plasva

This is interesting, because I had labwork done recently and then received a letter in the mail stating my strep test was negative... I also did not have a throat culture done. So I called the office, and they looked in my medical file. In my case, the correct tests were done, but the medical assistant filled out the wrong thing on my letter. (I guess they do a lot of strep throat cultures.)

In your case, it sounds like one possibility is your samples were labelled with someone else's name and theirs with yours. If that's the case, I'm surprised the doctor's office didn't notice the correct tests were not done for you. Another possibility is the correct tests were done, but the results were not filed properly. It sounds more like a labelling issue, though -- either labels were switched, or the correct labels were not printed in the first place?

If your doctor lost your paperwork, they can get another copy. All of the information is stored in the lab's computer system. You might have to keep fighting for copies of all of your records.

The best way to prevent problems is to ask to see all of your samples after they are drawn and labelled and make sure all of the tubes are labelled not only with your name but your correct birthdate and medical record number. Also, make sure the tests listed on the requisition are correct and a sample drawn for each (it's okay if more than one test is listed on one tube of blood.)

I realize it is a pain to make sure your tubes are labelled correctly, and it's not even possible to do if you're really sick, so this is obviously NOT your fault in any way.

Keep fighting for your real records. NOT handwritten copies where someone writes "strep throat culture negative" but copies of the lab results straight from the lab computer. (Sorry if that's what you already have.... there are different types of lab result reports, and they usually don't give you copies of the original.)

Good luck!