Pulmonary consult remains unassigned to a VA Doctor.

[cannoncocker]

7 minutes ago, Scottish_Knight said:

Don't take this as a high-jacking of this thread.... but is this truly what you lot go through in the US when ill or injured?  I cannot fathom how wrong sounding all this is!

Ok, over here in Germany, I have no Tricare dental.  But when I'm injured or ill, I simply go to my GP.  If I need anything extra done (specialist or surgery), I just go and it's relatively quick unless routine.  Granted, the bills come to me (I know the cost differences between the US and the rest of the world), I pay them and get most back from Tricare, VA or both if SC. 

I cannot believe Cannoncocker is having to jump these hurdles to get health assistance.  I simply thought only the VA was a mess.

Hey there Knight. I was Germany for 7 years as DAC and Active Duty. It's true and you'd think it would be more work dodging it than just doing but O No! We are talking VA here but the civilian side really isn't any better in my experience apart from the civilian side get paid per action so it's in their interest to at least on paper act like they do a procedure. As mentioned above the VA has performed well, right up to the time I got old and stuff started to go wrong with me body, which required more than Blood pressure/temp. etc. on the civilian side my brother was hospitalized for unknown source of GI bleed. The administration took pictures of him to demonstrate how not to treat a patient, infected injection sites, wake you up every 3 hours for blood work and weight check. that's fun at 2am.

both have problems.

[spirit_grt]

My pcp put in the consult for pulmonary.  As I can't wear a mask(panic if anything goes on face) I've been okayed for CC since VA requires mask worn, so CC is setting up the appointment with outside docs.  I missed first appointment that was set up and time run out on consult(year) so pcp had to put in request again.  Waiting to hear from CC now on new appointment.  I also can get CC due to travel time is over 30 mins to VA hospital.  Clinic closer but limited depts there.  

Time to get appointment, travel time, mask issue all get me CC.  Getting CC to set up outside appointments are no issue any time pcp puts in request.

Hope this helps some.

[cannoncocker]

2 hours ago, spirit_grt said:

My pcp put in the consult for pulmonary.  As I can't wear a mask(panic if anything goes on face) I've been okayed for CC since VA requires mask worn, so CC is setting up the appointment with outside docs.  I missed first appointment that was set up and time run out on consult(year) so pcp had to put in request again.  Waiting to hear from CC now on new appointment.  I also can get CC due to travel time is over 30 mins to VA hospital.  Clinic closer but limited depts there.  

Time to get appointment, travel time, mask issue all get me CC.  Getting CC to set up outside appointments are no issue any time pcp puts in request.

Hope this helps some.

That was fun, finished the post then about blank.

So, round 2.  Thank you for the very useful info and experience. Problem I have with masks is they reduce my respiratory function by half and fog my glasses. apart from that they're lovely.

So how it alwaysworks for me I begin whingind about any issue and and answer pops up. notice I didn't say the answer.

So I got an appointment with the Gainseville, Fl. Pulmonary in literally 3 months. the appointment maker said I had been limited to a choice of 2 physicians/clinics. No clue why or what that means. They didn't know.

So I informed my primary care nurse and asked why the limitation of 2 specific choices. Then I asked about beginning the process for the community care route. I added if the physicians will acknowledge a patient with blood produced in their phlegm for months will not be adversely affected by an additional 3 months of blood loss then I will accept that and wait. no physician in their right mind would approve that.

On the plus side a steady drip blood loss makes it really easy to sleep.

 

Appreciate all of you for giving your time and knowledge.

[spirit_grt]

3 hours ago, cannoncocker said:

That was fun, finished the post then about blank.

So, round 2.  Thank you for the very useful info and experience. Problem I have with masks is they reduce my respiratory function by half and fog my glasses. apart from that they're lovely.

So how it alwaysworks for me I begin whingind about any issue and and answer pops up. notice I didn't say the answer.

So I got an appointment with the Gainseville, Fl. Pulmonary in literally 3 months. the appointment maker said I had been limited to a choice of 2 physicians/clinics. No clue why or what that means. They didn't know.

So I informed my primary care nurse and asked why the limitation of 2 specific choices. Then I asked about beginning the process for the community care route. I added if the physicians will acknowledge a patient with blood produced in their phlegm for months will not be adversely affected by an additional 3 months of blood loss then I will accept that and wait. no physician in their right mind would approve that.

On the plus side a steady drip blood loss makes it really easy to sleep.

 

Appreciate all of you for giving your time and knowledge.

I (think) the reason you only have 2 choices may be because only 2 will accept the way VA pays and maybe the price they pay.  At least that is what I've been told.  

[pwrslm]

I think communication with CC is about the biggest pain in my tush...

You have to keep calling until you get through. They will give you the run about, but in the end, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[cannoncocker]

3 hours ago, spirit_grt said:

I (think) the reason you only have 2 choices may be because only 2 will accept the way VA pays and maybe the price they pay.  At least that is what I've been told.  

That may well be the case but I thought this was all within the VA Health Care system. Due to the recent pandemis bing primarily respiratory they may have "farmed out" some of the consults. Otherwise why would they have me drive freom the Panama City Florida area to Gainesville for a non VA respiratory consult?

That is another part of the problem, not explaining how this is going to work, why decisions are being made without my input or informing me of virtually anything. Such as radiology should have been able to provide some insight into the possible source but nope. 

I guess this pretty much covers it. Like everything else: whatever happens is the answer. I can go straight Social Security which I may default to if the best the VA can do is triage me to a nurse, provide no radiology based information and a 3 month consult date.