Instrument 07 of 10
The late record
A record is late by exactly its review interval. The gap between an event and the next scheduled look is not bureaucratic noise. It is a chosen cadence, paid for by whoever the record is about.
A patient's record, reviewed every quarter. Shaded months are months the record is wrong about someone.
- JanJan, year 1 · day 12: phone number stops working · record wrong
- FebFeb, year 1 · record wrong
- MarMar, year 1 · day 4: new diagnosis · record wrong
- AprApr, year 1 · day 22: medication changed · scheduled look · record wrong
- MayMay, year 1 · record wrong
- JunJun, year 1 · day 9: moved house · record wrong
- JulJul, year 1 · scheduled look
- AugAug, year 1 · day 17: carer changes · record wrong
- SepSep, year 1 · record wrong
- OctOct, year 1 · day 2: allergy identified · scheduled look · record wrong
- NovNov, year 1 · record wrong
- DecDec, year 1 · day 27: insurance lapses · record wrong
- JanJan, year 2 · scheduled look
- FebFeb, year 2 · day 6: hospital admission · record wrong
- MarMar, year 2 · record wrong
- AprApr, year 2 · day 19: dose adjusted · scheduled look · record wrong
- MayMay, year 2 · record wrong
- JunJun, year 2 · record wrong
- JulJul, year 2 · day 3: GP practice closes · scheduled look · record wrong
- AugAug, year 2 · record wrong
- SepSep, year 2 · day 14: new interpreter needed · record wrong
- OctOct, year 2 · scheduled look
- NovNov, year 2 · day 25: discharge to home · record wrong
- DecDec, year 2 · record wrong
Twelve events. The record was wrong for 602 of 720 days — 84% of two years. The longest gap ran 89 days. Every one of those days was paid by the person the record is about.
Each event, and how long the record stayed wrong
- Jan 12, year 1phone number stops working79 days
- Mar 4, year 1new diagnosis27 days
- Apr 22, year 1medication changed69 days
- Jun 9, year 1moved house22 days
- Aug 17, year 1carer changes44 days
- Oct 2, year 1allergy identified89 days
- Dec 27, year 1insurance lapses4 days
- Feb 6, year 2hospital admission55 days
- Apr 19, year 2dose adjusted72 days
- Jul 3, year 2GP practice closes88 days
- Sep 14, year 2new interpreter needed17 days
- Nov 25, year 2discharge to home36 days
Three clocks
- Harm moves in weeks.
- Review moves every 3 months — the clock you chose.
- Memory moves in decades.
The lag is not a fact about bureaucracy. It is the interval, chosen by whoever set the cadence — here, by you — and paid for by whoever the record is about while it is wrong.
Where the claim is argued
Next instrument: Same words, bigger tool