Bad experience with office staff

[AngelaT 2]

Hi,

I have been crying all afternoon...the U.S. office staff of the doc I was going to use in MX is not very nice. The physician is excellent, but they leave much to be desired. Calls not being taken care of in a timely manner, they get irritated with many questions, and the coordinator forgot what it used to feel like to be fat! She is now hard and snobby and not compassionate at all. They did not like that I kept asking why things were not being done...like why hasn't a doc called to get my history when the surgery is only a coiuple of weeks ahead. Of course already i was anxious with the surgery, but with so much uncertainty and questions not being answered my anxiety went through the roof. A health prefessional should know how to deal with anxious patients. Instead I was scolded harshly like a child and told I was rude and that maybe they should not do the surgery. She said she did not want to send any more rude americans to MX!!:speechles I could not believe my ears. I am so not rude in most cases...anxious yes I have been but they just needed to be compassionate! My job is to take care and help others! besides I am from Latin America and know better than to be rude, especially down there!

I called my second choice, which should have been my first! They are soooo nice!!!!!! within one hour they had sent me the pre-op questionaire and all the info I could possibly need. WHAT A DIFFERENCE...I COULD FEEL THE WARMTH and Compassion! On top of it all I will be saving $2,000!

Sorry for the venting, but it hit me really hard, I did not think that professionals would act like this with an anxious patient.:cry

[AngelaT 2]

Thanks Jack...i am so glad you are around :-)

[AZA 0]

If that's how they were treating pre-op patients, can you imagine how much worse it probably would have been after surgery?

It sounds like you switched surgeons in the nick of time! Are you still getting your surgery in November?

[Boo 3]

Who DID you choose? Have you considered seeing Dr. Ortiz? His surgery center is a comfortable drive from Los Angeles. Good luck!!! It is exciting!

[AngelaT 2]

Thanks for your words! AZA yes I am still on for Nove 7th. Boo, I will be going with Dr. Aceves...he seems wonderful and his staff is sooooooo kind and sweet! I am happy! I guess I thought that by going with the Top Doc in the Americas I would be doing the best thing, but compassion and kindness are just as important, if not little more since your mental and emotional state play a BIG role in recovery! I feel so much better today!

[TruBlueSue 0]

As TOM said, its nice to have choices....money talks - if people who are mistreated go somewhere else, they'll eventually take notice.

[AngelaT 2]

Thanks Tru Blue Yes....and I will write a letter directly to the doc at some point....

[Wheetsin 714]

I'm glad you switched if you were not feeling comfortable about proceeding with your first choice. I'm also glad you took a stand for your own health. Doctors get away with things that we wouldn't tolerate from just about anyone else. Where else would we go for an appointment at 12, and still be waiting at 3? Not many places. Good for you!

[raynie 0]

Poor Angela!!

Glad you switched docs. Who was the rude one? just curious? *crosses fingers and hopes it wasn't dr. Ortiz!* hehe ~Raynie!

[AngelaT 2]

Hi Raynie,

No It wasn't Dr. Ortiz. It was not the doc at all, it was his American staff here in the U.S. It was Dr. R In Monterrey. I am sure the staff down there is nice, but they got so ugly here that I just did not feel the confidence in their system to contnue...besides i cannot allow someone to treat me the way I was treated, especially when I am the customer! You know what I mean? I was talked to in such a horrible manner, that if that had been at any office here in the U.S. they would have lost their job! Oh well...I cannot dwell on this...i need to relax and get my mind and body ready for surgery! Thanks for your concern

[barbara465 2]

I remember reading on another thread about the US company that made arrangements for the surgeries in MX. Not sure if it the same one you are dealing with, but you may want to do a search to see.

Glad you were able to switch and feel better about all of it. Good luck with your surgery.

[cinward2001 0]

Wow, Angela, that surprises me. Dr. R did my surgery and everyone was super nice. I had my surgery in January, so some of their staff might have changed, but the ones I know are terrific.

Cindy

[AngelaT 2]

Wow, Angela, that surprises me. Dr. R did my surgery and everyone was super nice. I had my surgery in January, so some of their staff might have changed, but the ones I know are terrific.

Cindy

Cindy,

I am sure they are VERY nice in Mexico, but here they do not know how to handle someone who is anxious. I am not the only one...someone else who is having surgery there says she has not been trated very nicely either...they are snobbish and appear annoyed at her questions. And the main one has had a lap-band herself!! She forgot what it was like to be overweight and how it felt right before sugery and all the questions patients have.... its too bad because I think the doc is awesome!

I am so glad you had a nice experience....