Met Dr. Ketul Patel. Overall good impression. 6 days later, had colonosc.& endosc.@ BG Surg.Ctr. by…read moreDr. Patel. Made eye contact, was pleasant, informative, also strongly urged me to get COVID vaccine (which btw never passed one test at Pfizer, killed subjects &/or permanently damaged organs). Never saw him again for over a yr to my final BG appt.) 2 appts w PA Dottie Porter, alert, abrupt. I asked a few quest's w her having "one foot out the door"; then rude, hurried, impersonal, advised I had fatty liver,rushed to exit. Upon inquiry fr someone on staff, I was told Pts r allotted "SIX (6) (timed)MIN" per visit. Seemed like talking WITH Pt. was an inconven. like "pulling teeth".Had MRI liver: inadeq.pic. CT scan ordered. Std i had inflamed liver duct. Next appt,Ms.Porter rushes in, sits,looks down & states: "Now i don't want you to speak bc i don't want u asking ques's while I'm talking!". Proceeded to cite @100 mph what causes were elimin'd that wd explain high ALP. No time for ques's.by her or me! I std, "But I've had fluctuating elevated ALP for yrs." Her response, "Well I didnt KNOWW that! Why didn't you TELLL me?!"(I assumed that was a joke.) Wasn't rocket science to recognize the order of ea appt was: PA to hurriedly sp in as few words as necess, Pt to listen, tests ordered, "session" over, per boilerplate routine.I had to persist over her obvious annoyance & dismissiveness to ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF (frustrating & exhausting). Then burst out: "WE recommend u have a liver biopsy; we'll let u know when it's scheduled!" I asked if anything else cd b done by process of elimination prior to a biopsy.End result, no. She std "We find" many Pts. have liver cancer & don't know it till they die. After she exited, I asked Shannon (asst?) w pompous rude attitude, for copy of ALL reports in file, incl my prev PCP lab results i instructed lab to send to BG. She adamantly stated: "We don't give them out!" (huh?) I asked, "How can that be? They're MY reports," to which she rudely corrected "NO THEY'RE NOT! WE DON'T GIVE THEM OUT!" (It crossed my mind "Who's practice is this anyway??!!") If attitude, ofc.procedure, 6-min timed visits are all designed by Drs FOR Drs, then this is a well-oiled moneymaking machine -- odds are @ Pts' expense!
Called front desk to say I'd seek 2nd opn & didn't want biopsy sched.Next sched.appt, Ms. Porter was waiting for me, braced, behind closed door of exam rm! Fr standing position, outraged voice.std the second i entered: "You SHOULDN'T BE HERE if u got a 2nd opn or if ur going w another Dr" to which I responded this appt was scheduled & I had some F/U quest's abt the need for a biopsy. I was met w stepped-up "Cuckoo's-Nest" intonation, condescension, dramatic arm waving, totally unprofessional & upsetting to Pts. I asked for her opn on ALP FLUCTUATION. No response.I asked what she was seeking fr CT. She didnt know.I said main sympt Ive had for a very long time was extreme fatigue. She std this was not her area & ref'd me to my PCP. I std I was leery of liver biopsy proced descr online & its prematurity. She reprimanded me, an adult, for getting info online stating if I needed info I SHOULD'VE ASKED HER (another joke).I wonder why it's not impt for Pt tb fully informed abt biopsy proced, etc. upfront, armed to make an educated decision. I ended w saying I was surprised Dr. Patel did not think it impt to sp w me HIMSELF abt something as impt as a liver biopsy.Ms. Porter turned defiantly defensive re her credentials, then patronized me with:"but if you wannnt to sp w Dr. Patel,we can cerrrtainly make an appt.for you!"Did not troubleshoot EVERY possible cause, excessive GERD vomiting,dehydration, etc. - never asked ME quest's.& didn't have my history.
Here's real kicker! They never got my med records to my final appt after over a yr. but proced's were performed. I've never seen anything like this in my life! I have zero trust bc I never felt more impt than a dollar sign. And I STILL have not received all results while i was a BG Pt.