Thread:
After a 5hr wait I was turned away form @AtlantaVAMC at 2:30am this morning without treatment or explaination. Here’s what happened..
After a 5hr wait I was turned away form @AtlantaVAMC at 2:30am this morning without treatment or explaination. Here’s what happened..
I had been seeing a civilian doctor for about a year here near my home and work in Newnan, GA. He sees me monthly and proscribed a very moderate amount of pain medication. (I’m incredibly healthy and active).
In January he informed me he could no longer accept Medicare or TriCare. (A business decision he had to make and I understand why). I began the process of moving my treatment to @DeptVetAffairs at that time.
They informed me that my only recourse was to go to the VA Emergency Room in Decatur, GA (1hr 30mins north of my home) and show my current script and they proscribe the same meds until my appointment.
I work for a living and don’t have a full day for this every month so my old doc agreed to to continue seeing me until April. So,on May 3rd my proscription was up and I needed enough medication to last until May 21st for an appointment I(still haven’t received official notice of)
Finally yesterday I called the 404-321-6111 again and confirmed that I was embarking upon the correct course of action to seek care. They affirmed and I showed up at the Decatur VA ER at 9:30pm@last night after my son’s baseball game which had me on that side of Atlanta.
I showed my current script to the recpetionist, she affirmed and sent me to ER/Fast Track Check in. I walked down the hall and showed my script (tried to give full story but she wasn’t interested) to check in. Was given a hospital bracelet and sat at 10:15pm to wait.
At 12:24am I was called back for vitals. I again showed my script, this time with full explanation, and was assured that I was doing the right thing. At 1:55am I noticed everyone but me, including those who came in after me, had been called back. I walked to the nurse station..
And asked when I would be seen. They told me that they close at 2am and I would be moved to a different part of the hospital. I showed my frustration so the nurse walked me straight back to the on duty doctor. He was preparing to leave at 2am (end of his shift)
He was rude, desmissive and said “I’m leaving I’ve been here all day, you’ll have to wait” to which I replied “I’ve had no legs for 8 years I feel so bad for you” he then changed his demeanor and looked at my script. He smirked and said “I can’t fill this here”... I lost it.
I explained to him why I ended up there to begin with, and he interrupted me and said “we don’t treat chronic pain here” to which I replied, “I don’t have chronic pain I have lost my legs in war pain and I’m pretty sure you treat that?”
He brushed passed me without responding. I thought he was going to get my chart to take care of me, the nurse asked me to sit down. A few minutes later the nurse came back and told me the New doctor on duty (Dr. Baxter) would see me shortly (almost 3am at this point)
After another 15 minute wait the curse came back and told me it would be quite a long wait before she would get to me and that he didn’t think she would writes a script anyway. I left in complete astonishment.
Dear @DeptVetAffairs what am I supposed to do? How do I get the treatment I need/deserve if following YOUR directions gets me a 5hr wait, smart ass comments and turned away???
