Have you heard of PocketHealth?

We are really concerned with health and healthcare. COVID–19 has truly complicated the process of healthcare, which we understand, but this is a new mystery. We have been managing prostate cancer since 2011, his robotic surgery was Jan., 2014 (see photo, left!) in Ottawa. It metastasized, they found it, and watch it with tests, and treatment began Oct. 8, 2014. So far, so good. 

Joseph Brian (JB) takes a PSA test quarterly, prior to his Lupron injection. If any numbers change, we will take a different approach. I've tracked his test results. We used to have to meet with a doctor to have them interpret the results. Now, LifeLabs (a for-profit) uploads the data to a website, often within 24 hours. It is such a relief – you just want to know. The trick was figuring out how to access LifeLabs online to make an appointment due to COVID. That was a lesson.

When there was an imaging scan at Smiths Falls Hospital, they would put the results on a DVD, and we would take it to our doctor in Ottawa Health Unit. The rules are that we have the tests in our Health Unit, if possible, and then meet up with the doctor in Ottawa.

Our test results, called imaging results, used to be sent electronically (or faxed?) from our healthcare unit here in Lanark West's LGLDHU to both our local GP, and the urologist/surgeon in Ottawa's health unit. Or, we would take a copy with us if we could. We have learned to make copies of all tests. Our GP in Perth has been really good supporting us with this.

LGLDHU COVID cases are rising

We are in the Lanark West area
of the 5 that make up our unit.
(There are 34 health units in Ontario.) 

From October 2013 until 2019, JB has had 21 tests. They established baseline data and found the metastasis: 

• 5 Bone Density Scans,
• 8 CT Scans, 
• 4 ultrasounds, 
• a cystoscopy, 
• a colonoscopy (2013), 
• 2 MRIs. (2013 and 2015).  

The imaging tests can happen here in Perth, or Smiths Falls, or in an Ottawa hospital, in enough time for the results to get to our surgeon. Following that, we meet with the urologist/surgeon in Ottawa (Dr. Cagiannos). Treating and managing prostate cancer is not easy. The most important thing we've found is to ensure that Dr. C. has the data prior to our appointment with him in Ottawa. It is crucial.

Apparently, JB's health records are now being put into a new site called PocketHealth. They were the ones demanding his vaccine status. We didn't give the hospital permission for them to release our health records to PocketHealth. It turns out, in order to share our health records with various providers, we register online with PocketHealth, and have to pay $5 a pop to forward it. 

Why do we have to pay to access our health records? We have universal healthcare, and have not paid anything for tests. We do pay for hospital parking ($13/visit), which is another issue.

From our local hospital website, which no one told us about: 

• Pocket Health - Download details on how you can access your imaging records

Please note that Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital no longer releases imaging records via CD and provides imaging records to patients and their care providers only through secure, online access. If you wish to pick up an Access Page which will provide your care provider with secure online access to your imaging records, please visit the Diagnostic Imaging Department from 8:15am–3:45pm weekdays, or we can fax this access page directly to your care provider. If you prefer not to visit the hospital, you can also easily access and share your imaging records online by visiting Pocket Health.

PocketHealth is a for-profit, and in the news: 

• Entrepreneurs build one-of-a-kind medical platform
• PocketHealth raises $9.2 million in financing.

The best information we got came from a drawing by Dr. C! I labelled it to better understand it.

Lupron injections quarterly

medical imaging: results on a DVD

one of his scans