I rarely leave negative reviews, but prospective patients deserve to understand the impact that…read morepoor administrative practices can have on their healthcare.
I transferred to this practice when my physician left their previous office and joined this one. What should have been a straightforward transition became a months-long ordeal due to repeated failures by the front desk, support staff, and prior authorization department.
From the beginning, the office failed to properly facilitate the transfer of my medical records despite multiple requests. I was repeatedly given inconsistent explanations regarding the status of my records and the reasons for delays. Even staff from my former physician's office attempted to assist with the transfer process and were shocked by the difficulties they encountered when dealing with this practice. Instead of supporting continuity of care, the administrative barriers created by this office made an already stressful transition significantly worse.
The most serious issue involved a medication that had previously been approved and managed under my physician's care before the practice transition. After becoming a patient at this office, I repeatedly requested that a prior authorization be submitted so I could continue my treatment. Months went by without resolution, and they told me my only choice is to pay for the medication out of pocket ($1800 for a 1-month supply). Even though I qualify for it to be covered through my insurance. They said the "physicians came together and decided they do not want to allow prior authorizations for this medication."
After pleading and begging them to submit the prior authorization, they finally agreed. When the prior authorization was finally submitted, I discovered the office had failed to include the required supporting clinical documentation. After bringing this to their attention, I was assured the issue would be corrected and resubmitted. However, the second submission was sent without the required documentation as well. Because the authorization was submitted incorrectly twice, it was ultimately denied, forcing me into an appeals process.
As a direct result of these repeated administrative failures, I went approximately five months without medication that I had previously been authorized to receive. This interruption in care had a negative impact on my health and could have been avoided had the office handled the process appropriately.
In an effort to address these concerns, I requested an opportunity to speak directly with my physician about the situation. Rather than allowing a simple discussion regarding the ongoing issues affecting my care, I was told that I would need to schedule a telehealth appointment. I did so in order to discuss problems that largely stemmed from the office's own administrative errors, and I was subsequently billed approximately $250 for that visit.
Throughout this experience, I found the front desk and support staff to be dismissive, unhelpful, and lacking accountability. Patients should be treated with professionalism and respect, especially when they are trying to resolve issues that directly affect their medical treatment.
I cannot speak for every patient's experience, nor can I fully evaluate the quality of the physicians themselves. However, the administrative experience at this office was among the worst I have encountered in healthcare. Delays in treatment, failures in communication, mishandling of records, and repeated errors in the prior authorization process can have serious consequences for patients. Unfortunately, I experienced those consequences firsthand.
A complaint will be filed with LARA for a delay in care with a timeline, names and titles of those involved, and documentation from the insurance company highlighting the inaccurate prior authorizations that were submitted.
I would not recommend this practice based on my experience.
