Coma Page #5

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I want to understand the variables

as they apply to this patient.

I'm sure you agree that's indicated.

"This patient"?

Here we have an ordinary,

uninteresting case...

...of surgical reaction to telothane

anesthesia in a healthy patient.

As far as I can tell,

there are no unusual aspects...

...except that the patient

was tissue-typed.

Tissue-typed for D and C?

There's got to be some mistake.

Here it is. No name on the slip

and no billing number.

That's not the first time the lab

ran a test on the wrong patient.

Let's go home.

I think you're tired.

I think I'd better check

the tissue-typing lab.

Why?

Nancy's problem was not caused

by wrong lab tests.

I know.

Honey, you're grabbing at straws.

Let's go have some dinner.

- I'm not hungry.

- We'll check the lab later.

Stop acting as if

there's something wrong with me...

...or the way I'm thinking!

I'm checking the lab now.

They're closed.

I won't just stand here!

Susan, the lab is closed.

It closed at six 6:00.

Is she all right?

Yeah, she just...

She likes to do things

her own way.

Who's that?

Dr. Wheeler.

We're closed.

We don't do any determinations

after six, doctor.

I want to look at

your requisition book.

What does it mean when there's

no name and number on the slip?

There's...

There's always

a name or a number, doctor.

For example, Nancy Greenly.

You did tissue-typing...

...but there's no physician name

and billing number.

Let me see.

Yes, you see, it's been

printed out by computer.

That's hospital policy.

A certain number of these tests

are randomly ordered by computer...

...as a quality check.

We do the tests here,

they're sent out...

...and done again by an outside lab.

The computer ordered

this test on Greenly?

Yeah, central computer.

Why don't you just show me?

- I can't.

- Why not?

I'm not supposed to.

It's really important.

Anyway, that information

isn't coded.

If it isn't coded,

I can't pull it out.

I mean, who would want it?

Well, let's say I wanted a list

of all the patients...

...who had tissue-typing

in the last month.

Same thing. Not coded.

What do you do?

What good is all this equipment?

I thought you recorded information.

We do, but the truth is, we install

these computers to bill patients.

We code patient name and number,

medical or surgical...

...admission diagnosis,

therapy and discharge diagnosis.

Okay, wait a minute.

Can you give me a list

of all surgical patients...

...with discharge diagnoses of coma?

Okay, we have...

...one general category

under "coma"...

...and nine subcategories

under "brain syndromes. "

Good.

I want a list

of all surgical patients...

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