I couldn't agree more that Rutherford Pedatrics is a poor establishment. Thus, it is no surprise that 2 of the best pediatricians voted by readers of NJ Family magazine have left this establishment - Dr Trani & Dr Garripoli. I have to agree that the Office Manager - Gerri Kairys - is really terrible. The office (without my knowledge or content changed my daughter's well visit to a sick visit and then attempted to deceive me that it was changed because I had inquired about my daughters cradle caps during the well visit.
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To Rutherford Pediatrics - Gerrie Kairys
This is in reference to the incident that occurred on February 7, 2015 in which your staff insisted that a balance of $20 was legitimately charged for a well visit back in 10/30/2013 when I was specifically instructed by Dr Becz to come back for a well visit on the 4th week after the birth of my child. This visit was initially put through as a well visit and your practice subsequently changed it to a 'sick' visit (without my knowledge or consent until your office balance billed me months down the road). I have always paid for all sick visits up front and this is also a practice of your office to do so (as also posted on the window of your office). This, if this was truly a sick visit, how could that have escaped the office to collect a copayment from me at the time of the visit? We were clearly instructed by Dr Becz (again, I did not volunteer to come in the office for the visit) to come back for a well visit but was subsequently billed later. Clearly 20 dollars is not the issue here but your staff went on to deceive me that I asked about cradle caps during the well visit and thus justified the change of a well visit to a sick visit. This is absurd. My child did not have cradle caps at 4 weeks after birth and the visit was a scheduled one from my last well visit on 10/10/13 so how would I have known that my child would be sick 2 weeks later and schedule ahead of time a sick visit if indeed this is a sick visit?
Further, if inquiring about cradle cap during a well visit justifies a well visit to be changed to a sick visit, then please review my child's record for her well visits on 11/27/13, 1/24/14, and 3/28/14 in which the topic of cradle caps was discussed and noted in the records. Why were those visits not subsequently changed to sick visits?
Lastly, if you look at the medical records, you had clearly indicated that the10/10/13 well visit was a 4 week well visit which in actuality is only 2 weeks from the birth of my child on 9/26/13. The 10/30/13 visit that your office subsequently changed from a well visit would have legitimately fall into the 4 wk visit time frame. I can only, through all the facts stated above, reason that your office had collection issues with insurance on the number of well visits that can be covered under my insurance plan.
Your staff asked to discuss it in one of the examination rooms and I complied. I was never "verbally abusive" (as per your accusation without hearing both sides and my husband as a witness) but was stating the facts which your staff continues to defraud me after I stated how her reasoning that a well visit had subsequently changed to a 'sick visit' has holes.
The fact that you are dishonest about the reason for payment is a clear indication that I should discontinue this relationship. While I contemplated on staying with the practice only because I didn't want any disruption to my child's well visits, you made it easy on this disengagement. I actually like Dr Lopez who just started seeing my child.
To drop a child from care and discontinue the relationship without further discussion is truly irresponsible of this office especially that of a pediatrics office. The correct way is to call the child's parents and inquire about the incident.
I do hope that Dr Becz is fully aware of this incident because this is truly a reflection of her practice and her reputation.
Regards, read more
