Question for hospital staff about accessing patient files

[DigbyIsNotADog]

I’m just curious really, to see if anyone knows the answer.

I’m a cancer patient and have been for several years.

On my hospital account I can see who has accessed my files (just the job description and department, eg “Doctor, Oncology” or “Admin, Surgery” etc.)

Generally I’ve been pretty upbeat about the whole cancer thing but a few weeks ago I had a wobble and called my case manager in tears, desperate for support. She told me that she would refer me for help. I think she said it might take a while because they’re busy and understaffed.

Since that time I haven’t heard a peep (fair enough) but when I log in to my hospital account I can see that staff in the medical psychology and psychiatry department are accessing my files regularly. As in, several times a day. Psychologists, doctors, nurses, admin staff, students. I think 3 today and 4 yesterday, just as an example (they did stop for Easter).

I’m so curious as to why! I don’t have a complex history in that area (mental health)so it’s not like there’s anything to read up on. And surely they’re not so badly organised that they have to keep opening my file and saying, oh her, no we still can’t fit her in.

What on earth are they all doing?

I’m not expecting an exciting answer but I’m mystified as to what a sensible explanation might be. Do you know, based on your own work?

Maybe there's been a meeting to assess your needs and all relevant practitioners have accessed your records in order to prioritise clinical need?

I doubt it - for one thing what they know about my needs is what I’ve written above, for another I’ve seen no report on any meeting, and above all there have been more people from psych checking my files on a daily basis than from anywhere else throughout the course of my cancer treatment! I’d love to hear from anyone who works in a hospital to know what on earth might be going on. (Also, why so many admin staff? Nobody’s contacted me.)

It may be something very simple like they are waiting for a written referral from your current clinical team and are logging in regularly to see if it's been done yet or that they've asked a specific question of your team so they can work out who's best to help you and are waiting for the answer. HTH.

Hello OP.
I work in a hospital specifically the cancer unit so not the same area as you describe however this reads very much like tracking to me which is what I do.

Once the referral was made several different departments will be involved in order to track your referral and ensure that it's being dealt with as per their guidelines. Reports will be made daily on each referrals progress by different departments. The reports won't be added to your file as they are not about you or your health but are the trusts way of monitoring timescales, correct referral process, delays and so on.

The Dr's will also access your file to check if there has been any further referrals or incidents which will trigger an escalation or a discussion at their MDTs in relation to what would be the next step.
They will also access your file if there has been a cancellation and they will triage new referrals in relation to urgency/need to give the cancellation to. There will be 100s of patients on their "books" and with the greatest will in the world they cannot remember the full details of every off my heart plus they will always need to check they are reviewing the correct person.

I may be off the mark completely but that's what fits with who you describe as accessing your info.

I was just going to say that some of it will be tracking.

I worked in a hospital clinic a while ago and when a referral came in we would do a search to see if we held any records then we would request the records. When the records arrived we would log them so the system shows we have them. We would then process them for filing within our department which would involve checking the clinic lists to see if there is an appointment yet, which case they'd go in the ducket for that particular clinic, or not in which case they'd go into the hold ducket. Once an appointment is set then the notes are prepped - referral letters are printed and put in the file along with any relevant reports, additional records may need to be requested from other places if they're relevant (e.g., records from another trust), pathway forms will be put in, blank sheets for notes, and so on. If we needed to liaise with other departments we would ring them. Each and every time the file of notes is taken out to be worked by a member of staff or moved from one area of the clinic to another, it needs to be logged so that their whereabouts are accounted for.

The multiple accesses you're seeing with be related to this. For example, staff member takes out the clinic list for 15th May and logs out all of the records, processes some then logs them back into storage while she goes for lunch, comes back and logs them out again then logs them back in when she finishes work. The next day the consultant wants to view the notes so they're logged out by the clinic and put it on the secretary trolley, the secretary then logs them into her office and logs them out when she's done with them, clinic then logs them back into their possession. It's all just paper trail.

Yes it’s tracking …

how are you able to access this level of notes?