What started as a satisfactory visit for a plastic surgery consultation went awry at the end of the visit. First off you must know that I called and made an appointment for a plastic surgery consultation on a Monday a.m., I was told there was a space for me at 9:00am on Thursday. I was called the day before the consult and asked if I could come in 1/2 hour later because the doctor would be running late, which I was completely amenable to, no worries.
I arrived on time on Thursday and went in for my exam. I attended the consult with my 20 year old daughter also, because she is thinking of getting a breast reduction because of horrible neck and back pain, when Dr. Walker finished with me, I told her my daughter was thinking about getting surgery and she said she could examine her, but that I needed to fill out her paperwork (nothing else was said), so we filled out that paperwork as well.
After the consultation, the very kind receptionist told me I needed to pay, which I was surprised at because I spoke with the office at 3 different times, 2x for me and once for my daughter and was never told at any of those times that there was a consult fee. I was taken aback and stupidly paid. My daughter and I were talking afterward and we were like gosh, don't they need to advise you of the fee, which was $300!
I decided to call their office and question them about their policy, because what you don't know is this; I have made 3 other appointments for consults with doctors because I wanted to find a good doctor that I liked, who was reputable. So out of 4 doctors, guess how many charge a consult fee (a SURPRISE consult fee)? Just Dr. Walker! All the other doctors Huang, Ruff and Pearlman told me there was no fee.
I called Norina, the receptionist, and she admitted that it is their policy to tell the patient upfront about the consult fee, but that she was not there when I called for my original appointment and someone else took the date down. She told me she would speak with Dr. Walker, well then Dr. Walker returned my call and left a message that it was she who made the appointment and that even though she didn't tell me about the fee, many other physicians in the area charge consult fees and that if I had read through numerous files and links on her website, I would have seen that, so I am responsible for the fee (mind you on the homepage there is lots of information about coming in, seeing the doctor but nothing about a consultation fee.)
So I returned the call and asked to speak directly to the doctor and was told that she was in a procedure for 3 hours and that she would call me today; no call. So, I am stuck paying a $300 fee for something I was never made aware of, no procedure was done, the policy of the office IS to tell would-be patients of the fee and 3 different times I spoke to them I was NOT told. Needless to say, the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth.
An aside to this story: cleanliness is something that should strongly be considered when choosing a doctor, let alone a doctor who specializes in aesthetics. Dr. Walker was wearing messy sloppy pants and had a rumpled lab coat. I am not sure if it was laundered and just not pressed. The lab coat also had 2 big ink splats on it, as if a pen had exploded. If the good doctor is charging $150 consult fees, she can surely afford new lab coats and a laundering service. read more
