Letters to Doctors

[athomemom56]

I am a Home visit nurse, in and out usually in less than an hour. My patients medications are constantly changing or being discontinued. Its so different when you do visits.

When I get a new patient or when my current one gets med changes, I usually find out from "my patient". I don't want to just take their word for the med, dosage, etc. AND, you wouldn't believe the amount of time spent calling the clinic, trying to reach the MD's nurse and then he/she returns my call and I am with another patient and cannot talk, and this can go on for quite a while. Now imagine this happening with tons of patients.....you see where I'm going, right?

Anyway, I am trying to create a letter, something really simple, that I can fax to the clinic requesting this info. Something like this:

11/20/08

From: My Name, LPN, ABC Nursing Services

To: Dr. Doolittle

Re: Mary PatientDOB:

Medication Clarification

Dear Dr. Doolittle:

Please make corrections as needed. I have included a copy of Mary Patient's med list that we currently use. If you have any questions, please contact me at 999-888-7777.

Medication: Furosemide: You list the dosage as 20mg, our list says 40mg.

Response:

Medication: Avapro. We have this listed as discontinued. The med list you sent us does not list it as d/c'd.

Response:

What do you guys think? I am open to suggestions.

I would REALLY appreciate any help I can get. This would help eliminate some of those phone calls, and less error, because the clinic would have something visual to look at and fax back to me.

Thanks,

Barbra

[dolphn545]

If you're working for an agency doing private duty, doesn't your agency have any forms that the patient takes to the MD to have filled out at that time? (my agency does and when I know my client is going to the doctor, any doctor, I remind them to take a form from the book with them so I can review it during my next visit.

[athomemom56]

The problem is patients go to the doctors office often, and occassionally they are hospitalized. When this happens, I don't always get an updated med list from them. The patient will come home with new meds and prescriptions or will say my doctor told me not to take this anymore. I feel I need more than the patients word, esp the elderly etc. So instead of calling the doctor and going back and forth playing phone tag, I can form a letter to request med changes, additions, clarification re existing meds etc. fax it to the doc and they can fax it back and then I have something in writing.

Barbra