Is It Legal?

[Michellee]

By the way the pain medication I was on originally was oxycodone which was working fine with Dr. Almond and then I was told that 3 out of the 4 plants that made that particular medication had been shut down and caused and National Shortage. So I then was given Morphine Sulfate and a new PSP. When I went to the new PSP I requested to be put on something else because the Morphine Sulfate was slightly to strong and that it controlled me not me controlling my medications. My New PSP took me off of the Morphine Sulfate and lowered it to Lora-tabs. Which was fine until I saw on the bottle that they were decreasing dosage for discontinue. Ever since discontinue I have been given pain meds that do not even come close to touching the pain level. I will call my PSP and not get a return call back and then I will call the Patient Advocate and I get the same old dance that they cannot do anything about it and that the final medicine decision is up to the PSP. or I get an answering machine and again will not get a return call or I talk to someone and they tell me they will find out something and call me back, I sit waiting for a call that never comes. Again

YOU SHOULD SUE THEM FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING. I WONDER IF YOU COULD?? Can you request to speak to the VAMC Director on an open door policy and tell them your thinking of going to the media about the situation that you are left to suffer inhumanely, how would he/she like if that was someone they loved or cared for. Some of us wouldn't allow our pets to suffer in pain.

[Hurting]

YOU SHOULD SUE THEM FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING. I WONDER IF YOU COULD?? Can you request to speak to the VAMC Director on an open door policy and tell them your thinking of going to the media about the situation that you are left to suffer inhumanely, how would he/she like if that was someone they loved or cared for. Some of us wouldn't allow our pets to suffer in pain.

I doubt that suing would work, only if the lawyers would collect a large sums of money. Its Highly possible it would fall on deaf ears. In Huntington WV we have a severe drug problem and Federal, State, County and Huntington Police Department are all cracking down on narcotics and other drugs in the area (which I think its great to clean up the community and get the trouble making thugs out so our children can again play in their neighborhoods but the Dr.s should not be aiding Enforcement Agencies by cutting "needy patients" out of vital medications that keep them functioning). Most of Huntington's Doctors and Lawyers are on the band wagon with the crack down. The Doctors that do see the need for the patients and do prescribe narcotics are afraid due to possibly losing their licenses or negative repercussions in the community.

The Drug problems we are having in our area is so bad that our State Leaders (Senate & House & Governor) is in for backing the clean up. I emailed a copy of the info I had documented about my medical treatment at the Huntington VAMC to Governor Manchins Office, Nick Joe Rahall's Office, Senator Byrds Office, The Joint Commission, PRN Newswire, The Associated Press, WSAZ News and Fox News with only a reply from the Joint Commission. The Joint Commission told me that for them to do anything I would have to let them use my name in their investigation and I feared of even more repercussions with my family's and my medical care. So I have resorted to pleading with my doctor, nurses and the patient advocate (Rep) which has fallen on deaf ears.

My Doctor (Dr. Sommerville) does not want to prescribe pain meds of any potency to "anyone" (I wonder if it is has to do with practicing with a expired medicine dispensing license? http://www.wvbom.wv.gov/licenseSearch.asp?QueueNumber=0&Radio=1&keywordLast=sommerville&keywordFirst=Troy&profession=&Category=&Descending=&CurrentPage=1&TotalPages=1&PageSize=20&IndividualID=7105) and the Patient Advocate doesn't want to do as much as to even advise the patient of what rights they have nor to give them advice on what steps needed to be taken to rectify the problem. All they say is that they cannot do anything because they (the VAMC) are not allowing patients to change Dr.s due to the fact they do not have enough Primary Care Dr.s. The Patient Advocates are on board with the cleaning up of the Huntington West Virginia's Veterans Administration Medical Centers Image. Understandably they cannot prescribe meds or change the Dr.s minds but they won't stand up for the patients even though they are hearing the same story from patient after patient. It seems to me that at some point they would say enough abuse is enough and stand up and go public with what is actually going on out the at the Huntington WV VAMC. The Patient Advocates (REPS) are being paid by the VA. If they go against the VAMC and actually help the patient they could lose their jobs so they prefer to be on board with the butt kissing and protect the VAMC Image.

I spoke with one of the Patient Advocates Today (LISA which I have spoke to many times before) and according to her they are Documenting in my records that I am refusing to do anything in the way of the treatment they suggest to include going to the pain clinic. "May I state for the record I had never refused any treatment at all until I was cut off of my medication and left to suffer in pain also I was never offered the opportunity to go to the pain clinic. The only things I have refused as far as my treatment was the shots in my back and the unnecessary MRI Procedure. Now recently after 8 months of trying to contact my Dr. though the nurses and the telephone unit without response and continuous ignoring I am refusing to return to see this Dr. Sommerville because I feel he does not care about myself nor his other patients."

I had to go to Dr. Sommerville (Dr. Sommerville is a real arrogant smarta_ _) for a Check up it was then when I was told by him that the only pain med he would prescribe was shots in my back in which I refused. I had read and heard to much about this treatment and additional problems assosiated with it. At that point I was told sarcasticcally (by Dr. Sommerville) that if I got to hurting bad enough that I would come in and get the shots in my back. At that time he wanted to do another MRI and I told him that it was unnecessary for that procedure because there had been no change with my back since the last MRI and there was no need to milk my Medicare Card with unnecessary procedures when he has all the information he needs to make his decisions about my care in the computer all he had to do was read a little. (with the shortage of Primary Care Dr.s and such tight scheduling of patients that takes to much time). The shortage of staff is resulting in neglect of patients which in turn leads to abuse and so on because they do not have adequate time to spend with each patient to hear what the patients problems actually are. Any place else would have already been sued.

All I ask and have been asking is to be as pain free as possible so I can interact with my children and the community and to be able to control my medication instead of it controlling me! I don't know how you all see it but the way I look at it you don't take a wheel that is not broken and try to fix it. Everything was working great until I was forced to go to these new Dr.s (Dr. Stemple & Dr. Sommerville) because of Dr. Almond getting a promotion. By the way I don't treat my dog the way they have me and if this was one of their family members being treated like this anywhere else they would not stand for it. As far as being left to suffer inhumanely its just par for the course for the Huntington West Virginia VAMC patients to suffer whatever the VAMC wants to dish out to improve their image. While speaking with Lisa the Patient Advocate at the medical center today I mentioned what does it take me going in the big office up there and letting the big wigs see what kind of pain they are leaving their patients in or going to the media and she then asked me if I wanted to set up a appointment with the pain clinic to passify me. Of course I jumped at the chance to be seen by someone whom may be able to stop some of this EXCRUCIATING CHRONIC PAIN!

I am on this board now because of the mistreatment, neglect and abuse getting great Input and Advice, also placing a World Wide Record of how they are treating me, other veterans and their families at the Huntington WV VA Medical Center. If anyone would like to link this posting to any other blogs or sites please feel free to do it. The more links the better. This may be the one of the best ways to get out the story of the "Deliberate Mistreatment, Neglect and Abuse of the Veterans and their Families by the Huntington WV VAMC for Facility Gain" to the general public. Just maybe we can get the other veterans and myself the proper medical treatment we deserve!

[Hurting]

I doubt that suing would work, only if the lawyers would collect a large sums of money. Its Highly possible it would fall on deaf ears. In Huntington WV we have a severe drug problem and Federal, State, County and Huntington Police Department are all cracking down on narcotics and other drugs in the area (which I think its great to clean up the community and get the trouble making thugs out so our children can again play in their neighborhoods but the Dr.s should not be aiding Enforcement Agencies by cutting "needy patients" out of vital medications that keep them functioning). Most of Huntington's Doctors and Lawyers are on the band wagon with the crack down. The Doctors that do see the need for the patients and do prescribe narcotics are afraid due to possibly losing their licenses or negative repercussions in the community.

The Drug problems we are having in our area is so bad that our State Leaders (Senate & House & Governor) is in for backing the clean up. I emailed a copy of the info I had documented about my medical treatment at the Huntington VAMC to Governor Manchins Office, Nick Joe Rahall's Office, Senator Byrds Office, The Joint Commission, PRN Newswire, The Associated Press, WSAZ News and Fox News with only a reply from the Joint Commission. The Joint Commission told me that for them to do anything I would have to let them use my name in their investigation and I feared of even more repercussions with my family's and my medical care. So I have resorted to pleading with my doctor, nurses and the patient advocate (Rep) which has fallen on deaf ears.

My Doctor (Dr. Sommerville) does not want to prescribe pain meds of any potency to "anyone" (I wonder if it is has to do with practicing with a expired medicine dispensing license? http://www.wvbom.wv....ividualID=7105) and the Patient Advocate doesn't want to do as much as to even advise the patient of what rights they have nor to give them advice on what steps needed to be taken to rectify the problem. All they say is that they cannot do anything because they (the VAMC) are not allowing patients to change Dr.s due to the fact they do not have enough Primary Care Dr.s. The Patient Advocates are on board with the cleaning up of the Huntington West Virginia's Veterans Administration Medical Centers Image. Understandably they cannot prescribe meds or change the Dr.s minds but they won't stand up for the patients even though they are hearing the same story from patient after patient. It seems to me that at some point they would say enough abuse is enough and stand up and go public with what is actually going on out the at the Huntington WV VAMC. The Patient Advocates (REPS) are being paid by the VA. If they go against the VAMC and actually help the patient they could lose their jobs so they prefer to be on board with the butt kissing and protect the VAMC Image.

I spoke with one of the Patient Advocates Today (LISA which I have spoke to many times before) and according to her they are Documenting in my records that I am refusing to do anything in the way of the treatment they suggest to include going to the pain clinic. "May I state for the record I had never refused any treatment at all until I was cut off of my medication and left to suffer in pain also I was never offered the opportunity to go to the pain clinic. The only things I have refused as far as my treatment was the shots in my back and the unnecessary MRI Procedure. Now recently after 8 months of trying to contact my Dr. though the nurses and the telephone unit without response and continuous ignoring I am refusing to return to see this Dr. Sommerville because I feel he does not care about myself nor his other patients."

I had to go to Dr. Sommerville (Dr. Sommerville is a real arrogant smarta_ _) for a Check up it was then when I was told by him that the only pain med he would prescribe was shots in my back in which I refused. I had read and heard to much about this treatment and additional problems assosiated with it. At that point I was told sarcasticcally (by Dr. Sommerville) that if I got to hurting bad enough that I would come in and get the shots in my back. At that time he wanted to do another MRI and I told him that it was unnecessary for that procedure because there had been no change with my back since the last MRI and there was no need to milk my Medicare Card with unnecessary procedures when he has all the information he needs to make his decisions about my care in the computer all he had to do was read a little. (with the shortage of Primary Care Dr.s and such tight scheduling of patients that takes to much time). The shortage of staff is resulting in neglect of patients which in turn leads to abuse and so on because they do not have adequate time to spend with each patient to hear what the patients problems actually are. Any place else would have already been sued.

All I ask and have been asking is to be as pain free as possible so I can interact with my children and the community and to be able to control my medication instead of it controlling me! I don't know how you all see it but the way I look at it you don't take a wheel that is not broken and try to fix it. Everything was working great until I was forced to go to these new Dr.s (Dr. Stemple & Dr. Sommerville) because of Dr. Almond getting a promotion. By the way I don't treat my dog the way they have me and if this was one of their family members being treated like this anywhere else they would not stand for it. As far as being left to suffer inhumanely its just par for the course for the Huntington West Virginia VAMC patients to suffer whatever the VAMC wants to dish out to improve their image. While speaking with Lisa the Patient Advocate at the medical center today I mentioned what does it take me going in the big office up there and letting the big wigs see what kind of pain they are leaving their patients in or going to the media and she then asked me if I wanted to set up a appointment with the pain clinic to passify me. Of course I jumped at the chance to be seen by someone whom may be able to stop some of this EXCRUCIATING CHRONIC PAIN!

I am on this board now because of the mistreatment, neglect and abuse getting great Input and Advice, also placing a World Wide Record of how they are treating me, other veterans and their families at the Huntington WV VA Medical Center. If anyone would like to link this posting to any other blogs or sites please feel free to do it. The more links the better. This may be the one of the best ways to get out the story of the "Deliberate Mistreatment, Neglect and Abuse of the Veterans and their Families by the Huntington WV VAMC for Facility Gain" to the general public. Just maybe we can get the other veterans and myself the proper medical treatment we deserve!

I noticed that the link to the West Virginia Board of Medicine did not work properly so I if you need to go there the here is the link www.wvbom.wv.gov and on the left side of the page under Miscellaneous click on the Licensee Search and search for Troy Donald Sommerville.

[Testvet]

the VA is not under state laws for hiring doctors they hire people that no one else will touch federal law covers the VA employees not the state medical boards I have been told I was being given a C&P exam by a cardiologist turns out he was a radiologist another one was done by a NP and signed off on by a MD the regular C&P doc they hire residents that have graduated from overseas medical schools and some barely speak english they are exempt from state licensing requirements

[Hurting]

the VA is not under state laws for hiring doctors they hire people that no one else will touch federal law covers the VA employees not the state medical boards I have been told I was being given a C&P exam by a cardiologist turns out he was a radiologist another one was done by a NP and signed off on by a MD the regular C&P doc they hire residents that have graduated from overseas medical schools and some barely speak english they are exempt from state licensing requirements

Being exempt from state medical board explains why the doctor working under him Dr. Stemple had an expired Medicine Dispensing License too. Thanks

[Testvet]

yes since the VA is a closed system they can allow their employees Docs and NP to write prescriptions to the VA pharmacies but what if the VA doesn't have the meds you need and you are willing to take a prescription to Wal Mart to have it filled these docs with the expired drug licenses can't even write those, I have had a VA doc write me a scrip for Plavix so I could take it to Wal Mart he thought it was in generics and the VA rules stop it after 12 months of your cardiac incident that allows them to write it in the first place

they use the excuse to stop it after 12 months that you get the same benefit from an aspirin a day and that Plavix is 140 a month and they can't get it on a low bid contract so the VA stops it as soon as they can but it is not in generic form yet so I am glad my doc still has his state license but the VA hires people that other hospital and medical centers won't.

Look at it from the doctors point of view they don't have to carry malpractice insurance, pay for a nurse and other office people to run a practice, none of the billing headaches, I am seeing a lot of docs close their own offices and return to the VA they like the regular paychecks and holidays and none of the headaches of running their own office......

there are some good ones the bad side is there are a lot of bad ones also....