So we're in the process of switching doctors and DH has had to constantly pester our old dr. because they kept not faxing Ginger's vaccination records to him and her first appt. with the new dr. is tomorrow. This afternoon when he called them again, he spoke with the office manager who told him that the last time we had Ginger in, they think they gave her the wrong shot. We have both our kids on a selective delayed vaccination schedule; she was supposed to get the Hib and IPV, but what they think they gave her was the Hib and DTaP. The doctor wrote down the correct shots on the shot order, but what happened after that is anyone's guess. The nurse is saying that she gave the DTaP and not the Hib, but she's going by her memory and I don't know how she can remember one shot from nearly two months ago. DH and I both remember him asking the nurse right before she gave the shots if they were the correct ones; when he inquired about one of them, (we can't remember which), she said, "Oh no, I have the wrong one," and left and returned with a different one.
Basically it comes down to no one knowing for sure what she got, which is royally ticking me off. Not only about Ginger getting something we didn't want her to have in combination with another shot, but now we don't know which one she got, and so we don't know which one to give her next---we run the risk of either duplicating one vaccination (or both) or unintentionally skipping the first dose of the other. The doctor and his staff don't seem at all overly concerned about this, but I'm so angry that they can't even keep basic records about what they're putting into my child. I feel like I should do something, but what? We've already written them recently about their ridiculous wait times and to inform them that we're leaving the practice; is there someone we can file a complaint with?
You could report them to the state licensing board.
And yikes. That's just....not good.
Posted by: gabby | September 13, 2005 at 06:44 PM
Oh man, that is maddening. :(
Posted by: Lisa | September 13, 2005 at 10:13 PM
Holy crap, you have every right to be distraught. This mistake has the potential to have "lawsuit" written all over it. I second the motion to report the pediatrician to the state medical board. Behavior such as this by medical professionals is effing inane.
Posted by: Alex | September 13, 2005 at 10:38 PM
I'm not exactly sure your reasons for delayed vax but since you're already on this path, have you considered completely non-vaxing? The entire vax industry is insane and questionable and I don't believe healthy families need them. In fact, I can't think of one issue that is vax "preventable" that can't be treated safely and naturally...and that is IF you get the doggone thing in the first place.
The key is focusing on strenghtening the immune system, not knocking it down with artificial immunizations. A strong immune system can handle the things we are 'preventing' through vax.
By the way....plagues (from the days of yore) always followed famine. Therefore, lack of nutrition is what killed people, not the disease being too strong. The immune systems were just too weak because there wasn't enough healthy food!
Focus on HEALTHCARE not SICKCARE (which is what the doctors are all about).
Anyway, it's something to consider.
By the way:
I found your blog through SingBlueSilver.blogspot.com and am really glad i did!
Blessings....
Posted by: Stacy | September 14, 2005 at 01:35 AM
You can also ask your health insurance company who the independent board is to report them. I considered doing this with a health provider, too. You let the board know so that they may consider not providing insurance coverage service with your provider.
How maddening. In this day and age of technology and information, it baffles me that the most expensive and regulated industry out there is constantly screwing up.
Posted by: Joanna | September 14, 2005 at 08:27 AM
Philosophical concerns aside, on a purely practical level I have this question: Is Stacy unaware that school systems won't permit a child w/o his/her vaccinations?
Posted by: Kim | October 14, 2005 at 05:12 AM