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There are recent conflicting opinions surfacing within the Navy Medicine community regarding Independent Duty Corpsmen (IDC) patient care duties while assigned to a Military Treatment Facility. IDCs are being assigned as Primary Care Managers at their clinics just like PAs but are responsible for seeing half the number of patients. Many IDCs believe they should spend more time in leadership duties and less time seeing patients. Many senior leadership disagree arguing readiness. On deployment, IDCs are often the sole medical provider with no physician or other practitioner nearby to consult. What is your take?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 26
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As a retired IDC that finished his time up on shore I do think IDC's should be seeing patients while on shore duty. You can't expect a person to do two or three years ashore and not get rusty in their medical skills at the same time. That said they are leaders. Onboard ship they fill a huge role in leadership. So the answer is to have them fill do both. If your patient pool for a regular provider is 1200 then your department head or division officer usually has a smaller number like 800. It shouldn't be an issue to give the IDC a pool of Active Duty only patients around that size and block off appointment slots for their admin and leadership time. To not use the the medical abilities and the leadership value that your IDCs bring to the table is just wrong.
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PO1 Aaron Baltosser
As non-IDC FMF types three of us saw 1,800-2,000 patients monthly. The load from what you are describing is a bit heavier, but not much. Seeing patients regularly also keeps you up to date on treatment techniques, and their skills sharp. The Navy after training someone for as long as it takes to earn the IDC designation is going to want to see a permanent return on investment.
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PO1 J R Foster
With people's health and lives depending on the skills of an IDC, I think it is imperative that they stay working in what they were trained to do. That involves their medical profession as well as their leadership role. I do agree that they should primarily see active duty patients only. To have them shy completely away from the medical field they were trained for, takes away a vital resource the Navy needs. To completely remove them from leadership roles and duties, does the same. I think Petty Officer Cousins and Petty Officer Baltosser make very good points.
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LT Aaron Pease
Good points all. (1) I wonder if manpower is at issue. Seems the number of MOs is dwindling (consistent with military manpower across the board); therefore, huge opportunity for IDCs to fill the gap. (2) Standard of care differences are not tolerable as we all know -- our patients deserve our best. (3) Agree with leadership comments if and only if care is taken in developing IDCs as POs and leaders. USN petty officer first, IDC second! Push-button crow(s) do not (always) equal good deck-plate leader!
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Does the level of care change when an IDC treats and AD member afloat compared to an AD member ashore? Should the IDC not see patients on ships and operational units with a Medical Officer? How about an operational unit that is not deployed, should the IDC not see patients and defer the Sailors and Marines to the MO? For units that are deployed, without an MO, and with today's technology, if there is an issue that an IDC can not resolve, they are able to communicate with a medical officer. An IDC on shore duty should be assigned as a medical provider for the AD population at that command. Often, they are assigned to the Acute Care Facility where they are able to keep up on their provider skills. YES, IDCs should see patients on shore duty.
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I think they are quite capable of handling a full load of patients. Look at the number they see when deployed.
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