First, watch your wallet. The office is clear that the initial consultation will be fairly pricey and the follow up standard for a physician that doesn't take insurance. That's common in the LA Metro area and I'm used to paying high rates for great physicians. Not so much this time ...
Now, I was warned in advance that Dr. Wallace has no bedside manner or can be very blunt and impersonal. Fine, not an issue. I don't need my hand held, I'm very data-driven and have an extremely firm grasp on my medical history. When asked, I don't tend to babble about my symptoms, I get right to the point and answer with specificity and keep it short. This being said, I have a complicated condition that takes a bit of time to review - never mind write down - no matter how succinct I am. I also am in the habit of sending over all blood work and imaging/etc. in advance. In some cases, I will even provide written summaries of my history, why I am at the appointment and the questions I have. I do this to make sure the doctor and I are on the same page.
Here's what I expect: if you (the office) requested all my relevant medical history 7 MONTHS in advance and I provided it to you, my expectation is that it is reviewed before my appointment. I'm not saying a deep dive, but my PCP spends longer looking at records than this guy did. Now the dig: he didn't read them ... at all. In my first appointment, he sat down and began flipping through what was obviously a much smaller stack. He asked a few questions and did acknowledge why I was there. But, it was clear that he was missing critical history and as I provided him with information he recited it back to me incorrectly. When I attempted to clarify, he just moved on. I immediate noticed a pattern that he stayed away from symptoms (nothing weird) that took him out of his comfort zone; meaning Lupus. He is Rheumatologist, but it became very clear early on that something was amiss. When I looked at my checkout paperwork I stopped in my tracks. The dates, the symptoms, the bloods/imaging, etc. most of it was WRONG. His documentation, which sadly is now part of my medical record, has so many things wrong with it that I'm tempted to send a red-lined version of it back to him. Sorry, if you're a prestigious as they say, get the basics right. And, if you're not up to speed on the latest criteria for certain conditions, then you better say so and refer the patient to someone who is. But he won't, it's obvious that his shiny practice needs patients like me to help keep the lights on. We're cash, after all.
The second visit: I was so upset when I left I bruised my hand smacking the elevator button so hard. His "best lab in LA" ... I don't even know where to start. If you're a person who is able to not only document all of your labs but you know what the mean, Dr. Wallace will, again, blow you off. His description of my condition was flat out wrong. His working Dx (despite not having reviewed the history he had been provided) was insulting to me and the millions of others who have this condition. He has not been keeping up with even basic criteria changes and the differences - which are significant - between men and women when it comes to presentation. When I mentioned that he didn't address the primary symptoms I was presenting with, he not only blew it off but he actually gave a false diagnosis. Yes, you read that correctly: he folded my symptoms into a Dx that has nothing to do with them. In this case I just had to laugh. A medical student wouldn't make that mistake.
As for the exam. He didn't even examine the areas of complaint. In fact, it seemed like he was actively avoiding them. I made my final attempt to get him to understand something that is so, so, so basic but I guess he had already formed an opinion and no clinical exam, photos or 4 years of diagnostics was going to tell him otherwise.
I can see if you have a clear cut, severe case of Lupus or one that runs the middle of the spectrum why this might be your guy. But, it's false advertising to call yourself a Rheumatologist if you don't have the basics of a very common AI condition down.
The irony here is that I didn't come to him for a Dx. I actually came because his office called me awhile back. From a clinical and research perspective, they thought my case was interesting. That changed as my appointment got closer - not sure why - and I became just a patient. So, I decided to make the most of the money I am now missing and go in to seek his counsel on one issue and one only: medications.
Obvi that question never got answered as he completely changed my Dx ...LOL. I laugh, but honestly the Dx he provided was so far off it was offensive. For another patient with a lesser education in medicine or experience dealing with Rheumy, it could be disastrous.
Like I said, I'm sure he's great for clearcut cases. He is not, however, remotely interested in more complex issues and could potentially cause harm.
Office is pretty. read more
