DOT Physical?

[greg334]

THE dumbest thing that the DOT can do is force people to go to specific doctors.

My doctor is not working in a clinic setting where they see patients who are strangers but rather working for the patient. She is clear, if I am not fit to drive, I am not driving but as one clinic doctor said as I walked into the exam room "here, I'm done, pay at the desk". It makes it look like the DOT is actually getting kickbacks from these clinics who perform these exams in mass.

 

[BillChaffey]

I don't believe a Clinic kicks back to the State, but who knows. I had my yearly physical about a month ago and asked my Doctor "how about rolling this into a DOT phycical" his responce was "we don't have the proper eye examination equipment here." It was at a new Satelite office from a hospital in Houston Mo. I don't mean to be elitist but I prefer my yearly physical from a real MD\Internist. Most clinics around here are DO's or PA's. I'm sure they now their stuff, BUT I'm paying for it

 

[Dakota]

I don't believe a Clinic kicks back to the State, but who knows. I had my yearly physical about a month ago and asked my Doctor "how about rolling this into a DOT phycical" his responce was "we don't have the proper eye examination equipment here." It was at a new Satelite office from a hospital in Houston Mo. I don't mean to be elitist but I prefer my yearly physical from a real MD\Internist. Most clinics around here are DO's or PA's. I'm sure they now their stuff, BUT I'm paying for it

Eye exam equipment? The place I goto has a red, amber, green color chart and an eye chart on the wall very low tech

 

[greg334]

They don't need fancy equipment, you didn't tell the doc a standard eye test is all that is needed, chart at 15 feet and those funny words on it.

 

[Turtle]

I had mine done a couple or three weeks ago. I stood there 15 feet from the eye chart, and the nurse asked, "Can you read line 6?"

I replied confidently, "Yes."

After a long pause she finally said, "Would you read it out loud?"

I figure you might as well have a little fun in everything.

 

[Ragman]

Some are more thorough, and others, no hernia check..

You sound disappointed.

 

[BillChaffey]

My Doctors brother is the local Optician. Maybe he doesn't want to infringe on his territory.
Plus "Land Line" had a color eye chart test a couple of months back.

 

[BillChaffey]

Passed. Considerably more thorough then the last one. May be because the FNP-BC who conducted the physical, husband is an over the road driver.

 

[cranis]

Look up concentra medical, they are certified for the dot, and they are around the country..

Concentra : Occupational Medicine, Urgent Care, Health and Wellness

 

[Dakota]

I had mine done a couple or three weeks ago. I stood there 15 feet from the eye chart, and the nurse asked, "Can you read line 6?"

I replied confidently, "Yes."

After a long pause she finally said, "Would you read it out loud?"

I figure you might as well have a little fun in everything.

I read them from right to left to confuse them

 

[greg334]

Look up concentra medical, they are certified for the dot, and they are around the country..

Yea they are the biggest pain in the a** to deal with at times. A few of their 'examiners' are not or don't seem to be too qualified to do much other than "yep your breathing" and sign the papers - which actually happened.

I went through h*ll one time because of sleep apnia and what amounted to a company form to be filled out. I told them right from the start I have a specific forms that the examiner needed to fill out, a letter from my doc and the DOT form that is filled out as I am required to do. They refused to fill out the form, told me I didn't need the letter from the doc and they tossed the DOT form in the shredder then told me I have to fill it out again.

The reason I think it is a big mistake that the DOT requires 'Certified' doctors to administer the test is simply it turns it into an assembly line and profit center, where my doctor does not care about making the buck but making sure I am fit to drive.

 

[AMonger]

I had mine done a couple or three weeks ago. I stood there 15 feet from the eye chart, and the nurse asked, "Can you read line 6?"

I replied confidently, "Yes."

After a long pause she finally said, "Would you read it out loud?"

I figure you might as well have a little fun in everything.

I always read out P-R-I-N-T-E-D I-N M-A-L-A-Y-S-I-A

 

[AMonger]

You sound disappointed.

It's the rectal that I miss.

When I was about to get out of the military, I had to get the separation physical. I'm sitting there, waiting, and the only person I see around is this hot Lieutenant walking back and forth between the rooms. "Hope she's not the one doing the examining," I thought. Turns out, she was. Well, I figured, the only personal portion of this lasts less than 30 seconds, so, who cares?"

Most of the way through, she asked how old I was, and I told her I was 24, just a month shy of 25. She said, "Well, you just missed the mandatory rectal exam by a month."

"****!" I said.

"Well, you know, the gloves are just right over here..." she countered.

"No, you know how Uncle Sam feels about waste."

I once had a DOT done by a woman who looked of middle-eastern descent. When it was time to do the hernia exam, she stood behind me so she couldn't see and reached around for my groin.

Whatever works, I guess.

 

[Crazynuff]

This should answer several questions . Here is the form .
Part 391.43: Medical examination; certificate of physical examination. - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA is in the process of requiring all examiners to meet DOT certification . Count on the exams being much more thorough . All states already require a valid medical card to renew a CDL .
In a couple of years no medical cards will be needed because the medical records will be electronically sent to the driver's state DMV and kept on his CDL .
http://www.mrca.org/i4a/headlines/headlinedetails.cfm?id=864&archive=1

 

[greg334]

In a couple of years no medical cards will be needed because the medical records will be electronically sent to the driver's state DMV and kept on his CDL .

This is the scary part. Now the state idiots will have access to out 'medical records' too, so much for HIPPA.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Never. not ever had a rectal as part of a DOT exam...

 

[OntarioVanMan]

In a couple of years no medical cards will be needed because the medical records will be electronically sent to the driver's state DMV and kept on his CDL .

This is the scary part. Now the state idiots will have access to out 'medical records' too, so much for HIPPA.

so what...

"if you nothing to hide what does it hurt" as long as they catch the bad guys....

 

[BillChaffey]

I'm not so sure it's "Catching the bad guys" as it is just one more car load of people who have access to what should be your private information.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I'm not so sure it's "Catching the bad guys" as it is just one more car load of people who have access to what should be your private information.

we let the government in the door a long time ago...unfortunately no one then took a stand....and no one will now..we'll just sit and bi!ch about it...that is the American Way...

 

[greg334]

Well actually here is how it can go.

When the state has the records, the doctor patient thing is out the door. On the DOT form, you have to list all medications, and this can include things like Immune Deficiency drugs, H-B drugs and what ever you take. Once this is done and in the 'state' records, there is another access point for that info that can be had without proper safeguards or your knowledge.

Right now, there is a federal privacy law, it is not the best and it has been gutted to a point because of special interest. The past and present administration wants to electrify medical records but there are no real safeguards being built in, they are pretty much using old standards and old technology form the banking industry which has already been compromised.

In addition to this, every state has a scattered form of medical privacy laws which some how is incapable of addressing things like doctors dumping medical records when they go out of business or medical record theft.

Just like certifying doctors, the DOT doesn't get these issue but follows the suggestions of advisory boards who are in some cases using their position to make money. My doctor is strict, a lot more strict than these clinic doctors who has no interest in my well being but see me as cattle. Just because I say one thing and they take my word for it means nothing when I am on the road but my own doctor won't put up with the BS and has said "I don't care what you think, if I think you are unfit, you are unfit".