Major Medical Facility??

[Vicky_1952_1952]

I have read the recommendation to visit a major medical facility numerous times here in the neurology forumn.  How does one go about locating such a facility?  Is it any hospital with a medical school?
1. If not, where is the nearest one to Little Rock, AR?  
2.  Where is the best one near Little Rock, AR?
3.  What rights does a patient have regarding copies of medical tests such as MRI, EEG, EMG, and blood and urine test?  Is my doctor (Little Rock, AR) obligated to supply me with copies of the reports if I ask?

Thanks

[CHADDY]

Hello vicky,

My name is Chad.  I have epilepsy and migraines and live a few minutes from Little Rock.  I found a very good Neuro in Benton.  There is a Mayo clinic in Memphis.  And my dr. said that Cleveland Clinic was known for their Neurology dept.  I struggled to find a good neurologist in this area and finally did.  The first treated me and my family badly.  The second was very non-aggressive in treatment(I was missing way too much work for her to guinea pig me to see if this or that worked).  Finally I found a very aggressive dr.that wanted the seizures to stop quickly and knew what was most effective to treat the kind of seizures that I have.  If you would like a name just to give him a try then let me know.  But, good luck in your search for a major med. university.  I too am going to one, possibly, this summer for my heart, so I am waying my options as well.  Best Wishes...Chad

[To CCF Neuro MD From Pokey]

Vicky,

No luck at UAMS? If not, then search the internet (try Memphis, Nashville, Oklahoma, Atlanta, Birmingham AL. If you know what is wrong, then you can narrow your search to Doctors who have that as a speciality/interest. If your willing to travel out of state, then I would look up the specialist, maybe even read some of his/her publications. The Doctor that you have seen in Arkansas can give you copies of your records (probably with a charge), he/she may even be able to help you get a second opinion. The hospital where you had your MRI at, you should be able to check out the films (not just the reports - take the films with you to your appointment), and where you had the lab work done at - the medical records department can give you copies. Hope you find your answer.

[ShawnH]

Vicky,
All of your medical records are your property and you have the right to all of them. Some offices will charge you for copies but they must release them to you. I know what your concern is finding a major hospital, I am wondering how to find a specialist in the area of Arachnoid cyts. Since you are in Little Rock, I can recommend a neuro in Tulsa or Norman, though I am not sure what you are looking for specifically. There is OU medical in OKC as well, which really is excellent care. We have a great dr but are looking for a second opinion before my husband has surgery. I have tried to post here but cannot get thru.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

Yes, major medical facility typically refers to a university setting or large teaching hospital like the Cleveland Clinic where there are specialists who publish and do research in their particular field of interest, making them an "expert" relative to a general neurologist.  They also tend to have state of the art equipment and are up to date with the lastest therapies and experimental studies/treatments.  Some are of course better than others.  WIthin the field of neurology Mayo in Minnesota, COlumbia and Cornell in NY, Harvard in Boston, Cleveland Clinic, Hopkins in Baltimore,Wash U in St. Louis, U Penn in Philadelphia and UCSF in SanFrancisco are some of the top centers in the country.

Nearest academic center would probably be University of Arkansas in Little Rock, but Baylor in Houston has a strong neurology program also if that's not too far.

It is your right as the patient not only to get copies of the test results, but also to get actual copies of the MRIs which can be done at medical records in the hospital where you had them done or from your doctor (he probably won't have the films, but he should be able to make copies of some of the lab results that he ordered). Good luck.