My first two appointments with NP Krista were wonderful. Unfortunately, my third appointment was the worst experience I have ever had in a medical office.
I had scheduled my appointment specifically with Dr. McClary, and I waited two months for that visit. When I arrived, I was told without any prior notice that my appointment had been switched to a different male doctor. I was then informed that the doctor I had scheduled with does not even work on Wednesdays, which raises the question of why I was allowed to schedule that day in the first place.
Things only worsened after I was called back. I was told, not asked, that a student, Patrick, would be observing my appointment. This was deeply uncomfortable, not only because of the subject matter of my visit, but also because I happened to know this student personally. Before I had the opportunity to object, I was placed in a very small exam room with four people, including the student. When I finally expressed that I was not comfortable having the student present, my request was dismissed and announced loudly in a frustrated tone that "She doesn't want a student in the room." This was extremely embarrassing and made me feel singled out for having medical presences regarding my own health.
I want to emphasize that the reason for my ongoing treatment is in direct correlation to a sexual assault by a man. This is documented in my chart, and it is clearly noted that I request female providers for this specific and very sensitive reason. Despite this, I was still assigned a male nurse after being told I would have a female provider. After the initial consultation, the nurse told me he would bring in Dr. Brizendine. When I stopped him and reminded him I had requested a female provider, and was told that was okay, he simply stared at me until I felt pressured to say I would rather leave and come back another day. Only then was I seen by a female PA.
Unfortunately, this did not improve my experience. The PA did not seem at all familiar with my case. She repeatedly referred to a treatment plan packet I had already been given at a prior visit, as if she had to read it to know what to say. Along with that, she did not listen when I explained that my current treatments and medications were not working. I came in specifically to discuss alternatives after four months of no improvement. Instead, she told me to continue the same plan for another month and "hopefully" it would begin to work. She seemed kind but very unprepared, unaware of this type of treatment, and she could not answer my questions about other treatment options.
I have never felt so dismissed, unheard, and disregarded in a very vulnerable situation, especially at a medical office. It was already difficult for me to seek care after my assault, and instead of receiving the support I needed, my boundaries, requests, and my medical concerns were ignored. Overall, the appointment was so upsetting that I would rather go untreated than return to this office or an experience like that again. read more
