diabetes Question About Clinic Practice And Appointments Abbreviation?

[Ethan'sGrandma]

Thank you for your reply, John...

Now I know that they do that and don't need consent (test for drugs/alcohol). So, I surmise there really is not too much privacy. Well, I'd already heard said that they own the records, so...

Well, at least I got a smile out of your last sentence, not because it's funny that they believe that, but because it's so right to the point. Thanks!

[Ethan'sGrandma]

Gosh, this VA stuff is so wearing me down!! Well, I know I'm not the only one, but that's no comfort to know others are having lots of issues! I went to that mh appointment that I received the strange call about...supposed evaluation to just update VA medical records since I'm not being seen through them. When I asked the psychiatrist if this is new now with our treating facility (unrequested evaluations/treatment?) he said they'd always done that. That's an outright non-truth, at least in my case, as I've gone to that clinic for many years and it's never been requested for me. I asked him if it had anything to do with the catastrophic evaluation that I had received a letter for way months back from the VAMC as someone (I have no idea who) had made the request on my behalf, after looking at my past VA mh records. Again, he said no, not related to that as it was just a general mh evaluation by a psychiatrist per VAMC request due no further mh information is available to VA since I go to private doctor. Additionally, he informed me that catastrophic would not apply since those for mh would consist of someone eating "poop," and such drastic symptoms (that is the exact word he used). Well, moving along since the appointment, I obtained the copy of that evaluation day and, indeed, it was for the catastrophic evaluation. This really riles me up because I can't figure out why in the world he saw fit the need to lie to me...a psychiatrist to boot! I knew I was suspicious about that appointment call for a reason. I can't believe they would consider that an appropriate evaluation for the requested catastrophic evaluation. All he asked was if I was seeing outside providers for mh and my meds information, nothing more. How in the world can he determine anything from that...just sounds like the lousy C&P exam that was afforded to me without absolutely no real way to measure much of anything. So, I looked up what the VA means by catastrophic which appears to include ADL's. That VA psychiatrist did not ask me not one thing that would relate to that! I am familiar with ADL's as I used to work for SSA and was responsible to assist claimants with their forms, which included for ADL's. For goodness sakes, I barely leave the house due to the agoraphia and my life is very limited due to the non-ability to maintain ADL's, so this whole deal is overwhelming, especially that there is no way that he would know that if it was not part of his questions. I've seen this before with others and I suspect that is what is playing with this whole mh stuff...if you can walk and talk, there ya go...what could possibly be wrong?! Obviously, my past mh records with VA shows the issues I am having (progress notes) which somebody, obviously, noted and made the request for the catastrophic evaluation, but he could not even be honest enough with me and inform me that the evaluation was exactly for that, not some bs story he made up, never mind that nothing leading to a possible true evaluation was had at that appointment. I was so stressed and panicked during the wait to be seen, how could he not have noticed the reality, when he was called by the receptionist lady because I was starting to flip over being in the waiting area (no body bothered to inform me that I was in the wrong mh section) that I had been told to go to, so I had to go ask her if there was going to be a further delay after I'd been there for about 40 minutes? I'd started getting way over the top with anxiety, trying to keep myself from freaking out, but couldn't hold back the distress when I asked her if I was going to be seen soon? She informed me that it was the wrong mh waiting room, called the doctor to come find me out in the hallway where I should have been waiting, but this was all new to me since the clinic was newly built, I'd never been there before and the doctor had said to me to go to mh on the appointment day. Out in the hallway, I was about to just disappear to my car and wait for my husband because so many people walking back and forth were really freaking me out, like as if in a mall during a holiday. There is a reason why I don't go shopping! Sheesh, that clinic was seriously not designed for some MST/PTSD patients in mind, but that's another story. In any case, does anybody have any suggestions what I can do about this non-proper evaluation? I am not familiar with the process since it was not me that requested anything, but I'd gotten a letter from VAMC to call for an evaluation for it. At the time I called, the woman answering told me I would be placed on a list for a later call about the evaluation which, apparently, was the call the doctor made to me, but failed to tell me what I was really being evaluated for and must have seen a need to lie to me about it. I do not expect it will be like a denial of whatever which is appealable during the required timeframe. Does any body know or have any suggestions? Thank you so much for any help...