I am extremely disappointed with the care I received…read more
After I was diagnosed with a broken bone, this walk-in referred me to an orthopedic office. Their doctor told me the orthopedic office should contact me within a few days but they didn't.
While I was waiting, I called the walk-in a couple of times because I still had not heard from the orthopedic office. I was met with short, dismissive responses and comments that they would not prescribe pain medication, even though I never called asking for pain medication and never requested any. I also did not want any pain meds.
After waiting several days, the orthopedic office finally called me and informed me that they do not accept my insurance.
I called the walk-in to explain the situation and was told to find an orthopedic office that accepted my insurance and call back with the office's fax number so Hartford HealthCare could send the referral. I then spent hours calling different orthopedic offices until I found one that agreed to see me. That ortho office knew I had previously been referred elsewhere and told me they simply needed Hartford HealthCare's walk-in clinic to fax them a new referral.
When I called the walk-in back with the fax number, I was told they would not help me or send the referral. The receptionist repeatedly stated that they "cannot and will not help." As the conversation continued, she became increasingly short, raised her voice, and was dismissive. It was the same receptionist that made comments about me seeking pain meds.
My actual concern was that I had been experiencing intermittent numbness, tingling, pins and needles, burning, waves of a cold sensation in my hand, and intense pain following the fracture. I was trying to get the referral sent to an orthopedic office that accepted my insurance and obtain guidance about symptoms that were concerning me. Instead, I was left without an orthopedic referral and without clear direction about what to do next.
After spending days waiting for the original referral and then hours finding a provider who accepted my insurance, I became overwhelmed and frustrated. Toward the end of the call, I said, "What the f*** do I do then?" and asked for the receptionist's name. She told me she was ending the call because I had sworn, and then hung up.
I acknowledge that I swore out of frustration, but the profanity was not directed at or used to insult the receptionist. It came after repeated contradictory instructions, dismissive responses, and being told that they could not and would not assist me.
The lack of communication, contradictory instructions, and dismissive attitude made an already stressful situation significantly worse. I understand that healthcare workers deal with difficult situations every day, but patients with broken bones who are trying to follow the instructions they were given deserve clear communication, professionalism, and continuity of care.
Update: I ultimately went to the emergency department because I was concerned about my symptoms. I was seen promptly, the splint applied by the walk-in was removed and replaced, and I was given a referral to an orthopedic specialist. After the splint was replaced, my hand and finger movement improved, along with my other symptoms. I was also told that the original splint was too tight and was likely contributing to the symptoms I had been experiencing. Also want to note: before going to the emergency department, the walk-in receptionist I spoke to earlier today told me I did not need to go to the ER. I am glad I sought additional medical evaluation because it was actually a serious matter after-all, the emergency department addressed my symptoms, replaced my splint, and provided the orthopedic referral I had been trying to obtain.
