I had been a patient with Ohio Gastro Group and moved out of state to Colorado. What should have been a simple referral process turned into an incredibly frustrating experience.
Initially, I was told they could not provide a referral because I had not been seen within the past year. After I left a review expressing my concerns, they changed their position and said they would send a referral--but only for an office visit, not for the colonoscopy that had been recommended.
The inconsistency is what makes this so frustrating. Ohio Gastro Group stated they could not refer me for a colonoscopy because I had not been seen recently enough, yet they were more than willing to schedule that same colonoscopy at their own facility without requiring an office visit first. If I am medically appropriate for the procedure in Ohio, why am I suddenly not appropriate for a referral to have the exact same procedure performed near my new home?
My grandfather died from colon cancer, so timely screening is important to me. By refusing to provide a proper referral, I am now facing a 3-6 month wait to establish care with a new gastroenterologist in Colorado before I can even schedule the procedure. Meanwhile, I could have had the colonoscopy completed within days if I traveled back to Ohio and paid their office.
After I posted multiple negative reviews, the office appeared to try to make things right by saying they would send a referral for a colonoscopy. Unfortunately, that is not what happened. Instead of sending an actual referral, they simply forwarded the report from my previous colonoscopy. My new provider could not use those records as a referral, leaving me right back where I started. This only added more delays and frustration to an already unnecessarily difficult process.
The entire experience gave the impression of a disorganized and uncoordinated office. Poor communication, inconsistent policies, and sending the wrong documentation instead of the requested referral created additional work for both me and my new healthcare providers. I expected much better continuity of care from a medical practice when relocating out of state, especially for a procedure they themselves recommended. read more