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Crohn's Disease, taking control, taking control as a patient

Medical Record

Temporary tattoo on forearm. QR code links to medical record summary (it really does!)

This image gained some interest when I posted it on Twitter so I thought I would explain it’s genesis. From the outset I wish to make it clear that it is my solution to my specific needs. I’m not proposing it as a universal solution for quick access to medical information, more a stimulus for further thinking and discussion. (I’m also not claiming this as an original idea – there is at least one patient in USA who did it first)

The Trigger

In February 2017 I ended up in our local A&E (ER) Department as I had turned yellow. The first person I saw was a triage nurse who asked lots of questions about health conditions, history  and medication.

Next I saw an A&E Registrar. He asked the same questions but what would he have concluded if I hadn’t been able to fill in the details? He would have been confronted with a patient with a large scar up the midline, the hint of a stoma location and an appendectomy incision. He wouldn’t have known why the large scar was there and would have assumed my appendix had been taken out. He would be unaware that : I have Crohn’s disease; the attempt to remove my appendix had been aborted; I have Portal Vein Thrombosis resulting in additional veins growing in my esophagus (varices) and around by gallbladder; that my spleen is enlarged; or that the low platelet count is now normal for me. Valuable time could have been lost trying to investigate the problems that were already known about and being treated.

Do It Yourself

As a result of my A&E visit I wondered if there was a standard, minimum set of data that should be available? Was there a standard format for the data? I searched the internet and could find nothing. A good starting point would therefore be the questions the triage nurse had asked – personal details; current medication; current medical conditions; and any known allergies.

There are, of course, the likes of SOS Talisman bracelets which have some very basic information engraved on, or contained within, them. There are several subscription services which will hold your medical information and can then be accessed via a unique code you wear on a bracelet or dog tag, but these appear to be US based only and the data held was not in sufficient detail.  How feasible would it be to produce a standalone, wearable device?

Attempt 1

First attempt – using a USB bracelet. First task – decide upon data and format. I settled on two top level documents – i) a simple, overall summary plus ii) a detailed table that recorded each appointment or procedure. These documents were stored as pdf files and linked to various back-up documents such as laboratory or histological reports.

USB Bracelet

There were two problems :

The format of the data was such that it would still require a fair amount of time to wade through and understand the aetiology of ,and relationships between, the various LTCs. This was solvable but the second issue would be insurmountable.

In order to protect the system from viruses it is unlikely any NHS computer would allow the reading of an external USB stick. Time for a rethink.

Back to the Drawing Board

A couple of years ago I drew  a diagram to try and understand the aetiology/relationships that I mentioned above. I used the metaphor of a jigsaw as that is how my health appears to me. The penny then dropped that it would be a good way of showing a new doctor or surgeon the complexity of my case on just a single page. This illustration shows an early version of the drawing.

Early version of “jigsaw” diagram

…and then someone set me the challenge of making an interactive version that would open up the relevant documents or test results when you click on an element of the diagram. This would make the ideal interface for my medical record.

Basis of interactive medical record jigsaw

To get over the USB security problem I settled on holding the data on a server and then accessing it via a QR code. Initially I thought of using a dog tag style SOS pendant with the code engraved on it but I have yet to find a company that can do this as a one-off at a reasonable price. I could use a conventional SOS bracelet with a printed QR code inside but why not try a tattoo?

I didn’t want a permanent tattoo as it would not allow for any future changes. I opted to try making a temporary one using those kits that are readily available online. After a couple of false starts, mainly due to not reading the instructions carefully (it’s a man thing), I had a readable QR code tattoo. Where to stick it? The ideal position would be somewhere that is not generally visible but would be seen by an HCP. I chose the inside of my forearm, just above the wrist. Anyone looking to insert a cannula would be bound to see this and hopefully use a phone or tablet to scan the code.

(I’m counting on the HCP having the curiosity to try the link and once  opened realise the importance of the information available. You could call this a “leap of faith”)

Future Developments

Life would be so much easier if the NHS had a universally accessible records system that held all our medical details, linked to our unique NHS patient number (only needs a simple, unchanging tattoo). I can’t see that happening in my lifetime given the success of previous attempts.

Clearly I have no issues about the confidentiality of my medical data or I wouldn’t be writing/publishing this post. I know that many patients do and this needs to be taken into account. I am willing to trade confidentiality for the speed at which my medical record could be read should I be involved in an emergency.

Active Patient, crohn's, Crohn's Disease, CT scan, follow-up letters, GSTT, hospital consultants, managing consultants and appointments, Medical letter, medical records, MRI scan, outpatient appointments, patient empowerment, taking control as a patient

Medical Records

A subject I’ve written about before but always worth revisiting. These are my experiences within three UK NHS Hospital Trusts and span 40 years.

Ideal World vs. Reality

In an ideal world each of us would have our full medical record available in a universally readable format that could be easily accessed by any medical professional that is treating us.

Now let’s look at the real world. If you are a relatively new patient who hasn’t moved hospital and not had an in-patient stay then you may indeed have a complete record, held electronically, on an IT system. If, however, you are a long term patient who has moved between GPs and hospitals and spent time as an in-patient then the situation is far more complicated. You are likely to have a mixture of hand written notes and observations, type written letters and, more recently, computer generated letters and test results. There are also x-rays and scans to consider.

The above does not address the issue of universal access. The last attempt in the UK to implement a system was NpFIT (The National Programme for IT in the NHS), a project initiated by the Labour government in 2002 and cancelled some years later having spent in the region of £12bn and having delivered very little. Government backed IT projects are notorious for being disaster areas.

Patient Rights

Where does that leave the patient?

In the UK you have a right to access your medical records. Since 2000 onwards I have received copies of the follow-up letters from outpatient appointments  that the consultant sends to my GP. This may be sufficient for your needs but I needed to fill in a lot of missing detail for the book I was writing. You can obtain copies of all your medical records . Requests forms are available online for each Healthcare Trust and as I had been treated by 3 different Trusts I filled in 3 different forms and sent them off with the relevant payments (at the time the charge was between £20 and £50 depending upon whether you just require medical notes or want copies of x-rays and scans as well). Nowadays I believe changes have been. The individual health Authoriy  is likely to have a few caveats which you will find on thei website.

A series of packets duly arrived and I was amazed to find they really  did contain ALL my medical notes from October 1977 to the present. Two Trusts chose to send hard copies whilst the third had scanned the notes to a pdf file of over 700 pages. I also had loadable files for CT, MRI and US scans. The only things missing were certain early x-rays.

The earliest letter is actually dated 1977

Information Overload?

My initial reaction was “information overload” but over the space of a few nights I sorted the documents by type and date order and picked out the “juicy bits”. Those bits that explained some long, unanswered questions about my treatment. Probably the most fascinating were the ward notes from the times I spent in hospital. These are not usually documents that you get to read.
The discs containing CT and MRI scans looked a bigger challenge but I found a great piece of software called Horos which opens and views the files.. Hours of fun looking at 3D visualisations of your innards.

What use are they?

What can you do with, potentially, a huge amount of very detailed medical notes? Whilst they might be of academic interest to the patient and provide a fascinating insight into how you arrived at your current state they are not a lot of use to your medical professionals due to the sheer bulk of the information. This is especially true if you are seeing a new consultant who needs a succinct overview of your medical history and current issues or if you end up in A&E (ER) where they need to start treatment as soon as possible.

It gets considerably more complex if you are suffering from multiple conditions. Initially I put together all the major events into a spreadsheet table. Going through the process certainly gave me a good grasp of my overall health and I have ended up a much better informed patient. This helps greatly when you need to take decisions about the course of future treatment. It helps clarify the most important issues.

If you still find it difficult to work out how your health threads come together then draw a diagram. I’ve tried a number of different format. Here’s my chosen format :

Future Developments

There are more references appearing where patients are recording their consultant appointments or having consultations via Skype. Would these audio and video files need to be kept as part of your medical record? Do medical professionals expect to have access to any recordings you make?

Watch this space…..