-Please understand my feedback below is honest, sincere, and NOT exaggerated regarding my visit on 12/12/2020, at which 2 Quest staffers were present
-Since no one is ever present at the reception desk at 250 N. Main St in Manchester CT, and since patients may have questions to help make Quest staff's lives easier, I had to knock on the reception window in order for someone to appear
-A nurse came out and immediately critiqued me in front of the waiting room and other Quest staff as to why I didn't read the sign advising not to knock on the window. I was never asked what I needed help with and was made to feel like an idiot.
-Rather than capitulate and explain that I am stupid, since I am not, I explained that I hadn't made my way through FOURTEEN signs that are posted around the reception window, and there is no other way to contact the staff
-It is unfair and unrealistic to expect a patient to read FOURTEEN SIGNS before acting like a normal, human being, which is clearly not acceptable at Quest
-Upon being called in to the very nice professional (unlike the other moron who doesn't seem to approve of patients trying to help, despite the outrageous costs we pay), I was asked why I did not bring my lab work
-Although I had already explained why, I again explained that my lab order was sent to Quest electronically since it was ordered by a doctor on a virtual visit. That doesn't seem to matter at Quest even though we are in the middle of a pandemic which requires social distancing and physical paperwork that is already transmitted electronically.
-The very nice tester asked me what she should do since I didn't have my lab work. This puzzled me, so I advised her to simply look up my account and find the lab order herself. Not difficult. What was I supposed to say?
-Instead of looking up my account, the very nice tester went in to another room with the original, judgmental nurse who critiqued me at reception, and who was with a patient, to ask what she should do even though I already provided a simple answer
-The obnoxious nurse explained in front of her patient and within ear shot of me and OTHER PATIENTS that it is MY FAULT that I did not bring the lab order paperwork. Why is it difficult to look up the lab order which was in my account??
-This nurse's critique was extremely unprofessional, uncaring, and unacceptable - but what choice do I have other than to use a Quest facility, no matter how rude the staff is? I have no choice and they knew that, since Quest owns every lab facility.
-I politely voiced my concern that twice in one visit the unprofessional nurse critiqued me in front of staff and patients when I did NOTHING wrong, and since it is a free country, I can ask a simple question that would have helped them - which seemed not to matter. So I decided that they should help me instead of my trying to help them. Obviously Quest requires physical paperwork to carry testing out (which is actually not true in other Quest facilities, but I guess I'm an idiot).
-The very nice tester suggested that I be tested for what they were able to find, and then I should come back for the rest of the testing when they find them
-I was again puzzled and advised that I was going to leave, or, Quest could call my Dr office and get whatever tests they were missing
-Eventually all of the lab order was received and administered because my tester finally decided to make a call to the Dr. The testing order arrived (AGAIN) within 5 minutes. Why was I being criticized?
-I have NEVER been treated so poorly at Quest, which I had come to regard as having some of the kindest staff - but not anymore!
-You should also know:
-The hand sanitizer at the reception window was broken and there was no sanitizer in my testing room
-Social distancing in the waiting room was not being followed or enforced
-As an outraged, educated professional I will share my experience through social media, my contacts at the news media, online, in local groups, and will continue researching alternatives to Quest Diagnostics, due to this ridiculous and dangerous experience
-Quest Diagnostics should consider the organization LUCKY that people who use it still have medical insurance even though increasing numbers of patients DO NOT have it anymore
-I am interested in making the community and the Corporate Office aware of my experience and am not interested in apologies, since apologies do not matter at this point.
-Please respond to this survey criticism quickly in writing, or I will report that Quest Diagnostics did not respond.
-I will not take any phone calls and will be using the photos I took of your ridiculous expectation for patients to read FOURTEEN SIGNS
-I am not interested in your staff's response, but will include whatever untruth they explain to you in my reports
-Your staff was clearly stressed, which was obvious to the entire patient waiting room, and you need to do something to help them read more
