Breaking Appointments At A Vamc

[carlie]

Someone had posted a question recently that dealt with

not showing up for a VAMC appointment and being told

VA could withhold services if it happened again.

I believe this is the reg that would address this situation.

Hope this helps a vet.

carlie

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-...1.1.19.0.182.58

§ 17.100 Refusal of treatment by unnecessarily breaking appointments.

A patient under medical treatment who breaks an appointment without a reasonable excuse will be informed that breaking an additional appointment will be deemed to be a refusal to accept VA treatment. If such a patient fails to keep a second appointment, without at least 24 hours notice, such action will be deemed as a refusal to accept VA treatment.

Thereafter, no further treatment will be furnished until the veteran has agreed to cooperate by keeping appointments. Treatment will not be discontinued until the treating physician has reviewed the treatment files, concurred in the action and signed a statement to this effect in the record. Consideration will be given to the veteran's ability to make a rational decision concerning the need for medical care and/or examination.

The veteran will be advised of the final decision. Nothing in this section will be construed to prevent treatment for an emergent condition that may arise during or subsequent to this action. Where an appointment is broken without notice and satisfactory reasons are advanced for breaking the appointment and circumstances were such that notice could not be given, the patient will not be deemed to have refused treatment.

[broncovet]

I agree with Pete. The VA is making an assumption that is probably not correct at least not with all Veterans. This policy assumes that ALL VETERANS meet ALL of the following requirements:

1. This assumes each and every Veteran has access to a phone (and can afford the phone bill while he is waiting for VA benefits, sometimes for years without payment)and can also navigate the complicated computer system answering his call. This is not always true. necessary to navigate an extremely complicated telephone answering computer to be able to even reach the required person to cancel his appointment.

"You have reached your VA medical Center. Press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish."

#1

If you would like to order a Prescription, press 1, otherwise go back to the main menu as it has changed.

Veteran figures out how to get main menu.

If you know the extension of the person you would like to speak to, enter it now. (Veteran does not know the name of the clerk who makes appointments).

We did not get that extension. Please enter it again.

If you have an emergency, dial 911. Otherwise, go back to the main menu again and repeat this all over again. It goes on and on.

2. It assumes each and every Veteran has a watch and a calendar, and can remember his appointments. This is not always true.

3. It assumes each and every Veteran has reliable and adequate transportaintion. This is not always true.

4. It assumes each and every Veteran is notified by mail or phone call reminding him of an appointment that may be months into the future. This is not always true.

5. It assumes the VA NEVER makes a mistakes and schedules conflicting doctor appointments. This is not always true.

6. It assumes that VA medical care is actually good enough to motivate the Veteran to actually go to his next appointment. This is not always true.

7. It assumes the Veteran has not joined the 1,000,000 Veterans waiting on the VA to pay his benefits for so long he has became destitute and can no longer afford transportation to the Doctor. This is not always true.

In short, there are often very good reasons why the VEt does not show, and not all of them can be automatically blamed on the Veteran.