Advice needed please

[Holllie Greene]

Hi, I believe it is well past time to change my primary care doctor.  Why?  Hmmmmm, the doctor appears to be a flake who does not remember things I have told them.  So my question is how does a Veteran request a new doctor without ruffling feathers?  There is an epic rant involved with this situation but I will spare you all. 

Thank you.

[vetquest]

Just do like I do.  I go once a year and I have a new doctor every year.

Seriously, you should be able to speak to the patient rep at the VA and they should let you switch doctors if you have a concern.  I had a blowup with a neurologist who went off because I had a second opinion on some medication she was prescribing.  I went to patient affairs and was given a new doctor.

[broncovet]

At MY VAMC there is a "box" near primecare where you can put a form in that changes physicians.  Will it "ruffle feathers"?   Maybe.  

When I did so, I got a call from the physician I was changing from, asking me "Why did I want to change doctors?"  I told her the truth, that I did not think she was thorough, like the previous doc, and disputed some medical decisions on my behalf.  

She pretty much begged me "not to change"...she did not say so, but I speculate she was here on a work visa and would likely be sent back to her home country, with more veteran complaints.  

I agreed to give her another chance, and, after that, I got anything I wanted from that doc.  However, she left about six months later anyway.  I will guess if they get to many Veteran complaints, they can lose their "internship" at VA.  She likely got over the limit, as I was not the only one complaining.  She could not speak English well, and I have a difficult time understanding Americans, let alone foreign accents.  

If you have a great reason, then you should change.  I just recommend not "being picky", but be generous.  Still, bad care is bad care and make the change if necessary.  I would not have changed docs "just because" she spoke broken English, but there were several other things..I told her I had a prostate issue and she pretty much ignored it.  unacceptable.