Urinalysis How Often Are They Giving

[jessie0054]

Hello:

I need to know how often a Urinalysis is given to a vet as part of their routine exam??

A couple weeks ago my husband had a C&P exam done for residuals of a gun shot wound to his leg while in Vietnam. After the exam we went down to medical records and requested not only the copy of the C&P report but all his treatment records for the last 4-5 years.

Right after this C&P exam he had his usual routine exam the next week. A urinalysis was done at this time, The results were not good and they called him in yesterday for a followup urinalysis which was worse than the first one. His CBC report shows he also has a low RBC. The Dr then told him they would make an appointment with a Uro Dr as soon as possible since we might be looking at cancer here since he was complaining of pain in the kidney area without signs of infection and the results of 2 very nasty reports. [ has been complaining of this pain and in his left hip for at least 6-9 months].And he has lost 5 lbs in the last week.

Not anywhere in the last 4-5 years of records is there a Urinalysis report.!!

I called this morning to see if they were working on this appointment with the Uro Dr since the pain is much worse. The lady was reading to me what was on the computer screen and said my husband was to let THEM know when he was ready for the consultation!!! Which was not true!! They were to make the call to the URO yesterday!!! I told her NO!!! that not the case and i needed to get him an appointment ASAP.

I'm waiting now for the Nurse or Dr to call me back with an appointment!!

I tried to make an appointment with the Uro Department at out local Univerity Hospital which is across the street from the VAMC and got some run around about our insurance might be a problem later on if we don't wait on the Va to get a referral done. WHAT!!!

Please someone tell me how i need to handle this.

Jessie

[Pete53]

If they keep dallying I would take him to ER and ask to see a Doc.

[Berta]

If he doesnt get the appointment right away- try to see if the VAMCs PAtient Advocate will help you-some of the PT advocates do wonders-but if the VAMC continues to stall on this call the VAMC CHief of Staff and share your concerns with them- and if that fails call your Congressman.

I just had to copy some docs that pertained to my husband's Sec 1151 claim-and it is all a flashback of fighting for his care-

Chief of Staff meetings,threats to call my COngressman (which got their "broken" CT scan fixed in 15 minutes)and Congressional intervention,and still they malpracticed on him.

If he had been complaining to the VA ofg these problems sooner-with no urinalysis done-

he might have basis for a Section 1151 claim or FTCA suit- still that is not at all important now-

proper medical care is.

[purple]

you're going to have to be the very squeaky wheel here. sadly, it's the only thing the VA responds to.

and no, i don't believe urinalysis are a routine part of a medical exam in the VA........at least in the 10 years i've been going to the VA i've never had one unless i've had a problem.

just go ahead and take him to the ER....bypass the system which obviously doesn't work.

[jessie0054]

Pete, Berta and Purple:

Thanks for your replies:

The VA Nurse just called me back and took down all my concerns and she will pass them on the the Dr. She said if i haven't heard back from her by Friday to call her back.

I called my husband and told him he needs to go on to the ER as i am remembering the results from about 5 years ago during one of his previous testing done for his heart problem. While there on that visit he had just had a stress test done early that day and was seeing the Dr that afternoon and of course she said she didn't have the results back yet, But didn't think there was a problem and sent him on his way. She called a couple hours later frantic with the results and telling him to get to the ER as he had 2 cloged arteries. We went to the local ER not the VA and he had emergency surgery that evening with a stent placement. He later had a heart Attack 2 months later and another stent placement.

So no i don't believe we will wait on this. I'll just fight with the insurance company it it become a problem.

Thanks,

Jessie

[SeattleShay]

In the "real world" a urinalysis is a routine test done with a yearly physical, more frequently if you are a diabetic.

[Mcafee]

Hello all hope all is well. I have to have routine urinalysis done two reasons issue there and prescription opids morphine,vicodin,percocet ETC.or narcotics when prescribed they check to see if you abuse other drugs or alcohol and such.However I would think if this is done a constant or regularly would this not be considered a service connected condition?