Hi Hyejung,
This is Pedro I am writing a review of your clinic and to let you know that I am very fortunate to have discover the acupuncture as a treatment, I like your clinic and I feel better from my illness, I do believe on the benefits and I have enjoyed going to visit you but I think you as a doctor should focus more in the healing aspect and not just the money, we all like money trust me. I work with clients and they miss appointments and I never treat my clients aggressively on the phone, asking for money and to pay for a miss appointment.
I had several appointments to treat me and she started the initial doctor pulse and she found signs of a possible heart condition, well that sound strange because I had just had a general check up few weeks earlier with my doctor and he congratulate me with my blood work and informed me that by entering the numbers I receive from the blood work into a Mayo cardiovascular study that has been running for decades my probability to have a heard related issue was 1.3% way lower to 1.5% associated to a male of my age. Again I was not that concern as I know my health is good regarding that. She started the treatment of chinese herbs and twice a week acupuncture sessions, I really like it and fell better.
My only concern with this doctor, is that she is too aggressive the way she approached clients when they miss appointments, I missed one appointment because I5 freeway coming from south on a Saturday was close due to resurfacing the road and I called her and she very nicely changed the appointment. She warmed me that normally I would be charge for a $45 missed appointment fee.
Today I had another appointment at 9AM, I thought it was at 9:15AM, she call quite agitated at 9:05 saying that I was supposed to be here, she said that she had made arrangements to be at the clinic and I was not there, frankly I just believe when you meet patients you have to be at the clinic, I apologized and I said that of course I would pay her the miss appointment fee with nor remorse, I also said let's book me another appointment for the same day or for tomorrow if you have availability, I believe this is normal business practices, you pay what you are asked due to miss an appointment and you book another one. She was very interested on getting the money before booking my next appointment, after I paid all balance due on my account ,including the missed appointment, to my surprise, she informed me that she won't see me again, I was SHOCKED, I am paying you a miss appointment and after you get the payment you inform me that you won't see me as patient?You are treating and leave the patient half the way on his treatment just because I miss a appointment? I think that has not sense.
Doctor Hyejung, in medical school they teach doctors compassion and balance patient doctor relationship, I believe you should get a receptionist and let them deal with appointments, miss appointment and insurance billing, like that your stress levels associated with billing and money will decrease and will let you concentrate on your role, cure patients and treat them properly. Maybe you should also get acupuncture :)
It is a shame that my first experience with a acupuncture clinic ended like that, frankly I have already find another clinic from a certify Bastyr university doctor that I hope shows less greediness and more compassion. Enjoy your late fee doctor.
Note that this review is not a complain about how she is as an acupuncturist, but frankly it is hard to give a good score when you are throw out of a doctor practice with so little respect. If you have a policy that you charge a patient for a miss appointment that means that you have receive the payment for your service and your schedule should not affected. read more