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Recording your doctor consultations

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 3/11/2018 5:40 AM (GMT 0)
Most of you probably do this, but for anyone who hasn’t, you should consider always recording the conversations with your doctors. Even when my wife is with me, we invariably hear “different” answers and instructions. I now have over a dozen 20-40-minute sessions recorded that we listen to a couple times each. Smartphones make this a breeze, and I’ve never had any of my docs object to recording the conversations. Just a thought that will help process all the many mountains of information that dominate our lives and treatment options and plans.
Posted 3/11/2018 6:26 AM (GMT 0)
That's great if you actually listen to the recording. My impression is that most of the time, people don't bother. I'm a fan of taking notes - it's easier to find data in notes than listening through long recordings. I would suggest that if you do record, transcribe it or condense it to notes on your computer when you get home. Don't discount non-verbal cues either.

I also like bringing someone along to take his/her own notes. Immediately after the meeting, debrief at a coffee shop, and compare notes.

It's not a bad idea to email a very brief thank you note to the doctor afterwards, recapping the key points of what was said and the next steps. This way you have agreement in writing. I treat it very much like business meetings I've had through my career. The business is my health.
Posted 3/11/2018 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
Tall Allen 's advice is good and useful. We especially need to keep in mind that for many of us it will take as long to listen to and transcribe the important points of a recording as it took to make the recording itself. Probably longer than the time it would take to tidy up handwritten notes.

Having a companion along either as sole notetaker, or as someone to compare notes with later, is also good.

I also like his suggestion about sending a thank-you note to the doctor, as I'm sure most doctors would be appreciative of such a gesture.

We had a similar discussion on the matter of taking notes and how to do it, with reference to a good article on the specifics of doing so, a while back:

/www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=3601014
Posted 3/11/2018 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
I understand the concept of a thank you note to Drs. With that said it almost feels like it's a part of the God Complex our society has towards doctors in general, or the Paternal model if medicine. I got an email today from Tire Choice, where I had my car serviced yesterday. It was a nice touch. Maybe the doctor should be sending us a thank you note.
But I understand the value of doing this from a practical standpoint.

Re recording, there are a number of reasonably priced transcription services that will convert recordings into the written word
Posted 3/11/2018 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
Steve55777...I saw in your chemo thread that you see Dr Lam at POS, as do I. When my wife and I first met with him he suggested I use my phone to record our session if I was interested. Being a techno-phobe I had no idea there was an app on my phone that did that so he just took my phone and did it for me.

Helpfully, I had two sets of notes to go with the recording. My wife was taking notes, but Dr Lam also would jot down what he felt were the most important parts on a one-pager.
Posted 3/11/2018 4:22 PM (GMT 0)
My Voice Recorder App on my phone has a "Bookmark" feature that lets you mark at time intervals for various topics being discussed at that time. During the debrief after the consult, I jot down those bookmarked times along side my wife's hand written notes. Best of both worlds.
Posted 3/11/2018 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
If you do desire an audio recording, be sure not to attempt to make it surreptitiously...it’s illegal to record a conversation without consent. Ask.
Posted 3/11/2018 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
" Trust but verify "...which reminds me of Potus Reagon as performed by the late and great Phill Hartman on SNL...remember...appearing as a doting old fool...mr nice guy in public...while actually being the crafty mastermind of every data point...any way...S55777 system probably works well for him which is why he posted it...the respondents systems do the same for them...ich mach nix...
Posted 3/11/2018 5:29 PM (GMT 0)

NKinney said...
If you do desire an audio recording, be sure not to attempt to make it surreptitiously...it’s illegal to record a conversation without consent. Ask.

Actually in most states (in the US) it's not illegal to record without consent a conversation to which you are a party. But even if it's legal to record the conversation surreptitiously it's a really bad idea to do so, and you should ask first.
Posted 3/11/2018 5:43 PM (GMT 0)

Froggy88 said...

NKinney said...
If you do desire an audio recording, be sure not to attempt to make it surreptitiously...it’s illegal to record a conversation without consent. Ask.

Actually in most states (in the US) it's not illegal to record without consent a conversation to which you are a party. But even if it's legal to record the conversation surreptitiously it's a really bad idea to do so, and you should ask first.

Thanks, Froggy...you are correct. I'm in a state which requires "all party consent." But you overriding point aligns with my final sentence above...it's a bad idea, and bad form, to attempt to do that in a state which only requires single consent. Ask.
Posted 3/11/2018 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
According to Dr. Google, "Eleven states require the consent of every party to a phone call or conversation in order to make the recording lawful. These "two-party consent" laws have been adopted in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington."

Even if legal, it's still obviously a good idea to get consent...can you imagine your doc's reaction to being surprised later if he/she found out they were recorded w/o their knowledge? Not someone I would want giving me a DRE!

Having said that, I've always relied on mine or my wife's or the doctor's notes but I can see why a full length verbatim might be helpful to some.

Jim
Posted 3/11/2018 11:22 PM (GMT 0)
I email my doctor a lot, best way to get answers without having to drive all the way to the office and it's self documenting.

When I had my first consult with my RO, I took in a written list of questions. The RO asked to see the list and the proceeded to write down the answers for me and cross referenced to the pathology report and a the other written information they gave me.

I'm one of those guys who'd never relisten to a recording like that.
Posted 3/12/2018 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
It is generally illegal for a third person not a party to a conversation to record a conversation between two people. In many states it is only necessary for one party to the conversation to record a conversation. Having said that, I find that the note taking process is somewhat tedious and often leads to important information left out and the note taker not absorbing the information that is being relayed. Consequently if one records and takes note then there are two pieces of information that could be referenced in the future.

There is a device that is available at most computer stores that allows you to take digital notes while recording the conversation. It is called Livescribe. There is even additional software that allows the information to be transcribed in typewritten format. It can even allow you to press on a part of a page and allows you to hear that portion of the conversation. I used it while working for a very large corporation and found it very helpful when too much information was being presented.
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