Pulmonary consult question

[LisaD1]

Is there any way to consult with a weg specialist in pulmonary dep just to have your c scans reviewed without going for a visit (long distance to specialist). My local pulmonary doc is not a fan of complicated situations like mine. I checked the vasculitis forum and there is an expert pulmonary dr. in Jacksonville fl named Dr. Lee - has anyone used him? know him? Thanks in advance. (I don't want my major treatment to come from there - too far - but would like to see if he has any thoughts about recent cat scans).

[Debbie C]

I really don't think any dr. will review your ct scans without a visit ( $$$ plus how would they know it is you over the phone ..hippa ) Isn't there another pulm dr. in your area ? Even if you go see this Dr. Lee one time maybe he can be a consult to your reg. dr. But if your pulm dr doesn't want to get involved in complicated situations, I suggest you move on to another....Good luck

[LisaD1]

thanks debC - have to stay w/ local pulm because only 1 in area but if I'm willing to drive then there are others...but then would need help getting there which is never easy. I'm going to have to go to Mayo in Jacksonville i guess but would be helpful if someone else here has been to this dr.

[jlove]

Hi Lisa - could you ask your rheumatologist to talk with Dr. Lee? My rheumatologist has done this for me a few times with other specialists. When it's doctor to doctor contact, they don't have to bill it as a visit. I work at a medical school and this is a problem for them financially - informal consults with other doctors are almost never billed and the financial managers think of this as lost income but I like to make the loophole work to my advantage.

[LisaD1]

Hi Lisa - could you ask your rheumatologist to talk with Dr. Lee? My rheumatologist has done this for me a few times with other specialists. When it's doctor to doctor contact, they don't have to bill it as a visit. I work at a medical school and this is a problem for them financially - informal consults with other doctors are almost never billed and the financial managers think of this as lost income but I like to make the loophole work to my advantage.

thanks very much for that suggestion...I will try it thru the rhum...because there are a no. of autoimmune type granuloma lung diseases and pursuing both a bug type cause of my problems and an autoimmune type cause makes sense....e.g. Churg strauss, sarcoid, etc and I have found that rhums are better at looking for autoimmune causes than specialists in other fields...just my experience.

[Titus3:2]

Dr.Augustine Lee performed a bronchoscopy on me in 10/2014.That was the only time I saw him.He performed it at the request of another pulmonologist at the Mayo Clinic.I have a trach tube,and was awake the whole time.He told me in his opinion that GPA was probably not active in my lung,like it was back in 2011.So,I took his word ,and went back to my local docs.He must have been right.My lung seems Okay.If you consult with the Mayo Clinic,it will take three or four days.Maybe more.You will have to see a rheumatologist there.Good luck.Keith.

[LisaD1]

oh you mean i may have to stay there for 3-4 days? that is not good!