Rx Urgent Care was not my original destination. I was planning to go to Wake Med Accent Care, but they were really congested and short-handed. My preferences before that had closed early. So, I ended up at Rx Urgent Care and hoped for the best. My accidental destination started out very nicely with the receptionist being such a sweetheart and quickly went downhill from there.
Heather at the front desk told me it would be about a 15 minute wait. A 15 minute wait is almost unheard of in an urgent care, but maybe they were moving people pretty quickly and a patient was on his/her way out the door so I would be right after the other person in the waiting room. My 15 minute wait quickly turned into an hour.
When the nurse brought me in to the room she told me where I could set my things and sit. I prefer to sit in the chairs because I find the examination tables to be uncomfortable. I was practically scolded for that because it wasn't easy for her to do her orientation assessments that way. So, I quickly moved to the table. I noticed right away that the step covering was coming unraveled and that I could hear just about everything being said in the examination room to my left. I was shocked and pointed the noise out immediately. She was amused and said this was why she usually spoke quietly. After having my blood pressure and temp taken she left. Then the conversation next door got really loud and I was really uncomfortable overhearing another patient's explanation of his problems so I walked out and told the receptionist I couldn't stay in that room. She told me to just go back to the waiting room.
Less than 10 minutes later, I was called back in and met with a lady who is shadowing the PA. I don't recall her name, but she was very calm, confident, and seemed ready to listen. I gave her my explanation - chest pains and severe headache. I figured it could be stress, but since I was not interested in having this continue I thought it was safer to get checked out.
Then Matt Schwanke, the PA-C, came in and made me restate everything all over again. He also spoke very loudly. I was already uncomfortable with the lack of privacy. I pointed this out immediately and he said they had not designed the building, but their lease was with the space and that was how it was. I questioned whether that was even ethical, but he didn't seem interested in hearing my complaint. In fact, I felt like he saw me as a nuisance for being so adamant about that and assurance that no one else was left in the adjacent rooms. I asked if he could speak softer since I had a headache and he seemed slightly amused at that responding, "Well this is how my voice is." I literally almost walked out, but I'd waited long enough and didn't feel like starting all over again at another facility. When he went to examine me I noticed that much of the floor was dirty and a part near the examination table was rusted. Then I wondered how often they mop the floors... See attached photos.
Matt, the PA, advised that he would have an EKG done. There I was with the nurse coming back in rather awkwardly with the EKG machine. She told me to take my shirt off. Never in my life have I been told, at a doctor's office, to just take my shirt off. Usually, they provide a smock or some other cover-up and uncover only what is necessary to maintain a sense of care, modesty, and respect. Not so. I protested and she found some half piece of cover up that is probably made for a child. I may be able to wear kid-sized shirts sometimes, but I'm a grown woman. She left so I could cover up and upon her return didn't seem to do much to respect that I'd even asked for a cover up. I asked how an EKG worked. She shortly responded, "It reads the electricity from your heart." That's it. That's all the response I got. I was uncomfortable so a couple minutes later I asked how long it would take. Her response, "Not long, but for you it will take longer since chest pains are your primary complaint." Did not answer my question. I asked how quickly she'd get responses and she told me that it would be immediate. Then she walked out and the door was left gaping wide open while I clutched the paper smock to keep myself from being exposed.
Shortly later, Matt re-entered. He didn't have any answers for me, but requested I go get some lab work done and follow up with a primary care doctor. He said that I didn't have pneumonia. When I said I'd never had pneumonia, just as a response, he smartly said, "Well, there's a first time for everything."
There certainly is. I have always avoided chain doc-in-the box places like Concentra, NextCare, and Rx Urgent Care because of how poor the service is. They rush you in and out like cattle. This experience just emphasized that sentiment. I would never go to this place again, for the fact that there's a lack of privacy, as one main reason alone and I would never recommend it to anyone. read more