Made An Imo Format - May I Have Your Thoughts?

[hedgey]

I figured that when going to see the Dr, it might help if I had a 'form' partly filled in and ready for them to just add a line or two and a signature. I used one I saw here or somewhere online, and adjusted it a little. I'd really like to know what anyone thinks about it:

Veteran's Name: ________________________________________________________

Veteran's File Number _______________________

Diagnosis/Condition_______________________________________________________

Practitioner's Name ______________________________________________________

Practitioner's Address ____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Practitioner's Phone _____________________________________________________

In my medical opinion, the currently existing medical condition is (please check one)

__________ Related to

__________Likely related to

__________At least as likely as not related to

an injury, disease, or event occurring during the veteran's military service.

Related injury or illness occurring during service (as described by veteran or as found in records provided by veteran):

_______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Signature and Title of Practitioner Date

Signature of Veteran Date

I don't know what's up with the spacey formatting it looks much neater in Word....

[LarryJ]

Lotsa Luck.

Most MD's, when asked to even do a "medical opinion", well, you come to find out that that "MD" behind their name, well, it stands for "M"-ajor "D"-ickhead.

I wasted several months waiting on scheduled appointments and waiting on reports from doctors that did NOT want to provide an IMO/IME, and, it cost me mucho dinero.

Finally talked the VA into a C&P and the C&P doc provided me with a better opinion than the other three docs! Go Figger!

[ArmyTexas]

LarryJ,

I see you are from McKinney. My Nuerosurgen works in Dallas and Irving. Once he found out I was a Vet, he got a lot nicer. It was woth the ride from the home in Mid-cities to Irving and all it cost was the Tricare prime $12 co-pay. The receptionist is Army retiree wife (he passed away while they were battling the VA) I think she spoke with the Doc about the VA system after my appointment, because it was a really great report. I know that this is a very rare occasion, other Doc's I've dealt with won't put anything in writing.

[cowgirl]

My thoughts, the format seems ok .....

For 'soon to be discharged' veterans filing or preparing to file fa disability compensation claim within the first year after discharge, the weight of proof seems to be service medical records (STR) and secondly that of the VA examiner. I would recommend a veteran spend time reading STRs and becoming intimately familiar with thier in service injuries or chronic conditions.

If at all possible get the medical conditions confirmed and medically recorded before and or during the discharge physical.

My experience, nearly all my claims have been supported by diagnosis's and military history in my Veteran Treatment Record(VTR) from providers at a Veterans Administration Medical Clinic (VAMC) or Military Treatment Facility (MTF).

The few times I've provided civilian providers with a similar format of 'likely as not, 'related to' like Carlie said, it depends on the doctor. One doctor did use wording from the format but she further described the condition as currently mild and probably inherited. Another doctor didn't prefer to even see the format and wrote a hurricane tight IMO. Finally another accepted the format and wrote a few sentences with no substance. These doctors were already providers and not specifically IMO only exams.

One time I prepared to get an IMO from a recommended doctor, but would have had to submit to a few visits to 'confirm' my diagnosis. The condition was clearly stated in MTR and VTR but I wanted a civilian diagnosis to specify it exactly to win on the first NOD for it. Because of the cost xxxx.00 and the stress, I decided against getting the IMO and somehow won with records on hand.

Others here have had different results, I do wish you well and am content that you know a claims truth - Medical Opinion!

From what I've learned, a Medical Opinion should work if its from a physician who specializes treating the condition, has read prior clinical records, knows the patient, specifically describes the condition and notes in the opinion, the information contained in the veteran’s claims folder or other records *supports the medical conclusion.

I would think a copy of the VA exam worksheet for that condition would assist the physician.

Hope any of my words help, learned from the best - Hadit.

cg

Edited February 10, 2010 by cowgirl

[retiredat44]

The doctor that did my IMO created reports that took 2 reams of paper... she also did no form letters at all.. all were written from scratch..

[hedgey]

Well, my better half saw the new doctor today, and I think things went well. (I say 'think' because I've thought things went well at the last couple C & P's... ) What we did was give him the IMO format and a copy of the VA exam sheet as guidance. He did a thorough examination and will review the records, then he said he'll write up a report and have it for us in two weeks. He seemed to really like having the exam sheet to go by, and he said the IMO format would give him the verbiage to use in his report.

We're optimistic!!

[broncovet]

I would add that I think you need to specify the IMO's qualifications. That is, if your Doctor offering the IMO is board certified in his specialty, then you should state so. It may not be enough that he/she has a medical license, he/she may well need to be qualifed in a particular specialty. For example, If your IMO "doc" has a Phd in English Literature, his opinion will have little, if any, bearing on your claim for PTSD.

Finally, on the form it may be a good idea to specify why the doctor is opining that your diagnosis is related to military service. One example of this why might be something like this:

According to the AMA Journal, Sept. 2009, on page 17, "Studies show that individuals with a traumatic event may manifest its symptoms of PTSD 20 years later." (This is an example only and not a citation of any medical journal)