Home Care Discharge Summary Form. Home Care Discharge Summary Form: Fill & Download for Free

Three years ago, a doctor put a stethoscope on my heart and said “you have a murmur.” It was a few days before a major surgery so they sent me to cardiology for an echo. The result was undetermined because the technician failed to get a clear picture of the heart. None of this particularly bothered me; I had a murmur at birth that I grew out of by age 12. Heart problems are rampant in the family, yet we (especially the women) survive to a normal lifespan (80–90). I went through with the surgery without incident.Two months later I returned to my home, far from the hospital, and saw my PCP for followup. I told him the hospital found a murmur, and referenced the family history of good outcomes with annual monitoring and sometimes beta blockers. My doctor listened and said he didn’t hear a murmur. Knowing that hearing the murmur may have been random chance, the stress of surgery, or a mistake, I thought little more of it as I focused on recovery from the surgery.For the next three years, I told the various dentists, ER docs, surgeons and nurses that I had no heart problems. Never checked the box on the form(s). Meanwhile, I saw my PCP about every three months or so. Each time, he’d ask to listen to my heart. I’d say, “sure, you hear anything? “No, there is no murmur.” Okey dokey.Last year I was discharged from a hospital and received the usual handful of educational materials and a discharge summary. I read the summary and it had no surprises. Then I lost it. So, I contacted my PCP and asked for a copy. He sent it.That discharge summary was quite different than mine. The doctor’s copy included information about the tricuspid regurgitation from a valve problem. This matters because heart damage, specifically, the tricuspid regurgitation, can be a result of another disease process I’m being tested for. I would never have known to disclose this pertinent info to the specialist if I hadn’t seen the doctor’s copy of the discharge summary.Moral of the story: Doctors keep two files—one is the truth in their professional judgment, while the Patient Copy is the bs they feed patients to get them out the door.In a recent discharge (don’t ask . . .) another doctor I’ve never met before was giving me a once over before I left. After she listened to the heart, I asked if she heard a murmur. She said yes, and I asked why she didn’t tell me. She said “We often don’t tell patients about conditions we can’t fix.”So, this seems to be a well-established policy. A lie about your heart condition is cool if that doctor can’t fix it. This can’t be ethically defensible, in my opinion, yet the last doctor was so open about it that it must be common among the medical profession.Edit#2 UPDATE—Last year I had stroke-like symptoms while sitting next to an RN in front of 50 other people. I lost consciousness and was carried out to a hospital where symptoms were recounted by witnesses. I spent 5 days in the hospital, which the hospital doctor said was the most high risk time for re-stroke or heart attack. Then discharged home.My online medical records indicated a stroke diagnosis and that’s what my insurance paid for. So, thats what I’ve included in med history.Problem: No evidence of a stroke. And that wasn’t the real diagnosis.A few months later, while working at a different city, I noticed neuro problems resurfacing in my speech and a colleague took me to that local hospital. I was observed overnight, felt fine and discharged. Before I left, the ER doctor sat down to chat. He said “I’ve read all your records from your 5 day hospital stay and every page of (an earlier different) Premier Medical Center workup.” I braced for bullshit but he said, “You need another doctor.” I stared. He repeated “You need another doctor. It will take time to find the right one, but you must find another one.” He said he couldn’t because he was “just a family medicine physician” and, essentially, I was out of his league. And I didn’t live there. He strongly implied that I was being ill-served by my PCP.I did find another doctor and am finally getting treated for the very rare disease reflected in three different tests a year earlier but not treated.The incident nagged at me so I requested medical records from the local hospital whose doc urged me to find another PCP. The local doc had consulted neurology at the hospital where I spent 5 days. That neuro said they diagnosed a complicated migraine and not a stroke. I’ve never even heard of that until a week ago, when I read my medical records with the handwritten notes, ten months after discharge for a stroke.EDIT: Hopefully, my story will help patients educate themselves about the limits of the medical information they receive. Get the whole file—not just what’s available in your online medical records, or what is passed off to you in a 15 min appointment.For the doctors and students who commented, thank you for taking time to offer your assurances that medicine is nobler than that. The doctor who reviewed all the records, and validated my concerns, was a new doctor who still remembered why he went to medical school. His hours reviewing medical records for a patient he’d never see again gave me hope that a specialist somewhere would care as much. Without those words of encouragement, I don’t know where I’d be today . . .

December 2, 2012.The world was busy as usual, with ingenious minds contemplating and predicting the long feared Doom's day(2012). The 17 year old me, was busy solving integral calculus for the first model exams in my 12th standard. I stayed up late till around 1 am, was happy with the portions I had covered and fell into sleep. Except for a mild headache, I didn't have much symptoms. Little did I know that the any of the following days could have been my own Doom's day.I woke up at 7 am in the morning with a high grade fever, an unbearable headache with an aching pain behind my eyes. Every single joint in my body hurt like anything I never experienced before.The moment I woke up, I felt weak and knew something was really wrong with me and wanted my parents to take me to a hospital. Now, that scared them. As a kid I was never too fond of medicines and needle pricks and I had to be carried by force to the hospital , every time I was sick. This time, they realized something was wrong with me. It was the time of dengue outbreak.Though I was totally naive of what was happening to me at that time, having adequate medical knowledge now, I can clearly recall the events during the course of illness.So, I was taken to a nearby hospital in our town where the dengue card test came out to be positive. I still remember the look on my Dad's face. He was worried, every single crease on his face showing sadness.I was too weak to walk and had to be supported. A higher centre was 70 kms away from our place. I was taken there by car, had to wait 2 hours to get a bed in one of the most busiest hospitals in the nearest city.I was delirious, and can't remember much of the events that happened during the following 2 days except that all the basic investigations were done. For those who don't know the course of dengue fever, not all those who get dengue have serious manifestations. There are variants ranging from acute febrile illness to the more severe forms like dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. I was having dengue haemorrhagic fever and to have this, you have to get infected by two serotypes of dengue virus not one( out for four).I totally lost my appetite, vomiting everything taken orally,My blood pressure( which was threatening to go towards the lower side) had to be monitored frequently, and I was given i.v fluids.The second day, I was brushing my teeth, I noticed that my gums were bleeding and blood was dripping out from both my nostrils and it never stopped. I just laughed telling my mom that I was bleeding. She was terrified. Now that led to packing both my nasal cavities with gauze. That was really uncomfortable.I developed little pink spots all over my body( called petechiae).My stools were black ( Malena - in medical terms indicating internal bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract). All these were indications that my platelets were not doing their job .I had difficulty walking, fainting every time I tried to.This led to my platelets and coagulation profile ( the bleeding and clotting time)being monitored frequently almost twice everyday. The results of which were not so good.Now since something was already wrong with my clotting system, these pricks led to small blood collections within my skin.I had to be transfused with 29 units of fresh frozen plasma(FFP) and platelets getting a cross matching( to ensure that I don't develop adverse effects) every time. Since they had to transfuse a lot, they ran out of plasma( which needs three units of whole blood to derive one unit of fresh frozen plasma), andMy father's students volunteered to donate blood for me. My mom always says that my condition improved because of that and I am grateful to them till today.Everyone hoped for the counts to raise, every single day the results of platelet count came. At the sametime I started developing fluid collections in the layers surrounding my lungs( pleural effusion - and this combined with my nostrils getting plugged made my breathing even difficult) and my abdomen( ascites).Now that was an ominous sign. I was going towards Dengue shock syndrome.I spent sleepless nights watching a grandma in the ward pulling out her nasogastric tube every night and the night shift nurses trying hard to stop her but most often they failed. All that I could eat was chocolates and bananas because every other thing I ate made me throw up. I gradually improved with the i.v fluids, plasma and platelets and all the nursing care I received. My bleeding stopped, my appetite improved. I had to stay at the hospital for 10 days. Watching people in the ward getting discharged everyday, made me envy them. I wanted to get the “discharge summary” in the shiny folders,that they all received.I was too young to know the seriousness of the disease. I could have died. My parents knew that.Not to brag, but I never really cried even once. I was so sure of life and was so sure that I was not going to die as long as my parents were with me.I realized how fond people were of me. How my entire school held a mass prayer for me, all those people who couldn't hold back tears of grief on looking at me who was gravely ill, and all those people I wished could have come to see me. I missed two model exams as I had to stay at home for another 20 days. Believe me, my parents made me eat pomegranate every single day for the next 6 months to improve my hemoglobin.I am a Doctor now. But I know what it is like to be a patient and I hate it as much as everyone else.P.C Google

RIGHTS are a 20th century concept. In all ancient religions women and men had ROLES which were dictated by scriptures.So in Hinduism women’s roles were traditionally caring for the home and the family and her right was to be financially empowered by her Husband. The following is a summary of the roles of women.arthasya saṅgrahe ca-enāṁ vyaye ca-eva niyojayet | śauce dharme 'nnapaktyāṁ ca pāriṇāhyasya vekṣaṇe || 11 ||4. The wife must be given the responsibility by the husband of collecting and spending his wealth, engaged in purification, of maintaining the household, of fulfilling the religious obligations, of preparing the food. (Manu 9;11.)5. Women and men were created for being parents; therefore the Veda has ordained that religious rites & rituals be performed by the husband and wife together. (Manu 9;96.)Now stop for a moment for reflection. All economist will agree that the financial empowerment of women is the best way to end poverty!! If India had indeed followed THIS one law of Manu Indian today would be a different country. The key to a countries success in female financial management.Now there are many contradictory teachings in the Library of Hindu texts because they were written by hundreds of different authors over millennia. So the learned and expert researcher Ambika Vijay in her post as a History enthusiast has hunted up and presented as many negative references as she could. I am an eternal optimist and Dharma teacher so I focus ONLY on the most positive verse.This is what the Mahabharata says about women in a chapter entitles “Praise of Women” (13-81:1–15) the same is repeated in Manu. To save space and for ease of reading I shall omit the Sanskrit.Bhishma said:–Respect, kind treatment, and everything that is agreeable, should all be given to the maiden whose hand is taken in marriage.Her father and brothers and father-in-law and husband's brothers should show her every respect and adorn her with ornaments, if they be desirous of reaping benefits, for such conduct on their part always leads to considerable happiness and advantage.If the wife does not like her husband or fails to gladden him, from such dislike and absence of joy, the husband can never have issue for increasing his race.Women, O king, should always be worshipped and treated with affection. There where women are treated with respect, the very deities are said to be filled with joy.There where women are not worshipped, all acts become fruitless. If the women of a family, in consequence of the treatment they receive, grieve and shed tears, that family soon becomes extinct.Those houses that are cursed by women meet with destruction and ruin as if scorched by some Atharvan rite. Such houses lose their splendour. Their growth and prosperity cease. O king,Manu, on the eve of his departure for Heaven, made over women to the care and protection of men, saying that they are vulnerable, that they fall an easy prey to the seductive wiles of men[1], disposed to accept the affection that is offered them, and trusting.There are some among them that are malicious, covetous of honours, fierce in disposition, unlovable, and impervious to reason. Women generally however, deserve to be honoured, so O men, show them honour.The righteousness of men depends upon women. All pleasures and enjoyments also completely depend upon them. So serve them and worship them, bend your wills before them.The begetting of offspring, the nursing of children already born, and the accomplishment of all acts necessary for the needs of society, all these are dependent upon women.By honouring women, you are sure to attain success in all your projects. In this connection a princess of the house of Janaka the ruler of the Videhas, sang a verse.It is this:– "Women have no sacrifices ordained for them. There are no Sraddhas which they are called upon to perform. They are not required to observe any fasts. To perform their duty towards their husbands and in-laws is their only obligation. Through the discharge of that duty they succeed in conquering heaven".In childhood, the father protects her. The husband protects her in youth. When she becomes old, her sons protect her. At no period of her life should a woman be left alone.Women are goddesses of prosperity. The person that desires affluence should honour them. By cherishing women, one cherishes the goddess of prosperity herself.[1] Swalpa-kaupinah literally is covered with a small piece of cloth, hence, capable of being easily seduced.Now let us review the Puranas to discover some positive teachings about women.Glory of the mother.O Brahmin, he who lives to see his mother so poor and wretched lives in vain. He who full of regard for his mother protects her with devotion, gets fully rewarded in this world and the next. (Nrsimha P. 13:45)In this world and the next, they are the best of people worthy of honour and adoration who obey their mothers. (Nrsimha P. 13:46)The highest Dharma is protection of the mother (Nrsimha P. 13:63)Equality of men and women.The inconceivable energy of the Godhead can be conceived as twofold - with a female form and with a male form. The two should not be regarded as separate entities, O Lord of Birds. (Garuḍa Purāṇa 3.3.16)If the Lord did not have a female aspect, O Lord of birds, how could women be considered as His reflections. (Garuḍa Purāṇa 3.3.17)Hence the female is inseparable from the male form. These two forms constitute the very nature of the Lord. This should not be taken otherwise there is no neutrality in the Lord. (Garuḍa Purāṇa 3.3.18)The neutral form is alien to His nature. It is not present in Hari, O Lord of Birds. Know that women are the reflected form of Hari. (Garuḍa Purāṇa 3.3.19)Women in Pancharatra Agama.A man of piety free from sin, consistently adhering to the precepts of the sacred scriptures, performs those deeds that are not condemned by women and that please them. (Lakshmi Tantra 27.47)If he observes an excellent man and an excellent woman, he should worship (in them) the divine couple, thinking of me (Lakshmi) and without relinquishing thought of their separably coupled existence. (Lakshmi Tantra 27.42)A yogin (dharma practitioner) should never abuse a woman, either in deed, speech or thought. Wherever I am the realities are, wherever I am the gods too are. (Lakshmi Tantra 27.62)Lakshmī Tantra Chap 43.Wherever I (Lakshmi) exist , merits too exist, wherever I exist Krsna too exists. I am the womanhood pervading the entire universe and inherent in all women . 63He who abuses women, abuses lakshmi herself, He who abuses lakshmi abuses the entire three worlds. 64He who bears ill-will against any woman, is ill-disposed towards Laksmi herself. He who is ill-disposed towards Lakshmi is ill-disposed towards the entire universe. 65He whose heart is gladdened by the sight of women - like moonlight, and who never entertains evil thoughts about them, he is most dear to me. 66Just as there is no sin whatsoever in Narayana or myself , O Indra, Neither in a cow, a brahmin nor a scholar of Vedanta. 67In the same manner no evil whatsoever exists in women O Indra. Just as the Ganga and Sarasvati (rivers) are free of impurity & sin. 68As also the Aruna river, so too are all women revered as being sinless. The fact that I, the Mother of the three Worlds, am the basis of womanhood, makes my power manifest in women. Thus a woman is the mother of the three worlds, a goddess full of abundance. 69, 70Knowing women as my direct manifestation, how can a yogi refrain from revering them? One should never hurt women, and should never even think of wronging women. 71A yogin who wishes to attain the fulfillment of yoga, should always act to please women. He should regard all women as mothers, as goddesses as my very self. 72From the Maha Nirvana TantraThe householder should never punish his wife, but should cherish her like a mother. If she is virtuous and devoted to her husband, he should never forsake her even in times of greatest misfortune (M.N.T 8:39)The wise man, whilst his own wife is living, should never with wicked intent touch another woman, otherwise he will go to hellBy riches, clothes, love, respect and pleasing words should one’s wife be satisfied. The husband should never do anything displeasing to her. (M.N.T. 8:42)O Kuleshani, a wife should not be burnt with her dead husband. Every woman is your image – you reside concealed in the forms of all women in this world. That woman who, in delusion ascends her husband’s funeral pyre shall go to hell. (M.N.T. 10:79-80)A man who rapes a woman, even if she be the wife of an outcaste (candala) should be punished with death and should never be pardoned (M.N.T. 11:45)The man who uses offensive language towards a woman, who sees the private parts of a woman who is not his wife, and laughs derisively at her, should fast for two days to purify himself. (M.N.T. 11;49)If a man speaks rudely to his wife he must fast for one day, if he beats her he must go without food for three days, and if he cause bloodshed then he must fast for seven days. (M.N.T. 11:64)So this is just a sampling of the positive teachings on women in Hindu Shastras. There are hundreds more verses similar to these.Negativity bias is a psychological fact so humans are predisposed to searching out nastiness, horror, melodrama, and atrocities - this is why in the media “if an article “bleeds” it leads!” Malicious men will seek out those verses which endorse and validate their misogyny. Good men will approve of those verses which endorse and support the high regard they inherently have towards women. Men of malleable disposition should be schooled in the positive verses to hold their character.So instead of constantly wallowing like pigs in ancient atrocity literature to our detriment, why not rejoice in the positive and uplifting teachings and to strive to practice and popularise them, and fly like the Garuda into the skies? Let us all work for social reform and the rights and equality of everyone regardless of gender and sexual preference.Let us wage a campaign of POSITIVITY and not a destructive one focussing on negativity.BibliographyThe Position of Women in Hindu Civilization — A.S. Altekar 1959Women in the Sacred Laws — Shakuntala Rao Shashtri 1990Women in the Vedic Age — Shakuntala Rao Shashtri 1969Marriage of Hindu Widows — Isvarachandra Vidyasagara 1976