One INCOMPETENT employee, VALERIE, and the COVER UP office manager, NORLEEN, is all it takes to ruin the reputation of this group!!!
They say, " you are only as good as your employees are "! You should be able to track your employees activities better. I'm all for looking out for each other at the workplace, but this kind of incompetence should not be hidden from the doctors, it's just wrong! You shouldn't cover up such inadequacies just because you might be friends. I've been wanting to get this off my chest and hope that someone who cares reads this and does something about it.
I have been a patient of Dr. Harrison - shoulder surgery, Dr. DeLorenzi - knee surgery, Dr. Lombardo - carpal tunnel surgery, Dr. Newman - EMG, and Megan Maynard, PA - eye nerve damage due to a catamaran accident in 2011. I've had no problems with any of their assistants over the years. I was referred to Dr. Vliegenthart for my S5-L1 impingement by Dr. Lombardo. Made an appointment and saw him May 8th. I had a standing order for an epidural injection with another pain management doctor, so all that had to be done is transfer the order to Dr. V. His assistant was supposed to take care of this. It was told to me that the approval was received and appointment was scheduled for June 8th. I waited in the office for 2 1/2 hours and was turned away since the approval was not received and procedure declined by the insurer. Days later, I received a letter from the insurer that not all necessary documentation was submitted to them by First Choice/Valerie. I called and left several messages for a return call, no call back for three days. The receptionist, Sue, can vouch for this and they should have several after hours messages left with the answering service as well. I sent her all documentation of prior approval letter for her to resubmit. No response for 1 1/2 weeks. Called again upon receipt of another denial letter due to insufficient information submitted by First Choice, left her messages, no return call til I started calling the office 4 times a day. Finally, a return call!!! Claimed no proof of physical therapy or chiropractic care and still missing information. I made copies of all receipts for extensive therapy by both and submitted it to her. Another 10 days go by and I receive a denial letter once again from the insurer. At this point I'm down to 5 pills left and I have to go to California for a wedding and I'm going to run out of PAIN MEDICATION, which I have been taking for 6 years. I called June 19th, 48 hours in advance, and asked her to please be sure to phone in the medication refill because I will run out while out of town. June 19th, June 20th, June 21st - and NO MEDICINE!!!
She left me without pain medication which resulted in very bad WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS and obviously, in PAIN. I called her several times from California and could only leave messages. As I was enroute on June 26th, we played phone tag. You would think she would leave a message, but no message on cell or home. So, I don't know what is going on! On June 27th, I finally reached her by email. She claimed she had a prescription for me to pick up at the front desk. The prescription was for a 10 day supply. It takes much longer to make an appointment then that. Made excuses for not having the medication called in and claimed she left me a message on my voice mail. That was the last straw, SHE WAS LYING! I sent her an email calling her out on the lie and got more excuses. The next day, I received a FedEx letter from First Choice severing my patient-doctor relationship! They cancelled my upcoming July 12th appointment and refused to tell me who signed the letter severing our relationship, and the letter said it was an MD.
So, this is how a long time $$$$ patient is treated by First Choice employees. I do believe in KARMA. read more