I have never experienced a more awful experience when going to a doctor's office in my life. I was told I would see the physician since I was an initial new patient and I did not, i saw a nurse practitioner. I work in a practice as well and when you see a patient for the first time it should be with the physician. Besides that, when I did see the NP I explained my thyroid issue (after waiting for an HOUR to see him) and his immediate response was to get a thyroid biopsy...uh what?? He also ordered and ultrasound for AFTER the biopsy. Don't you want to know what you're looking at before you biopsy it?
The WORST part besides that is the front office staff and medical records. Their staff are the rudest people I've ever encountered. They absolutely REFUSED to send me my lab records. I explained to her that I had stopped a medication and needed a level to see if I should be taking it anymore because I felt awful and why should I wait a month and a half to see what it is and she actually laughed at me and said.. "and what are you going to do with that lab value? Treat yourself? Hahaha..you're not a doctor!" I replied with no I'm not a doctor but I AM a nurse practitioner. She immediately stopped laughing and said OH and put me on hold for another 5 minutes. She looked at my records and came back and said your paperwork only says where you work not in what capacity so I can't give them to you. Ummm what difference does it make if I wrote it on there or I'm telling you now??? So if I'm a doctor or NP the rules are changed and I CAN get a copy??? When I said can you just send me a copy of my lab records she told me a flat out NO. I said you're refusing to send me my records and she said YES. They got reported to health and human services as this is a violation of HIPAA. It's a federal law requiring them to give me my records if I ask. Basically to get down to it...I was told it was their policy that you HAVE to come in for lab results. (Not to mention I've now found out they were all NORMAL). In other words, they JUST WANT YOUR MONEY FOR THE CO-PAYMENT. My cardiologist tried to get my labs.. they told them NO and medical records treated them the same way. Finally my PCP had to call and make it an issue and she finally got them. I asked to speak to someone high above her and she hung up on me and transferred me to a voicemail, I still don't know who it was or what title they held because that was a month ago and they NEVER CALLED ME BACK. That woman in the front office is AWFUL and if they want to keep a business they'll have to start replacing people.
Update: I found out they still have NOT released my labs. My PCP got the few labs from the actual laboratory. There are many still missing and they still refuse to let me have them. Still didn't receive a call from management or anyone that actually cares that the office is run so badly