ER visit: VA nurse said to go to the er and ask for a mri on my shoulders er nurse said we don't do mri in er I have to have a referral from a doctor and go to the out patient clinic...

dbed Loc: POMME DE TERRE LAKE MISSOURI

VA nurse said to go to the er and ask for a mri on my shoulders er nurse said we don't do mri in er I have to have a referral from a doctor and go to the out patient clinic for a mri spent 21/2 hours at the er to learn this

Jeremy Loc: America

dbed wrote:

VA nurse said to go to the er and ask for a mri on my shoulders er nurse said we don't do mri in er I have to have a referral from a doctor and go to the out patient clinic for a mri spent 21/2 hours at the er to learn this

Sounds silly. Seems to me the Patient would know where coverage and equipment is located by using telephone to get advice nurse.

troyfrd1 Loc: Hampstead,NC

dbed wrote:

VA nurse said to go to the er and ask for a mri on my shoulders er nurse said we don't do mri in er I have to have a referral from a doctor and go to the out patient clinic for a mri spent 21/2 hours at the er to learn this

What should have happened was the va doctor should have called over there and they would have pushed you right back there. No doubt the nurse knew what to do.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

dbed wrote:

VA nurse said to go to the er and ask for a mri on my shoulders er nurse said we don't do mri in er I have to have a referral from a doctor and go to the out patient clinic for a mri spent 21/2 hours at the er to learn this

I've never heard of an ER room offering MRI. Xrays, yeah. But not MRIs.
Usually have to make appts. for them in the radiology dept.

Frank romero Loc: Clovis, NM

saw1 wrote:

I've never heard of an ER room offering MRI. Xrays, yeah. But not MRIs.
Usually have to make appts. for them in the radiology dept.

They only do mri in an emergency

TJA57 Loc: chino, CA

dbed wrote:

VA nurse said to go to the er and ask for a mri on my shoulders er nurse said we don't do mri in er I have to have a referral from a doctor and go to the out patient clinic for a mri spent 21/2 hours at the er to learn this

MRI's typically are not "emergency " procedures. The only emergent MRI is spinal cord compression . Most MRI's are ordered through an outpatient setting. If the problem is in your shoulders then you might want to ask your primary care physician for a referral to orthopedics then the orthopod can order the MRI for you.

troyfrd1 Loc: Hampstead,NC

TJA57 wrote:

MRI's typically are not "emergency " procedures. The only emergent MRI is spinal cord compression . Most MRI's are ordered through an outpatient setting. If the problem is in your shoulders then you might want to ask your primary care physician for a referral to orthopedics then the orthopod can order the MRI for you.

Point on TJ. Just get a referral. Authorization from the Va which your provider can request for you. I would contact my provider and explain what I was told by the Nurse and asked for an authorization letter. That what I did for my legs.

Grizzly 17 Loc: South central Pa

dbed wrote:

VA nurse said to go to the er and ask for a mri on my shoulders er nurse said we don't do mri in er I have to have a referral from a doctor and go to the out patient clinic for a mri spent 21/2 hours at the er to learn this

They never make it easy Ed. Good luck brother 👍👍

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

dbed wrote:

VA nurse said to go to the er and ask for a mri on my shoulders er nurse said we don't do mri in er I have to have a referral from a doctor and go to the out patient clinic for a mri spent 21/2 hours at the er to learn this

They do manage to keep you guessing. You never know where to get solid information in the system.

dbed Loc: POMME DE TERRE LAKE MISSOURI

TJA57 wrote:

MRI's typically are not "emergency " procedures. The only emergent MRI is spinal cord compression . Most MRI's are ordered through an outpatient setting. If the problem is in your shoulders then you might want to ask your primary care physician for a referral to orthopedics then the orthopod can order the MRI for you.

I asked for an appointment with my VA provider but the nurse said it would be faster to an er and have them do the mri and send the film to my provider to decide on what to do next I can now either try the VA again or use Medicare and get an appointment with an orthopedic doctor. I can do that without a referral from my primary. Either way if I rest my shoulders by the time I see a orthopedic doctor the pain will be manageable until I hurt them again.

troyfrd1 Loc: Hampstead,NC

dbed wrote:

I asked for an appointment with my VA provider but the nurse said it would be faster to an er and have them do the mri and send the film to my provider to decide on what to do next I can now either try the VA again or use Medicare and get an appointment with an orthopedic doctor. I can do that without a referral from my primary. Either way if I rest my shoulders by the time I see a orthopedic doctor the pain will be manageable until I hurt them again.

Medicare maybe the fastest way

TJA57 Loc: chino, CA

dbed wrote:

I asked for an appointment with my VA provider but the nurse said it would be faster to an er and have them do the mri and send the film to my provider to decide on what to do next I can now either try the VA again or use Medicare and get an appointment with an orthopedic doctor. I can do that without a referral from my primary. Either way if I rest my shoulders by the time I see a orthopedic doctor the pain will be manageable until I hurt them again.

If you can get an appointment with with ortho without a referral, that's what I would do. Even if you are not having pain at the time you can explain to him that it is a reoccurring problem. The doc can review your prior medical records. With the reports from your prior visits and his physical exam he can determine if a MRI is appropriate at this time. Since covid many medical facilities are still overwhelmed with patients and medical staff is pushed to their limits. If you don't feel that you are being treated appropriately file a complaint with administration. Don't give up keep with it until you are satisfied. Good luck.

TJA57 Loc: chino, CA

TJA57 wrote:

If you can get an appointment with with ortho with... (show quote)

I guess I should mention if you are going to seek services outside of the VA you will need to get copies of your medical records and take them with you to your ortho appointment. If your ortho doc is part of the VA he should have access to your records and you shouldn't need to do that. Good luck.

ShortorderCook62 Loc: Grand Junction, Colorado

saw1 wrote:

I've never heard of an ER room offering MRI. Xrays, yeah. But not MRIs.
Usually have to make appts. for them in the radiology dept.

Yer right. I have gotten Xrays and CT scans at the ER but the radiology dept provides an MRI and it does take a referral from a doctor. The VA doctor could have prescribed one but not a nurse.

audigger53 Loc: Severn, MD

dbed wrote:

VA nurse said to go to the er and ask for a mri on my shoulders er nurse said we don't do mri in er I have to have a referral from a doctor and go to the out patient clinic for a mri spent 21/2 hours at the er to learn this

Now that confuses me. I have had both for MRis.
Had it scheduled by my primary, and from the ER. The waiting time for an MRI in the Maryland VA, is close to 2 months!
Now having said that, I have gone to the ER to complain about pain on my right back lower side. I had 2 tumors on the right kidney, they were both Cryo frozen at the Maryland university hospital. One has regrown now.
Anyway I have gone to the ER with pain and gotten an MRI that way. If you didn't complain to them about pain, then they won't do it from the ER. IMO Of course. BTW Their "Pain Chart" doesn't go high enough to me. LOL
Their #10 is more like an 8 to me.