I am extremely upset and disturbed by the way I was treated by Tristan J. Van Voorhis and his…read morestaff. This experience was not only unprofessional, but deeply concerning and, in my opinion, discriminatory.
From the very beginning, I clearly communicated my religious decision not to vaccinate my child and was told this would be accepted with a proper exemption. I followed all instructions and provided the required documentation. At no point was I told this would become an issue.
At my child's 4-month appointment, I arrived on time and was immediately told I "did not have an appointment," despite having confirmation from this office. While I searched for proof, I overheard a staff member go to the back and tell the doctor that I was "trying to be seen without an appointment," which was completely false. This was said in a dismissive and disrespectful tone. After I provided proof, no one apologized or took accountability.
When Dr. Tristan J. Van Voorhis entered the room, there was no greeting, no professionalism, and no attempt to address what had just occurred. Instead, I was told my child could not be seen due to insurance issues that were not accurate. After I corrected that, I was then given a completely different reason--that their "policy had changed" and my child would no longer be seen due to vaccination status, despite prior approval and documentation already being on file.
We were then left sitting in the exam room for over an hour with no communication, no follow-up, and no resolution. No one returned.
As a Black mother in a predominantly white practice, the tone, treatment, and assumptions made throughout this entire experience felt dismissive, disrespectful, and deeply uncomfortable. The way I was spoken about, ignored, and ultimately denied care after previously being accepted raises serious concerns about bias and discriminatory treatment.
This was not just poor customer service--this was a complete failure of professionalism, communication, and basic human respect.
I will not be returning, and I strongly urge other families--especially families of color--to proceed with caution when considering this practice.
