Can your VA doctor do your DOT physical?

I am going to attempt to explain my meaning to non-vets who have never been inside a VA medical center. At my local VA hospital, they divide primary care into 5 clinics called Prime 1 through 5. I am part of Prime 5. Each clinic has a clinical pharmacist who holds a PDH in them. Most also have a pain management person assigned. The VA could easily assign a person qualified under 390.123(a)(1) to handle physicals in each Prime clinic. As @REO6205 mentioned they could also do FAA physicals. The person selected to do these physicals could be trained in both the FAA and DOT requirements. This is why I agree with @REO6205 in practice but disagree in principle. If Congress thought enough about this to make it part of the FAST Act the VA should start doing them.

 

Principle is fine but practice is where the rubber meets the road. The VA could be a world class shining star for the practice of medicine but they've settled for being another second rate organization filled with second rate people.
For the record, I agree with you...it's not entirely their fault. They've had decades to change their ways and other than some highly publicized flashes in the pan they've progressed not at all. My wife used to say that she was glad she never had to practice medicine in a VA setting. She said that they'd sap every bit of ambition and pride right out of you.

 

Not wanting to morph this topic, but I have gone through several Physicians with the VA. My Current primary care manager is not an MD. The heart doc that put these stents in my heart last year is no longer with the VA. He is still in Richmond, but working in another place. I went through 2 VA neurologists and finally found my current one in private practice. My original primary care manager was an MD who came from Egypt. Was a fantastic person who took very good care of me. I know she was not happy for almost 2 years before she finally had enough and quit. Right now I am happy with my health care team. But tomorrow is another day and I know sooner or later somebody is going to quit.

 

I've heard good reports about some of the VA units on the Left Coast. Gotta give credit where credit is due. They're in the minority though.
There are a few of us who served in the same unit in the Army who get together every once in awhile. We have a beer or two, talk things over, eat way too much seafood and barbecue, and toast the ones who have gone before us.
The VA stories follow a predictable path. It's almost like the good ones are good in spite of everything the VA can do to discourage them. Credit goes to the staff on hand.

 

One thing about the Richmond and Hampton Virginia VA medical centers that forced some change there is US Senator Mark Warner has camped out in the VA's backside.





I am not a big supporter of Warner, but changes have been made at both medical centers.

 

I don't know the answer to your question. In general, I prefer to have my DOT doctor not know anything about me. If I have medical issues or question I would want a doctor I can speak to candidly and not weigh every word based on "will this end my trucking", if I hadn't just retired from trucking.

When I was flying it was common to have one doctor who knew as much about you as your mother and the doctor doing your FAA exam not be able to pick you out of a line-up. It would allow you time to get some issue cleared up before you were grounded. I carried that preference into trucking with me, but I don't have any medical issues. You do you.

 

This .

The DoT physical at CVS pharmacy is under $100

 

For many years my family Doctor did my physicals. Most of the time after an exam he would ask me about my physical status and do I need another one. These days with the FMCSA placing so much of the decision-making on the Examiners I can make the argument having the Examiner knowledgeable about you and your health makes it easier for that examiner and simplifies your life. This keeps you from having to chase after statements from other doctors to make the examiner happy.

When you get to thinking about it what are the primary health reasons a driver gets their career ended or placed on hold? There may be more but here is what I can come up with.

1 Vision loss
2 Serious heart problems
3 Out-of-control diabetes over an extended time can cause number 1 to happen.
4. High Blood pressure that can cause all sorts of problems.

ALL of the above have a tendency to get worse as we age. These last few years I have been notified more times than I care to admit of friends who were at the time of their death drivers or had retired. I am maybe in a small minority but I for one am more concerned about a driver's general health so they can have a long career. Drivers that want to hide things because revealing them might cause career problems are playing Russian roulette with the MOST important thing they have, THEIR HEALTH. I place health more important than driving. What good is a CDL in the pocket of a person that is laying in state in a funeral home?


As to the cost my VA physical cost me absolutely NOTHING!