S M (26.07.2017 19:16)
Women's Healthcare of Dothan was highly recommended by a friend as the best OBGYN practice in town.o
Upon exiting the elevators, you'll be at the front desk area. There are 3 waiting rooms each almost completely out of sight of the reception desk area.
I arrived with my older children for my appt to take a pregnancy test. I had been informed over the phone that this was required before I could make my first prenatal appt. I hadn't experienced this with my previous pregnancies but everywhere is different.
The reason I was given for this requirement as a lot of women in the past have either lied about/ misread at-home pregnancy test results.
I arrived before my scheduled appt time, checked in, paid the $11 fee to take required lab test, informed that the practice was completely paperless so I wouldn't be given a checkout slip, asked to come back to the reception area to check out, and told to wait in waiting room 3 until the lab called me to take the pregnancy test.
I was seated in the waiting room 10 minutes before my appt time. I had one of the first lab appt times available so there were only a couple people in the waiting room. The waiting room is almost directly across to the open ares of the lab. The lab had several nurses/techs waiting around for more patients to arrive. I noticed that everyone who had arrived after me were being called immediately back to the lab. I waited 35 minutes after my scheduled appt time before I went to the front desk to figure out what was happening. When I asked one of the front desk if it was normal for new patients to wait this long just to take a pregnancy test. She was surprised and said the lab must have forgotten I was there. She called back to the lab and told me to go back to the waiting room. I could hear the lab nurse/tech say "Oh, oops. Yeah, we'll get her in."
I waited another 10 minutes before I was called to back. The nurse/tech asked how my day was going. I told her I was a bit frustrated with waiting so long. She told me that it wasn't the lab's fault as the front desk didn't actually check me in for my appt. The lab had no idea I was even waiting. She said it was also really my fault for not trying to figure out the problem sooner. After using the cup I had been handed, I returned to the lab area to find the nurse/tech. I waited in the lab area for 5 minutes before she returned. 60 mins after my appt time, I was informed that I was pregnant and the at-home test was correct. Everywhere is different and the practice had never seen me before so I kind of understand(given their past history) that I had to prove to them I wasn't lying. She wrote on a piece of paper my last cycle date and calculated due date. She told me to give the test results aka the paper she had just written on to the front desk to check out. So clearly, they aren't completely paperless. When I asked her where the test results actually were on this piece of paper she was confused and said "that the actual lab results didn't matter as I would be using their prenatal care anyway."
I went to the reception area to check out and asked if I could get a copy of the paper aka the "test results" for myself. I was informed that would be against Federal Law for them to give me any of my test results. Then was told I would need to pay them upfront over double the amount of money I had been told over the phone. When I explained what I had been told by their insurance lady, I was told I was wrong. I asked them to call her which they did after complaining. Long story short, I had the correct info.
When I told them I would be going to another doctor practice. They were confused why I didn't want to continue to use them. They called records so I could get a copy of my test results. I was then informed I couldn't get a copy until it was put in the computer system and signed a general released(I did) and there wasn't a timeframe when they would mail me a copy.
This practice was the most unprofessional, rude, disorganized, misinformed practice I have ever gone too. Never again.
Kelli Watford (13.04.2016 04:02)
Doctors are great there, everyone was really good during my pregnancy, I don't get to use my regular doctor(dr butler) but I had dr Johnston and she was great. I'm still here for regular check ups.
Marti V (05.09.2013 21:21)
I have not been to my first appointment yet, but have already received excellent client care!
>Website is helpful, easy to navigate and the PDF forms are great.
>Received almost immediate responses to my questions via email.
>Secured an appointment within days of my initial inquiry/contact.
Thank you, Women's Healthcare of Dothan staff and website / software architects.