Physcial Therpist Prescribes Treatment But Never Saw Veteran

[Teac]

I have an old back injury that has really got me down lately. I have tried all the pills till it is like eating candy but not as good. My va primary care physical recommended PTagain.. so I said ok.. why not...

I get a letter from va with authority to seek private care... ok..

but a VA PT doctor has dictated exactly how I will be treated with out ever meeting me... and my va record only has 10 months of medical informtion about this because I relocated to another state awhile back..

so how the heck can a doctor prescribe treatment - right down to 20 mins for warm compress, 10 mins for ice rub..etc and only 2 x week for 4 week To include a home training program so I can treat myself at home

Wouldn't this come under the "M" word???

I have called his office yesterday and today but he does not return my calls.... any suggestions...

[Pete53]

You don't agree with the treatment. Isuspect he is using VA Formula Medicine. They lump everyone together in a box and look for a cheap solution.

I suggest that you call again and if no response go to th VA Hospital and ask to talk to a Patient Advocate and tell them your problem and what you want.

Good Luck

[LarryJ]

I'd say, right off the bat, that if you have ever sought medical treatment for your problem, that those records are available to the treating physician at the VA. And, most especially, if you have ever sought treatment from ANY VA facility. So, the fact that you have just moved to another town has nothing to do with the medical records available to your present doctor.

Now, in an ideal world, he/she would have been nice to have actually "seen" you, but, hey, it's the VA!

Malpractice....naw. The exercises, the application of heat/cold, etc., are "generally accepted standards of practice" for people with your condition.

And, you can also pursue the "Patient Advocate" route that Pete has pointed out.

[LarryJ]

But, and I think I should have pointed this out in my prior post, be veddy, veddy aaafraid!

Because.....if you piss 'em off TOO much...they can always recommend surgery.

oh, yeah...!

[MRRRR5]

LarryJ,

if they recommend surgery and he refuses, what happens? Will the refusal affect any benefits?

[Teac]

But, and I think I should have pointed this out in my prior post, be veddy, veddy aaafraid!

Because.....if you piss 'em off TOO much...they can always recommend surgery.

oh, yeah...!

Surgery was recommended at least three times in the last 35 years... and I decided that I am mush better off living with the pain than letteing anyone cut on me since everyone I know who has had back surgery still has problems...

[Teac]

I'd say, right off the bat, that if you have ever sought medical treatment for your problem, that those records are available to the treating physician at the VA. And, most especially, if you have ever sought treatment from ANY VA facility. So, the fact that you have just moved to another town has nothing to do with the medical records available to your present doctor.

Now, in an ideal world, he/she would have been nice to have actually "seen" you, but, hey, it's the VA!

Malpractice....naw. The exercises, the application of heat/cold, etc., are "generally accepted standards of practice" for people with your condition.

And, you can also pursue the "Patient Advocate" route that Pete has pointed out.

I don't agree that all va's have access to all va medical information from all other va hospitals... been there done that and it just isn't so.

accepted standard of practice for "My Condition" just what is my condition ..... are you a doctor? If not what qualifies you to make such a statement?

I dare say someone who has 3 herninated disc from L3-S1, and siatiac nerve damage, with muscie degeneration and drop foot likely needs a different type of PT than someone with a "sore back" or muscle strain. Half of the time I can't even walk due to pain the other half of the time I crawl along....

Now one of the first things I was forced into after my back injury (within 4 hours) was to under go PT, and I have had PT many times since 1975 of which the heat packs, and ice rubs do nothing to relieve the pain...

The only reason I agreed to take PT again was that maybe there would be an exercise that I could learn that would help me lose weight without causing more damage to the back...

As far as Patient Advocates... I have spoken to them in the past at different va's and I have learned that they are paid mouth pieces. Sometimes they can help but usuually they can't do much....

Oh.. and the doctor that I was trying to call still has not called me back, makes you wonder what is he trying to avoid?

Now I am rated 100% and I jiust feel that the VA has throw me under the Bus. I could understand them sending me to a private provider if they had picked one, but they want me to pick one, and tell them they only get medicare rates, and for that person to follow the instructions from this va doctor... in additon I have never herd of any doctor prescribing a course of treatment and instructions to be carried out by another doctor without first talking to the paitent and the other doctor. This just doesn't seem right.. and I wonder how the va can get away with it.

I have an appointment at a military hospital on the 22, I am going to try to get PT thought the Military.. at least they are not going to write a course of action with out seeing me and then send me to some unknown....

[Teac]

LarryJ,

if they recommend surgery and he refuses, what happens? Will the refusal affect any benefits?

No, the va cannot force you to accept medical treatment as a condition to compensation.....

Edited July 4, 2008 by Teac (see edit history)