I had a very disappointing experience with this Dr. DELMAN, Alex…read more
My 9 yr old son suffered a deep cut on his hand from a rusted razor blade that required stitches. 3 stitches were done on previous day at the local pediatric urgent care but tetanus shot wasn't available at the location and the on shift Doctor advised us to get it done the next day at any urgent care.
Fast forward to today... when we arrived at this CityMD location, I was concerned about tetanus because his last DTaP vaccination was on August 7, 2021, and I specifically asked about getting him a tetanus shot.
This Dr. DELMAN, Alex who was on shift at this location refused to provide the vaccine, explaining that it had been less than 10 years since his last shot. However, CDC guidance distinguishes between clean, minor wounds and dirty or major wounds, with different booster recommendations for each. Given the depth of my son's injury, I expected the doctor to carefully assess the wound and explain the medical reasoning behind the decision instead of dismissing my concern based on the 10-year interval alone.
As a parent, I take my child's health and safety seriously. I left feeling frustrated and concerned that my questions were not adequately addressed. Parents deserve clear explanations, thoughtful medical judgment, and respectful communication, especially when their child has a significant injury.
This experience seriously undermined my confidence in this provider. I hope the practice reviews how wound-related tetanus vaccination decisions are assessed and communicated to parents.
What made this experience even more frustrating was what happened afterward. Several days later, when my son's pediatrician finally returned to work, I explained the entire situation. The pediatrician conducted a thorough review, including the records from the pediatric urgent care visit and the documentation from this Dr DELMAN at CityMD. After reviewing the circumstances, my son's pediatrician determined that my son should receive a tetanus shot, which he administered immediately.
Honestly, this entire experience left me questioning DELMAN's competence and willingness to properly address a parent's legitimate medical concerns. In my opinion, his handling of this situation was lazy, incompetent, and dismissive. I paid a $50 copay only to leave without the care or resolution I was seeking, then had to revisit the issue with my son's pediatrician days later. I left feeling that DELMAN took my money but failed to provide the level of care, attention, and explanation I expected from a medical professional.
I will definitely report this to the NYS Dept of health formal complaint.