My mother hand a mild stroke last year and the place where she lives has a flight of stairs to get…read morein and out of the building so going to doctor's appointments was hard but going for labs was a chore. And, now, with COVID19, I did not want her to be exposed to unnecessary risk. So,
I did a lot of research and was having trouble finding a mobile blood draw service. So, I was so very excited when my daughter found this group that provided services for blood draws. Then we found out it is the same company that sent PT and OT after her stroke so we felt like we struck gold. She had been speaking with Leimomi and said they were very pleasant, accommodating and an appointment was available. The labs are covered by insurance and there is a $50 charge for their services. A bit steep but it covers travel time and expenses, and the convenience, I believed. The appointment day comes and it is at 9:30 a.m. I am not in town so I tell my sister to be there for the blood draw. She arrives at 9:00 and reminds my mother of the blood draw. My mother says that the woman came at 8:30 and was there for less than 5 minutes and already left. Okay. No call that she was coming early. Then my mother says that she was in a rush because she complained about the parking situation the entire time and was only focused on that. The building has 2 guest parking spots right in front but they are available from 9:00 a.m., thus the 9:30 a.m. appointment time. She comes early and then bitches about the parking to my mother, who has no control over it, and rushes through the services. My mother said she was good, but that her attitude needs improvement because she really did not care about my mother but her CAR! In any event, the services were provided and we moved on.
Next doctor's appointment, the new doctor orders different labs. I call to make appointment on a Thursday with Leimomi and she says she is setting up for a class so can she call me back. Sure, I say. She calls me back Friday to say that she has to speak with the phlebotomist to check her availability and will call me back. I wait and wait and, finally, on Wednesday of the following week, I call and ask for her. She is not available so I leave a message. On Thursday, she calls me back to ask what she can do for me. I said I had been waiting for her call. Then, without skipping a beat, she tells me that the phlebotomist was not willing to come to my mother's home because of the parking situation. I explained what had happened and told her that there is guest parking from 9 which is why we made the appointment for 9:30 and we did not know she was coming at 8:30 as she did not let anyone know. She just showed up then started freaking out about the parking. Leimomi said she will speak with her and get back to me. Leimomi called me back on Friday, NOT on my cell phone but on my mother's land line (wonder why), to tell me she had bad news. The phlebotomist lives on the north shore and was not willing to drive into town. WHAT? The company provides a services and did provide it once and now they are geograpically limited? I was appalled. I told her that is ridiculous and isn't that why I pay the extra $50 service fee to compensate for the travel time and expense. "She is the only one we have and she is not willing to come into town," says Leimomi. So what is my mother supposed to do? I am so angry with these people for discriminating against my mother because she is old and lives in a building with 2 guest parking spots that their employee cannot use because she decides to make her own schedule without regard to the patient." I told Leimomi that, if they are geographically limited to servicing the north shore only, then they need to put it on their website because it sure sounds like they service the entire island. Not to mention, it is not like someone is driving for more than an hour to get anywhere here! If I could give NO STARS, that is what I would give right now. How can a service for the elderly, disabled and frail be so callous. Instead of patient care being the priority, it is all about the parking and the convenience for the phlebotomist. And, the company does nothing but let the employee or Independent contractor dictate their service.
I was so pleased the first time, I told my mother's doctor to recommend this service to his elderly patients, especially now. I just wrote to him to let him know what happened and to NOT recommend the service anymore, especially if his patients live in TOWN.
What a total disappointment. If you want your blood drawn by this company, make sure you have ample parking or live on the north shore. Better yet, do not age, become disabled or weak because their motto is "if it is not convenient for phlebotomist, your blood stays in you."
