Veteran's disability physical job?

[Cideous]

Does anyone have a line on these with a company in California or other places?  I'm just curious what it entails.  Thanks!

[surgblumm]

I am on 90% Combat Related Disability and had to have a re-examination at five years by a VA Physician who was familiar with all of the necessary paperwork as well as exams. People on the receiving end of this process are very engaged as they are rightfully due compensation and yet any poor exam or paperwork can start another three year wait. To my knowledge, only VA Docs are doing this. I have examined troops returning from the Middle East Combat Theater, as this is a mandatory requirement by order of Congress, within three month of return to CONUS. I engaged in this every other weekend for three years as they needed advocates.

[ArmyPA]

1 hour ago, surgblumm said:

I am on 90% Combat Related Disability and had to have a re-examination at five years by a VA Physician who was familiar with all of the necessary paperwork as well as exams. People on the receiving end of this process are very engaged as they are rightfully due compensation and yet any poor exam or paperwork can start another three year wait. To my knowledge, only VA Docs are doing this. I have examined troops returning from the Middle East Combat Theater, as this is a mandatory requirement by order of Congress, within three month of return to CONUS. I engaged in this every other weekend for three years as they needed advocates.

Not true that only VA Docs are doing this...a couple of buddies of mine who were PAs in the same unit as me when I graduated PA school are with 2 different companies doing these in central TX. Also while retiring this over the past few months, I took part in the benefits delivery at discharge program, and all of my evaluations were done by contractors. And as devils advocate, I have heard plenty of stories of Vets getting screwed on ratings by VA providers, or getting their ratings decreased after an arbitrary amount of time, whereas its in the contractors best interest to do a good job getting veterans all that they qualify because if they didn't, word would get around and veterans would quit using them.  

Cideous...these are the guys that did my physical, I cant get my rating until officially retired after 1 April however.   

https://www.qtcm.com/careers/

 

[surgblumm]

Thanks Army PA. We know in part and understand in part. the purpose of this forum is to fill in the gaps of that which is unknown. your comments were and education to me and I don't know how many states have this program. Fortunately on my review from a VA provider , I went from 60% to 90% but this is not like winning a lottery as this means you have a serious disability which will shorten your life expectancy. Thanks for the information. Bob

[Cideous]

Great, thank you.  I had a company call me to do them here in DFW a few years ago but for the life of me can not find their info.  I appreciate it!

[corpsman89]

I am 50% combat/service conected and just had my 5 year eval, by a non-VA PA (he practices in EM). He does it as a side gig. Eval took about 5 minutes. He asked a total of 5 questions. 

[Joelseff]

I am 20% rated and have sequelae from my original injury. Had a C&P done last month by an outside "Doctor" who turned out to be a DNP. Looks like the VA is so backed up that they are outsourcing exams now. All my military buddies with claims in the last year had the same process.

 

Originally, several years ago, my C&P was done by a VA doc who I actually knew professionally. She was a General Surgeon I used to refer my pts to but was retiring and took a VA gig before retirement.

 

So yes there are non VA providers for C&P exams etc.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

 

 

[surgblumm]

For those that have their C&P completed by a PA or DNP, in which states did this occur? For the PA-S from the Army who had a five minute exam, you were cheated. If we do this type of sloppy work we will never be appreciated as HCP. We have an obligation to do the same type of exam that you performed in school only now with experience and more knowledge.

[Joelseff]

For those that have their C&P completed by a PA or DNP, in which states did this occur? For the PA-S from the Army who had a five minute exam, you were cheated. If we do this type of sloppy work we will never be appreciated as HCP. We have an obligation to do the same type of exam that you performed in school only now with experience and more knowledge.

Mine was in California. Mine took about 15 minutes but I will say the DNP's ortho exam skills were umm lacking. I feel like she barely paid attention to what I was saying and was just "going through the motions."

 

I'm waiting on the decision from VA.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DizzyJ]

I did these exams in California very briefly.....the charting for these is awful!  I would do an exam in 10 minutes and then spend an hour trying to fill in the chart.  Paid well, but I don't think I will ever do them again.  

[ArmyPA]

On 3/12/2019 at 10:02 AM, surgblumm said:

For those that have their C&P completed by a PA or DNP, in which states did this occur? For the PA-S from the Army who had a five minute exam, you were cheated. If we do this type of sloppy work we will never be appreciated as HCP. We have an obligation to do the same type of exam that you performed in school only now with experience and more knowledge.

My initial eval was in Washington state and was an ED physician...the VA told them they want another exam and some labs next week before the final decision. I'm in Texas and my appointment is with an NP. 

[sas5814]

I know this thread has gone sideways but since ya'll have experience with this I'll ask a question or 2. When I left in 95 I was ready to go and avoided everything not absolutely needed to be gone from the Army including a separation physical (now mandatory). In the following years I stayed away from the VA because the system was overwhelmed and I had other resources so I left what was there to folks I felt needed it more than I. Now 30+ years later I'd like to get an evaluation and I can't even figure out how to get my foot in the door. The online system won't register me because it is asking questions from DEERS from 30 years ago about addresses and phone numbers. So 2 things... how to get started and what, in a practical sense, do I derive from a service related disability? Thanks in advance. Thread hijack is now over.

[Boatswain2PA]

Go to a veterans services officer.  These are folks paid by organizations like AmVets, DAV, American Legion, etc, to help veterans wade through the mountains if regulations and rules.

Just Google "AmVets Veterans Services Officer at (insert closest VA hospital)" to find a phone number.  

[ventana]

On 3/10/2019 at 11:35 PM, Joelseff said:

I am 20% rated and have sequelae from my original injury. Had a C&P done last month by an outside "Doctor" who turned out to be a DNP. Looks like the VA is so backed up that they are outsourcing exams now. All my military buddies with claims in the last year had the same process.

hence why we need a DMSc and OTP

[Joelseff]

hence why we need a DMSc and OTP

This and a myriad other reasons! But yes I agree. We need parity.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[lightserith1]

Is this type of work doable for a new grad? I have one year of experience as a urology PA, but I would feel almost like a new grad since urology is of course very different from disability assessment.

Or do you recommend I do primary care first before considering a job working for disability assessment? This would be a part time job, with the intent of working as side job in either occupational medicine or psychiatry.

[ventana]

do not do this as a new grad

Vets deserve better

[lightserith1]

Thank you for your feedback @ventana. Can you share what qualities/skills are needed to do the job well? What type and level of expertise do you think is important to do the job well? Thank you.

[ventana]

these are likely complex patients

 

as a new grad you barely know enough not to kill someone, you have no clinical experience (unless you were a PT prior to school or some other health care professional but not provider experience)

This is not a learn as you go - you are making a medical conclusion based on presented history and physical exam findings.  Are you capable of whipping of a bunch of wadell tests?  Are you savy at detecting how a history doesn't ad up, or how not linking things could be fatal?  Just not a new grad job. 

 

Think of it this way - do you think a PG-1 would be hired for this job?????

[sas5814]

I agree with Vent mostly with the exception...now knowing the system.... you as the examiner only document a pre-determined list of questions and a pre-determined physical exam. The determination as to service connection and disability rating is done by someone else. THAT person has to be able to use the data you provide to make a decision as to service connection and rating.

It seems simple but consider the complexity of what you might be dealing with. Not only are people being evaluated for injuries and the sequela, which can be nebulous enough, but things like exposure to depleted uranium, burn pits full of different toxic chemicals, agent orange just as an example. I have been through several of these exams and probably got a NP fired because what she did wasn't even close to an exam. It was a horrible sham of an exam. Incomplete. Poor. Just bad.

I have an exam pending for tomorrow and I get a short description of my examiner. A PA less than a year out of school. It just isn't right. These companies contract to do these exams and they just want to crank them out as fast as possible using the lowest paid people possible. 

Vent is right. Injured vets deserve better.

Edited November 1, 2022 by sas5814
clarification.

[Reality Check 2]

The VBA does veteran Service Connection.

This is their website: Veterans Benefits Administration Home (va.gov)

It is not a well-oiled system and I agree that they are allowing unqualified people to do exams on veterans with extremely complex issues. If this system is messed up from the beginning - it is just shy of impossible to FIX. 

Applying for Benefits - Veterans Benefits Administration (va.gov)

This is a good resource as well. 

My opinion: Just like a DOT examiner, a VA examiner should be trained and educated in the issues and exams, their importance and limitations. Invest in an examiner and you get better results.

Just my two cents!

[Reality Check 2]

These are the 3 Pillars of the VHA