Today I had a very disappointing experience at the AFC Denville location on Route 10. My family of six has been going to this office since it opened, and until now, every visit has been positive. Unfortunately, that was not the case today.
I arrived with my 10 year old son for his appointment and was greeted by the front desk employee, Eric. The greeting felt cold and dismissive, as though I were interrupting him rather than being welcomed as a patient. I was told that none of the required paperwork had been completed online and that I needed to fill everything out, even though my wife had made the appointment. Wanting to avoid conflict, I calmly agreed and sat down to complete the forms. At that point, my son quietly commented to me that the employee was being rude.
After turning in the paperwork, I was abruptly asked for my insurance card, followed by my ID--neither of which were mentioned upfront. Each request required me to repeatedly get up and return to the desk, which added to my growing frustration. I was then informed of a copay amount that appeared to be higher than expected. When I politely asked whether this visit was considered a specialist visit, I was told it was not. I then reasonably questioned why the co-pay matched my specialist rate. The response I received was dismissive: I was told that "the screen" determined the charge and that any issue was my responsibility to take up with my insurance company.
Throughout this interaction, I felt as though I was being treated as an inconvenience rather than a long standing customer. The lack of basic courtesy was surprising and disappointing, especially in a healthcare setting.
I asked to speak with the manager and was told she was not present. When I asked how to contact her, I was given vague directions to a crowded card display and left to search for her card myself while the employee stood by visibly irritated. I made a conscious effort to remain calm, especially because my son was with me.
Once past the front desk, the remainder of the visit went smoothly, and the medical staff treated us kindly and professionally, which I greatly appreciated.
I have never written a review before, but this interaction was upsetting enough that I felt compelled to speak up and post my feelings on many local media outlets. Respect and basic manners matter, particularly when dealing with families and children, shouldn't be a lot to ask from an organization that cares. Sadly, due to this experience, we will no longer be returning to AFC Denville after such a dreadful experience.
Maybe the most ironic part of this was the waiting room was entirely empty when I went in and when leaving still empty. read more
