Patient confidentially, AND privacy, is a HUGH concern with government controlled medicine.
New DOT physical qualifications start May 21st
- Thread starter OntarioVanMan
- Start date
Patient confidentially, AND privacy, is a HUGH concern with government controlled medicine.
Exactly. How much is "improper physical exams" vs faked certificates, ginned up by the drivers themselves? Seriously, how hard would it be to 'create' a DOT physical on your own computer? Or steal some genuine forms?
If the problem were really about bad doctors doing bad exams, it'd be simple to solve: discipline the docs. But clearly, that's not the problem needing to be fixed.
And the 'fix' penalizes the wrong people.
It would be in a carriers best interests to keep the contractors informed....even tho ultimately it is the contractors responsibility to keep informed....Just as fleet owners should be concerned as well....for a sudden loss of a driver due to new guidelines.....
Just got my new 2 year card. Price was $206 old card about $80! Doc. spoke about new liability, etc. other then that same old thing. Except the size of the card is one third bigger, maybe so Leo can read it easier.
AMonger
Veteran Expediter
Are you a big boy or normal sized?
paullud
Veteran Expediter
I would actually rather have them connect the medical certificate through the DMV so that I don't have to carry the card around. We might as well use the technology we have and it will limit fraudulent cards. The next issue will be when a driver stops carrying the card but the DOT officer can't verify that it is valid. I was advised during a recent inspection in NM that I should carry the card even after the change. The answer to my question was "If my officers can't verify the physical what are we going to do?" He seemed to imply that the driver would be stuck.
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paullud
Veteran Expediter
Some states sent out letters saying that you had 4 weeks to turn in the physical or they would suspend the CDL portion of your license. NY was one of them and luckily I made it home with 5 days to spare otherwise my license would have been suspended and I wouldn't have known. They wanted this done weeks before the deadline which seems like it must have caught a bunch of people off guard. One of the drivers at my company had to get a rental car to go home because his state did the same thing. Then to top off this whole mess they postponed the deadline.
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Linking the med cert to the license is fine, it's the limitation of practitioners who can do the exam that rankles, and requiring them to obtain additional 'education' because it increases the cost to drivers dramatically. If some doctors were the problem, why weren't they being identified and disciplined?
BTW: the same thing happened to me, when my exam was due for renewal: I found a notice in the mail warning that if the exam wasn't reported to the Ohio BMV, my CDL would be suspended. It could have easily happened, had I got the exam wherever I was, [out of state], because my regular doc doesn't do them, and I hadn't got the mail. I'd have been shocked to hear from a LEO that my license had been suspended.
Seriously: is DOT's real mission to make as many drivers look as irresponsible as possible?
AMonger
Veteran Expediter
At least that's just once every couple years. What's worse is applying restrictions over and above what the FMCSA lists as the restrictions, because you never know what they could add next if they get away with this one. The medical community has talked about again redefining normal BP, this time to 120. That's going to eliminate a lot of drivers.
For us older people it is the opposite. They want to RAISE the numbers before we start taking meds, not lower them. I have NO idea what the DOT dudes will do with this.
New Blood Pressure Guidelines Raise the Bar for Taking Medications
New Blood Pressure Guidelines Raise the Bar for Taking Medications
AMonger
Veteran Expediter
That's fairly recent. The FMCSA lags behind. I'm betting it will take quite some time--years or even decades--for the FMCSA medical regs to catch up.
And they're still only taking about raising the bar for when medications become involved. They still call 120/80 normal for adults regardless of age, when it's becoming apparent that the older model--that "normal" should take into account vein inelasticity as one ages, meaning someone 50+ can't be expected to have the same BP as an athletic 20 year old.
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120/60 was considered the "norm" when I was in EMT school so many moons ago. The 80 is a bit on the high side, for old school that is.
As to medical people knowing, there was a time, not all that long ago, when it was taught that high blood pressure was good. Who knows what will be next?
I do know one thing for sure. As I have been losing weight, thanks to my Styrofoam and freeze dried water diet, my BP has been slowly going down. I have to watch it does not go too low. It has been getting down where I don't like it. DR may have to adjust my meds.
As to medical people knowing, there was a time, not all that long ago, when it was taught that high blood pressure was good. Who knows what will be next?
I do know one thing for sure. As I have been losing weight, thanks to my Styrofoam and freeze dried water diet, my BP has been slowly going down. I have to watch it does not go too low. It has been getting down where I don't like it. DR may have to adjust my meds.
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It is also not only the "gross numbers" you are used to seeing that matters. The ratio between the two are very important and CAN give warning to developing problems. The difference it called the "pulse pressure" and 40mmhg is considered to be "healthy".
Pulse pressure - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
interesting page, you can enter your BP for info
Blood Pressure: 106/67 | What Does My Blood Pressure Reading Mean?
OR
You can type your BP into Google, say my BP is 190/99 and info will come up. (that is assuming with a BP of 190/99 you live long enough for it to come up) LOL
Pulse pressure - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
interesting page, you can enter your BP for info
Blood Pressure: 106/67 | What Does My Blood Pressure Reading Mean?
OR
You can type your BP into Google, say my BP is 190/99 and info will come up. (that is assuming with a BP of 190/99 you live long enough for it to come up) LOL
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I'd say normal, 70 inch, 175 lb. Like has been said the only good thing for the driver was not having to carry the card, and now it's bigger!
It wouldn't even take a computer or any kind of theft. Physical forms are available in truckstops. Somebody could fill it out, make up a doctor's name and turn it in. It wouldn't be an issue until there was a serious accident. When ever I've handed my card to a DOT officer they barely even look at it. The registry should help to cut down on this type of fraud.
Like there is ANY federal program out there that is not full of fraud. Here is what happens with more federal intervention. Prices go up, availability goes down, quality goes down, fraud increases and the intended goal, in this case healthy drivers, is never reached.
I totally agree, that's why I said "help to cut down" and not "eliminate".
You have more "faith" in the process than I. My belief is that the fraud, costs etc, will drastically increase. From what we are hearing in here, the cost is already going up. We also know that the "pool" of available doctors is smaller. That will also help to drive up cost and there will soon be a "waiting period" to see a doctor. No more just dropping into the clinic and waiting your turn.
that "normal" should take into account vein inelasticity as one ages, meaning someone 50+ can't be expected to have the same BP as an athletic 20 year old.But, um, well - I do. Last check [in March] was 120/80, and I've never taken meds for hypertension.
I like healthy food [but I really, really like some bad stuff too], I try to exercise [not very much, though], and I salt everything except bacon [which is one of my favorite foods], so I don't know why my BP is at least as good as a slacker half my age....
And apparently, no one knows why some who make much greater efforts have high blood pressure. Considering the profit in the meds, I bet no one is trying real hard to find out, either.