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"Options for radiology"

About: Albany Health Campus / Emergency Department Great Southern Radiology

(as the patient),

After having an accident and being taken to Albany Health Campus (AHC) and receiving what I felt was good care in ED and from the treatment team, I was taken up to radiology for x-rays as to attain the extent of damage that I had done to my wrist.

I found the person who did the x-rays was good and caring. Upon waiting for the official report from the x-ray, I believe the provisional was that I had a spiral fracture to the wrist, fractured arm, torn ligaments and tendons off of the bone and was admitted for observation and depending on the x-ray report as to what the plan of action would be. 

About two days later, the drs had the report. As far as I recall, it came back saying no breaks, no fractures but there was swelling. So you could imagine my shock on hearing these findings, I think as well the treatment team were very surprised by these findings and I was referred to Perth as Albany Orthopaedics apparently don't do wrists.

So around a few weeks later we went to Perth to see a specialist, the specialist looked at the wrist then the x-ray report and I believe that based on the report, advised that a splint should be ok and to see them in a couple weeks' time. It was still very sore and swollen, I asked for a second opinion and I recall the Orthopaedic asked about why Albany didn't do anything as it has a spiral break, bones were displaced in 3 sections that should have been put back in place for one and the other two removed and a plate and pins put in the wrist, and that as I understand it, due to the severity and time it has taken it's unlikely that I will get full use of the wrist back. In my opinion, had the person doing the report looked at the images properly, the care all the way through would have been very different and that several months off of work would have been avoided. 

Now I believe it's too late and the use of the wrist is greatly reduced because it seems to me someone didn't have time, or possibly couldn't be bothered, to do their job properly. Who knows how many other people this has happened to?

Down here, I believe there is no choice in radiology as there is only I-MED radiology, a privately owned company. In my opinion, why not have one government owned radiology department and then the privately-owned one? I feel this would give people an option for a different place to go. 

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Responses

Response from Mary Boyd Turner, Director Medical Services, WACHS GS 2 years ago
Mary Boyd Turner
Director Medical Services,
WACHS GS
Submitted on 20/12/2021 at 4:22 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 4:23 PM


Dear baby2021,

Thank you for sharing your health care journey with Care Opinion. I am really sorry for the experiences you describe – the trips to Metro doctors, the lost work time, ongoing pain and discomfort and the potential of permanent loss of full function in your wrist. It does sound like there was some confusion regarding the original X-ray report and treatment plan. However, it is really difficult to provide you with a comprehensive response without reviewing your medical record and medical imaging.

I would ask that you contact me, Dr Mary Boyd Turner, on 0448 184 574 or you can email me via Mary.Boydturner@health.wa.gov.au. I am the Albany Health Campus’s Acting Director of Medical Services and I would really like to have a better understanding of what has happened to you and how, as you suggest, we might prevent this from happening to anyone else.

Yours sincerely

Dr Mary Boyd Turner

A/Director of Medical Services

Albany Health Campus

WACHS GS

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