Posted on Apr 27, 2014
SFC Strategic Initiatives Program Manager
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I had a Soldier complain about a headache, went to TMC and got 48 hours quarters, another who said he had knee pain.....went and got oxycodone and a profile. Another who keeps going on about TBI even though he wasnt involved in any TBI events while downrange(said it was from basic training) and he went and got seen and the PCM gave him Narcs, Profile and put him in IDES for MedBoard.

I talked to many others and they say this one Primary Care Manager(PCM)doesn't care, he will give out Narc prescriptions like they are candy and write you a permanent profile if you simply ask. Is this wrong or am I just freaking out on this "new" Army.
Posted in these groups: Pushup improvement ProfilesUnited states army logo Army
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SFC Medical Platoon Sergeant
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Before you start spilling all sorts of stories, what you are receiving is completely hearsay. The proper way to redress these issues is to have the commander address it directly with the provider in question and/or the commander of the TMC if there is an obvious pattern.

Playing devils advocate here, many times soldiers with migraines may only complain of a headache to non-medical providers, but based on the symptoms, their history, and what medications they react well to, they may require an opiate coctail to knock out the headache. Allthough I will agree 48 hours does seem excessive for even a migraine.

not saying that you are, but there is nothing good that can come from you pushing any sort of off the books investigation or digging into what this provider has given or done for other soldiers. You can inadverently cross lines that have both legal and financial consequences.
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SFC Strategic Initiatives Program Manager
SFC (Join to see)
10 y
Its not hearsay, its facts from my Soldiers and Sergeants.
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CPT All Source Intelligence
CPT (Join to see)
10 y
Definition of hearsay: "the report of another person's words by a witness." That is all you have. You have what the Soldier ***claims*** he told the doctor. Or worse, what the SGT says the Soldier told him/her he said. No one is going to come in and say, "yeah, I totally shammed the doc into giving me pills." SSG Schroeder is steering you in the right direction.
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SSG Robert Burns
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SSG Ledbetter, let me give you some insight and I am basing this solely off the information you have provided.
1. First Soldier complained to you about a headache. A headache can be a symptom of something else. He probably got quarters for what was causing the headache; not the headache itself. Completely normal.
2. A profile is completely normal and standard for knee pain. Pain is subjective. If the Soldier complains of severe pain, you have to treat severe pain unless you have a reason to believe the Soldier is a drug seeker which is very difficult.
3. TBI is a very lengthy and involved diagnosis. TBI's also don't only come from down range. It can come from a head injury anywhere. Also you just aren't "put" into IDES. That is a very lengthy process as well and requires a diagnosis. If he had been diagnosed, that is not done by his PCM who you are claiming is the issue. There is an entire clinic dedicated to this. Every Soldier with a TBI is on a profile. But it has nothing to do with that PCM.
4. Permanent profiles must be justified and reviewed. It is not just the actions of this PCM.
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SGT Gunner
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This is wrong!!
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SFC Strategic Initiatives Program Manager
SFC (Join to see)
10 y
Agreed! Thanks for the input.
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SPC Stephanie Oanes
SPC Stephanie Oanes
10 y
Some of these PCMs (I've actually witnessed it on Bragg) are QUICK to prescribe narcotics like it is candy, but you also have doctors that refuse to give it out, regardless of how severe your injury it. Example, friend of mine has a disease in her spine which puts her in extreme pain (also in IDES process). Her doctor refuses to prescribe her narcotics, and will only give her 800mg Ibuprofen. Then, on the other hand, we have another soldier in our unit that gets narcotics every month because of stress fractures. Figure that one out? Very flawed system. It is not right at all.
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