Bay Area AME.... watch out!

[Amish RakeFight]

I have to disagree.

If the AME's office is not following standard procedure and causing potential issues with something as IMPORTANT as a medical, this information should not be censored. Any complications with this process can mean losing all flight privileges which can be disasterous. It is quite easy to lose and very difficult to get back.

There are plenty of physicians that are ranked all over the internet, why should an AME in an aviation forum be any different.

Perhaps we could have this thread moved to the medical section. Maybe a poll or ranking of sorts for AME's that we've used and found to be competent and most of all, strive to make the process quick and painless.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

What p!sses me off these days is that for about a month before and a month after my medical is due, I get all these solicitations in the mail from local AME's wanting to make a buck off of me.

Thanks FAA for giving my personal info out to anyone and everyone.

They obtain the information from the FAA public database. You can opt out to have your address removed. Go to the FAA site and make the request.

 

[Longhorn]

Amish, I agree with you 100%....but...we are hearing this info from one side and without the defense of the doctor or his staff. To add to that is that I have received 3 PMs and a reported post from members who HAVE use this AME without any issue. The original post did not give much info other than the staff was the only contact in which he had and that he had NEVER seen the doctor there...so once again, to paint this doctor as a bad doctor to go to on a public aviation forum, after stating that he never saw the doctor himself, is not fair to the practice of that doctor. That is why I suggested the PM feature. To the original poster, this is not a slam towards you are me trying to lessen your situation, I know its tough and can be stressful. I hope you can see where I am coming from on this though.

LH

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

MOD INPUT.

While the FAA medical is a HUGE deal and its unfortunate that you had an issue with this doctor, his name was removed from the forum. This doctor does not have a chance to get on a public forum and defend himself for what happened. I do agree that it really sucks that this happened so what I would like to recommend is that if someone wants to know what doctor you had an issue with, please use the PM feature. I have received a few complaint from members who have used the doctor that you named without any issue. Once again, to get on the public forum and out a doctor and his office for possible unfair treatment without his defense cannot be allowed to stay on the public forum. I would love to have the heads up on what Dr's are bad and which ones are good, but in this situation, a PM between members would be the best course of action.

Thanks,
Longhorn

Hey Longhorn, I agree that the PM function would be a better way but...this is not a public forum, it's a membership fee-based forum. Right?

 

[Longhorn]

Ok, I will agree with you on that to a point. While it is a membership fee site, there are no restrictions on the pulic for signing up. As an example, at bluepilots you have to be a JetBlue pilot and the verify it. That is a true private site. I would call FI a public site with a paid membership. Having said that, the decision to not post the doctors name does not change.

Good point though!

 

[rumpletumbler]

What condition do you have to bring paperwork for?

I'm on blood pressure meds and have never provided anything for those.

 

[On Belay]

I don't want to get into a pi$$ing match with the moderator, but I posted my experience for the benefit of my fellow pilots. I did not say anything derogatory about Dr ************, but merely detailed my experience in his office. Find me a pilot who wants to be on the phone with the FAA 10 minutes after walking into the AME's office. I'm sure there are pilots who have had positive experiences with Dr ******** office, but I was not one of them. They are free to post their experiences on this thread. It seems to me that this is exactly the kind of information that should be posted on this forum. I sure wish I had seen something like this before venturing into this AME's office.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Okay, so can we post POSITIVE reviews of AME's?

That way we'll know to steer clear of those who may not be listed.

Either way, FI could be incredibly helpful for finding a qualified AME who isn't a ball buster.

Is it possible to set up a thread where AME's are listed by state and members could provide a ranking for each?

Maybe the OP's doctor could learn to adjust his office procedures so that there isn't an issue with the next applicant.

Whether posted online or by word of mouth, a doctor with a questionable practice will be outted in time.

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Well...just allow me to say that my AME has gone to bat for me on more than one occasion.

Given what he has done for me in the past...I would even pay him double ( shhhh...don't tell him I said that )

 

[jmreii]

Of course there is more to the story... I didn't think the folks on flightinfo wanted my medical history. I posted this just for the benefit of others who may be looking for an AME in the Bay area. I don't know what most folks want from an AME, but I want quick and easy. My experience was a long way from that.

I have nothing to hide from the Doctor or from the FAA. I just failed to bring supporting paperwork regarding my medical history (paperwork I had never been asked to provide before). When I told the receptionist I had never been asked for this paperwork before, she got angry and called the FAA to have them flag my file. She then handed the phone to me so that I could explain myself to some FAA Doc in OKC... not fun.

One thing I learned....once you start to fill out the FAA 8500, the AME is required to send the form to the FAA, whether or not you actually complete the physical.

Hey, this is just one pilot's experience. Perhaps Dr K is the best of the best, but I won't be going back to that office again. Take it for what it's worth.

I hope you get your medical okay. You need to look at this situation the same way you would handle a checkride, meaning being prepared. My case for example I have to take blood pressure medication. I get all the paperwork taken care of whether the FAA OR AME request it or not. I have been doing this for seven years with three different doctors and no problems.

I did talk to the AOPA and they emphasize about having paperwork to back up a medical condition that an AME or the FAA could flag you on later.

good luck

 

[rumpletumbler]

What paperwork? I've never taken any in for blood pressure. What do you ask your doctor for?

 

[On Belay]

What paperwork? I've never taken any in for blood pressure. What do you ask your doctor for?

Nor had I. According to Dr Kriegbaum office (and the FAA doctor in OKC with whom I spoke), I should have shown up with a note from the physician who prescribed the BP meds documenting my last BP readings along with a statement that my BP was stable and controlled. With that note, I'm guessing they wouldn't even bother taking your BP at your flight physical....NOT.

Steer clear of Dr Kriegbaum and you should be OK.

And I aplogize that this Doctor's name keeps getting edited out of my posts. It doesn't really do anyone much good without his name. It appears the moderators feel I am committing some sort of slander.

 

[CA1900]

It isn't slander (or libel) if it's true! Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[jmreii]

What paperwork? I've never taken any in for blood pressure. What do you ask your doctor for?

The paperwork is a light formality that was ask for by oak city saying that they would like to see a letter from the treating doctor saying your blood pressure is under controlled and you have no side effects from taking the medication or medications.

I use it as protection just in case a physical is completed and the FAA would like to see more information. It is better to take care of it up front than to have them send a letter to you later saying more information or else. The FAA have been famous in the past about sending nastygrams to airmen about missing information. They do not understand I did not know or you forgot.

 

[Longhorn]

On Belay,

I said it was fine to post his name. One of the other mods was not kept in the loop on this and deleted the name bacause of the earlier deletions by me...before we talked. He did it by mistake.

Thanks