A question about medical care and worker's comp.

[big4life]

What would you do if you hurt your shoulder at work and your employers sent you to an orthopedic doctor for treatment and he botched your diagnosis? He says that you have a problem with the ac joint and no tears in your shoulder, so he just gives you cortisone shots and tells you to live with the pain.

You go to doctor #2 and he gives you another shot, and no improvement, so he recomends surgery. He goes in to fix the problem and finds that your bicep tendon is completely torn lose. He fixes the problem and cleans up some scar tissue, etc..

Now you find out from people at the hospital that doctor #1 does not even operate on shoulders, yet your company sent you to him for treatment on your shoulder.

What are your options under workers comp.?

Who would you complain to?

 

[BackDoc]

Speak to a case manager from the State Board of Worker's Compensation. You also may have to contact the Medical Licensing Association or Board of Medical Examiners in your state. Given that shoulder problems (at least some of them) are difficult to diagnose without exploratory surgery I would think it a safe bet that unless gross negligence or malfeasance on the part of the doctor was committed that the complaint will go nowhere.

Is your employer cooperating with medical expenses and the workers comp claims? If so, if it were me I would chalk it up to nothing more than an unfortunate delay in treatment. Of course, you can pursue it if you feel strongly about it.

 

[big4life]

The main problem I have is even after the cortisone shot didn't help he didn't even discuss the option of surgery. Now I know why, He doesn't operate on shoulders. But why didn't he say that he couldn't do it and send me to another doctor?

I had to raise holy hell to get a second opinion from my work place.

As for them paying, yeah they are taking care of the bills, so that's not the issue.

But they are still sending patients with shoulder problems to him. And there is an issue of a possible kickback involving one of our managers, whose daughter he operated on.

 

[BackDoc]

If there is an issue of kickbacks going on and you and others strongly suspect or have material that suggests so, I would consult an attorney before taking any further action.

There is the possibility that he is diagnosing conservatively in the absence of obvious diagnostic clues (which in this case is what appears to be a rather inept shoulder examination that he could miss the usually obvious signs and symptoms of a ruptured biceps tendon). Although perhaps it is possible to have a really really obscure case of it, that seems a bit of a stretch. Was a shoulder MRI performed at any point? What did he (the first doctor) say your diagnosis was? I would be interested in his diagnosis that warranted you to "just live with the pain". Anyone with shoulder pain not responding to treatment should get re-evaluated for diagnostic error. At least that's what myself and most other physicians would do. Aside from the obvious misdiagnosis (I must assume), it's just plain shitty to tell someone "just live with the pain".

Good luck with the shoulder. Have you started rehab yet?

 

[big4life]

I just had the surgery last week. My new doctor said he didn't want me to do anything more than the salute position with it. No raising my hand above my head for at least a couple weeks. I start rehab the first week in December.

At first doctor #1 was treating it as an impengement, then he said arthritis in the AC joint. He sent me for an MRI, but it was a closed MRI and it did not give a real good picture of my shoulder. To give you an idea of how organized or disorganized he is. He did not remember sending me for an MRI. He asked why I got one done. That was my last visit I had with him. That's when he told me I was able to return to work, even though the pain was still there and just as intense.

Thanks for your help. I am just shocked at how he treated me, and the fact that my company keeps sending people to him

 

[PHATchik]

That's really messed up. SOmething should be done, but I don't know who to suggest you speak with. Good luck with that.


How's the shoulder btw? How are you doing?

 

[big4life]

That's really messed up. SOmething should be done, but I don't know who to suggest you speak with. Good luck with that.


How's the shoulder btw? How are you doing?

The shoulder is sore. Lets just say that today was not a good day pain-wise.

Now I am just getting mad with everything that I'm finding out. I understand that the company or their insurence pays him, but the treatment he's giving is very poor, to say the least.

 

[velvett]

Anyone, including doctors can be purchased with money.


Backdoc has given you the best advice.

 

[big4life]

Anyone, including doctors can be purchased with money.


Backdoc has given you the best advice.

Thanks, I know that you're right. I just wish that when they sent me to this doctor, that they were really looking out for me and my well being, and not trying to save a dollar.

 

[starfish]

Company doctors work for the company... It's all about the bottom line.


I know how you feel. My old company doctor completely misdiagnosed my ear problem after spending at least 10 hours a week underwater...