conserve

Maybe a doctor, healthcare administrator or insurance person can anwer this: with all of the advanced information systems available in 2003, why does the provider/insurer system in the US have such a paper-focused, outdated, ineffective method of retrieving, transferring, and updating patient information?

When I get my oil changed, Jiffy Lube has all of my info. still in their computer. All I have to do is RFC (review for changes)!

When I see a referred doctor, they make me fill out a sheet filled with personal, general and health history questions - every time! And, they ask all of the same questions which I already answered to the PCP (primary car physician) in the firts place! Why can't the doctor and medical services offices share at least 'basic' information? I ask the doctor and he says it's because the insurance companies 'make' them do it to trace paperwork.

The morning my wife and I went to the hospital to deliver our fristborn, they had a huge form to fill out. You guessed it - all of the exact same info. we had been filling out for the doctor and hospital for tha last 9 months - even our names and address! Can't they just print out all of the info. thay know - and have us RFC?!!!

Can someone let me know whay this process has to be so cumbersome?! If I had to do this for any other service, I would switch suppliers! No wonder costs are skyrocketing and premiums are expanding!!!

Very Frustrated!!!