Patient Advocate

[john999]

I talked to the patient advocate today about the pain clinic cutting off my pain meds. The advocate was a total idiot. He would not process any sort of appeal. He said it was between me and my doctor. After telling him he was a lazy jerk I called the medical director's office. They listened and told me they would investigate and get back to me. I have the directive in front of me that says the facility director is responsible to sort out all medical disputes. I have two gripes including the kind of C&P exam I got that was by it's own standard inadequate. Forget about the patient advocate. He is just a lazy bum who lies to patients and drinks coffee all day. There are two advocates at the Tampa VAMC. If you get the old guy just go over his head and believe nothing he tells you.

[SouthernBelle]

I'm sorry you had a hard time with the Patient Advocate. Good ones are hard to find. We got lucky in Dublin, I guess. If I were you I would also go over the Patient Advocate that you spoke with. Talk to his boss, tell him what happened, and just keep going over somebody's head until you get the results you desire.

I talked to the patient advocate today about the pain clinic cutting off my pain meds. The advocate was a total idiot. He would not process any sort of appeal. He said it was between me and my doctor. After telling him he was a lazy jerk I called the medical director's office. They listened and told me they would investigate and get back to me. I have the directive in front of me that says the facility director is responsible to sort out all medical disputes. I have two gripes including the kind of C&P exam I got that was by it's own standard inadequate. Forget about the patient advocate. He is just a lazy bum who lies to patients and drinks coffee all day. There are two advocates at the Tampa VAMC. If you get the old guy just go over his head and believe nothing he tells you.

[john999]

SB

I just hate being BS'ed by some guy who just does not want to lift a finger. There is an written appeals directive on these matters. He said "oh,that, that is for different kinds of cases". Code for "I don't want to get off my ass and do anything". I am going over their heads and I am going to be "unreasonable" and a pest until I get what I want. You have to kick the mule to get it's attention. If I get tasered or pepper sprayed in the next few days you will know why.

[SouthernBelle]

All I can say is, you'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar! Kill em with kindness! I have found that if you play really really nice, they are much more willing to help you. Just say, "Now, bless your heart, I'm sure this regulation just slipped your mind, so I took the liberty of printing it out for you, now you just hurry along and do just what the regulation says, sugah!"

SB

I just hate being BS'ed by some guy who just does not want to lift a finger. There is an written appeals directive on these matters. He said "oh,that, that is for different kinds of cases". Code for "I don't want to get off my ass and do anything". I am going over their heads and I am going to be "unreasonable" and a pest until I get what I want. You have to kick the mule to get it's attention. If I get tasered or pepper sprayed in the next few days you will know why.

[Berta]

Gee that is awful John- our PT advocate here (Bath VA) squared away a vet friend of mines problem in a heartbeat- he was going to write to our congressman and didnt want to even talk to her ( and gave her permission to talk to me which was good because he was very angry) but she fixed the problem-involving his doctor- immediately.

Some PT advocates are great and some are probably just like John said- lazy b-----ds.

[danang_1969]

I called the patients advocate about the travel pay office refusing to give travel pay for a C&P exam once. The advocate put me on hold and came back a little later and said, you did not get travel pay because of your income is to much. I said lady, when did social security get to be too much, and besides that it would not matter if I was Donald Truimp, the travel pay I'm requesting is for a C&P exam. She said sorry, you are not eligible. I said ok I will call my congressman and find out if the law has changed and hung up. The lady called back in just a few minutes and said, we are mailing your check today, I did not realize the pay you were requesting was for a C&P exam. I said yea, I told you that about 4 times in our conversation. I suspect she checked my file and took note of the congressional interest stamped on it, not sure, just pondering. I did get the 55.00 travel pay check in just a few days.

Edited September 11, 2008 by danang_1969

[purple]

Sorry you had such a bad experience with the pt advocate. I've went to them a couple of times with the same outcome. To me they are like the proverbial "fox guarding the henhouse".

This is just me, but I'd go over everyones head and go on the IRIS system and file a huge complaint against your VAMC. That almost always gets their butts in gear!!!