I just got off the phone with the manager for the pain clinic where I see the crackpot. I wanted to let them know that I was quite dissatisfied with the treatment I received on both visits, from the wait time once led to the exam room to the billing for more then 1 co-pay for visit and on to the fact that the doctor seems bent on not listening to my concerns.

As I said before the wait time on this last visit was an hour and when I hunted down an LPN and asked how much longer for the doc I was basically told to sit down and be quiet, "I was next!"

Then there was the fact that they never told me on any visit that I would be or even might be seeing more then one doctor and that they would be billing that way. That means I did not pay the co-pay for that visit and on the next one it will be collected. Had I known that would be the case I would have a least been able to say ok or tell them that I cannot afford all the extra co-pays. As it stands right now on 2 visits to their clinic I am behind 4 co-pays, or $60. I am sure by my next appointment they will have received their check from the insurance and ask me to pay the difference, that means $75 on the next visit.

Add to that all I have a doctor who has not read a single lab report or radiologist report I brought with me and he certainly did not read the films that I brought along from the MRI. He seems to want to re-diagnose me from the bottom up so that he can bill my insurance company for every little thing. While he "remembered" that I refused to have any ESI's done he does not seem to listen when I tell him that there will be no myelograms, nothing at all will be penetrating my spine.

I am thoroughly dissatisfied with the way I was treated by this office, their nurses and their doctors. In 2+ years of dealing with my back problems and numerous physicians, neurologists, radiologists, nursing staffs and so on I have never had a single complaint until referred to this clinic.

The kicker is that while I am on the phone with her and explaining my situation she is making excuses for all of the issues. I even told her that a simple fix to most of the problem is a small paragraph for all new visitors to read that lets them know they may see more then 1 doctor on their visits and if they do and their insurance company has a co-pay then they may be asked to pay that for each doctor. FREAKING SIMPLE ASSED FIX!!! Instead she tells me that the people working the desk are not doctors or nurses. No way! So I guess that means those "simple" people running the desk, having people fill out endless forms on HIPPA, Lab reports, insurance claims etc... are incapable of making sure all new patients have a small sheet to read? Stupid me, expecting way to much of people.

I hate paperwork as much as the next guy. However, after seeing my wife work the desk for an eye surgeon I saw how easy it would be to do this. Most doctors have a pack of paper for all new patients or those returning after extended absences. Why would it be too difficult to slip this one paragraph in to that packet?

At the end of the conversation I told her that my decision right now is to not return to their clinic. Based on my previous visits and the fact that our conversation was nothing more then her making excuses I have absolutely no faith in their ability to treat my pain.

Did I mention that she was returning my phone call from 3 days ago and that she is not the person I left the message for? I guess the director of customer service is too busy herself to handle patient problems. That is why they are listed by the better business bureau as having an unsatisfactory record based on the number of unresolved complaints.