Military Families
PFetch
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PFetch
member
I'm new to the bump, just found out I'm pregnant this week 
I am the active duty military person in my family and am concerned about an issue that won't happen for a while but am hoping that you ladies might have some input. I'm living about 40 miles from my duty location and there is no delivery unit at my base hospital either so all my OB appointments are going to be at another base about 40 miles beyond that. When my due date nears closer that would mean an 80 mile drive IN LABOR... eek. The nurse has already told me to go the nearest emergency room near my home for any issues or when the time comes for delivery but I'm concerned. I would really like the same doctor all the way through. Have any of you dealt with this or know if you can request a local doctor through Tricare? I won't see my OB for another 3 weeks and am not really getting many answers at my local base hospital.
I am the active duty military person in my family and am concerned about an issue that won't happen for a while but am hoping that you ladies might have some input. I'm living about 40 miles from my duty location and there is no delivery unit at my base hospital either so all my OB appointments are going to be at another base about 40 miles beyond that. When my due date nears closer that would mean an 80 mile drive IN LABOR... eek. The nurse has already told me to go the nearest emergency room near my home for any issues or when the time comes for delivery but I'm concerned. I would really like the same doctor all the way through. Have any of you dealt with this or know if you can request a local doctor through Tricare? I won't see my OB for another 3 weeks and am not really getting many answers at my local base hospital. 
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Re: New and already a question...
Are you on Tircare prime remote or just prime?
When I was AD we lived in the Chicago suburbs and I had to go to Great Lakes Naval because we were within 45 miles. Such a pain. If you're outside of 45 miles you should be able to request someplace closer. Your best bet is to call Tricare and ask about a referral or switching to prime remote.
ETA - Also, if your user name is your real name you should really consider changing it. There is all kinds of crazies out there and this is a public site that anyone can access. TB recommends not using any part of your name and as a SM you should be concerned about PERSEC/OPSEC.
CJ 05/29/2013
I'm on active duty too and where I'm stationed I don't get any choice in where to go for OB care - unlike the spouses here who can pick and chose. If you're in that boat too then you probably won't have the same OB deliver as you see for routine appointments.
I'm actually really annoyed at the shotty women's health care they give active duty at this current location. I won't get any sort of medical exam until almost 12 weeks and who knows when I'll actually see a doctor. But of course when you're on active duty you're basically treated like an animal with no feelings when it comes to health care.
I have tried calling TRICARE in the past to see if I could have another "PCM" or be refered to an OB/GYN and they were no help. Before I got pregnant I couldn't even see an OB/GYN for anything - just go to the MTF with no privacy for everything, where they refuse to make any appointments. Great stuff.
So good luck but don't expect much.
1) Not seeing an OB until almost 12 weeks is normal. Most OBs won't see you until you're at least 8 weeks and standard of care is 10-12. My first appt was at 10 weeks.
2) If you are not comfortable with the quality of care you are getting, go see the patient advocate at the hospital. File a complaint.
3) If the patient advocate isn't any help, call Tricare and tell them you're receiving substandard care and they will do something about it.
4) It is pretty normal to see your PCM for routine OB appointments until you become pregnant. I saw my regular doctor every year for my annual and was only referred one once I got pregnant because the hospital didn't have the capability to deliver babies.
In the 8 years I've been in, I've never felt like I was treated like an animal with no feelings. If I was uncomfortable with something, I talked to the patient advocate or got a referral to see someone else.
CJ 05/29/2013
I second all of this. I am the wife of a service member, and I had my first appointment at 10 weeks and it was with a midwife. She was great. I was told I probably wouldn't see a MD until I delivered... Until they realized my previous cervical complications, so I see a MD every 34 weeks for a cervical length check.
I went to the patient advocate to discuss the conflicting answers I was getting from the several doctors, nurses and midwives there, and she brought me the nurse whom I had a good experience with and she scheduled me with a good doctor whom I trust. Now every time I go, she schedules my next appointment with him. I'll also have a scheduled csection, so I am very fortunate that I happened to get what I wanted and I get to see the same doctor all the way through, which is nice, but was not expected.
Also, to OP, I feel your pain about driving far. I'm within the 45 mile limit so I have to be seen on post even though I live 30 minutes away. To make it worse, there's no OB on post, so I have to go another 20 miles away from home. So only about an hour from home as opposed to your 80 miles, but I share the same fears about complications close to birth, especially since my hubby will be in training on the other side of the country until 2 days before my due date. With no family around, I'm nervous... But I'll just hope for the best, and most likely have my sister in law come stay with me the week before the csection just in case.
Good luck with your situation! Hopefully you figure out something that works for you.
I've never had any issues with any of the doctors I've had in all the bases I've been to but then again I've never been pregnant either. I'll have to see what they say and I appreciate all the support and advice. I've never had to use the patient advocate either but that's a good reminder that they are there if I feel uncomfortable. I'll have to wait until I see my assigned OB and hopefully they can give some more answers. Thanks again, you ladies put my mind at ease that this is normal as silly as that sounds.
Thanks again everyone for the advice and info, and as far as OPSEC goes that isn't my name. Let's just say in the past 12 years that I have been AD they drilled that in pretty good at my workplace
Spouses on prime don't get to "pick and choose". I have never seen the same doctor twice, and I don't care. The Navy docs have given me the best health services I've ever had. If you don't like the completely free health care you receive as an active duty service member, you do have the ability to get out and get a civilian job with more control over your health care. You chose to conceive on AD, knowing that you receive what you perceive as shoddy health care.
BLT & Lilylove: Just got my first appointment today, they want to see me at 8 weeks with another at 12. I plan to ask about the location at the 8 weeks. The nurse told me I'll see the same OB and PCM (Primary Care Manager) so my doctors won't change which puts me at ease. The 12 years I've been AD my doctor has always been the same person for my length at whatever base I was assigned which has been nice. I'm more concerned with the fact that they told me when I go into labor to go to the nearest ER. Since it sounds like very few women work until they go into labor that pretty much makes me have to find an ER around here unless I'm a C Section. It would be nice to have my OB on base also be there for the delivery since we'll have a rapport by then, but I guess that's just how it is. Either way I know everything will be fine and that they will give me the best care on base... honestly I'm more worried about the civilian ER and their ability to get my records.
Good luck to you too Lilylove, it sounds like we are in the same boat!