Went to Urgent Care on Coburg on Monday and was told by a very nice PA they would contact an ENT and refer me. I asked for a paper copy of the referral but she refused saying BestMed would take care of it for me. She told me to call their referral coordinator on Tuesday. I left message Tues, Wed, Thurs. My calls have never been returned. On Wednes I went to Harlow Road to see my usual and wonderful Kristen. I explained I wanted a paper copy of the referral to an ENT so that I could call providers in Lane County and all the way to Portland as most local ones seem to be booked until December of Jan and all need a paper referral before scheduling you in the (far) future. Kristen said she did not have the paper work referral to copy for me. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH A HUMAN IN THE COBURG OFFICE AS NONE OF THEIR PHONE ANSWERING OPTIONS LED TO ONE. I called Harlow and demanded they send a paperwork referral and/or give me the number a referral coordinator would answer or return my call. The receptionist called me "rude" and became very "touchy". She put me on hold saying I was rude and she didn't want to talk to me. I HAVE A WITNESS TO THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION WHO WILL SWEAR UNDER OATH THAT I WAS BEING FIRM, NOT RUDE, AND SAID NOTHING RUDE OR IMPROPER. I just want the referral and to find an ENT myself as BESTMED has made NO progress in getting an appointment in four days. From what Kristen said, they called only one ENT source on Monday and still have no answer from the source. I am wondering if this BESTMed is getting a kickback from certain ENTs. Why have they not called other ENTs? They know I am in pain. Why won't they give me a paper copy of the referral, so I can find an ENT myself????? I paid for the visit, but I am effectively being denied my paperwork. WHY? Also I had asked about the prescription that Kristen said would be sent to Walmart on the day I saw her (Wednes) and which Walmart told me today they have NEVER received. The receptionist said, "Well send it again now." I asked when it was sent the first time of "again" and she admitted at that point it had not yet been sent a first time (24 hours after the appointment). I suggest you record ALL your calls, for every purpose, if you use any BestMed facility.
Kristen is a WONDERFUL PA, but I have been in pain all week and still can't even get on an ENT's cancellation/waiting list because neither the Coburg nor the Harlow office seems willing/able to give me the referral on paper so I can find an ENT. This is the service/care I paid for????????????????
NOTE: A few hours after I posted this, I was pleased and surprised to receive a call from BestMed. It was Ashley who had accused me of being rude. She called to apologize. I accepted her apology, but that if she ever did this again, I would consider legal action under ADA Law as I am disabled. We all make mistakes. I do accept her apology. She also said that (miraculously as they couldn't do it when I twice requested it) she would provide a hard copy of the referral. I am going to drive down there tomorrow to pick it up. Then, after this five day wait for an URGENT/EMERGENCY REFERRAL, I can try to locate an ENT elsewhere in Corvallis, Albany, Portland etc. Oregon really is the Sahara Desert of specialist healthcare.
I plan to record ALL future calls to this company and advise you to do the same. read more