C & P Med Exam Not By Dr. But Nurse Practitioner

[halos2]

Have any other vets had their medical C & P exams done by nurse practitioners versus Dr.? Mine was and there were so many errors and descripencies in the exam..she lied and I called her up 2x and she said "she didn't write that and they must have gotten records mixed up" yeah sure than why didn't she correct them!

Turned her into pt advocate and found out she was fired from doing C & P exams but moved to an undisclosed area of the hosp to work. FOIA officer said it took her 3 days to find the nurse pract in the hosp and she said "it was in 2005 I don't remember!"

SO I sit and wait for my dear BVA to proceed.

2 medical physician IMO's done but they believe the va's nurse pract. Funny how they did not have all the information I told in my personal hearing about her and the faulty exam on my trancripts! Anything I said about the va exams, providers, etc. were not on the transcript at all.

Have any others had similiar experiences they are fighting with because of non Dr exams? There is so much more I could write but I would like to hear if others have had this occur to them, and their advice or actions that may have helped them in their battle. :P

[yoggie2]

Teac, I'm with you on this one. I will request a Doctor next time and as you stated I believe most of the time they will TREAT you as a patient or as a patient expected to be treated. This nurse practitioner flailed her arms all around and said can you do this? and me and my wife looked at each other like she was crazy.

[carlie]

I just want to read any requirement that shows a Claimant may insist that only a Doctor

may conduct their Comp and Pension Examination and VA must comply. As I feel this would

be most helpful to Millions of Veterans.

WE ALL OF COURSE WANT A DOCTOR - but I really need ANYONE to show me a way that

we can REQUIRE this of VA.

This would make me very happy.

carlie

[MRRRR5]

Teac,

also in the 2nd Edition by John Roche he mentioned that although it is law, the VA counts on many Vets not knowing this and therefore, they (VA) have changed their procedures to allow NPs and PAs to conduct these exams.

However, he did stress that a claimant has a valid argument on appeal if it is performed by a NP or PA, especially if you have medical evidence from a "doctor" or "specialist" that counters the C&P results. It just has to be explained correctly so that the BVA or ultimately the court can see this and either remand or grant the benefit.

[Teac]

Please post ANY RULR OR REG to substantiate this as I myself would most certainly prefer

to have a LICENSED DOCTOR CONDUCT ALL OF MY C&P Examinations. This could be of great

help to me and MILLIONs of Claimants, so I await your response.

carlie

I don't know and I don't really care if there is a va regulation or not. The fact is simple you have the right to refuse to be examined by anyone for any reason. Just because the va orders the exam, doesn't mean you gave up your rights. In fact I even requested a male doctor once because of the nature of my medical problem and for me it was not appropate to be examined by a female. All anyone has to do is tell them what you want and they will comply it is really no big deal. The problem is too many veterans just take the C/P without exercising their rights, so then it seems as if you do not have the right to request a doctor. Just like any other exam, I do not see female doctors and I do not accept treatment by anyone less educated than a doctor. The va owes us this much, and we owe it to ourselfs to demand what we want. Note: And it todays age there is no reason for a female to be treated by a male if they want a female to do the exam.

[carlie]

I don't know and I don't really care if there is a va regulation or not. The fact is simple you have the right to refuse to be examined by anyone for any reason.

This is true - just like we have the right to refuse to purchase gasoline - even if we want to drive a vehicle.

Just because the va orders the exam, doesn't mean you gave up your rights.

Claimants DO NOT have any rights concerning the credentials of the person conducting a C&P Examination, this decision is made solely by the VA rater requesting the C&P Examination.

In fact I even requested a male doctor once because of the nature of my medical problem and for me it was not appropate to be examined by a female. All anyone has to do is tell them what you want and they will comply it is really no big deal.

This is what you were fortunate enough to encounter. All claimants will not be so fortunate as

there is no regulation to provide for this. Anything and Everything in regards to a C&P Examination is a big deal.

The problem is too many veterans just take the C/P without exercising their rights, so then it seems as if you do not have the right to request a doctor.

I know of NO provisions that substantiate these "RIGHTS" you are posting. Unless someone can post a rule or regulation to the contrary, then this information is very misleading.

I would hate to see a claim denied because a claimant said, well I read on Hadit that if the VA won't have a doctor do my C&P Exam, and the VA will only have a NP or PA do my C&P examination, so I just continued to refuse the C&P examination because VA would not

comply to my request of a doctor.

Just like any other exam, I do not see female doctors and I do not accept treatment by anyone less educated than a doctor. The va owes us this much, and we owe it to ourselfs to demand what we want.

A Comp & Pension exam is not just like any other exam, it is an examination ordered by a VA rater to only determine the relationship to Military Service and/or a degree of disability and does not provide any treatment.

At times, the VA owes claimants a C&P exam, by an examiner of the raters choice.

If a Claimant has certain demands I highly suggest the Claimant get a IMO by the examiner of the Claimants choice.

Note: And it todays age there is no reason for a female to be treated by a male if they want a female to do the exam.

Well perhaps if there were more female doctors within the VHA then female veterans wouldn't have to see any male Gyn's.

Teac, I have no argument with you personally, VA Disability Claims relate to Rules, Regs and Medical Evidence.

All Claimants - When you have a C&P Examination Scheduled - Even if a monkey is going to conduct the examination - Please show-up for your C&P Exam, if not - you will most certainly be doing an injustice to yourself and an injustice to a possible positive outcome of your claim.

This is not my opinion, these are the facts of VA Claims Adjudication.

carlie

[yoggie2]

I can speak from experience, from a male prospective and with out a doubt I have had many physical exams in my life and the C&P performed by the nurse practitioner at the VA was the worse I have ever experienced (Reg's or Not). If I had the choice I want the guy with 6 to 8 years of collage on something this important as a injuries that is SC. I have had NP before but man this was the worst exam I ever had bar none. Really Carlie you may have given me a better exam than this NP just reading the work sheet. A doctor can make better assessments and make notice of other issues and more through to the problems. My private Doctor (has his own practice) works at the VA Hospital ER on week ends and we have talked about this at length and he has little faith in some of the Dr's there not a lone a NP. This NP never noted my tens unit or that she walked 2 acres to get me a wheel chair and guessed at a lot of answers. I'm in really bad shape and to read this C&P you'd think I was leaving there and going to my dance lessons...... This was such a bad experience enough to want a real Dr next time. what ever the cost... This NP cost me a lot of time and BS and in the end the NP opinion over ruled 3 MD's and one was a Neurologist DR..and I handed them my med file..

Not to knock what your saying if I had serious problems down there I would want a doctor to....

Edited July 13, 2008 by yoggie2