Could a person get a medical scan without doctors permission?

Question

I live in the USA and I have insurance and I have had CT scans and Xrays and things like that but my question is could I just go get a scan such as a CT scan without a doctors referal, I know my insurance would not accept it but if I was willing to pay the full amount could I just do that? What about an Xray...I know I can't get certain drugs...I guess my real question is, what can and can't I get with or without a doctors approval?

Ok, my question is...If we live in a "free" country, why can't I go get a scan? Why do I need to get "permission"...Why am I treated like I am 4 years old asking mommy for a cookie. If I want a scan, I can understand being given a warning but I don't understand why I can't have a choice...ESPECIALLY about something pertaining to my own personal health!

There is nothing stupid about wanting to get a scan, what is stupid is having to ask for permission from greedy business people hiding behind white lab coats and bright flourscent lights. What ever happened to the "freedom" we talk about so much? How come we don't even have control over our own health?

1) Cost is not a reason a person shouldn't legally be able to get something, it's a financial reason.
2) Time is also not a reason a person should be legally denied the ability to get a scan, (more machines would reduce the amount of time needed per machine).
3) Cost and time only limit resources to an individual financially, they are not grounds for an argument why it should be limited legally...And fyi, cost does not limit resources, limited resources increase cost. Lastly, personal hazard (risk/benefit ratio) is not a reason a person should not be allowed to do something in a "free" country, especially when it comes to health. It's more likely that people will be hurt in a car accident than overusage of CT machinery, should we ban people from driving?

My point is...Just because something can be "dangerous" is not an excuse to limit people from using it. Bike riding can be dangerous, so why don't I need permission from an authority figure to ride one?

In addition, you seem to think I am saying anyone should be able to operate something like a CT machine, I am just asking why people are not able to use the machines without a doctors approval.

JessiesGirl: You are saying the reason you need to get an order from a doctor to get a scan is because you need to get an order from a doctor for a scan? That doesn't make sense. In addition, radiation is not like a drug, it is not addictive. The logic behind not being able to get what drug you want makes sense for addictive drugs, otherwise it really makes no sense...hence the question I am asking. I ask you why would people be radiating themselves like crazy? People aren't jumping off buildings like crazy or shaving themselves till they skin themselves alive. In addition, even if this was to get out of hand they could always put a cap on the amount of radiation one could get without permission from a doctor. It shouldn't be for the doctor to decide because the doctor will not have to live with the consquences of those actions...

Answer 1

It is possible in the US, but the providers of these questionable services are unethical on three counts.
First, they do not provide follow-up services that are indicated.
Second, they frequently will send reports, but not original films to primary care providers, if you want them too, but then the primary providers end up repeating the studies.
Third, they frequently use equipment which is outdated which they pruchase at deep discounts, preforming the studies in a manner that exposes the patient to unnecessarily high doses of radiation, and exposing them to potential heath risks in the long run.
Why would you want to spend 800 or a 1000 on a test before you knew it was medically indicated? It seems to me that a consultation with your family doctor would probably be a lot less expensive in the long run. Insurance companies, who are in business to make money seem to think the initial consultation is important. Mine, at least pays for the consultation and requires it before they will pay for a scan... It must be cost effective, as my insurance company is very profitable...

Answer 2

While in theory, you should be able to get a scan, there are good reasons why you shouldn't be able.

(1) Cost
(2) Time
(3) limited resource due to #1 and #2
(4) personal hazard (risk/benefit ratio)

I would estimate that less than 1% of people ever get a CT scan and often they have to wait for the scan. What happens when 10x that number want to get a CT scan for "no reason other than curiosity"? The CT gets swamped and people who have a real need can't get one. At my one hospital, if a trauma patient comes through the door, both CT scanners get cleared. Why? Because the scan can be vitally important to saving that person's life and we are in a time critical situation. Why both? In case the other one breaks. This part of what we call resource management (see below).

CT scans, as mentioned, are not harmless. The can irradiate you with the equivalent of 100 chest x-rays. Also the dye that is used can cause renal failure and or an allergic reaction. It that risk worth it to "satisfy your curiosity"? Medicine says no, the risk benefit ratio is not there.

Also, CT scans are done under certain protocols depending upon what we are trying to diagnose. A kindey stone scan is done without any contrast. Scans of the GI tract are done with oral and IV contrast. Liver scans are done with and without contrast. Pulmonary embolism scans are done with IV contrast only. Most of these protocols can't be done in the same scan, i.e. they are mutually exclusive.

The final question is what are you looking for? Not everything we diagnose needs a CT scan. Most physicians worth their salt can diagnose a problem with 80% reliability without a single test or x-ray. The testing is done to confirm a diagnosis that was made from a _good_ history and physician exam. This is also a part of resource management, doing things that are likely to contribute to solving a problem.

An example: A young health person gets a "curisosity scan" and they find a mass on the lung. They had no symptoms before, and they don't smoke. Now what? Now we are obligated to follow this scan up. Which means at least more follow up CT scans, which could lead to invasive testing, either a bronchoscopy or a lung biopsy by a surgeon. Guess what the likely result will be? That it is benign. We put you through a large battery of tests to find out that there was no problem. Now, lets go further, what if you have a reaction to the anesthesia and you are in the hospital for a few days, but again the biopsy is negative....now we have "done harm" for no good reason. This is what we mean by risk versus benefit ration. The CT scan was not indicated, but when done, set in motion a chain of events that resulted in harm.

Answer 3

The radiation from a single CT scan is enough to raise your risk of developing cancer, though only slightly. A good many years ago, there was a fad of sorts with x-rays being widely available, and shoe stores would x-ray feet, for example. Once the risks of x-radiation were better understood, x-rays were limited, so you now need a physician's order to be radiatied. On the other hand, there are less-than-scrupulous radiologists who are scanning people willy-nilly, often with portable machines parked in some shopping center's parking lot, and if you really want to do something stupid, I'm sure you can find a way.

Answer 4

Because we are administering radiation, an x-ray is like a drug - you have to have an order from a doctor to get one. The same way you can't walk into a pharmacy and get whatever drug you want without a prescription, you also cannot walk in and just request an x-ray.

Free country or not, that's the way it should be, or people would be radiating themselves like crazy. Benefit must outweigh the risk, and that's for the doctor to decide.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, a lay person does not always know which medical tests are indicated in their unique position. Doctors are trained to know which tests are most likely going to help diagnose a patient.

Ionizing radiation can be dangerous. That is why you cannot get one without a doctor's order....it is also why radiologic technologists must be trained and state and nationally licensed in order to perform these exams.

If we were allowed to walk into a x-ray facility and get a finger x-ray every time we jammed one of our fingers, it would be unreasonable. This is irregardless if a patient can afford it. We practice ALARA in regards to radiation dosage.... As Low As Reasonably Achievable. This would not be the case if people were getting their x-rays without a doctor's order.

By the way, in order to drive, you have to pass a driving written and practical test. You have to show you are proficient. I guess if they made a lay person's x-ray license, you might have a point there. And if you have accidents, or drive drunk or speed repeatedly, your license will be revoked.

Answer 6

Not in the US. In other countries, it is permissable. There is however one way you can get around it. Some centers, hospitals and training institutions or research centers ask for volunteers to either test their equipment or investigate some situation. The only problem is whether they will interpret the results and give you the report.

Answer 7

If the historic physician is delivering a referral to the brand new physician, then sure the historic physician can switch understanding required founded at the referral. Outside of that main issue, then until you signed a report mentioning that you simply authorize the historic physician to switch your understanding, then the historic physician are not able to unencumber your files to the brand new physician.