I never met the PA, Shannon, or Dr. Sandoval, because I never made it past the front office staff. The receptionist, who wouldn't state her name, and office manager, Karolyn, are the most horribly rude and unprofessional office personnel I've ever dealt with. I was referred from TMC ER, where I was treated after falling with my walker and fracturing my left ankle. They assured me Dr Sandoval would see me within 2-3 days as an ER Followup, and they would have all access to my file through the portal. I arrived exactly 5 min. Late due to the exit being closed to his office. Receptionist first said my appointment was for 3, I showed her where it was 3:30. As she continued to work out all that, she stated I was 15 min. Late so they didn't have to see me. I pointed at her clock on the wall, which by now, said 3:41. she wanted drivers license and ins. Card. My husband had my DL in his breast pocket, then reached for his wallet in his back pocket and realized he'd left it somewhere. She agreed to let him fax her an Ins. Card copy the next day and gave him the number, AFTER she said I couldn't be seen without it. I told her TMC said she would have portal access to all my records and asked if she could get the ID number that way. After she collected all paperwork, etc and asked for my copay, which she said was $24.00, and My husband reminded her he had just said that his wallet was missing, but he would be happy to pay the $24 the next day. She had been rude and given curt answers from the beginning and now refused to see me without the co-pay. I asked how she knew what my co-pay was since she claims she didn't have my health insurance information. She ignored me and said we would have to come back the next day. I reminded her she'd scheduled me for Wed., because of my acute injury, I'm disabled, and my husband's work week was 3 12 hr days at TMC - Thurs, Fri, Sat. And i can no longer drive. So this was his last day off for the week. She said that was their policy and they did not sway from it, therefore I cannot be seen. We then asked to see the PA, to ask her, she said that was impossible, so we agreed to see the office manager, who is secretly an evil witch. She indeed said there was no way they would see me unless we paid $24 and since I "arrived 15 min late" I shouldn't expect to be seen anyway. I took my mask down from my lips to tell her I was NOT 15 min late. I did this so she could hear me better, because my disability includes a larynx problem that disables my speech. You would have thought I pulled a knife on her, because she ordered me to get that mask back on or get out and she pointed to the door. I immediately omplied, but by now, my husband had lost all patience with these two nasty, uncaring, rude women. We'd even offered for him to run home and back to get $24 cash. We live 12 min from his office, but both of them said no way would they allow that because they closed promptly at 4:15 and Shannon would be out of there. I said I would still be here with Shannon. They said no way. I said no one told me copay was due in advance, it's only $24, and my husband is a TMC employee. Nothing mattered. We were very rudely told to get out. By now it is 3:56 pm. My husband, as I said, had just discovered he'd lost his wallet, and lost all his patience and yelled at her. They both yelled back, told us to get out. He pointed his finger at her, which really angered her and they told us to get out now or they were calling 911.
The whole experience was unbelievably bizarre and caused this patient great stress and anxiety, and drove my husband to cuss, which he NEVER does. And over what?? Being 5 min. Late due to 75 construction closing the exit, discovering a lost wallet which contained all our cash, debit and credit cards, and ability to pay a tiny Little copay of $24 On the spot. These two were so blatantly rude, belligerent and totally uncaring and mean, I will never get to meet Dr Sandoval, because we will never go back to the office. It takes quite a lot of meanness to get my husband to the point where he actually uses profanity. These two ladies accomplished that in less than 10 minutes. very sad. Patient care should be foremost. Here it doesn't exist in the Reception area. Even if the ER sends you there, you're sitting in a wheelchair, handicapped, in pain with a broken bone needing attention, and you can't find your wallet,
P.S. At home, he found his wallet. Instead of the entry table, he'd accidentally left it in his office. read more