My rating is based solely on Dr. Bernui's initial appointment policy. I was planning to schedule an appointment with him as a new patient and in the process learned that he keeps the entire $1,200 fee, which is paid in advance, if a patient cancels with less than 3 business days' notice. Now I understand that his time (like his patients' time) is valuable, and some people may not show up or cancel at the last minute. In such cases a reasonable cancellation fee may be appropriate, but to keep the entire $1,200 fee for doing nothing is disappointing and does not, in my opinion, reflect well on his character.
In his new patient paperwork explaining this policy, there is no provision for returning all or a portion of those funds if a different patient can be scheduled for that time, nor is consideration given for emergencies. So, he could keep $1,200 fee and charge someone else another $1,200 for the same time slot, pocketing $2,400 for a 3-hour consultation. When I found out about this policy, I lost interest in seeing him and decided to look elsewhere for my healthcare needs. read more