Please consider this as a review of not only Dr. Solomon, but Dr. Dubin and the entirety of the Northshore Dermatology Gurnee location as a whole.
This place pulled a classic doctor's office bait-and-switch and seemed relatively confident that they'd gotten away with it; I'd scheduled an appointment months in advance with Dr. Solomon as he'd been recommended to me, but when I arrived for my appointment, the doctor who walked into the exam room was Dr. Dubin. He was friendly, but ultimately dismissive of the issue I had come in for, which was a minor and uncomplicated removal, but after looking at it for a few minutes, said we could schedule a future appointment to have it removed. (Really? He couldn't have just done it then and there?) Then he left, as abruptly as he had arrived.
I specifically wanted to see Dr. Solomon for this removal, so I asked to speak to a manager, who shrugged apathetically and said Dr. Solomon never worked on the weekends, so I must have known I was scheduling an appointment with Dr. Dubin. They said I could schedule ANOTHER appointment for a SECOND consult with Dr. Solomon, but that I couldn't see him for the removal as he'd never seen me. I asked if I would be billed for a second consult, given that they had not booked me with the doctor I had requested and had been promised at the time of scheduling, and they said yes, I would. I refused, and escalated until a manager finally booked me to come in for a removal with Dr. Solomon.
When I came in for this appointment, the nurse made a big show of getting the room ready and laying out the instruments, and in came Dr. Solomon. He obviously had an attitude from the get go, and brusquely inspected the area where the removal was to be done, then demanded to know why he had to remove it. He then left the room, brought Dr. Dubin back with him, and made Dr. Dubin show him exactly why he thought a removal was necessary. His attitude to his colleague was condescending and disrespectful, and Dr. Dubin was visibly uncomfortable at being put on the spot and having his medical judgment questioned in front of a patient. Dr. Dubin made his case and Dr. Solomon immediately shot him down, saying that it was nonsense and that there was no reason to remove it. He then stormed out of the room and the nurse told me I was free to go. I walked out of their office after only five useless minutes in the exam room with absolutely zero resolution to the issue for which I'd originally come.
I do not understand why I as the patient was punished for what seemed to be an extremely dysfunctional relationship between providers and their staff. I know for a fact I requested to see Dr. Solomon for my original appointment and that that's who I was told my appointment was with. I don't know why the staff of this office would voluntarily lie just to move patients through the door. I don't blame Dr. Dubin, but it was frustrating to get brushed off on what effectively seemed to be their second rate doctor (considering how poorly Dr. Solomon treated him and how he belittled and outright humiliated him in front of a patient) when I knew exactly what service I wanted and which doctor I wanted to see. Staff was dismissive at all times, and everything management said to me was laced in the condescending tone of, "You're just another dumb patient and you don't know any better." The entire experience with this office was overwhelmingly disappointing and left a bad taste in my mouth.
I ended up rescheduling for a consult with Advanced Dermatology in Lincolnshire. Their provider saw me once, was happy to do the removal, and had completed it in less than ten minutes. No follow-up was needed and it healed perfectly. read more