I have been a patient of Dr. Jonathan Gordon for several years. Over that time, I have spent thousands of dollars at the practice, referred new patients, and always considered myself a loyal customer.
Recently, I began receiving emails indicating that the practice had merged with or been acquired by another company. Since I was due for a new eye exam and prescription anyway, I called the office to ask a few questions and schedule an appointment.
Because I do not have vision insurance, I simply asked whether the pricing or discounts I had previously received as a long-time patient would still be available. I thought this was a perfectly reasonable question to ask. Kayla informed me that no discounts were available, which I accepted. I then politely asked whether Dr. Gordon might be willing to provide a few extra contact lens samples since I would be paying entirely out of pocket. Kayla placed me on hold to ask.
Instead of receiving a courteous response, Brandy came on the phone and immediately spoke to me in a very aggressive and rude manner. She stated that Dr. Gordon was "just an employee" and that nothing additional could be done. While I was surprised by her tone, I chose to keep my appointment because I valued the relationship I thought I had built with the practice over the years.
When I arrived for my scheduled 1:00 p.m. appointment, I was told there was no appointment in their system. I had written the appointment down and am certain it had been scheduled. Both Kayla and Brandy were at the front desk, and Brandy continued displaying the same rude attitude and facial expressions that I experienced on the phone.
I asked if I could speak with Dr. Gordon simply to explain what had happened. Rather than listening to a long-time patient, he immediately sided with Brandy and also spoke to me in a rude and insulting manner. At no point was I disrespectful or confrontational. I was simply trying to keep an appointment that I had made and understand what had gone wrong.
The most disturbing part of the encounter occurred as I was leaving. Dr. Gordon followed me outside and told me, "Go back to Wilton." As someone who is gay, I found that statement deeply offensive and interpreted it as a derogatory remark directed at me. Whether or not that was his intent, it was completely inappropriate, unprofessional, and something I never expected to hear from a physician.
After years of loyalty, referrals, and paying out of pocket for my care, I was treated with disrespect from beginning to end. One unpleasant employee can damage a practice's reputation, but when the physician himself reinforces that behavior instead of addressing it professionally, it speaks volumes about the culture of the office.
I cannot recommend this practice based on my experience. Patients deserve to be treated with courtesy, respect, and professionalism--especially long-time patients who have supported the practice for years. Unfortunately, that is not what I experienced here. read more
