Linda in his Westbury office is unbelievably rude!
I arrived & gave my 1st name & appointment time, which is normally enough for them to know who you are & check you in (how could it not be?) Linda barked, "WHAT is your name?!" twice before I could say, I'll write it for you. I quickly typed it into my phone & displayed it for Brett, who smiled & said, "OK, I got it", but Linda kept repeating - with eyes like daggers - "WHAT is your name? What is your NAME?" Linda's hostile look, authoritative voice, & complete lack of listening skills were the most unprofessional I have ever seen in a medical office.
A week later, I had left a message on the office's answering machine and called later on to see how Dr Cheema habitually returns patient calls. (Some of my doctors called when they had a moment between patients, but others had certain hours at the end of the day dedicated to returning calls.) I was going on vacation the next day and might need a change in prescription, so I wanted to be sure I was prepared when he called.
Linda picked up. I started to explain what my question was, & she immediately interrupted me mid-sentence, barking "WHAT IS YOUR NAME! YOUR NAME!" in a very nasty tone. I tried to continue my sentence saying that I had already left a message and (before she takes my name & #, stops listening, cuts me off with the standard line that "the doctor will call you back when he can" and hangs up before I can get the information I called up for).
Linda refused to listen to a word I was saying, just kept repeating YOUR NAME! YOUR NAME! I then saw she would never listen when in this mode, so I said, "Ok. But after I give my name, I want YOUR name."
Linda's angry response: "I ASKED YOU FIRST!"
We went back and forth over this several times, then I said, "OK, I'll give my name 1st, then I want YOUR name too!" After I gave my name, Linda shouted, "I remember you! You're that troublemaker who refused to give her name last wee!"
I said, I didn't refuse, I was writing it down because of privacy concerns (small waiting room with patients listening 3 feet away). So then I asked for her name. Dead silence on the line now! I asked several times if anyone was there! Then the other assistant, Brett, got on the line. Brett was very nice, listened while I finished my question, and gave me the answer I needed.
Because of Linda, I think I will find another medical office where people are treated with courtesy and consideration. All Linda had to do was let me finish my sentence and ask my question. Also, she didn't need my name because the answer would be the same for any of the patients. I had already left my message on their machine earlier in the day so she didn't need to take the info again, but Linda wouldn't know that because Linda didn't let me finish my sentence! Interrupting is rude! So is calling a patient a "troublemaker" for wanting a reasonable bit of privacy. If anything, Linda is the troublemaker. read more