Posted on Oct 1, 2015
Smart phone ban:Isolated incident or just another 'brick in the wall' of a crumbling program?
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"Photographs emerged earlier this week showing official signs at VA medical facilities stating that a veteran would have his or her appointment cancelled if they bring with them a cellphone.
The photos, first published on the blog Disabled Veterans, depict of a list of "prohibited items." Included within that list, along with guns, knives, and backpacks, is a photo of an iPhone.
"If brought to your appointment [these items] will result in the cancelation (sic) of your exam(s)," reads the flyer, which bears the VA's official logo and slogan, "Defining Excellence in the 21st Century."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/10/01/va-apologizes-for-ill-advised-ban-on-veterans-cellphones/?intcmp=hplnws
The photos, first published on the blog Disabled Veterans, depict of a list of "prohibited items." Included within that list, along with guns, knives, and backpacks, is a photo of an iPhone.
"If brought to your appointment [these items] will result in the cancelation (sic) of your exam(s)," reads the flyer, which bears the VA's official logo and slogan, "Defining Excellence in the 21st Century."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/10/01/va-apologizes-for-ill-advised-ban-on-veterans-cellphones/?intcmp=hplnws
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Technology
Medical
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 16
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MSG Floyd Williams I hadn't heard about this. Thank you for sharing it. Why the ban on iPhones? I know that some areas of hospitals ban iPhone use because of the electromagnetic interference between the iPhones and medical equipment. Additionally many hospitals have in place wi fi networks to transmit patient records and may be guarding against possible accidental interception or having their networks compromised or dare I say hacked. The Joint Commission required hospitals to present a strategy to manage mobile phones and the FDA is preparing guidance on wireless trasmissions.
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MSG Floyd Williams
CPT M Cannonie... I thought all cell phones wasn't permitted to be in used while in any hospital because of electromagnetic interference, those signs always catch my attention but some people ignore the rules.
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CPT (Join to see)
MSG Floyd Williams - I'm not sure about "all" cell phones. Wouldn't that cause a problem for hospital staff as most doctors and other medical personnel use iPhones, blackberries, PDAs, IPADs... as a tool to complete their work and or communicate with each other?
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SrA Edward Vong
I believe it's all mobile phones, period, not specifically iPhones. iPhones have now become the symbol for all mobile phones because of their popularity.
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MSG Floyd Williams
CPT (Join to see) - I'm not sure maybe only doctors and hospital staff is permitted.
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Most hospitals do as they can interfere with some electronic equipment, as do most cellular telephones. Common sense measure.
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MSG Floyd Williams
SGT Dana Williams... You're correct about common sense just like a gas stations some people pumping gas while talking on his/her cell phone.
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I dunno. This doesn't pass the smell test. Does or has anyone seen one of these pamphlets?
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MSG Floyd Williams
I was at the VA Clinic in my hometown last week and didn't see or heard about pamphlets being circulated to veterans.
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CPT Pedro Meza
I advice caution on clicking on article websites because of virus and other stuff; we be fish and the article the worm covering the hook.
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No one can whistle-blow problems if they aren't allowed the means to do so.
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To be quite honest, I do not see this as a problem. It is not hard to just leave your phone in your car. Waiting in line behind some guy who is texting on his phone while the clerk is trying to help them is frustrating and slows things down for everyone.
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Suspended Profile
NOt all Vets have a car.....but I know several homeless ones who do have a phone.....just saying. I can understand not using your phone in line ....but why cant you have it on you in the waiting room.....seems over kill and just another example of people overstepping the bound of reason.
PFC Chris Hemingway
SSgt (Join to see) honestly i can understand what you are saying however i also know that parents with medically fragile children such as myself need to keep our phones with us do to the fact that if something happens to our children we need to know asap if my son has a seizure i need to leave the va immediately to go to him. Hell my drs know my son has issues and also know that i place his medical issues before my own. And if the need arises they finish my appointment as fast as humanly possible.
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SSgt (Join to see)
I understand your points. Emergencies do arise that would outweigh the appt. From what I have seen though, its usually people standing in line in front you on their phone, holding up everyone else because they are to concerned with that text message/phone call/beating this level of candy crush/etc that whoever the person is trying to help them has to repeat themselves 15x before they get an answer. This just leaves everyone in line behind them to stand there and wait forever.
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The poorly planned implementation was meant to be "you can't record therapy sessions or C&P exams". It's illegal in most states to record without consent from both parties.
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CPT Topher Murphy
a couple reasons: a C&P exam is a forensic exam that has legal ramifications and is not allowed by law. A therapy session is supposed to be confidential (within pre-defined parameters) and that can't be maintained by one person secretly recording another person. The following is from a very long document so I pasted the part related to what you are asking.
DATE: 02-13-91
CITATION: VAOPGCPREC 04-91
Vet. Aff. Op. Gen. Couns. Prec. 04-91
TEXT:
Failure to Submit to Medical Examination--Insistence on the Presence of an Attorney and Use of a Recording Device
10. Similarly, there is no constitutional, statutory, or regulatory requirement that would allow beneficiaries to use recording devices during VA medical examinations. Again, it must be noted that the examinations at issue are investigative and preliminary in nature. Further, while case law on the subject is not extensive, it supports the conclusion that one has no "right" to record such activities. See, e.g., Baer, 142 F.2d at 788-89 (no constitutional infirmity where court reporter ordered to leave investigative-hearing room); In Re Neil, 209 F.Supp. 76, 77 (S.D.W.Va.1962) (APA does not extend to any party the right to bring a stenographer to report the proceedings at an agency hearing); Torras, 103 F.Supp. at 740 (witness in investigative proceeding did not have right under the APA to the presence of a personal stenographer). As discussed above with respect to the presence of an attorney, use of a recording device would threaten to impede free communication between the examinee and the examining physician. VA regulations do not authorize the use of recording devices at medical examinations, and we find that their use is not otherwise required by law. Thus, denial of the use of such a device would not be an adequate reason to refuse to submit to examination.
DATE: 02-13-91
CITATION: VAOPGCPREC 04-91
Vet. Aff. Op. Gen. Couns. Prec. 04-91
TEXT:
Failure to Submit to Medical Examination--Insistence on the Presence of an Attorney and Use of a Recording Device
10. Similarly, there is no constitutional, statutory, or regulatory requirement that would allow beneficiaries to use recording devices during VA medical examinations. Again, it must be noted that the examinations at issue are investigative and preliminary in nature. Further, while case law on the subject is not extensive, it supports the conclusion that one has no "right" to record such activities. See, e.g., Baer, 142 F.2d at 788-89 (no constitutional infirmity where court reporter ordered to leave investigative-hearing room); In Re Neil, 209 F.Supp. 76, 77 (S.D.W.Va.1962) (APA does not extend to any party the right to bring a stenographer to report the proceedings at an agency hearing); Torras, 103 F.Supp. at 740 (witness in investigative proceeding did not have right under the APA to the presence of a personal stenographer). As discussed above with respect to the presence of an attorney, use of a recording device would threaten to impede free communication between the examinee and the examining physician. VA regulations do not authorize the use of recording devices at medical examinations, and we find that their use is not otherwise required by law. Thus, denial of the use of such a device would not be an adequate reason to refuse to submit to examination.
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I am reluctant to click on anger feeding reports on the internet because some are carrying links to virus and hackers that know very well how to con us to look. My advice search for safe sights with the reports, I did and all lead to the same sight. Good Luck.
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For you knuckleheads needing to criticize Fox News for their reporting need to check yourself and realize that free speech and questions are NOT antithetical to good order and this just illustrates this. I bet the VA did this to stop the VA from preventing people from whistleblowers.. The VA needs to change and stop treating Veterans poorly.
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A short while back a patient took a picture of a waiting room and patients laying on the floor . That doesn't explain the iPhone ban.
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I don't think it's specifically iPhones, but the use of all mobile devices. When I went to get my passport done recently, the use of mobile phones for phone calls were not allowed.
From what I see, no mobile phones, firearms, blades, and backpacks. I believe because of the popularity, the iPhone has now become the symbol for all mobile phones. The RAZR was at one point.
From what I see, no mobile phones, firearms, blades, and backpacks. I believe because of the popularity, the iPhone has now become the symbol for all mobile phones. The RAZR was at one point.
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