Do Doctors Talk to Each Other?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Is there a way to get my specialist and my primary to talk to each other?  Would I have to pay each of them something for their time?  I need a coordinated effort and even though they do see each other's notes, it doesn't seem to be enough to come up with a plan.  Neither one of them has the whole picture without the expertise of the other.  Or perhaps there is a way to ask them to write notes to each other in my file?  (Brainstorming here. . . )

[Forget-Me-Not]

Did your primary refer you to your specialist or ask him/her to consult?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Did your primary refer you to your specialist or ask him/her to consult?

Sort of yes and sort of no.  I went to my original primary who treated me as best he could but then said I needed to go to a specialist.  I mentioned this specialist who I've gone to before and he said, definitely go to him.  So I did.  Then I changed primary physicians.  My new primary knows the history of what the original primary and specialist have done and knows and supports the fact that I'm still going to the specialist.  Clear as mud?  

[Flowing Brook]

My experience is anytime a primary refers someone to a specialist the specialist sends a copy of the visit to the primary.  I know the other day my mom went to a specialist.  The specialist was able to look mom up on the computer and see the lab results from a dr mom saw five years ago.

[Happy]

I have a hard time getting my primary and my oncologist to communicate. Failings on both sides. Me getting politely upset with office staff from both offices helped. Sort of.

 

Good luck.

[Mrs Mungo]

Hm. My son sees two specialists, and they do talk to each other. However, neither of them really talks to the PCM. I convey stuff to the PCM and he can see their notes in the computer (same hospital system).

[bettyandbob]

If you haven't done this already, you have to give them written permission. Each doctor probably has his/her own forms for you to sign. Along with that you need to give permission so that they will send things like lab results to one another. In some doctor offices the form that gives permission to talk to each other also has space that identifies lab results, etc to be shared. Then, you have to remind them at each visit to send XYZ to Dr. A. 

 

Between me and my dc there is one specialist who will dictate in my present exactly what is being sent out to a list of other doctors. At other offices, it seems more hit and miss. 

[cjzimmer1]

On a few occasions I have had them talk to each other (because each side told me so) but it has never been from any request I had made.  Sometimes It had been the new doctor calling a previous one to get a better understanding of the condition other times it has been the primary doctor initiating and then following up with the specialist but every time it has been the doctor's initiative to reach out to the other doctor to make sure I (or my kids) were getting the best care possible. 

 

With the electronic charts, notes and messages are passed back and forth pretty regularly but sometimes phone calls are better.  If you really think speaking to each other would improve your care, you could certainly ask one to call the other.

[LostSurprise]

Usually primary and specialists see themselves as being different spheres of influence. A primary needs information on what a specialist is doing so they can make better decisions on general care. Rarely do specialists expect the input of a GP on their specialties. 

 

Is there is some element of your past care that the specialist is just not getting? Does the GP have special information or skills that would bring something to the table? If so, you'll probably have to convince the specialist that there is some positive to including the GP in a conference. 

 

I have had specialists coordinate, not with the GP though. They usually come in together. Sometimes one will phone conference in.  You do pay for the time for each of them.