Really Annoyed!

 So I'm almost done with my pre-op stuff.  I have everything scheduled but the EGD and that is where the problems begin.  The nursing staff at my surgeon's put in every referral but the EGD.  I called and left 2 messages but they never bothered to call me back.  So I made an appointment with my PCM and he put in the referral for me.  I finally called today and they said well the first apointment we have is Oct 25th.  I was like that's fine, my sleep study will be the next week and then I'm done.  They go ohhh no, that's just to meet with the dr. to see if you really need the EGD.  I'm like what the hell.  I have to have the EGD in order to have surgery, why do I need to meet with ANOTHER GI dr. for him to go yep you have to get an EGD.  I know I need a god damn EGD.  I said well how long after that appoitment until I can get the actual EGD, she goes oh we're backed up about 8-12 weeks.  WHAT!!!!  I will be done with EVERYTHING but that for this surgery and you're going to make me wait 12 weeks and that's after the end of Oct.  That would put me into January or Feb just for my EGD then its another 8-12 weeks at least for surgery.  I'll be ******g gone from DC by then and have to start this entire process over.

I put in another call to my surgeon's office.  Hopefully this time they'll be kind enough to actually call me back, and say WTF?  

Holy cow what a bag of poo!! I feel so bad for you......sounds like you are dealing with some of the same hang-ups that I am but in differant areas. I bet you have your deductibles met for this year too!!

I will keep you in my thoughts.

 Luckily I have no deductibles.  We're military so this is happening all through a MTF.  Normally and for everything else, care has been WONDERFUL.  My NUT, my Psych all of them have been more than helpful and I've gotten in very quickly.  What I'm surprised about is why this hasn't been kicked out to a provider outside the military.  Tricare's normal rule is if you can't be seen within 28 days they'll let you see a civilian doc.  I might go that route if I can't get something taken care of through my GI's office.

BUT I won't get the sleeve if we leave this area as Tricare doesn't cover it.  I am only getting it because they offer it at the MTF.

PUSH, and if you can like you said, get it done the civilian route.

If you don't get a call back from the surgeon's office, call a patient advocate either at the MTF or through Tricare and they'll push through your referral.

 I always forget about patient advocates.  I will give the surgeon's office till tomorrow am and then call the advocate.  I'm really annoyed that they are not responding to my calls.  My first call was over 2 weeks ago and this was my 3rd message today.

 Okay so who do you call when the patient advocate won't answer the phone either!  I know I could sit out front of his office at the hospital but with my 2.5 yr old that would just be suicide.  I've never lived somewhere like DC where so many people just don't do the bare minimum of their job and when you call them on it you're the *****  I mean 2 weeks to return a phone call is really out of line, right?  Am I just nuts?

Call Tricare patient advocate for your region through the toll-free number, and explain to them "My needs are not being met, my phone calls and messages have not been returned, this is a time sensitive matter, and I am not being given the level of care that is promised by these Tricare providers, who do I need to call to get this situation resolved before I file a formal complaint, or can you take my formal complaint over the phone? Because at this time, I am not willing to just wait. Tricare's standard of care is not being met by these providers, and due to my husband's time on station and other extenuating cir****tances, I need this resolved NOW, and not be ignroed. I am hoping you can help me as this is not something that can just wait. Thank you."

I have a couple of friends up there in the same area, they're Air Force, but they had nothing but issues out of the MTFs up there, and I gave them the same advice. I know it's difficult and frustrating, but keep it professional and express a high level of dissatisfaction in the manner in which you are being treated by these providers. At the end of the day, everyone has a boss, and if the coordinator, or scheduler is NOT calling you back, she has a supervisor, or at a bare minimum a NCOIC that she must report to, and explain the issue.

 Well I called Tricare.  They said they couldn't do anything because it is an MTF and I have to take it up with the patient advocate for that facility.  Which of course is also not calling me back.  I have to drive 35 miles in DC traffic to get to Bethesda so I really really don't want to have to drive there but it looks like I might have to.  

The Tricare lady on the phone said that it was rediculous that they hadn't referred me out to a civilian but that the MTF has to tell them they dont' have room and if they don't then Tricare can't give me a civilian referral.  I'm totally annoyed.  I've been in the Army or been a wife in the army for 10 years and I've never had these problems.  Hell even when I was on the NHS in England I never had these issues.

I'm really sorry you are going through all of this right now. I know it's frustrating. That's all I've got on advice on how to navigate through it. I hope you get a call back super fast!