This review is for the office and total patient experience, as I have not ever seen Dr. Bilstrom. I know they recently changed ownership or practitioner or whatever, and so we had to re-establish care (and pay AGAIN for the intake visit). However, every step of the way has been frustrating, confusing, and poorly run.
First, to schedule an appointment was incredibly frustrating because she would not let me book without knowing if my insurance was in network. So I had to hang up and literally spend 45 minutes trying to verify they were in network with my own insurance even when I told her on the website it looked like it was. I also spent a solid 15 minutes on the phone with her going over all my insurance information and she claimed it was in my account now.
When I get to the appointment, I AGAIN have to give my insurance information. They made it a point to ask me for it again, and asked me to send them the card to their email etc etc. which makes sense but they said they didnt have the information at all!
The appointment itself was uncomfortable because they have a very cheap little blood pressure machine that takes SO long to read that my arm actually went painfully numb. I am a nurse myself and I know a bad machine when I see one. My blood pressure typically runs 95/55 (or close to). This machine pumped my arm up so high on the cuff, into the solid 200's and then slowly trickled down over what felt like an eternity. There is NO way you get an accurate BP with a machine like that, and its not wonder why after minutes of pain, my blood pressure read 120/70, which appears textbook normal but is actually high for me.
Then I go to pay for my intake appointment and they can not provide receipts. They got my email and said I would get an emailed receipt, which I promptly never did (still waiting 3 weeks later). I DID however, get a bill in the mail which does not reflect the amount I paid that day, and now I have spent 3 days trying to get ahold of the billing department.
I kept giving this clinic a shot. On my second appointment when I walked in, lo and behold, I was asked AGAIN for my insurance information??? Do they seriously not have it? I not only gave it to you on the phone, but also wrote it on my intake paperwork (in TWO different spots btw), emailed you a copy, and here we still are. She couldnt find the email, so I had to email it again. What a mess.
After my allergy test, I was told I would be getting information on the cost for treatment in the coming weeks. I have not heard a thing, which is understandable as sometimes insurances take forever. However, I did start receiving incessant texts and emails about a prescription that I received, which the doctor totally failed to mention she would be prescribing.
While waiting for one of my appointments, a gentleman arrived to check in for his appointment, and when he did, he was told he needed to pay his balance. He was so confused and said to the lady, "I've been coming here for 4 years, I have never paid a cent. Why do I have a balance now out of nowhere?" So it is not just me that is stuck in a messy situation. They seem to be a mess.
This clinic is disorganized and it makes for a very awful experience. The actual medical care is mediocre. I do not recommend. read more