Medical Treatment Facilities, Are You Getting The Care You Need?

2015-06-05T23:34:30-04:00

Trying to get a consensus on our current medical treatment facilities and if you are getting the care you need. I've noticed a lot of fellow service members going to see there Primary Care Providers and leaving with almost no diagnosis or one that was completely inaccurate.
IN NO WAY AM I DISRESPECTING OUR MEDICAL PERSONNEL. I understand the limitations that are put on them. I've had conversations with my PCM and he too like a majority of us are overworked, undermanned and asked to produce more.

Response by Lt Col Mark Orlowski made Jun 5 at 2015 11:42 PM

2015-06-05T23:42:17-04:00

Despite being retired AF, since I have a job, my primary INS is through employer and Tricare is secondary. This makes me so far down the priority list it's not
worth going to BVAMC. I do see hand Ortho patients at our practice, and get to hear the stories.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2015 11:59 PM

2015-06-05T23:59:16-04:00

Fort Hood Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center. It is greatly expanding and has in the last 8 years. It should be much better than it was.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 6 at 2015 12:10 AM

2015-06-06T00:10:32-04:00

I'm still waiting for a follow-up appointment with my PCM at the VA to find out the results of my latest blood work. It's been about a month now.

Response by PO1 Kerry French made Jun 6 at 2015 2:11 AM

2015-06-06T02:11:58-04:00

I stopped going to them. I was really sick and needed to see a doc within a few days. Their first available appointment... 6 WEEKS!!! I paid my own bill and went to a civilian... he got me the right antibiotics and I was feeling better within 2 days! And I got in the next day! I refuse to go to the VA... don' want them turning me into a zombie drug addict or taking away my rights if I accidentally say the wrong thing. I love my civilian doctor... a fromer IDF soldier! He knows what's going on!!

Response by LT Jessica Kellogg made Jun 6 at 2015 8:46 AM

2015-06-06T08:46:27-04:00

I've found it to be hit or miss.
I really liked my old PCM, but it took about 3 weeks to get an appointment.
Currently I don't think my PCM exists... I've been trying to get an appointment for a while without much luck.
The doctor who did my back surgery was excellent as is the doctor I see for ongoing treatment related to that. However, during all that, I did have one appointment with a doctor who strongly implied I was making up symptoms to get medically separated; not true and fortunately I was able to see someone else who actually diagnosed the problem.

Response by PO3 Kevin McSheehy made Jun 6 at 2015 11:06 AM

2015-06-06T11:06:23-04:00

Oh my, how to begin? I am a nurse and understand how overworked the medical proffession is. I can give you an entire list of I cant believe that happened to you. I went to my local VA doc after having a night terror that shut me down I then had incredibly painful abdominal cramps that led to bleeding. Not small amounts. My doc asks if I ever had hemroids and gives me preporation H. I explained it isnt hemroids hadnt had them since I had malaria.
This was a CYA move. He indicated to me if symptoms continue or get worse go to ER. It all makes since in hindsight. The medical red tape he would have to indure if he recognized the severity of the problem as an outpatient clinic would be to have to provide Ambulance to talke me to an ER and tons of paper work. I had what they believe was ischemic colitus (blood flow shut down to colon during night terror)

So I learned 2 things from this, If it is an emergency dont go to your va outpaitient doctor. Hes their for band aids and general perscriptions nothing more. If you do happen to go to your VA doctor and he says go to your local ER if this persists is a big clue you might have something serious going on that he isnt willing to aknowledge for liability, paper work and time reasons.

I did get a Cat scan almost 2 months later. Far too late to make an assessment on what actually happened

Response by LCDR Jamie Galus made Jun 7 at 2015 10:37 AM

2015-06-07T10:37:37-04:00

CPO Private RallyPoint Member Chief, contrary to what many say, I think that the level of care at our Naval Hospitals is top notch. I have had three procedures completed at Portsmouth Naval Hospital (PRK, Scar Revision and Rhinoplasty) and have to say that I don't think I could have gotten better care. Aside from the Hospital, the Doctors that I have had assigned to my units and ships have generally been above average.

As I get ready to go ashore permanently, I think that health care offered by my future employer is going to be a major item of interest.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Jun 7 at 2015 12:53 PM

2015-06-07T12:53:04-04:00

When I was on Active Duty, I looked for Fleet doctors at Sick Bay. I tried to get assigned to them, because I always felt they took better care of us than the doctors who hadn't been in the fleet.

The worst are the contract doctors - they have no investment in the military, so they don't seem to put as much effort in.

None of this is universal. There are amazing contract doctors and military docs who haven't deployed, and there are fleet doctors that stink, but in general...

The worst care I ever had was from the independent duty corpsman on a submarine under the ice. I had an inner ear infection, and instead of giving me any oral anti-biotic, he gave me drops for irritation in the canal. The result? I am mostly deaf in that ear and have been for 31 years...

Response by PO3 William Smith made Jun 8 at 2015 5:09 AM

2015-06-08T05:09:48-04:00

I only did a 6 year enlistment. The way I look at it, the folks who got wounded deserve the medical help. I didn't get wounded. So, I pay for my own medical care and that leaves the VA for the ones who need it more than I do. After 9/11 I did do another tour - That wasn't the
Navy.

Response by SGT Kristin Wiley made Jun 12 at 2015 12:43 PM

2015-06-12T12:43:55-04:00

I have plenty of diagnoses, but nothing I would say is accurate and no effective treatment. I also feel an overwhelming amount of pressure to not have so many doctors appointments to the point where I've stopped seeking treatment. I'm looking at transitioning next year, and now I feel even more overwhelmed because I don't know how I'll be able to get proper medical treatment before leaving the service. I would hope that I qualify for VA, but still that process can often be lengthy and could consume my post-transition plans or disrupt my plans entirely.

Response by SN Jeremy Becker made Jun 17 at 2015 7:10 PM

2015-06-17T19:10:45-04:00

I feel lucky that I need special doctors, I've yet to hear a positive thing about VA doctors or related facilities.

Response by SA Miciah Zeisel made Jun 26 at 2015 9:29 PM

2015-06-26T21:29:20-04:00

As someone recently using Va clinic I have decided to use my outside doctor due to the fact the Va clinic doctor is only worried of my past medical not current need and ordering physical therapy. Before any test are done to find what causing the. Pain I. Am. In
My current Va. Clinic doctor. Is not talking the time to talk to me directly. Keep in mind that I dealt with medical history on my own. I really hoping for to talk and help resolve my pain
But. The doctor seems to interested in my past
After consulting my outside and he will take the time and to find out wrong and with me on what has been in the past and option we can do now