Why Was I Misquoted by My Health Care Professional?

Question

I go to Planned Parenthood to treat an STD that I was infected with from a sexual assault. I was forisbly digitally penetrated. I explained the sexual assault in more detail as followers: "I was sexually assaulted when a man put his finger into my v****a."

However, I looked at my the copy of my file I requested and the clinician wrote "He fingered me in"

Also, at my next appointment I said to the clinician (a new one this time) "I had severe pain from Endometriosis the past three days"

She wrote "It feels like cramps"

I am just trying to understand why these clinicians misquote me. Is it becuase they are lazy and write down whatever skewed interpretation they may have?

I was also thinking that perhaps they purposely try to make me look ignorant and uneducated to further their supposed purpose. Planned Parenthood employees often argue that the women that use their services are desperately in need and they would not otherwise receive any care. Do they want to make their patients look ignorant, unedcuated, and low SES so they feel they are helping those that could never help themselves?

I am extremely irritated that they made me look so ignorant, attaching a vulgar term in my file. Also, "fingered" makes it sound consentual. I am sure a defense attorney would latch onto that misquotation to aid in his/her client's defense.

Why do you think they did it? I want to know why. Should I just come right out and ask them?

Answer 1

Some words of advice don't over post under 4 different accounts. When I search the key word planned parenthood I get a lot of the EXACT verbatim questions posted with in seconds from each other under 4 different accounts. I do not know if you have some thing against PP or what your issue is posting the same questions over and over under all these accounts BUT for the past month I keep seeing your same questions.

Also by you posting these repeat questions you are burring legitimate questions. From people who are real and concerned

Answer 2

YES, they were lazy and stupid. A patient's health care record is a LEGAL document, and if at all possible the health care PROFESSIONAL, should use professional terms and put the patient's words in quotes.

I would bring it to someone elses attention--higher up, then ask for a correction. If they refuse tell them a lawyer will contact them.

If you are prosecuting the assault, talk to your lawyer first, let them speak with them.

You have a right to be VERY angry, I'm angry for you.

I disagree with the poster below. Her records can be called into court, and when someone is assaulted, the health care provider needs to keep in mind that this might be seen legally.

I always quote my patient's, when applicable. When I worked on an Ortho-neuro unit for 19 years (a specialty that is sued a lot) the surgeons used to tell me, "Susan" Your notes, keep me out of court!

The last sentence from the poster below, tells me that the woman who was assualted is now being assualted again, by him.

Dear M.D., diagnosing over the internet may not be strickly illegal, but it is unethical. You diagnose someone from a few very short paragraphs? Please tell me you are not here in NYC, because that would constitute a health crisis for my city.

Lazy charting often leads to lazy care!

Kitty Lover: What to seem to not understand is this--when a person is asaulted, sexually or otherwise without support they become distraught and anxious, looking for answers. IF, and that is IF she is multiple posting that is certainly a sign of her fragile emotional state--a normal reaction. She needs support, not lambasting. Four separate posts are hardly limiting others, since there are probably millions of posts here. Not sure how you came up with that idea, please loosen that cap.  Not sure if you are a nurse or not, an avatar wih a white cap does not say much, but to purposely come here just to put someone down or "out" is poor judgement on your part and not part of the oath that you took. Shame on you.

Answer 3

I don't know why the clinician used such unprofessional language to describe what happened to you.  All I know is they seldom quote patients.  They interpret and write it out in their own words.  I've seen my file.  It's all written in "medical language".

Try not to take it too personally.  The clinician could have been immature or inexperienced.  Chances are, when a doctor sees how she's worded it, she will be asked to use more professional language in the future.

If you're able to maintain your composure despite your anger (which is justified), then you should definitely speak up about it.

Answer 4

i think ur being a little harsh.. honestly why does it matter if its pretty much the same thing as what u said?

u do have something that feels like cramps and u did get fingered..

just because they reword it doesnt mean anything ur not getting a bad diagnosis are u? all that matters is that ur getting the right medication for ur needs.

Answer 5

Actually, what a physician writes in his/her notes is strictly confidential. Therefore, it cannot be construed as libel or slanderous in any way. No-one is reviewing your chart except that practitioner and those whom you approve. There would be no case in a court of law.

Secondly, in the first case, what they wrote is far shorter than what you said, but the medical point is the same: fingers were in the v****a. A Doctor is not there to make character judgements and is primarilly concerned whith what happend to you physically. Therefore, writing "fingers were inserted without consent" is medically unessicary.

Tird, was endometriosis your own diagnosis? If it was then it would be irresponsible for a physician to place that in a chart, assuming that you are not a practitioner yourself. If it "felt" like endometriosis then placing cramps in the chart was warranted because it is a primary symptom.

It seems like you're dealing with an unfortunate self-image issue that you cant expect anyone but a phsycologist to respond to effectively.  

Answer 6

Why on earth do you think people on the internet can tell you what was going through these physicians' heads?