Air Force Surgeon Botches Surgery, Airman Loses Legs

[formerlurker]

In my 10 year career, I have worked with 8 doctors (7 MD, 1 DO), and 12 PAs.  All but one of the PAs I would have no problem or concerns with them seeing myself or any member of my family.  All but that one have always been as professional and skilled as any civilian doctor I've ever seen.  Many joined the military to pay off their med school debts, or to attend med school in the first place.

This thread has gone from discussion of a tragic accident, to discussions of legal recourse and possible/probable lack of same under 0bamacare, and now to characterizing military doctors and the military medical system as substandard.  Can we avoid these characterizations?  I will acknowledge that mistakes are made, but doctors are humans, and that will happen.

I agree, I am using a broad brush -- I am sure there are very competent doctors within the system (most being reservists).  That said, I have been married to the military for 21 years now, and can count on one hand the good stories I have heard.  The far majority are frustrating nightmares.   

It is not a system we should be emulating in any fashion.   Move them out of MTFs into hospitals.  Create a federal licensing test they must pass which will gain them state admittance and oversight, which will follow them as they move.   The patients -- especially trauma patients, they will see in a regular hospital will grant them far better experience than anything they would see in a MTF.   Allow AD personnel to be treated by civilian doctors as a general rule.   The military partnering with civilian hospitals would be a very welcome addition to a great deal of hospitals who are dealing with physician/nursing shortages.   I see this as a win/win all the way around.

You can still have flight surgeons assigned to squadrons for flight physicals, but outside of that I think they would be more mission qualified working in civilian hospitals.

[docstew]

I agree, I am using a broad brush -- I am sure there are very competent doctors within the system (most being reservists).  That said, I have been married to the military for 21 years now, and can count on one hand the good stories I have heard.  The far majority are frustrating nightmares.   

It is not a system we should be emulating in any fashion.   Move them out of MTFs into hospitals.  Create a federal licensing test they must pass which will gain them state admittance and oversight, which will follow them as they move.   The patients -- especially trauma patients, they will see in a regular hospital will grant them far better experience than anything they would see in a MTF.   Allow AD personnel to be treated by civilian doctors as a general rule.   The military partnering with civilian hospitals would be a very welcome addition to a great deal of hospitals who are dealing with physician/nursing shortages.   I see this as a win/win all the way around.

You can still have flight surgeons assigned to squadrons for flight physicals, but outside of that I think they would be more mission qualified working in civilian hospitals.

     You've thinned out the paint some, but you're still using that same broad brush when you say that "there are very competent doctors within the system (most being reservists)".  WTF?  Are you implying that the AD ones are incompetent, or that they just don't give a rodent's rear end?  Why does a doctor have to see patients in a civilian hospital to have good experience?  There is a reason why trauma cases from all over greater San Antonio are brought to BAMC, because they are good at what they do.  I'll grant you, they may not have the same level of experience at geriatrics as they do at orthopedic complaints, but that's more a function of the patient pool.  I guarantee you that a FP doc at Womack or Brooke AMC will see a wide variety of patients, from infant, pediatric, and adult dependents to retirees.  The vast majority of those patients will be satisfied with their care.  The reason you hear so few stories that are positive is more human nature than an epidemic of crappy care.  People complain about bad experiences, but generally won't talk about good ones unless it was outstanding.

I've had many good experiences in military treatment facilities.  My kids were born at Bayne-Jones ACH at Ft Polk, LA.  The doctor in charge of that department left the army and got a job at a very prestigious OB clinic in Spokane, WA.  Neither my ex-wife or I ever had any issues with them, in fact she was able to get ultrasounds almost weekly.
I injured my hand pretty severely in Nov 2001, and had to be taken to BJACH (same hospital).  The first person I saw there was a PA who was off duty and his son.  He took me to a room, got the nurses to start an IV, walked with me to radiology, stayed with me pretty much until I went into the OR.  The doctor who performed the surgery was the same one who let me watch an operation not 2 weeks before.  The occupational therapist was able to refer my case to a military hospital closer to my home in FL so I could go there on convalescent leave.

[vesta111]

     You've thinned out the paint some, but you're still using that same broad brush when you say that "there are very competent doctors within the system (most being reservists)".  WTF?  Are you implying that the AD ones are incompetent, or that they just don't give a rodent's rear end?  Why does a doctor have to see patients in a civilian hospital to have good experience?  There is a reason why trauma cases from all over greater San Antonio are brought to BAMC, because they are good at what they do.  I'll grant you, they may not have the same level of experience at geriatrics as they do at orthopedic complaints, but that's more a function of the patient pool.  I guarantee you that a FP doc at Womack or Brooke AMC will see a wide variety of patients, from infant, pediatric, and adult dependents to retirees.  The vast majority of those patients will be satisfied with their care.  The reason you hear so few stories that are positive is more human nature than an epidemic of crappy care.  People complain about bad experiences, but generally won't talk about good ones unless it was outstanding.

I've had many good experiences in military treatment facilities.  My kids were born at Bayne-Jones ACH at Ft Polk, LA.  The doctor in charge of that department left the army and got a job at a very prestigious OB clinic in Spokane, WA.  Neither my ex-wife or I ever had any issues with them, in fact she was able to get ultrasounds almost weekly.
I injured my hand pretty severely in Nov 2001, and had to be taken to BJACH (same hospital).  The first person I saw there was a PA who was off duty and his son.  He took me to a room, got the nurses to start an IV, walked with me to radiology, stayed with me pretty much until I went into the OR.  The doctor who performed the surgery was the same one who let me watch an operation not 2 weeks before.  The occupational therapist was able to refer my case to a military hospital closer to my home in FL so I could go there on convalescent leave.

No one has mentioned this point ----When a service man or woman [ who is not in a need to have category ] has a dependent with severe medical problems, the military can find a way to block their re enlistment.

Officers are usually excluded from this but the poor E 2-3 unless being in Nuclear power program at the time gets the shaft.

The higher up the chain one goes the better freebies----I have seen Captains wives get face lifts and their daughters nose and boob jobs.

My favorite doctor was this young fellow who had seen me for a kidney infection.  Hubby and I met up with him at the O' Club one night and he was sauced.  He confided to us that his goal was to become a medical examiner and deal only with the dead.  He hated having to listen day after day to the chronic complaints of humans that expected him to play god.

AHA, an honest man, but only when drunk.

[NHSparky]

No one has mentioned this point ----When a service man or woman [ who is not in a need to have category ] has a dependent with severe medical problems, the military can find a way to block their re enlistment.

Officers are usually excluded from this but the poor E 2-3 unless being in Nuclear power program at the time gets the shaft.

The higher up the chain one goes the better freebies----I have seen Captains wives get face lifts and their daughters nose and boob jobs.

My favorite doctor was this young fellow who had seen me for a kidney infection.  Hubby and I met up with him at the O' Club one night and he was sauced.  He confided to us that his goal was to become a medical examiner and deal only with the dead.  He hated having to listen day after day to the chronic complaints of humans that expected him to play god.

AHA, an honest man, but only when drunk.

What.  The.  F***???

Show me one case of a service member who was denied reenlistment solely on the basis of a dependent's medical condition.

Now, if that "nuke" was an E-2 or an E-3, well, guess what?  You have to be E-4 to reenlist in the first place, toots--and that's any program, for any reason.  Show me an E-3 qualified nuke anywhere.  I'm beggin ya.

Seriously, vesta--the bullshit you throw out there might sound sad, but remember your audience, would you please?

[rs_shadow0000]

who is still in accelerated care, absent both legs as a aftereffect of the claret loss. Meanwhile, his gallbladder still has not been removed. Jessica Read said the doctor accepted his mistake, but beneath federal law the Reads cannot sue.

_________________
Clarian health indianapolis indiana

[TheSarge]

No one has mentioned this point ----When a service man or woman [ who is not in a need to have category ] has a dependent with severe medical problems, the military can find a way to block their re enlistment.

Officers are usually excluded from this but the poor E 2-3 unless being in Nuclear power program at the time gets the shaft.

The higher up the chain one goes the better freebies----I have seen Captains wives get face lifts and their daughters nose and boob jobs.

My favorite doctor was this young fellow who had seen me for a kidney infection.  Hubby and I met up with him at the O' Club one night and he was sauced.  He confided to us that his goal was to become a medical examiner and deal only with the dead.  He hated having to listen day after day to the chronic complaints of humans that expected him to play god.

AHA, an honest man, but only when drunk.

Bullsh*t.  You just made that up out of whole cloth!

[Airwolf]

Bullsh*t.  You just made that up out of whole cloth!

I can vouch for that. I knew an Air Force Sgt that had a hadicapped wife(She was in a wheelchair from having caught polio as a kid.) She fought the Air Force constanly to get access to things she needed at bases where her Husband was  stationed. They never once denied him re enlistment. They may have wished they could but they never stopped him.

[formerlurker]

     You've thinned out the paint some, but you're still using that same broad brush when you say that "there are very competent doctors within the system (most being reservists)".  WTF?  Are you implying that the AD ones are incompetent, or that they just don't give a rodent's rear end?  Why does a doctor have to see patients in a civilian hospital to have good experience?  There is a reason why trauma cases from all over greater San Antonio are brought to BAMC, because they are good at what they do.  I'll grant you, they may not have the same level of experience at geriatrics as they do at orthopedic complaints, but that's more a function of the patient pool.  I guarantee you that a FP doc at Womack or Brooke AMC will see a wide variety of patients, from infant, pediatric, and adult dependents to retirees.  The vast majority of those patients will be satisfied with their care.  The reason you hear so few stories that are positive is more human nature than an epidemic of crappy care.  People complain about bad experiences, but generally won't talk about good ones unless it was outstanding.

I've had many good experiences in military treatment facilities.  My kids were born at Bayne-Jones ACH at Ft Polk, LA.  The doctor in charge of that department left the army and got a job at a very prestigious OB clinic in Spokane, WA.  Neither my ex-wife or I ever had any issues with them, in fact she was able to get ultrasounds almost weekly.
I injured my hand pretty severely in Nov 2001, and had to be taken to BJACH (same hospital).  The first person I saw there was a PA who was off duty and his son.  He took me to a room, got the nurses to start an IV, walked with me to radiology, stayed with me pretty much until I went into the OR.  The doctor who performed the surgery was the same one who let me watch an operation not 2 weeks before.  The occupational therapist was able to refer my case to a military hospital closer to my home in FL so I could go there on convalescent leave.

Quality of care at MTFs is a rather large topic of conversation amongst the officers wives groups.   This has been a rather consistent discussion throughout my 21 years around the wives' water cooler -- and I will add amongst the military members also.  I don't think it is a good system.

At the end of the day I will take the civilian hospital provider/hospital over the MTF any day of the week.