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Medical Letter

ShazS
ShazS Member Posts: 131
Hi All, just wondering when I need a letter with my breast cancer prognosis and treatment plan which Doctor do I ask the oncologist and GP not sure.Shazx

Comments

  • LMK74
    LMK74 Member Posts: 795
    Hi shazs, I'm guessing your oncologist. I got copies from mine of all my scan reports and pathology reports.
  • primek
    primek Member Posts: 5,392
    edited October 2017
    They don't write prognosis normally, unless terminal and getting life insurance out early.

    I was given copies of my pathology though to claim against my trauma component of my life insurance at my request. My breast surgeon did this.

    My oncologist did my longer term medical certificates as so ill on chemo. 

    They actually don't normally give you a treatment plan copy but you should get a side effects sheet for the chemo you are getting. So write it all down what they tell you. It helps. 

    You can ask for copies of all your test results.  Handy to have these to refer to if needed in the future. 

    Your surgeon should be sending a letter to your GP after consult and surgery. That's normal practise...or at least a copy of the discharge letter should be sent to your GP from the hospital where your surgery was done.
  • Zoffiel
    Zoffiel Member Posts: 3,372
    GP. They are at the centre of your long term care and will be your go to person once all the dust settles. It probably doesn't matter who writes it.
  • onemargie
    onemargie Member Posts: 1,264
    I’m a nurse and have helped heaps of patients fill out paperwork for various reasons. It depends on who it’s for. If it’s just for work you’ll find a GP letter would be fine. It can be general in nature and gi an overview of what’s going on. You can also sign a release of records form from whoever is relevant with your gp and they can get all your scan etc faxed to them but ordinarily like primek said essentially your gp should get letters from the oncol and surgeon as well and this should suffice. On the other hand if you need it for insurance purposes I’d get it all from your oncol as they can be a pain in the arse about it. Gather copies of all your results that you’ ve had and copies of all your scans and ask them to write a detailed letter including your treatment plan and medication if you have any and the oncols are pretty good and are used to writing them. I took mine a form from my super to claim oncompasinate grounds and my oncol said he couldn’t complete it as my bc was treatable and not terminal. So it just depemds what you need it for.  Your breast care nurse if you have a decent one can liase for you too. Mine was shit.  Hope this helps. Margie. Xxx
  • ShazS
    ShazS Member Posts: 131
    Thanks ladies Shazx
  • Brenda5
    Brenda5 Member Posts: 2,423
    Centerlink told me the gp medical certificate (he has them online) is just as good as any specialist letter to them.