PA's PRACTICING MEDICINE (daily basis, thyroid, cold, blood)

[southernlady5464]

I NEED TO VENT!!!!!!

I saw my new endo yesterday. I was suppose to be upgraded from my Animas IR1000 to my IR2020 yesterday. However, my visit was a waste of time....I am still NOT on my new pump. (I've HAD the new pump since late April but due to my moving it's taken this long to get the referral to a new endo sorted out).

The PA I saw has a hearing problem (literally)...I think she heard about every third word I said. I did not ACTUALLY meet the endo til 5 mins before I left there 2 and 1/2 hours after I got there. But until I get my new pump I will deal with them. Once I have gotten it, I will stop going there and let my primary handle everything. He's Internal Med and can deal with diabetics easy enough. In fact, it wasn't until 4 years ago that I did go to an endo for the first time. Dh was going to go to this endo but after sitting thru the first part of the appointment, decided to let our primary handle his thyroid issues.

My endo appointment went from unproductive to downright DANGEROUS.

The PA who apparently is able to train on the pump was reading mine yesterday. She was trying to figure out how much insulin I used on a daily basis. My pump has the ability to be set with 5 different daily settings as well as a temporary setting. Now the default is usually program one but the company usually tells you to use program two as your active program.

Program two showed as my active program yesterday but the PA was reading program one. I told her "No, I use program two". She kept INSISTING I had to be using program one. Well, today my readings were running much higher than they should. Got out of the shower and I really looked at the screen and low and behold if that twit hadn't set me on program ONE!!! Which is giving me about 15 units of insulin LESS per day than I NEED!

The other thing she did was exam my feet. Now I have very dry feet and bad calluses on them. But I don't have athletes foot or dh would also have that and he doesn't. She informed me my calluses were athletes foot...I said, no, it isn't...she kept insisting it was. HELLO!!! Does she NOT know what athlete's foot looks like????? Liz

[FLPL75]

Originally Posted by southernlady5464

I

Program two showed as my active program yesterday but the PA was reading program one. I told her "No, I use program two". She kept INSISTING I had to be using program one. Well, today my readings were running much higher than they should. Got out of the shower and I really looked at the screen and low and behold if that twit hadn't set me on program ONE!!! Which is giving me about 15 units of insulin LESS per day than I NEED!

The other thing she did was exam my feet. Now I have very dry feet and bad calluses on them. But I don't have athletes foot or dh would also have that and he doesn't. She informed me my calluses were athletes foot...I said, no, it isn't...she kept insisting it was. HELLO!!! Does she NOT know what athlete's foot looks like????? Liz

This IMO needs to be brought to someone higher up the food chain at the Drs office. It seems to me she has a "listening' issue
What if her switching you to the different program resulting in a lower than needed amount of insulin had cause a severe issue. I am not familiar with the effects of insulin amounts but I do know if a medical staff did something that messed with my meds and could of resulted in problems I would be "squeaking the wheel"
You never know she may of had issues in the past that weren't reported.
I am sorry if this seems harsh but messing with my life is not something I take lightly
I am so glad you caught this

[southernlady5464]

I will but I WANT my new pump first.

I am going to talk to the Animas rep tomorrow and tell her what happened. Then I will see what I need to do after that but I don't want to screw up getting my new pump. I've waited too long already.

I may write a letter to the local medical review board...not sure yet. Or maybe to her boss and cc the review board so he can't just pretend it doesn't exist.

Not enough insulin causes my blood sugars to run really high making me dizzy, etc. Too MUCH insulin causes my blood sugars to run really low and I could pass out. Liz

[Hatless Wonder]

Definitely talk to someone higher up. At the practice I used to go to (before my old doctor dumped me), I saw my doctor once, and she turned out to be an idiot. I got all of my care from the PA and an NP, and they were wonderful.

[Pikantari]

Southern Lady. I work in a Drs office and, IMO, as with our physicians, when I am scheduling a patient to a specialist, I am in Internal Med, I do not accept an appt for a PA or NP. I feel it is in the better interest of the patient to get care from a DR, or my DR would not be sending out to a specialist.

Now, cough cold sore throat, etc...ok. Even our NP deals with Diabetes etc, but, when you are speaking of insulin pumps, and the like, this is not to be taken lightly. Not saying by you, but by your drs office.

I side w you here.

When the person on the other end of the line says ok, Mr Jones can see Pa or Np on such and such day, i say no, next avail for physician... I think my patients appreciate it, as well as do the docs. They would do it themselves if they wanted to refer that way. And alot of times you get the PA for something that they can take care of. You have a choice in the matter. Take it.

[southernlady5464]

Cindy, I was SUPPOSE to be seeing the Animas pump trainer yesterday but apparently THEY didn't get her there. She called me later and she and I talked about a date to get us together.

Animas has 2-4 dedicated pump trainers in every state to handle their training and technical issues. All of them are also diabetics themselves. So they all understand the issues pumpers deal with and for new pumpers, the fears they have. That is something that not just anyone can do.

I looked on the NC Gov web site last night to see if I could find the process to file a complaint against this particular PA. After all, it could have easily have been too MUCH insulin as not enough, and had I been a type I and not a type II, things could REALLY have gotten dangerous quickly. I could have ended up in the ER because of her.

Given IMPROPERLY, insulin IS a very dangerous drug. Liz

[mm_mary73]

Complaints about MD, PA, NP go to the NC Board of Medicine. NPs -the Board of Nursing also. I would definitely speak with your provider about your visit and it is most assuredly your right to see the endocrinologist exclusively and I would absolutely share your concerns with him/her. In fact, you probably could have done so that very day. I am sure your internist will do that for you if you let him/her know how your visit went. "I've HAD the new pump since late April but due to my moving it's taken this long to get the referral to a new endo sorted out" It is unfortunate that the Animas pump trainer could not have been there for your visit - I wonder if anyone knew she was to be called and be present at your appointment?? Did she mention what happened when she contacted you later? It may have been her scheduling issue as well. Goodness, it seems as if there was miscommunication all around. I do hope everything works out for you. I surely have learned something new - Animas pump - as my brother is a diabetic and insulin-dependent as well.

[mm_mary73]

Originally Posted by cinderobyn

Southern Lady. I work in a Drs office and, IMO, as with our physicians, when I am scheduling a patient to a specialist, I am in Internal Med, I do not accept an appt for a PA or NP. I feel it is in the better interest of the patient to get care from a DR, or my DR would not be sending out to a specialist.

Now, cough cold sore throat, etc...ok. Even our NP deals with Diabetes etc, but, when you are speaking of insulin pumps, and the like, this is not to be taken lightly. Not saying by you, but by your drs office.

I side w you here.

When the person on the other end of the line says ok, Mr Jones can see Pa or Np on such and such day, i say no, next avail for physician... I think my patients appreciate it, as well as do the docs. They would do it themselves if they wanted to refer that way. And alot of times you get the PA for something that they can take care of. You have a choice in the matter. Take it.

Many patients will see the first available provider given the choice and many physicians want their patients in to see a specialist ASAP. For example, I want my suspicious lesion seen next Tuesday when the NP has an opening as opposed to late August with the MD. S/he will bring in the doc to look or can biopsy it right then. I'd be curious to know what your NP thinks about your scheduling beliefs.......

[Pikantari]

Originally Posted by mm_mary73

Many patients will see the first available provider given the choice and many physicians want their patients in to see a specialist ASAP. For example, I want my suspicious lesion seen next Tuesday when the NP has an opening as opposed to late August with the MD. S/he will bring in the doc to look or can biopsy it right then. I'd be curious to know what your NP thinks about your scheduling beliefs.......

I go by what the drs tell me and if the appt is too far off, ask them if they want the patient to follow a NP, if they do, then I sch it, if they dont, which is always the case. I don't. As Internal Meds, they feel they can do more than a NP in whatever specialty. Also in asking the patients, or, when they overhear me saying, such and such w NP blah blah blah they normally say no, I want a dr.

If there is a seriousness to the case, I am usually able to get the patient in in a quick amount of time. that is normally not a problem. My NP is fine w my scheduling beliefs.... I get people in, when others cannot...even to University. I have a good repor with all of the local offices, and drs, they call me to sched med clearances on the phone... the drs call me... not their staff. I make sure all of the labs, Mris, whatever they need is faxed right over for drs review If our doc wants sooner, and not NP.

If they want even sooner than that, we do a dr to dr.

Neither the drs nor the NP has a problem with coming to me for anything to be taken care of....sorry.

Robyn

[dreamofmonterey]

Get used to it. My brother became a specialist so they don't have to deal with patients or legally explain anything. I don't condone it, but this is how great capitalism works- once you need chemo you will see what I mean. US healthcare system is badly broken, and hospitals are going bankrupt paying for illegals free health care for 10 kids. Dont blame the doctors-blame Bush. .