How To Get A Private Doc To Do Cardiac Procedures

[Testvet]

I was seen last week in my regular VAMC and the new cardiac doc told me I had no choice but to let whomever the VA picked to do my bioventricular implant in Augusta and if I tried going to Dorn they would just send me to Augusta for the procedure, he made the remark that the surgeon that would be doing the implant has done "thousands" of them,

The problem with that story is these devices are only about 2 years old, I doubt any one doctor has implanted "thousands" of them since the FDA approved them so my wife called the Heart failure clinic at Dorn and talked to them and the lady on the phone looked at my records and said yes she would make a consult for me to see a doctor in the Heart Failure clinic and they would sign off for my regular cardiac doc that I have been seeing at Lexington Medical Center to do the surgery at Providence Heart Hospital here in Columbia which is one of the best cardiac centers in the south

It will be close to home and easier for my wife to deal with less than 10 miles rather than 70 to Augusta you are supposed to only be in over night but then again I was only supposed to be in the hospital for 4 days when they did my bypass and I ended up in the VA hospital for 6 weeks due to complications. Whats that law Murphy's? Whatever can go wrong will...... that usually has been my luck with the VA and surgery

the lesson is never believe what the doctor says they don't know everything

[carlie]

the lady on the phone looked at my records and said yes she would make a consult for me to see a doctor in the Heart Failure clinic and they would sign off for my regular cardiac doc that I have been seeing at Lexington Medical Center to **do the surgery at Providence Heart Hospital here in Columbia which is one of the best cardiac centers in the south

the lesson is never believe what the doctor says ** they don't know everything

test,

** For sure if you can have the surgery done at Province I would prefer that

much more than at the VAMC. Perhaps better quality of care and much more

convenient.

When the time comes for my heart transplant I have already been told (yea right - lol)

by my VAMC - that it will be done at a private hospital in a neighboring town.

** That's why it's always referred to as practicing medicine.

[Testvet]

good luck on that surgery Carlie, MUSC would not even think about putting me on the transplant list I hope your civilian hospital has a great track record on cardiac procedures not all heart docs are the same

[carlie]

good luck on that surgery Carlie, MUSC would not even think about putting me on the transplant list

I hope your civilian hospital has a great track record on cardiac procedures not all heart docs are the same

Test,

Thanks buddy.