"We have several Dr. Patels here. I don't know this one's first name, so be sure a copy goes to the right one."

There are 32 Patels on my staff list ... if I was ever tempted to use the eenie, meenie, minie mo system of deductive reasoning this might be it

Nae

My first instinct would be to send a copy to all 32 Patels -- screw HIPAA.

I love your reasoning!

I second Elgee. How can you possibly be sure a copy goes to the right one unless you copy them all? The only thing to do is to send out 32 copies with a cover note: "If you are not the Dr. Patel involved in this patient's care, please immediately destroy this communication without reading, in accordance with HIPAA requirements. If you are, please inform Dr. Blank of your first name so he can keep you informed in future."

Well, I suppose someone could call the patient and ask if he knows which Dr. Patel he's seeing. Then you'd have maybe a 50% chance of getting the right one on the first try. (It amazes me how many patient not only don't know what meds/treatment they have been given, but can't even come close to spelling their doctor's name correctly.) That would really spoil the fun, though.

An excellent solution that strikes the perfect balance between sarcasm and compliance.

NAE, I know JUST where you're coming from! I just LOVE it when docs say "oh, and send a copy to Dr. Smith"......okaaaaaay.

We have about 2 pages of Patels here in Indiana too. That name must be the Indian equivalent to Jones or Smith.

It's just as bad when you're working in an organization, and the doctor says "copy to Dr. X," and there's a Dr. X on staff. The problem is that the dictator meant send a copy to Dr. X at another institution. So you have the Dr. X on staff screaming at you about why you would send him this, you have the dictator upset because you couldn't magically read his mind, and Dr. X somewhere else wondering why they've never gotten any feedback from their referral.

The topping on the cake is when they spell S-M-I-T-H.

Given that there are a couple of ways you can spell "smith", that isn't too bad. I have, however, been asked to spell "Jones" on occasion.

And I have been asked to spell Morningstar. I thought people were nuts until I received something spelled Mourningstar. Wouldn't have been my first guess, but since I have lived with the torments or morningstar/eveningstar my whole life, I didn't realize that I dressed all in black for another reason.