Should Doctors Know What Being Digitally Penetrated Means?

Question

I went to Planned Parenthood to get treated for an STD stemming from a sexual assault. My exact explanation I gave the clinician was "He digitally penetrated me after masturbating. About one month later, I started noticing small red bumps around my vaginal area."

I just received my medical chart and they have in quotations "He fingered me and I got lumps."

Why did the clinician feel the need to change "digitally penetrated" to "fingered." Shouldn't they not mind using professional terminology if the patient uses it?

They did that frequently throughout my file. I would give statements about my health using medical terminology and they always "dumbed" it down to slang terminology.

Am I just too Type A? I just don't like PP quoting me making statements I never made.

Answer 1

First of all, I would complain to whoever thier boss is.  When you quote a patient in their chart, you're supposed to QUOTE them, not change their quotes around.  That is very unprofessional, if not illegal.  If you don't get anywhere with their boss, talk to someone at your state's department of health & human services (who govern them state-wide).

Secondly, you have the right to amend your chart.  They legally don't have to CHANGE it, but you have the right to write up an addendum or statement, saying that you were mis-quoted (and anything else you disagree with).  You should have received a HIPPA statement when you started going there. If you didn't, or don't still have it, request another one.  This will tell you exactly who to contact & how to revise your information.

I hope this helps, good luck!

Answer 2

I think it's very obnoxious of them to change it, and unprofessional. You should go speak to either the head doctor, or the doctor who changed the wording. Explain that you find the language they are using offensive and degrading, and that you would prefer them to put to use the language that their $100,000+ education bought them.  

Answer 3

If they wrote it as a quote, when in fact it wasn't quoted, you have a right to be upset.  If a legal case is involved, where your statements could matter, it is seriously wrong, an a complaint should be filed.

Answer 4

It was improper to use his crude words in quotations.  If you are intelligent and educated enough to use the proper medical terms , the doctor should be as well.  It is now part of your permanent medical record as being your words.

Now, we "dumb down" our explanations to patients a lot.  We try to determine ahead of time just how much to simplify, but people object to using fancy words.  We do not "dumb down " the history, and your PP should be taken to task for it.  Just tell him how disappointed you are in him that he would change the history you gave him.   Have him write a note in the chart that "fingered" was his terminology, not yours.

Now the most important part- be careful who you play with.  Nothing wrong with saying "NO".