Eight plus years of building trust with your PCP destroyed in minutes by a rude, cold…read moreunprofessional manager.
I won't go into my husband's health issues just surrounding circumstances that we unfortunately experienced.
The week following the hurricane, my husband got very I'll and as many experienced lack of utilities and severe life changes, we went to ER. Of course it was over crowded, no ac, but emergency for tests and scans. So, we find out it's not his heart, so not life threatening thank goodness. So, we leave and return home without being discharged, so many more needed the space.
So, were thinking what we should do, Our PCP like most have no phone service. However, online we see our PCP posting they are there without phones to come out if needed. This was unfortunately late Wednesday when we saw this. So we head there Thursday since my husband is still experiencing emergency symptoms.
As we have come to trust our PCP explicitly with her vast medical knowledge. Although, over the last year it has become difficult to get appointments in a timely manner with her.
So we pull up and I go in while my husband had to wait before coming in. I go in and there is 1 person in waiting room. The reception basically knows us and I explain he was in ER an needed to see PCP. See told me he could be worked in about 1030 or so. As I'm speaking with her a man comes barely making it in the door with a walker and leg pain. As he sits by the door someone brings him a water. At this time my husband has come in and I go sit beside him waiting.
I was then called up and receptionist told me, they could make an appointment Monday for him. I was like "what". Now there is the same woman standing by receptionist that came out to the other man asking me why he left the ER. Never had an encounter with her before and didn't know who she was. Our PCP is usually not in office on Fridays. Her attitude was horrible and was shocking to me. The receptionist felt bad and kept looking at her as this person repeated make appointment Monday or try Cleveland location.
So, dismayed my husband and I walk out to our car and I decided to go back in and find out the managers name- Christy. We felt like a bother and considered finding a new PCP, so I asked for record request forms.
So, very upset we drive to Cleveland, which the main bridge is out so it isn't a simple drive any longer.
Feeling frustrated and ill, we decided to speak to the manager there thinking this was the main location and is over the other locations. Only to find out the rude person was the manager at our location. We vented our frustration of not being able to get appointments with our trusted PCP in a timely manner for awhile now. And of course the manager Christy's behavior.
After speaking with the Cleveland manager awhile, and yes we were very frustrated as most with the aftermath of the hurricane, but she offered to have him be seen there of course. At this point after all the ER testing and various doctors, seeing his PCP that knows his history well would be the logical next step. So, we had no option but to see her Monday.
So, we see her Monday and after reviewing some of the test, she told him to go back to ER as she's concerned over some findings. The ER was wondering why he was back and what was his PCPs concern. This whole situation just got worse. Now we no longer trusted our 8plus year relationship with our facility.
Now, the sad part.
I have an appointment with our PCP to get surgery approval. So, I go in there and my PCP has another NP with her. Which is very unusual and the atmosphere is very different and uncaring unlike before. I myself have a lot referrals I'm currently dealing with, so now where does this leave me feeling uncomfortable.
So, my husband and I try to figure out what may be causing the issues he's having. And by process of elimination it seems to be his meds. So, we get an appointment with the only PCP we have again waiting on an appointment. Upon arrival we are told that his insurance needs to be checked on or it would require a cash payment. What? Never in 8plus years have we ever been told this.
So, of course the insurance covers everything and we're in the exam room waiting. Our PCP comes in with a recorder stating that this new and how they keep up their files. Another new thing huh. So, he's trying to explain that he feels it's too much meds and he stopped taking them until he can get some help and understanding. Her response was if you don't want meds, do you just want to just lie in bed in pain.
Finding a new PCP is not easy and is stressful. It takes time to build a trusting relationship at our age, especially when you have a lot of medical issues.
UPDATE: All this happened in August last year. The end of January of this year he had quadruple Bypass surgery and is having issues recovering still today.
The medical industry has become a big failure with uncaring clinics, HCAs especially.