cowgirl718199
Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Missouri
I help take care of an elderly gentleman. He has been hospitalized 3 times in the past 2 years for low sodium. About a week ago, I asked his primary care doctor to run two tests, one for sodium levels and one to check if his thyroid medicine was working effectively. The doctor refused citing insurance as a reason. Problem is insurance isnt a factor to the doctor as the lab tests are done through an outside lab. The doctor wanted to wait two weeks to see him. Yesterday, we switched doctors and the other doctor picked up on a symptom that the first doctor had repeatedly missed and sent him to the er where he again was admitted into the icu for the same symptoms that admitted him 2 other times. My question is does a doctor have the right to refuse to run tests that are medically necessary based on patient history and if not what should be the next steps taken. Happy with the new doctor but feel like the old doctor is going to actually kill someone someday.
I help take care of an elderly gentleman. He has been hospitalized 3 times in the past 2 years for low sodium. About a week ago, I asked his primary care doctor to run two tests, one for sodium levels and one to check if his thyroid medicine was working effectively. The doctor refused citing insurance as a reason. Problem is insurance isnt a factor to the doctor as the lab tests are done through an outside lab. The doctor wanted to wait two weeks to see him. Yesterday, we switched doctors and the other doctor picked up on a symptom that the first doctor had repeatedly missed and sent him to the er where he again was admitted into the icu for the same symptoms that admitted him 2 other times. My question is does a doctor have the right to refuse to run tests that are medically necessary based on patient history and if not what should be the next steps taken. Happy with the new doctor but feel like the old doctor is going to actually kill someone someday.