Today I have decided that I will not return here and will find a new dermatologist. I really like Tasha, so this review is not about the care I have received from her, but there have been several times when I've had more serious concerns and struggled to reach someone or get in to address the problem. I have been a patient for almost 10 years, first at the Phoenix office with Molly, and since about 2018 with Tasha at Gilbert. In recent years I have had numerous basal cell skin cancers. There were a couple times when the treated spots got infected and I needed to be seen, and after great effort to reach someone was told they couldn't get me in. I ended up getting into the Phoenix office on one of these occasions where they prescribed an antibiotic. This was for a spot that was frozen and became infected, and they stated that she might have went a little too deep with it. Earlier this year I had a very small spot that was frozen and then seemed to have a reaction. I did get in to see Tasha after expressing some urgency that the spot had grown dramatically and hurt. She then biopsied it and it was a squamous cell. I had to have Mohs surgery on it, and saw Dr. Kahn, who was extremely professional and gentle.
*I want to add that the infection was not due to improper care on my behalf. I do take an immune suppressant because I have been through a bone marrow transplant, so I can be more susceptible than others to various reactions, and likewise need adequate care when a problem does arise.
They now have an automated system of contact and it is absolutely terrible. You can't simply call the office when you have a problem - like a more serious form of skin cancer, or infection - and speak to someone to assist in getting in sooner than two months away. With the automated there are numerous glitches, forcing the patient to call back several times trying to get through it. Once you do, the automated voice gives you a date and time for an appointment that is unacceptable. There is no humanity in this, it's all about greed in my opinion. Fewer people they have to pay, and less qualified people for those they do pay. I've experienced some very kind and tender assistants at their offices, and a few that seemed like they have some sort of mental illness, or at the least are severely inept. I'm not judging anyone, but there have indeed been a couple strange people that should not be handling needles or interacting with patients independently.
As far as today, I called yesterday morning and once again was aggravated with the automated system. I finally was able to leave a message, and I did get a call back. The young woman was very polite who called me back, and she acknowledged my concern, that I believe I have another squamous cell skin cancer that grew rapidly. She scheduled me for today at 2:45. Or at least that is what I put in my phone calendar. I arrived at 2:47. It took me over an hour to get there today, I drive from Mesa, and with light traffic it takes 30 minutes, 40 minutes if moderate traffic. It could have been the time of day but there was more than usual traffic, and I caught most red lights. After checking in and waiting for about 10 or so minutes, the girl at the desk told me that they would need to reschedule me. I looked puzzled. She said because I was late. I stated that I was only a couple minutes late. She said "Your appointment was at 2:30." I apologized and said that I had it in my phone as 2:45. Maybe the girl who scheduled it told me 2:45 and entered it as 2:30, or I in error entered it wrong in my phone I don't know. I told the girl at the desk that I drive from Mesa and it is too far to return, and that I have a spot that appears more serious and that is why I was here today. She didn't care. She just kept reiterating their 15 minute late policy. I even said that I would wait for as long as necessary if that was ok, that I have been a patient for years. She said no and that I have an appointment scheduled for the end of September. I told her to cancel it and that I won't be back.
So, it's ok for the patients to wait beyond our appointment time, but it's not ok for an isolated incident when a more serious skin cancer is present and a mix up took place on the appointment time? Hmmm. There was only one man in the waiting room. It's not like they were swamped. This is poor customer care, and very disrespectful. With the many times I have waited in the waiting room for appointments, and the agonizing times on the phone, only to be booted out when I really needed to be seen. It's pathetic truly. The cons have now outweighed the pros. read more