I had been trying to get an earlier appointment a week before my appointment - something I had communicated I may need to do at my last appointment and had told would be no problem. When I reached out to Katie* she told me to text the office, which I did. Text communication is very slow to respond and over the course of several days it was eventually conveyed to me that there were no early appointments available and I had to wait for my regular one.
I can understand that, but then when my actual appointment time (6/24) came and went and I received no call and no follow up to communicate why or when I would be getting the call. I had to reach out and I was told that it was assumed that we had "lined up" and that she was now "wrapped up" for the next few hours and that a text would be "shot as a reminder" to her. I received no call and no follow up so near the end of the day I texted Katie* and asked if I would be hearing from her today, to which she responded that she was no longer with Estrella and that I needed to reach out to the office.
I reached out again the next morning (yesterday 6/25) apologizing for having to reach out again and explaining that I had not heard from anyone yesterday and that Katie* said she no longer worked there. I expressed my concerns about falling through the cracks and how I needed assistance and support. I received no response. I tried calling the office and no one ever answered.
I saw that my bank was charged for the appointment I never had, so I followed up again via text because phone calls are never answered. I finally received a text back only to be told that "Dr Amanda is wrapped up with her lawyer" and that "things are out of [their] control" and was told that being charged was my fault because I am self-pay. I am not sure how that makes me financially responsible for services not received, but I digress. I was told that I am "on her schedule" and that she would "be reaching out". No communication about when I can expect this to occur, not even a bit of compassion for how this is affecting my mental health, just charges and blame directed my way.
I tried to call and text to literally just get SOME information as to what was happening or what the plan was but was just told to call 911 for an emergency and then the responses completely stopped. How am I supposed to work within this? How is this ok? I am a human being and at the very least I deserve basic respect and actual communication.
I have been a patient of Dr Amanda'ss for several years and to just abandon me in time of need and with such neglect is heartbreaking. To yank someone's treatment out from underneath them with no warning and with such cold disregard is cruel and I can not understand what I could have possibly done to warrant such disdain.
I would also like to add over the last 2 weeks the methods used to attempt to contact were: text, call, email, website contact us page message. The portal had not allowed me to send a message.
*I may have switched the names, I have worked with 2 different people recently Chrissy/Krissy and Katie and I text back and forth with someone(s) from the office but never get a name so it is very confusing. read more