items mistakenly left off dodmerb medical questionnaire

mellowgator

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i know this is an old post but it helped me so much today after stressing myself over my daughter's medical exam:

RetNavyHM18th December 2007, 02:11 PM
In response to live4ever's concerns about the DoDMERB process I will explain the thought processes behind what DoDMERB does, and the reasons for them. I will also explain why DoDMERB issues a disqualification, even though the applicant or parent may not feel it is an issue.

When the applicants fill out the medical history questionnaire it is possible that items are mistakenly left off. It happens to all of us, and its not a big deal. Depending on the answers that are on the medical history questionnaire DoDMERB may request additional information (questionnaires, medical records, evaluations). There are times when DoDMERB will request only a questionnaire, but when the applicant fills out the questionnaire it raises more questions for the DoDMERB reviewer or physician, in which case medical records or an evaluation may be requested.

Remember, the DoDMERB reviewer and physician can not evaluate the individual personally, they are relying on the examining physician, the medical history and any additional information they request. To qualify an applicant DoDMERB must be comfortable doing it. DoDMERB does not take care of the applicants once they get to an academy, ROTC program or USUHS. That is the responsibility of the service that the applicant is applying for.

So there is the possibility that prior to a qualification or disqualification DoDMERB may request additional information multiple times. Sometimes when the reviewer requests information on one item, when that information is received there is something else of concern listed there that was not on the initial medical history form.

Once DoDMERB receives the information it is all reviewed. If there is an item that is a disqualification, DoDMERB has to disqualify. Again, DoDMERB does not take care of the applicants, that is the individual services which is where the waiver authorities come in. They make the determination on whether a medical condition could possibly prevent the applicant from completing school and 20 years of service afterwards.

The instructions that DoDMERB goes by are written by the Department of Defense, Health Affairs office. They are reviewed around every 3 -5 years and changes do get made.

There are quite a few disqualifications that are listed as "History of" disqualifications. What that means, if an applicant EVER had this issue it is a disqualification. In the case of asthma/reactive airway disease it is a history of after the 13th birthday. If an applicant had a diagnosis of asthma or took asthma medication after the 13th birthday it is a disqualification by DoDMERB. DoDMERB has no gray area, its black and white.

I will agree wholeheartedly that the process can be frustrating and confusing. It is frustrating and confusing sitting in the chair reviewing medical records all day as well. All the reviewers and physicians would like nothing more than to qualify each and every applicant and not have to request additional information. Each year DoDMERB reviews around 35,000 applicants. This is with a staff of 9 reviewers, 1 optometrist and 3 physicians. No one likes to increase their workload by requesting additional information, but to provide the services with the best medically qualified applicants it is something that has to be done.

As for the testing, the test you describe is the methacholine challenge test (MCCT). This test is not requested regularly, it is only for those applicants that the waiver authority feels are really borderline as far as asthma/reactive airway disease goes. More often than not they will request a pre/post bronchodilator pulmonary function test, which is where an applicant does a pulmonary function test, then take a puff of an inhaler (albuterol) and does another pulmonary function test. It measures to see how much difference there is between the two.

You are correct that the MCCT can be dangerous. Trying to induce an asthmatic reaction on someone who does have asthma is a challenge. This test is always done under the direct supervision of a physician with the appropriate medical equipment standing by. It is a very expensive test for that reason. For an applicant who does not have asthma it is not as dangerous, but can still be a challenge.

I hope this has helped to clear up your confusion.

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this post really put my mind at rest. my daughter filled out her medical questionnaire and did so to the best of her ability. after her exam i asked her about a couple of things i wanted to make sure she included. sure enought she left off a couple of small things but after reading how you can get kicked out of the military and sent to jail for not listing everything i was so worried i couldn't sleep. so in my crazy state i wrote the head of dodmerb telling him all i think she left off and after the exam i read her medical records and i saw mistakes on it. so i flipped wrote down every thing i saw that was incorrect and sent the e-mail. i didn't think my e-mail would name names but of course it had my name and the school my girl was applying to so the director wanted to know who my daughter was. at this point my husband was so mad at me he told me no more e-mailing. i really was just trying to correct the accidental omissions and set everything straight before it was too late. i totally handled it horribly.
the director forwarded our e-mails to the head of admission and everyone who would be important to my girl's success. he also sent a medical release form so he could talk about her situation to us as parents since she's 18.
after reading the above e-mail i feel much better. i guess she isn't the only one who left off something and she won't be arrested for a mistake.
i should of stayed out of it. i have felt horrible all week. i hope that DoDMERB has dealt with stressed out parents before. one thing i did do positive is get the dr to change his mistake so when/if dodmerb see her chart it won't matter what she checked since it wasn't even a problem.
i guess my advice is to get your medical records beforehand if you're memory isn't the best and go from there and that way you can't possibly leave off anything. let your child handle his own application process.
but reading the above post that items are left off and it happens to us all makes me feel so much better. i'm hoping that this is correct and she doesn't get kicked out because of my stupidity.:eek:
thanks you Retired Navy HM. i know you posted this ages ago but you words have carried on to help my sanity. "what's left of it"
 
my daughter filled out her medical questionnaire and did so to the best of her ability. after her exam i asked her about a couple of things i wanted to make sure she included. sure enought she left off a couple of small things but after reading how you can get kicked out of the military and sent to jail for not listing everything i was so worried i couldn't sleep. so in my crazy state i wrote the head of dodmerb telling him all i think she left off and after the exam i read her medical records and i saw mistakes on it. so i flipped wrote down every thing i saw that was incorrect and sent the e-mail. i didn't think my e-mail would name names but of course it had my name and the school my girl was applying to so the director wanted to know who my daughter was. at this point my husband was so mad at me he told me no more e-mailing. i really was just trying to correct the accidental omissions and set everything straight before it was too late. i totally handled it horribly.
the director forwarded our e-mails to the head of admission and everyone who would be important to my girl's success. he also sent a medical release form so he could talk about her situation to us as parents since she's 18.
after reading the above e-mail i feel much better. i guess she isn't the only one who left off something and she won't be arrested for a mistake.
i should of stayed out of it. i have felt horrible all week. i hope that DoDMERB has dealt with stressed out parents before. one thing i did do positive is get the dr to change his mistake so when/if dodmerb see her chart it won't matter what she checked since it wasn't even a problem.

I laughed.

I did the exact same thing a few weeks back. Freaked about about something I forgot to mention. I sent a few emails up to DoDMERB and USNA.

The parents, of course, were furious; they thought I was stupid for digging up random stuff that might get me disqualified again, but I thought I did the right thing.

Turned out it was not even a big deal. The person at the USNA medical office just told me to send up a "Cleared for exercise" note from my doctor. I mailed it with a cover letter; the end.
 
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