Is there a trick

[FieryPrincess]

Attention all military folks and veterans our there:

Is there a trick to getting your PCP to LISTEN to you? How on earth do i get a referral elsewhere when I am told that she "[doesnt] know how to help me."

[jeepnbeep]

Talk to the pt liaison at the hospital. She can also put a referral for u. You can also go to tricare office and ask to switch to another pcp. U have a lot of choices.

[mac]

i kind of doubt if patient liaison can refer anyone to a specialist. who's your problem.....VA.....Darnall.....something else?.....mac


Talk to the pt liaison at the hospital. She can also put a referral for u. You can also go to tricare office and ask to switch to another pcp. U have a lot of choices.

[MissElmo]

I would change PCP, it's easily done. My doctor has never refused to give me a referral.

[FieryPrincess]

My doctor doesn't look at all my symptoms together and see any sort of pattern. She insists that I have "A". She pushes this to insist that I am presenting in a non-classical, sub-clinical sense.

The reality is that my symptoms don't fit "A" and there are a few things that are straight out contraindicative. Other things fit much better without working so hard to make them fit.

I finally put in writing what my concerns were and asked for a referral to rheumatology and/or an endocrinologist. I have never heard from her. I have no refills and nothing but allergy meds. Around my house, we refer to her as "the woman who is trying to kill me"

My husband came with me to my last appointment (2/23) and he was stunned at how she not only won't listen to me, but insists on pushing this allergy/other thing agenda.

I do need to call patient advocacy, but no one answers when I call, and I am comfortable leaving a message for them to call me back. My teaching schedule isn't real friendly for call-backs. i *really* need to figure out how to get off of Tricare prime.

Actually, I give up. If I have what she says I have or one of my options, I'll just feel in various stages of bad for the rest of my life. If I have one of my other options, things will get worse I keel over and die.

The ankle thing is a whole other problem that has me frustrated. (Fell in early January. "sprain" didn't heal. MRI shows completely torn ligament and a stage I osteochondral lesion on my talus dome which is a nice way of saying that I have fractured the articulated cartilege of the ankle when my tibia hit it hard enough.) I asked for something to take the edge off the pain at night so I can sleep. All I got was my appointment moved up three days. They removed the cast, put me in a boot, and walking now makes me cry. My current plan with the boot is to wander around until something either heals or ruptures entirely. It's not like it will ever right again anyway and apparently I am just seen as some sort of crazy drug-seeking personality. Anyone who knows me IRL would tell you that is just patently not true. I miss the cast. The cast didn't bother me.

[siamcat]

You need to switch your PCP. It's easier now then it used to be ( you only used to be able to do it once a year at renewal time).
The problem is not Tri-Care but your PCP.

http://www.tricare.mil/

You can do it on the phone or go to the link above, answer three simple questions (just where you live, active or retired, which program you have) and click on the link "changing your PCM" do download the form to mail in.
There is also a link to "choosing a PCM" which should give you a list to choose from.
Hope it helps.