The only good thing about my experience with Dr. Parnell was his bedside manner. He's generally a pleasant guy to deal with. And Alex at his main office was helpful and competent during my otherwise aggravating experience. That's about where "the good" ends.
I saw the Doctor for a consultation, and as far as actually getting any help, it was useless and awful. I've had many stomach issues throughout my life, but recently there were some new symptoms prompting me to see him. To summarize the main points:
1) He literally said to me that because I've had a lot of stomach issues, he probably cant help me, and needs to "CYA" himself. This is EXACTLY what's wrong with Western doctors. No interest in diving in, trying things, trying to help figure out what's been going on with me, much less the lower hanging fruit of what's newly been going on with me. Nope, just CYA cause I've had issues for a long time. Nice. Kind of goes with the "you agree to arbitration instead of being able to sue me" form I mention in point 3. He seems really worried, probably not a good sign.
2) He had zero helpful information. I mean zero. The one idea he tossed out there, a dietary adjustment, my mother (!) had already suggested to me. Good thing I saw a professional. *rolling eyes*. Moral of the story, just listen to your moms folks. Although, I did get some entertainment value out of the following anecdote "Oh, yeah, gas...everyone has gas, and no one knows what to do about it. About 30 years ago, I saw Dr so and so...he was known as 'the father of gas' he told me people would come to see him from Saudi Arabia....Russia....all kinds of places. But he couldnt do anything for them. And you know, we really haven't learned much more than that since then."
3) He has multiple offices, and it's a nightmare dealing with them. One office makes a point that they don't bill you (the other office does) but they need all this other info, including attempting to get you to sign a form that you'd have to use arbitration (can't sue) if the Dr screws you up. Uh, no. They also like to shade his other office by telling you that you'll wait hours there, but not at this location. So I saw him there, and he referred me to speak to his assistant, Rosalinda, at his other office, in order to go to yet a 3rd office for a test that even he admitted was probably useless. I only opted it for the test because his original idea was to try giving me antibiotics for 30 days without having ANY IDEA WHATSOEVER if I have any specific issues that would be helped by antibiotics. Anyway, when I finally get the call from the assistant at the other office, she starts spitting all this stuff out at me that doesnt make much sense, I have to be like "what are you talking about??" - OK, all I needed to know is the 3rd office will call me, and she gave me a # to call if they dont. Thanks. A week later THAT office calls. They grill me for about 20 excruciating minutes asking all kinds of details, and I'm like "why do I have to do this on the phone with you now, we havent even set up an appt? Can I just have your address and a billing code so I can check with insurance?" (Rosalinda told me they'd give me that) They say I'll get that info in an email. Email never comes. I end up needing to reschedule, and I never got the email/info anyway, so I try to call them back at the phone # Rosalinda gave me, but keep getting automated messages and voicemail. So I call Dr Parnell's main office back to get help. I didnt remember Rosalinda's name, but I start telling the lady on the phone whats going on, and she says I have to speak to either Veronica or Maria, who Ive never dealt with. I ask her why I'd need to speak to them, there's no record of what's going on in their system? She says no. What? nothing? Nope. Eventually a helpful guy named Alex calls me back, and tells me that Rosalinda is actually who I spoke to. So, not only dont they have anything about this in their system, but the lady who I spoke to multiple times didnt remember it either and tried to pawn me off on other people who would know even less. Very organized. Alex gets me the correct # to call the 3rd office, and off I go over there again to reschedule at the 3rd office.
You know what? I didnt reschedule, I cancelled. And I'm cancelling any further involvement with the useless mess that is Dr Parnell's practice too. read more
