Three Stars
I have been a BayCare booster since they took over operations at Winter Haven Hospital. I have used the lab and imaging services at the hospital and at Winter Haven Hospital, as well as two the the clinics in Winter Haven and Auburndale, finding the doctors, nurses and other employees friendly and caring.
My primary physician referred me to Dr. Porteous at their Gessler Clinic, across the street from the hospital.
I found the doctor and his nurse to be friendly and caring, and the doc spent a considerable amount of time explaining my test results as they applied to possible kidney disease. In my opinion, the care was excellent. However, the clinic is like a mouse maze and it's not easy to determine where to go to reach the doctor's specific office for examination. I was told to go to "Area E," so, upon arrival the main desk directed me to another building where I encountered less than satisfactory service. When asking for directions and employee didn't seem to care that I was not familiar with the layout and she directed me, "Down the hall and to the right." I ended up at a dead end. I encountered another employee wearing the distinctive BayCare blue polo. When asking her how to find the area I was needing to go, she told me, " I have no idea, I only work in THIS area." So, I turned and re-traced my steps until I came across another blue shirted employee and asked for assistance. That young lady was MORE than helpful. Not only did she ask me to follow her to the elevator, after we wound through the maze of halls and doors, she not only pressed the button for the elevator, she got on with me and took me to the second floor Area E. What a great BayCare Spirit!!!!
I encountered the receptionist who was reading a book at her desk. She asked, "Do you have an appointment?" I replied in the affirmative and gave her my name and date of birth. She never smiled or acted happy to be there. She advised me to take a seat and went back to reading the book After seeing the doc he told to make an appointment to come back for a follow-up in 90 days. I again approached the desk where the book-reading receptionist was not welcoming at all. I gave her the information for the next appointment and asked if she was having a bad day and had lost her smile. She didn't respond and was very dismissive. She DID NOT have the BayCare attitude I always encounter at the other locations.
Upon returning to the ground floor I was confused as to how to find the exit door. Asking another blue shirted BayCare employee for directions, she pointed and said, "down this hall." That was good, except there were no signs indicating the exit and I was lost again. Along came a young lady with a BayCare name tag, but no blue shirt. I requested direction to the parking lot and again, here was an employee withe the Bay Care Spirit. She asked me to follow her, and through the maze of hallways and doors, we arrived at the Exit. What a gal she was.
I found employees that did know or just did not care that I was lost in the maze, and it was evident that they really didn't want to be there. Mentioning this situation to an employee in another BayCare facility this morning, she said, "I have a physician in that clinic, and the employees do not seem to have been schooled in the BayCare way of doing things." Mentioning to a friend who is a former patient at the clinic, she told me she left and found another clinic because of the general attitude of employees at Gessler.
I realize that many doctors and other employees exited Gessler after the purchase of the clinic, but that's no reason for such widespread poor attitudes in the clinic. Someone at BayCare needs to go to Gessler and spread some happiness throughout the building, as well as a general understanding of where everything is. I would hate to be in that building if it was evacuated for a fire emergency. If I was there, they probably would find me as a "Crispy Critter" in the aftermath of the conflagration.
John T read more
