I scheduled an appt at their Desert Ridge Office with a Dr. Kevin Art. Will say at the beginning, I never got to see him. The first person who answered seemed very nice and helpful. Suggested that I could fill out the forms by printing from their website, which I did. Of course, you can't email them back, have to print out and bring in. I felt the need to make some changes in 1, and didn't sign another. Told to be there 15 minutes before appt. I was - although difficult to find, since they list 2 different addresses there. Anyway, walk in and there was someone in front of me, not a problem...yet. After that person finished, the staff person gets up and walks away for 5 minutes. Yes, I noted the time. Not helpful, but maybe had to go to the bathroom, who knows. Someone else was still sitting at the desk. She comes back and I told her I didn't sign all the forms. Her response: " If you don't sign the forms, you don't see the doctor." I asked if I could at least explain why. The first one, was about the HIPAA policy. Yes, I know everyone just signs them, but you shouldn't. I have seen things in some of them that most people wouldn't like, but that is another story. Well, their form says the general statement similar to: I have received, read and have no questions about our privacy forms. Well, I had neither received, or read it and did have questions. I said that to the woman at the desk and she got upset! Why, because I asked a question? Again, I have seen things in them that I guarantee you would not sign if you read it. She says if you want it, it is right in front of you. Well it wasn't. I told her that. She is going on... "right there, right there." I said "there is nothing here, not even a holder." Of course if they put it on their website, it would have solved the problem. She finally finds it at the other end of the counter and gets one. Then says, it is your appointment time so just sign it. I said I still hadn't read it. She says well don't sign it, don't see the doctor! (How about, well make sure you sign it before leaving). I said, there was another form. It was their financial policy about being charged for appointments if you don't cancel at least 24 hours in advance. I can understand that, but I said "I wrote on it, because of my medical condition, I can't always give 24 hour notice. If I miss for a non-medical reason, then I pay, but not for a medical reason. " I told her that I had letters from my physician to confirm that. She said: "You can't change our form" and then guess what: " Don't sign it, don't see the Dr." Gee, had I not heard that enough already? Actually, I have taken Doctors and practices to court because they tried to bill me for missing when it was a medical reason. I actually won all of those cases because it was considered discrimination and against the Americans with Disabilities Act! Most doctors and staff have been understanding when it happened. She just kept to the same thing of "don't sign, don't see the Dr." Well, I have always found that the office staff are a good reflection of the Dr. In this case, I said well if this is how the staff treats a new patient, I don't think I want to see this doctor anyway - even though not seeing will cause me a problem on an upcoming trip. I tried 1 more time to resolve it, got the same answer... so I said forget it. The staff was rude, not helpful, and by not checking me in, would have made me late. I took all of that into consideration, and said thanks but no thanks and I left... and so should you. Oh, for those who it still matters to, not one person on the staff that I saw was wearing a mask. That's fine, it is their policy...but... it is a doctor's office. Who usually goes to a doctor's office. Sick people! The office had mostly older people waiting. Who are the one's to most likely to get sick? Right, older people... and people who are already sick. So would it be so bad to at least have the staff wear a mask? Careless attitude to go with everything else. The doctor could be great, but I will never know - thanks to the treatment by the staff. Think about it, if you are going here... or anywhere else for that matter. read more
