medical records

[peaceful nurse, RN]

I need to brainstorm ... I work for Early Head start and frequently request doctors to either fill out a certain physical form and /or fax it to head start.. with most places using Electronic records.. there has got to be an easier way. The only exception is that Ohio for center based children in daycare requires a very specific form... However again there has got to be an easier way than faxing- rewriting-and refaxing. Early Head Start would like to have every physical that child goes ( or as many as that child goes to).

[MHDNURSE]

Most of our local pediatrician's offices give the parents a copy of the most recent physical and immunizations at the end of the visit. The parents submit that form to me and I make a copy for my records. Not sure of any other way, unfortunately.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i get it - for out sports physicals we require a very specific packet created by the state. When the parents gripe about it, I simply explain this to the parents and tell them that if it were up to me, i'd simply require a 1 sided sheet of check boxes. They usually just comply after that.

I would not get involved in the faxing re-writing though - I oblige the parents. You want your child to attend or in my case participate, you cough up the completed form by X date.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I agree that this should be in the parents' lap. They are responsible for getting all the information taken care of . . . which can be a challenge. But if they want their child to play sports, they must do it.

That is an incentive for most parents.

[peaceful nurse, RN]

oh trust me I try to put in the parents lap... that is where I prefer it to be ... but i never get anything... unfortunately it Head Start and there are no repercussions.. for some the child misses days of school till they get it in .. but that doesn't even phase them .. I get so frustrated.. sorry

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Oh the jobs that would be lost and the money saved with national standardized forms. Imagine the utopia if every insurance company used the same forms as Medicaid. But I digress, without repercussions, there is really no follow through to getting satisfaction.

[verdeacres]

And that is why I always tell myself, I get off at 3...I get off at 3...

[KKEGS, MSN, RN]

For immunizations I call the clinic and they fax it to me. The only other forms I request are the ones associated with IEP stuff -- usually a verification of medical diagnosis. Those are specific forms that must be filled out by the diagnosing physican or clinic.

Any other information I might need (doctor's notes so we can excuse an absence or excuse a student from gym class, medication orders, etc.) are the parent's responsibility. I don't go out of my way to get those except in extreme circumstances.

Yesterday I had a parent give me a phone number for a physical therapist and told me that I could call them to get the exercises her daughter (who is 13 years old!) is supposed to do during gym class. Uh NO! I am not your personal assistant! You call them and get a copy and give them to your child who is old enough to keep track of her own exercises!