to be brought, when mistakes or negligence happens.
If you are really satisfied with your vet care, and only want the pictures of your dog's face, could those part of the films be copied for you, and the technical parts kept at the vets?
By the way, my sympathies on losing your pet. I know from experience you never forget having to have a loved friend put out of their misery.

Thanks for the replies.

I do understand anyone suing anybody for anything. I am retired law enforcement and my husband is a criminal investigator. So we know it first hand. However, that is not our intention but we do understand they don't know that for sure.

I will see if we can get a good copy or else I will just let it go.....I don't have to have it, just wanted it.

There were more than the 1 ultrasound picture, but only one looked like his little face in it. So my whole thing is that they still have the other 5-6 even if they give me that one.

Oh well, just feeling a little empty, emotional or whatever.

Thanks again for all your support,

I really doubt they are worried about a law suit. As I said in a previous post, medical office (and vet offices too) are required to keep medical records and tests for a certain period of time.

As far as a law suit goes (which I doubt they are worried about) -- even if this were the case, medical offices routinely release medical records with little or no hesitation. You can't imagine how many times I copy charts to go to lawyers office's. The reason most of our patients are using lawyers is to fight DSHS - Social Security, etc. to get benefits and/or disability payments. BUT - we never know why they want them....we just charge the law offices for the copies and send them on their way....

Again - YES - medical and vet offices have to keep medical records for specified periods of time. And, the vet's office being discussed here needs to keep the one hard copy of the sonographic images they have ---because that is all they have. BUT - again, perhaps some sort of arrangements could be made to have their records copied.

****** It's somewhat funny - because not only is everyone in this country suing everyone else - but everyone is suspecting everyone of suing everyone else.

I can't tell you how many times people here say to "Sue so and so - or I would sue so and so....." This is an unfortunate state of affairs. Because, even I know more often than not most of the things that people here are eager to sue about -- wouldn't even make it to court. But, believe me, lawyers just love people that want to sue other people.... that's how they make their living....

Again - I don't think the vet office being discussed here is worried about being sued at all. I'm sure they have no reason to be... They are required, however, to keep copies of all their medical records. So a copy is what is needed - if that can be arranged.

Good luck - Carol Jean