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The doctor left a message about surgery in the voicemail and said “thank you and hello”.
Then he didn’t answer when Evelina tried to call up.
– I didn’t know what I was going to be operated on for. And since I received the information after office hours, no one could give me an answer until the next day, she says.
Several years ago, 29-year-old Evelina had cell changes in her uterus. Since then, she has had regular check-ups with the healthcare system in Stockholm.
Most recently, she took cell samples in September at the Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge outside Stockholm.
– Usually they call after four to six weeks. But this time that call never came, although I didn’t think much of it. The weeks went by, says Evelina.
Panicked
And on Monday came the shocking news.
“Hello Evelina. I am a doctor at Karolinska in Huddinge. I have tried to reach you during the day to ask some questions about your upcoming surgery. You are welcome to answer if you have the opportunity. Thank you and hello”.
The message was left in Evelina’s voicemail.
– I panicked. My mind started thinking all sorts of thoughts. What disease do I have? Why should I have surgery? Did I hear wrong, is it my son who is going to have surgery?
Because she only listened to the message in the evening, she did not get hold of the doctor or the gynecology department at Karolinska.
Only that day did she find out why she was going to have surgery.
– The doctor could see that I would undergo a colonization on the cervix infoclose colonization on the cervix A surgical procedure to remove cell changes. . But he didn’t see why – because for some reason it wasn’t in my medical record, says Evelina.
She continues:
– He was surprised that I didn’t know about the operation. Then he apologized and said there must have been a breakdown in communication at several levels.
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full screen “Somewhere it broke,” says Evelina about the contact with the healthcare system. Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT
“Under all criticism”
In the end, Evelina got in touch with a doctor in the gynecology department who could tell her about the operation.
– Then the doctor said that they sent me a letter home with information. I have no idea where that letter went – because at least it wasn’t sent to my house. It’s also really scary. Who has this letter that contains personal information about me?
Evelina feels disappointed in the healthcare.
– It is under all criticism that they leave this message via a voicemail. I know it’s not the individual doctor’s fault, but somewhere it broke. If they now intend to send letters, they must ensure that the letters arrive – and that in the future they have two different ways in which they communicate the information.
Karolinska: Sorry
In an email to Aftonbladet, Ronak Perot, section head for gynecology at Karolinska University Hospital, writes that routines have been deviated from.
“We regret that the patient was not first given information about her test results before she was contacted with questions about surgery. Our routine is to send out information about test results by letter or to contact the patient directly by phone. At the same time, planning for surgery begins so that the patient does not suffer unnecessary waiting time.
He continues:
“We regret that the patient was contacted with questions about the operation before she had been reached by the information regarding test results and planning sent from her gynecologist”.