What is Evidence-Based medicine?
Does the VA use an Expert System built in to their computer software to "decide" how to treat your illness?
Does this system contain the most widely used prescription drugs on a worldwide basis?
Does in contain, for example Lipitor? or Plavix? -- the two most widely used prescription drugs in the world.
Does the VA have an alternative medicine system?
How do they get the "doctors" within the VA to adhere to the VA's system?
Do they use pay and promotions as incentives for VA "doctors" to be compliant and obedient?
Do such "doctors" practice medicine in the true interests of their patients (or do they practice cheapness based medicine in the true interests of the VA's bean counters, and in their own true interests?).
Is the US government authorized by the US Constitution to practice medicine at all in the first place? Or is that an authority and a power reserved to the states under the 10th Amendment?
Why don't more states de-certify "doctors" who practice VA alternative medicine instead of mainstream medicine as practiced by the rest of the world's doctors?
Do VA "doctors" enjoy immunity under the Federal Tort Claims Act for malpractice done by them?
These may seem like desultory and trivial questions, but I assure you they are not. If Obamacare ever gets fully rolled out, it will look and act a lot like Veteran's Adminsitration Medicine today (One Best Way -- and it's in the computer, and all "doctors" go along, or get out of the system).
Do you feel you have any stake at all in how Medicine will be practiced in the USA in coming years, or do you live in Singapore, or Australia, and it makes no difference to you what happens to us Yanks?
Telemachus Bottom
These are the questions of an uninformed person. I take it you think you know the answers, and this is really a rant, but you really don't.
All doctors are doctors, even if they provide services through the VA.
You should try harder not to make a fool of yourself.
Linda L
I cannot answer all of your questions, however I must emphatically say my vietnam veteran husband was treated for colon cancer approximately 2 years ago at the VA Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA and we could have not been treated nicer, and by doctors who also practice medicine at Pittsburgh's best hospitals. Two years later my husband is still cancer free.
Armchair Goddess #1
Speaking as a military veteran who has made use of the VA medical system since my Honorable Discharge in the mid-1960s, I can attest to the general high quality of standards provided for military veterans, at least in the states (three) where I've received care. In St. Louis, I had surgery that was done with precision---full recovery, cyst was benign. I am currently under treatment for a slowed thyroid and correlated swelling, weight gain, and low energy and the prescriptions I receive are mailed to me at renewal time. The VA sends me a notice when I am do for an eye exam or a physical, and I call to schedule an appointment, which is usually within a couple of weeks from the date of the call.
Under both Bush/Quayle and Bush/Cheney/GOP rule, however, quality suffered as they attempted to sneakily privatize the system and throw business to their cronies (HMOs, for-profit hospital facilities, etc.) in order to get their hands on all those federal dollars. Long-time friends of mine who were nurses within the system had their hours cut and their duties expanded, but without increases in pay. One Nurse Case Manager with more than 20 years experience lost her private office despite receiving several commendations, and had to share a windowless space with a less experienced Case Manager. The VA medical system began SHRINKING the same way the GOP's U.S. economy was shrinking, and the veterans were the ones who suffered---waiting sometimes three or four months for an appointment as more and more funding cuts were made and doctors were cut to part-time, plus more and more foreign doctors who could barely speak English were brought in at even less pay. The straw that broke the camel's back for me was when the Bush administration was planning on DOING AWAY WITH OUR GYM (rehab pool, exercise equipment, walking path, physical activities) even though the nation was at WAR in two different countries! And WHY was the funding being cut off for this gym? Because the Bush people wanted to EXPAND THE CEMETERY! I organized a write-in/call-in protest, as did others, that basically said PUT THE LIVING VETERANS FIRST! We were getting many wounded who needed that rehabilitation, so why would any SANE and SENSIBLE administrator want to do away with those services?
When President Obama came into office, funding for the VA medical system sky-rocketed and services were restored. More doctors were hired---and they SPEAK ENGLISH FLUENTLY I might add. Our travel pay was increased from Bush's 11 cents a mile (if we live more than 30 miles away) to 38 cents per mile, and we have no returned to a shorter wait for appointments. I like the VA medical system just fine. I also like the fact that the system treats ONLY VETERANS---we feel as if we belong and do not have to compete with civilians to get the care we need.
Orignal From: How Does the Practice of Medicine by the Veterans Administration Differ from Regular Medical Practice?
Post a Comment