Disappointing doesn't even begin to describe my Experience with Dr Finkel. 18 months of disinterest, misinformation, and mis-direction. She says she sat me at her desk in her office and discussed all my Mastectomy options and reconstruction choices...but I never saw her for more than 5 minutes at a time in an exam room. She failed to inform me of other choices or surgical options at every turn.
Then after my Double Mastectomy and implants, one side blew up and she said it was obviously Lymphedema-But I had a Lymphedema specialist who questioned that several times. Finkel insisted on costly, time-consuming, and downright painful Physical Therapy for months AND got Snippy with me and my PT person when we raised questions-until my swollen breast tore open and leaked fluid...for weeks...She was happy to see me once and twice a week at a large co-pay for each visit until my implant became exposed.
I have been told by 5 other doctors, that at that time, implant replacement is mandatory at that point-instead, she did a surgical procedure in her office and stitched it closed- leaving an even more unsightly and ridged scar. Then it burst open again...and she finally replaced the implant. In total 4 months of agony, stress, and worry...oh and thousands of dollars out of my pocket. But of course she got paid by me and the insurance company for all of that wasted time.
I kept asking questions for months before and her answer was always "you cant worry about that yet" or " no, Dear...you're mistaken". In many instances she had 20 women stacked up in her waiting room and appointments ran an hour late. The office is disorganized and was for the over a year that I went in nearly weekly. There were also huge billing errors made by her staff to both me and to the insurance companies.
A few weeks after my last follow-up from the botched replacement, I had yet another complication and called the office. Left a Voicemail. Didn't hear back...Left a second Vm the next day...didn't hear back. Called a third day and was told by an insensitive male assistant that it would either resolve itself or not and not co come back till my next appointment in 3 months. I've now had three additional surgeries and 5 second-pinions, trying to fix her lousy outcomes to my breasts.
It seems that Dr Finkel is either lazy, overworked, over-burdened, or just plain disinterested. She has a terrible, condescending manner and is very dismissive. I do believe that when things go perfectly that she is probably adequate for average needs or outcomes, but she evidences little to no interest in any outcome that isn't within her simplistic repertoire. She's a two-trick-pony when it comes to reconstruction and doesn't feel the least qualm at blowing off her patients when the don't settle neatly into her limited skill-set. She has a huge superiority complex and terrible people-skills, absolutely no empathy, or compassion...but then I guess when you're the kind of volume enterprise that she is, she doesn't have time for any of that.
I wish that I had done more research...gotten second opinions, or even had that suggested by my cancer surgeon (that's another review here). But I was hustled into the rat-maze of Breast Cancer referrals and given just barely enough info by Finkel and her cohorts to be able to ride the roller coaster. I have since brought up her name in my Cancer education groups and hear so many other patients have been treated in the same, horrid manner when they have a complication. Find anyone else and go with another Surgeon. read more
