Medical people, why was there a massive children's star sticker on my medical file?

[FreeChurro]

I've been hibernating from posting on MN for a good while and just enjoying reading but I can't find answers anywhere so am turning to MN.

I have hospital appointments due to a condition but yesterday I noticed just inside the cover of my notes was a big gold smiley star on a red background just like the stickers I would give out in school but bigger. It was placed right in the centre and was quite obviously there for a reason. Now I'm worried that it means I'm some sort of difficult patient or a hypochondriac (both of which I actively try not to be).

I am aware of how silly this sounds and how mundane it is but it's really annoying me. It's also because the geeky side of me likes to know different systems of identification and recognition codes.

If I'm an annoying patient, I can take the criticism (I hope).

@FreeChurro I'm not a medical person but was just going to say that perhaps you're a really good patient and that you've got an A+ for effort!! Ask them next time you're there, and ask if you get a sweetie!

Because you were well behaved!

Are you or have you taken place in any research projects?

Taken part..

You're obviously a good girl

@PainterInPeril this would be the best case scenario, maybe next time I'll get a lolly
The well behaved comments are definitely making me feel better!

@imaginethemdragons not to my knowledge. I am on a medication that has been about a while but they are trying it for a different reason, namely to stave off surgeries, which they said was a new-ish area of research. Could that be it? (love the name by the way)

Not a medical type but my maternity notes were plastered in stickers.

Consultant led. Several issues. None standard pathway.

The stickers were basically to indicate the issues.

So at a guess the sticker is a warning to staff to read the notes properly.

I don't think anyone would be able to tell you as there isn't an international sticker meaning protocol, it would all be individual to each department.

You're right though, they often have meanings: falls risk, diabetic, allergies, etc.

It's unlikely it means anything horrible or anything that they wouldn't tell you. Stuff like this gets scrutinised nowadays and we'd be in trouble. You want to see some notes from the 70s, full of acronyms meaning really derogatory things. I come across old clinic letters now and again and it makes me cringe!

You haven’t sued have you? That usually makes for colourful notes.

Thanks @AvantGardening and @justchecking1 wow, I dread to think what could have been in notes from then! Though that is a relief that because of that it might not be anything bad! I feel so petty being concerned with it but it does interest me all the symbols and acronyms!

@Fluffycloudland77 I'm nowhere near the Richard Branson scale of behaviour, thankfully, but would love to read the notes of those who have sued and see how individuals who have act when they're on the wards.

@FreeChurro In addition, if it had any negative connotation, I don't think it would be a smiley star. Personally, I think we need more stickers in the world....

I would reckon it’s either to highlight something important or that there is another patient with same name. I am a medical secretary and often patients who have same name and attend same clinic have a stocker which we all recognise and know to double check it’s the correct notes

@FreeChurro are you assuming individuals who have sued would have negative behaviour? My dsil looked into suing due to an awful experience she had. Her behaviour has always been impeccable

We don’t have paper notes anymore, all “alerts” are online where the patient can’t see them.

Usual ones are: allergies, previous violence against HCP, complaint patient, vulnerable, additional needs etc etc. We can’t free hand so it’s not open to opinions!

Oh @Ramenallday, that's interesting about online alerts and makes a lot of sense.

Thanks @MrsSugar my surname is really common where I live and my condition isn't very common so a few different things.

@Foxhasbigsocks not at all, what leads you to believe that? I was wondering what it is like on the ward for an individual who needs to sue or has sued previously and how things may differ in either case. I also know an individual who sued due to a brain surgery that went wrong; it doesn't stop me wondering how it changes things.

Patient with same/ similar name and dob would be my best guess. You'd be amazed how often that happens and causes probs

I would really hope staff would be professional

@Foxhasbigsocks

I would really hope staff would be professional

It’s not to do with being professional or not, it’s usually to signify something of importance so that it stands out immediately to get the HCP’s attention rather than it being missed amongst notes.

My file has a big green ALERT sticker on it.

I have a purple dot on my file due to fertility issues and previous losses.

What, no NFN any more?

@user1471462428 I'm so sorry for your losses but thank you for sharing.

@VeniVidiWeeWee I had to look that up and it's given me a good laugh

I highly doubt it would signify hypochondria or anything negative about you. That would be very bad for them to do and if it came out they had a secret code on patients' paperwork for identifying difficult patients or something along those lines, then I'd imagine staff involved would face consequences. Not saying it's completely outside the realm of possibility, but it would be bottom of the list of possibilities, I think other posters have made some good suggestions. I think it could just be highlighting something of importance. Why don't you ask them about it and see what they say? Hopefully they'd be transparent about it.

It'll be something like admin have asked them to check some details. Or the case notes have been audited. Probably something very boring.

I'm guessing your file has been sampled for and passed an audit. Which is an amazing use of these stickers and I wish I'd thought to use them for files in my office rather than boring audit sheets.