Does The Vamc And The Varo Talk To Each Other?

[jecsb4]

I am woundering if the VAMC and the RO talk to each other. For example, when I see a Dr at the VAMC can they look at my RO medical files and C & P exams and examination notes that the examiners put in the system?

Thanks

[Jay Johnson]

Honestly, if the VA just followed their own rules, we wouldn't have anything to fear. For instance, it wouldn't matter if they started digging into PTSD appointment logs at the VAMC if they just followed the regs which state that in order to reduce a 100% vet the VA must prove that the veteran has gotten better WITHOUT the need of doctors and/or meds and under real life conditions. But we all know this isn't the case and if the RO gets wind of a report saying something as simple as "little sally veteran seems to have had a good day today" they will throw little sally under a bus to prove she isn't "better". Thus the need to keep them as far away from PTSD vets as humanly possible.....

But this won't change until we can hold raters accountable for failing to follow simple and clear regulations that they should be following anyway.....in my opinion, every time a rater ignores those regs they should be held in contempt of congress.

[Vike17]

As I've said before on this forum, the VAMC and the RO do not regularly communicate with one another except for things associated with setting up and doing C&P exams. One other instance when the two communicate with one another is when a veteran is hospitalized for a service-connected disability. There may also be instances when a veteran has a claim pending and the RO and VAMC may be continually exchanging records as to the curent condition of that claimed disability, but in order for this to happen, generally, the claimant has to tell the RO first where the treatment is taking place because the RO dosen't have that information.

Vike 17

[sixthscents]

I run into this all the time. The VA is not doing anything sinister. The VARO (VA Regional Office) and the VAMC (VA Medical Center) do communicate on a professional basis. The VARO does order C&P exams and in their request they do sometimes point out SPECIFIC thing that they want tested or compared. You current primary care physician has no real connection with the VARO, but the VARO can and does pull records that they have already tagged for review to determine if there has been any improvement. They GENERALLY tell the veteran that their rating is not permanent in their decision by stating a re-evaluation date, but often this is not noticed by the veteran, or missed by the rater.

Now does this mean that the VARO periodically pulls records on certain cases... yes. Do they them use the records to determine continued eligability sometimes - yes. They also sometimes order a C&P, and this can be YEARS after the award. It is simply this. If the VA determines that there is apossibility for improvement they will follow up with the claim... and that is their jobs. If the veteran has no improvement, then they shouldn't do anything, BUT sadly I have seen where the VA uses a comment made by the vets PCP or Psych, out of context, or simply make the WRONG conclusion. It happens, thats a fact and the best thing a veteran can do is to go to the Release of Information office at the VAMC on their next visit or make a special trip if necessary... this can be ANY VAMC in the US, they all have access to your records... anyway periodically go there and pull your records and see what you treating physicians, psychologists etc are saying and make sure it is correct.

I go down after every appointment and ask for the last appointments records. They print them off and hand them to me on the spot - or I wait, but in any case I get them. What you get is what the VARO gets if they ask.. so it behooves you to ensure that it is correct.

Again... this is the veterans responsibility... mistakes are made, by civilians as well as the VA, so it is the veterans responsibility to make sure everything is correct or at least they understand WHY the doctor stated what they did, because they can set up an appointment and ask. Should the veteran have to do this... NO, but the civilian doctors make mistakes as well, and it seems they are all just about as bad.

Now that doesnt mention the auto generated answers... the VA uses a program that generates a selection of responses the doctor can select from depending upon the question he is asking.... sometimes... heck often the doctor just skips these and they can cause a bunch of confusion. I have seen this again and again.. and have had to correct it in my OWN records. So, there is no sinister plot really, just plain errors made by doctors who are quite frankly way way overworked.

[Jay Johnson]

True, but the veteran has the power to pick and choose the information the VA sees when he/she uses a civilian psych, just as the VA can pick and choose their information when they use the VAMC. If there is NO information for the VA to draw from in a P&T case, then the most they can do is order a C&P (illegally without new and material evidence, but's that's another debate) and one C&P will not out weigh a treating psychiatrist's opinion by a long shot; especially if the treating psych has a long history with the veteran and gives a very favorable, and detailed, evaluation.

[Bound4heaven]

Greetings to all,

Two weeks ago I have a visit with a neuroligist about migraines. He also examined my feet because of no sensation in my toes. I requested the clinic notes and noticed he said wrote down several things that did not take place and if the RO seen them it might question the severity of one of my disabilities which I am rated at 100% loss of use.

I sent a letter directly to the doctor with a copy of the clinic report (the examiner in question is a resident and not a Dr) I highlighted the areas of issue and ask that they be removed, because it did not take place and I enclosed a self-addressed envelope for him to send me a copy of the corrected report.

I do not know if he will or will not do it, if he will not do it I will send a copy of the sent letter and clinic report and file a complaint with the patient's advocate office.

I totally agree with the veteran that we need treatement if possible to go outside the VA system where we can let the VA know what would and would not prove our cases.

It is very difficult to trust either system. I have made a decision that I will never see again a specialist at the VA. I see my primiary VA Dr once a year at a nearby clinic.

What do you gyus think of writing the letter to the resident? was that you feel a good move?

God bless you all.

Bound4Heaven

[Tower_Rat]

When i got a call from the RO coach one time i asked that very same question and they said they can look at the notes anytime via computer that they are linked to them as well.