Va Patient Bill Of Rights

[vaf]

The mother of a vet I'm helping just called. Evidently, her veteran son was sent a letter by the local VAMC "cordially inviting" him to come in to discuss his "current treatment," and by that, she reads that to mean they're going to mess with his pain medications. This does not involve psychiatric issues. The letter specifically told him to come alone, and not bring his mom, who normally accompanies him to the hospital for his treatment visits. She and her son just recently voiced some complaints to the secretary to the director of the VAMC, and now she fears this is retaliation. She is very concerned. I told her to print up the VA's Patient Bill of Rights that says the veteran and anyone he chooses will be allowed to participate in decisions regarding his treatment, and also for her to visit an attorney asap with her son, to have a limited power of attorney drawn up authorizing her to discuss and participate in any decisions regarding her son's VA medical treatment and claims.

Does anyone here think something additional should be done? The meeting is tomorrow. I've never heard of this.

[Pete53]

She should go anyway in my opinion. Many Veterans need help to deal with VA.

[donews]

My son ALWAYS goes with me to the VA.

There has only been one time they tried to refuse to let him stay with me, and that was during an ER visit. They claimed patient privacy as the reason for refusing to let him enter the ER with me. Then they changed it to they were understaffed and then several other reasons.

He immediatley got the Supervisor on Duty and explained that I might not be able to adequately explain to them the problems and or symptoms I might have, in return they might give me a improper treatment or medication that could cause me complications or death, they let him enter.

I have no clue as to a single medication that I take. It could be rat poison and I wouldnt know any better. If they ever tell me he can't go. I won't go.

I would tell her to go ahead and go with him. I would refuse to let them tell her otherwise. Just my advice for what its worth.

Donewsome

[Speaking Out]

I agree with all the advice here. He should definately take his mother and she should be prepared to take notes. There is no reason for him to get a letter like that and it sets the tone that the VA is planning to do something under handed.

[Ron II]

Re: "The letter specifically told him to come alone, and not bring his mom, who normally accompanies him to the hospital for his treatment visits."

I would encourage the mom to accompany her son. Many folks need assistance in understanding how a bureaucracy works. I take a 79-year old to the VA Med Ctr for two reasons--he needs a ride AND

he has trouble understanding all that is going on (hard of hearing, etc.).

Ron

[Speaking Out]

VAf,

What ever came of this?

[vaf]

I finally heard back from the vet's mom last night. She accompanied the vet to the meeting, and fortunately, her attendance went unchallenged. She said it was never mentioned, it's like the folks who called the meeting suddenly developed amnesia on that particular point. I guess she called their bluff, she didn't have to do a thing to justify her being there. As for his pain meds, they said he was trying to renew them one or two days early, and that he had to stop doing that. Also, there's a nurse on the pain management team who is reportedly downright hostile to the vet and the mother, and she was at the meeting, reportedly behaving as badly as ever. The mom and the vet told the folks in attendance they did not want to deal with her anymore, however, I think they came to the agreement for everyone to try to calm down and rise above their differences.

I just find this whole thing to be very strange. However, I know about the Patient Advocate's Office at this VAMC -- I had problems with that same office when we tried to find out the medical credentials of an examiner that conducted one of my husband's C & P exams. I asked where the guy went to school, where he was licensed, what his credentials were, etc., and the PA Office told me that was protected information, which is a crock. They refused to provide it. It appears they tried to bluff this vet, and knew they had no legal grounds to do it.