My husband spoke highly of this doctor and suggested that I schedule an appointment.  I called the office manager to schedule a visit.  She indicate that I could not come in that day because she would have to call Blue Cross and Blue Shield in California the next day.   She then groused bitterly about how insurance companies cared nothing about the doctors and only the patients.  I told her of my husband's suggestion that I come to the office and she tersely asked me his name.  When I gave his name she replied in a very nasty tone that my husband owed the office $17.20.  I told her that I would be happy to pay it.

I then asked her how I might be seen the same day because I felt so badly and she suggested that I get on-line and bring a piece of paper proving I had coverage.  I found this to be unusual and asked her for clarification.  She dismissively told me to call my plan.  I was curious about this so I did.  My plan representative forwarded the appropriate paperwork and I went to the doctor.

Upon arrival at the doctor's office a very surly woman neither looked up at me to say said hello or asked if she could help me.  After standing there for about 15 seconds I stated that I had a 2:30 appointment.  The woman handed me a form and said 'Fill it out'.  No please.  No thank you.  I knew from her voice that she was the woman on the phone.  The form was pretty basic until I got to a section asking for a financial or character reference.  I did not fill out that part of the form.  When the nurse came to collect the form I asked her the purpose of the question.  I wondered if I needed to have someone vouch for my ability to pay or my character before being seen by the doctor.  She did not know the answer and suggested that I speak to her supervisor  -- Mrs. Bennett (wife of the physician and the rude woman on the phone).  Also, when the nurse asked me for my co-pay she asked for $5.00 more than was indicated on my health care card.  When I asked her about it she said that her supervisor said to charge me that amount t because she had called the health plan.  If I disagreed I needed to call my insurance company.

I waited approximately 45 minutes to see the doctor.  His examination was unremarkable  -- he was neither good nor bad.  However, I could not understand everything he said because he mumbled and looked down when he spoke to me.  After the exam the doctor suggested general wellness follow-up care that I could schedule with his office.  As nicely as I could I told him that his staff made me feel unwelcome.  I told him of the conversation with his wife and that I found her to be accusatory, arrogant and rude.  I finished by saying that I was not inclined to see the doctor beyond the initial visit because I was so offended by his staff.  He apologized to me and said all were welcome in the office.  I thanked him and left thinking that was the end of that.

As I was exiting the waiting room I heard someone yell 'Hey!'  I did not turn around and walked to the corridor to get the elevator.  Mrs. Doctor followed me and said 'I was the person you spoke to on the phone and I was not rude.  How dare you say that?  Who do you think you are?'  When I replied that she was indeed rude and was being rude again she yelled at me to get out and never come back and asked why I came to the office in the first place.  I was shocked!  The woman continued to insult me and laugh in an hysterical manner until the elevator came.  While I was in the waiting room I noticed that all of the other persons seemed to be young and or uneducated people of color.  I wondered if this woman felt that she could speak to patients with such disrespect because many  of them rely upon publicly funded health care and have few options for care.  Thank goodness I have the option to go elsewhere.  However, I thought this office's disrespectful practices should be brought to light.  I am a woman of color and so was the physician and his wife.

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