Life Boat Medical Associates

What a terrible experience. I wish I could give one star. I will start by saying that I received good treatment by the medical assistant and the woman who took my blood. But that was the only good part of the experience. I was a“fit in” appointment so I was squeezed in and expected a wait. I sat in the waiting room for about 40 minutes and then in the exam room for another 40. It didn’t bother me at the time because I just wanted to be seen for pain in my ribs and back after having bronchitis for the last month and a half. Nearing the end of my wait, I’d stood up to be more comfortable when the doctor walked in. She seemed instantly annoyed that I was standing and explained at if I wanted to go to a doctor who worked quickly, I could find another place to go. That was a horrible way to begin with a new patient who had just been patiently waiting for an hour and a half! She cut me off several times when I was trying to explain what was going on. Because I have prior back problems, she automatically assumed it was my back that was the issue. She looked at my throat and in my ears and listened twice to my lungs and then sent me away with a referral to an orthopedic surgeon (WHAT!!!) and prescriptions for two inhalers that would have cost me nearly $ 300 to fill. Also — the triage nurse who was with her during the appointment was not paying attention at all. The doctor even commented about it saying, «You’re not thinking about work — you’re thinking about your wedding.» When I went to the pharmacy to pick up my meds and saw the price, I called several times to get alternatives, but was only ridiculed for not having insurance that would cover them. I was offered one alternative that cost the same — and it was for a medicine that I’d already told them had bad effects on me. And the staff refused to let me speak with the doctor (I know she’s busy, but she could at least email me or call me after hours) — only with the nurses who did not understand at all what I was talking about. I was feeling terrible and this experience only made me feel worse. The next day, I went to a local urgent care center, where they did an ultrasound and determined that I had pleurisy. I don’t need any inhalers nor do I need to see an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. O’Heron was supposed to be my PCP, but I am never going back.

I just waited 30 minutes on the phone. No one asked «How can I help you today?» or anything, just hello. The staff is sometimes nice and sometimes it seems like it demeans them to treat a person with some customer service. Aren’t health care professionals supposed to be caring? Not only that but everytime I go into the office things are ripped or broken and the couches are stained.