I have a long history with MD Pain, starting in 2013 after an accident when I started seeing Dr. Kevin Smith. The doctors are amazing and are the reason I stayed as long as I did. However, the consistent difficulty dealing with the front office staff became increasingly frustrating to deal with so I left. I returned in 2022 after being told things had changed. Dr. Merkow was helpful, extremely knowledgeable and understanding of my unique medical situation. However, the management (specifically Office Manager Dava Thomas and recently new manager Daniel Li) maintain a toxic environment where administrators override medical needs.
After four years as a consistent monthly patient with no major issues, I received a sudden "probationary letter" in February 2026. This was never discussed with me face-to-face at my monthly appointments or by my provider whom I see monthly and understands my unique health challenges. When I asked for clarification, I was publicly interrogated and scolded by Daniel Li regarding my attendance and private medical matters in a humiliating, dehumanizing way. Following Mr. Li's behavior, I emailed Dava Thomas. My concerns were met with excuses, and despite not breaking a single probationary condition, I was abruptly discharged via email for "attendance patterns." In her letter, she claimed my missed appointments were "not related to my medical condition," despite not being qualified to make that determination and never inquiring about my specific disabilities or reviewing the accommodations I requested. She essentially made a medical determination with zero qualification or documentation to back it up.
Their internal records are a mess of contradictions. For example, on 1/9/2026, their ledger marked me as a "No Show," yet they billed Medicare for a face-to-face visit and issued my refills that same day. At MD Pain, you cannot receive a monthly supply without being physically present. Their records are either negligently incorrect or they are billing for visits that never happened while simultaneously charging patients no-show fees. Furthermore, they have me marked as a "No Show" on dates when I proactively called for guidance due to my medical situation; on those calls, I was explicitly told by staff to cancel and reschedule without any mention of fees or disciplinary procedures. To then use those exact instances as grounds for probation and discharge is deceptive and professionally negligent.
The office's preoccupation with its online reputation is disturbing. During a routine checkout, I was rudely questioned by Dava Thomas about whether I had left a review. It felt less like a request for feedback and more like an interrogation to see if I was responsible for recent negative comments. Patients here report being threatened with dismissal for honest feedback. It is telling that the negative reviews here are detailed and specific, while the generic more positive reviews seem curated to hide the reality of how patients are "processed." In the business of healthcare, especially pain management, it is abhorrent to treat vulnerable populations in such an abusive and dismissive manner.
I have documentation to back up all my experiences. read more