Groups want review after vets lose vision (Welcome to Obamacare)

SF GATE ^ | 9/23/2009 | JULIANA BARBASSA

[Bobkk47]

A Veterans Administration probe that found eight veterans suffered potentially preventable vision loss while under the care of optometrists at a Northern California VA facility is prompting medical groups to call for a state investigation.

The groups sent a petition Wednesday to the California Department of Consumer Affairs seeking an evaluation of the care received by the veterans at VA Palo Alto. The patients had glaucoma, a class of eye diseases that can lead to blindness.

The California Medical Association, California Academy of Eye Physicians & Surgeons and American Glaucoma Society want the state to suspend a new state law set to take effect in January that would expand optometrists' ability to care for glaucoma patients.

It's the latest salvo in an ongoing dispute between optometrists, who have four years of training, and ophthalmologists, who are medical doctors, over who should be allowed to treat the disease.

"This illustrates what can happen when people who aren't qualified treat glaucoma," said James Ruben, a pediatric ophthalmologist who is president of the Academy of Eye Physicians & Surgeons.

"It's strictly political," said Tim Hart, the group's director of government and external affairs.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has received the petition and has 30 days to respond, spokesman Russ Heimerich said.

The VA Palo Alto Health Care System conducted an internal probe after physicians discovered in January that a 62-year-old male patient treated at the optometry unit suffered severe damage to his eyesight due to poorly controlled glaucoma.

During the next three months, officials reviewed the records of all the patients at the optometry clinic.

They found that, contrary to policy, 381 patients had been treated by optometrists alone, without support from an ophthalmologist.

[basil]

Always know who your doctors are and what education they have. Look for framed diplomas on their office walls—check them out on google-—anything it takes to know who you are giving your health and well-being over to.

[DManA]

This info is WAY too flimsy to be the basis of a rational discussion of this important issue:

A Veterans Administration probe that found eight veterans suffered potentially preventable vision loss while under the care of optometrists at a Northern California VA facility

[SJSAMPLE]

THIS is government-run medical “care”.
Been there, done that at VA facilities and Army medical clinics in eight states and three coutnries.

Remember when mold was all over the Walter Reed AMC walls?
That was bad.

Now that we have a democrat president, that kinda shit is good.

Once sent in a kid for an ingrown toenail and they almost ended up taking off his foot after it got infected.

[subterfuge]

Always know who your doctors are and what education they have. Look for framed diplomas on their office walls—check them out on google-—anything it takes to know who you are giving your health and well-being over to.

Forget it. You WILL be assimilated and all your protest is futile.