I'm a skin cancer patient who has had at least 18 skin cancers removed previously, so I'm pretty used to going to dermatologists and how this works, but it's never worked out THIS way before!
After having my appointment with Dr Chan cancelled for not being interesting enough, I was scheduled to see Dr Cavender. She came in with a huge attitude, was extremely gruff and rude, cut me off every time I tried to talk, and generally acting as if I've ruined her entire life just by being there. She flat refused to look at several lesions I needed checked, even rolling her eyes at one point. When I showed her two that had come back after already having had Mohs surgery, she wanted to argue with me saying I never had Mohs because she couldn't see the scars. Indeed, my old Dermatologist was an excellent seamster and the scars ARE impressive but if you actually look closely, you can see them. The only reason I left him was that I moved away. She didn't believe me but begrudgingly removed them and said "Well I guess we'll see when the path report comes back." Well the path report shows I was right and there was no need for her attitude.
The nurse in the room with me seemed put off by Dr Cavender's anger too and just sorta tried to move things along.
Then she has me completely naked, lying on the table to be checked and she says she'll be back and swings the door open wide, leaving me completely exposed to at least half dozen people standing outside the door. No one bothers to shut the door and acts like this is totally normal. A couple patients noticed me lying there, seemed embarrassed, and quickly averted their eyes, but still no one would close the door.
I also have several mouth ulcers that need to be biopsied for autoimmune disorder but she wouldn't even look at them. As I was asking about mouth ulcers she cut me off and insisted I probably had a virus or something 6 months ago, (I have no idea why that number) which caused the ulcers. Huh? No ma'am, I certainly was not sick and these have been coming on and off for decades, not months. I only recently learned I needed to report them to my dermatologist. When she was writing her notes at the end of the visit, she reiterated her false narrative.
Dr Cavender said she'd call me with the path results in the next day or two. No one called. Two weeks later, I still hadn't heard back so I called them. They act like they never heard of me. The receptionist said they can't find my file but that Dr Cavender would find it and call me in the morning. Morning came and the receptionist calls to tell me they called and left a message a while back, which was a blatant lie. I was waiting for these results, I would have returned the call, and I don't delete messages so it would still be there. It is not, because it never happened. There isn't even an incoming call from there. Then she tells me indeed the two are cancer but she doesn't have a single answer for any basic questions and says I can't talk to the doctor because she's busy with patients. I AM A PATIENT and I waited at home for her call she never made. Twice. The receptionist just repeated herself that the doctor was busy with patients so I told her thanks and hung up.
Needless to say, I won't be going back to the California Skin Institute for any reason, and I hope others take heed. At first I thought she must just be having a bad day, I'm sure she'll be better next time. The first visit was totally unacceptable but after waiting two weeks for results and still getting dismissed, I'm done. I'd rather drive the two hours each way to get to see Dr Excellent Seamster who always treats me respectfully, responds in a timely manner to give pathology results, and is happy to discuss/explain my conditions and plan of treatment. read more
