I'll start with the good. Parking was easy, the building is nice, the office was easy to find, and…read moreoverall the facility itself is great.
Unfortunately, my experience inside the office was a completely different story.
From the minute I walked in, something just felt off. The first person who greeted me at the front desk simply asked, "What's your name?" No hello, no welcome, no "How are you?" Just straight to business.
I actually said, "Hey, how are you doing?" and had to repeat myself. It almost seemed like he was surprised that I was asking how he was doing.
It might sound like a small thing, but first impressions matter, especially in a medical office. A simple "Hi, welcome in" goes a long way.
The office was also extremely quiet. I didn't see any other patients, there wasn't much going on, and the same elevator-type music seemed to be playing on a loop. I sat in the lobby for about five minutes while I could see staff talking in the back. Eventually, someone came out and brought me into an exam room.
This is where things became even more uncomfortable.
I was told to undress and stand on a white cloth because the floor was cold. No gown or robe was offered. I had to specifically ask for one, and the response was basically that they normally don't give patients one. I said I wanted one, and they eventually gave me one.
That was a big red flag for me. If you're asking someone to undress for an exam, providing some type of covering seems like a pretty basic patient-comfort thing.
Then the doctor came in with another person holding an iPad. I had no idea who she was at first. I asked and was told she was there to help document everything. Maybe that's standard for this office, but when someone is potentially about to examine you while you're undressed, I think an introduction and explanation beforehand would be appropriate.
At that point, I had already made up my mind. I wasn't comfortable getting undressed or doing a full exam. I stayed dressed, asked the doctor to look at the two specific things I came in for, and kept the visit short.
When I checked out, they asked if I wanted to schedule another appointment because the doctor wanted to see me again in 30 days. I declined.
But here's the part that really sealed it for me.
About 30 minutes after I left, I actually called the office because I wanted to give the doctor feedback directly rather than just go online and write a review. I asked to speak with her and was told she wasn't available. I left my phone number and asked for a callback. They even asked what the call was about, and I specifically said I wanted to provide feedback about my experience.
I never received a call back.
That was red flag number four.
The frustrating part is that none of my concerns were about the building, parking, or even the doctor's medical knowledge. It was the overall experience and the lack of basic communication and warmth.
Say hello when someone walks in. Explain what's going to happen before asking them to undress. Offer them something to cover themselves with. Introduce the additional person entering the exam room. And if a patient calls afterward specifically wanting to provide feedback, at least acknowledge the call.
Those little things matter.
I left feeling less like a patient and more like I was just being moved through a process. And when I tried to give the office an opportunity to hear that feedback directly, nobody called me back.
Based on my experience, I won't be returning, and with the number of dermatologists available throughout Torrance and the South Bay, I personally wouldn't recommend this office.
