We came to Dr. Stevens about 3 years ago based on a friend's recommendation. We have 3 kids. While Dr. Stevens is very thorough with her exam and diagnosis, here is what is lacking in her practice:
1) One front desk person - don't think I've ever called without being put on hold right away.
2) One M.A. - her attitude is very unempathetic and she never engaged with any of our kids or me.
3) extremely long wait times. For a well child visit, we were there an hour each time. For a sick visit, we've spent up to two hours there.
4) long waits for school forms on top of a high administrative cost ($25/form). Not once have I gotten a call that a form was ready. I always had to call and check and then lo and behold, I can come in a few days to pick it up. On our last visit, the administrative fee was increased to $25/form from $15. I consider this ridiculous since nothing had changed. Turnaround time didn't change. Staffing didn't change. Why the increase? On top of that, it took over two weeks to get the form and again, it was only after I called to check and only then, was it actually completed during my transit time because I said I was coming in 30 min.
I've never complained about any of the above because I know how busy a solo practice can be and because I was happy that we had a good doctor. Until number 5. This is what ultimately made me leave the practice. Our kids were small and needed vaccinations at all of their well visits. Each time, they cried. Loudly. They're small children whose mother was asked to hold them down (never the M.A., by the way) while multiple needles were sitting next to them on a chair in plain sight. Each and every time, during injections, Dr. Stevens would get very cross with both my kids and me. The kids because "if I can't give you the injections, then you'll have to wait until I finish with my next appointment and we can try it again" and me, because "mom, you have to do a better job holding him down". She would get up and storm out of the room if she had to refill a syringe because the first one was wasted with a squirmy child.
I'm not saying my kids are easy but they're not running out the door either. As a pediatrician, I do believe it's in your patient's best interest to not get VISIBLY and AUDIBLY upset when a injection was unsuccessful.
By the way, I'm writing this as a doctor myself, a family doctor, who has given multiple injection to kids of all ages so I do understand the frustration but never have I treated a family so poorly. read more
