Customer ReviewsforWest County Rheumatology

I chose this Rheumatologist due to them having the shortest waiting period for an appointment (which I probably should not have taken as a good sign).They ran several tests. Some of the results did not match what my previous results were from my general doctor, dermatologist and neurologist (yet, my other results from the other specialists correlated with each other) When I questioned this, they simply told me their labs were better.I then spoke to ********* to schedule a new appointment, when said she noticed on my chart that I had made an appointment with another Rheumatologist. She stated if I saw any other Rheumatologist, they would refuse to see me. When I questioned why, she said because, "That is how ************** chooses to run her practice. She feels like if your seeking second opinions, then there's just a loss of trust between the provider and the patient. She wants her patients to have full faith in her and her practice. And if that's the case, then she doesn't feel it's the best fit anymore."I have never heard a doctor's ****** say this before. That is a huge red flag for me.If any doctor refuses to see me because I want a second opinion, I will never see that doctor again.

West County Rheumatology will not comment on medical issues specific to a patient in a public forum but will comment on our policies and process.Thank you for your comments. As noted from over 700 Five Star reviews on ****** and A+ BBB Rating, West County Rheumatology prides itself on its professionalism, customer service, and serving community ********************** needs. As you may know, we have two high-level academic institutions in *********** (********************* and **********************). West County Rheumatology, is a COMMUNITY-BASED private rheumatology office and prides itself on our ability to see patients in a timely manner, unlike the vast majority of rheumatology offices in the greater *********** area, which you will find to be booked out many weeks to months. We also manage a tight cancellation list to accommodate patients even more quickly.As you also noted, we use the gold standard of diagnostic testing in the country, including the ***** blood test, advanced musculoskeletal ultrasound, and radiology. Primary care and other specialists may not have the access or experience to harness these modalities. We are proud that our diagnostic testing rivals or exceeds even university systems and can be corroborated nationally.Once a patient has established care with us, we have entered into an agreement that involves trust on both sides. As we are prescribing medication that requires monitoring and follow-up, we expect our patients will closely be closely monitored and respond to important instructions.Your review reported many points in your patient journey of mistrust, including the ability to be seen quickly and discordance with former labwork. Once a patient makes an appointment with another rheumatologist while still under our care, our policy is to release that patient to the care of the new rheumatologist. (We are still responsible for 30 days of care, however).After over twenty years of practice, ************* knows that patients seeking multiple opinions are searching for an answer to their rheumatology issue that we may not be able to provide, and the patient is best served by moving on the the new rheumatologist.

This doctor does not really care about her patients. Second opinions are not allowed! That alone should scare you away. You will only see the doctor the first visit. After that you will always see a PA, even if you request to see the doctor! I think she used to be a great doctor, but in recent years she seems to only care about the almighty dollar, not the patients who make those dollars for her.

Hello,We are sorry to hear about your feelings about West County Rheumatology. As you may or may not know the precipitous rise in baby boomers has led to a similar rise in patients needing care for joint and arthritis issues. As such, the ********** systems (and many private) rheumatologists are booking out many months and sometimes close to a year to see even an initial patient visit. Neither did ************** believe this to be acceptable nor sustainable for patient care or the Saint ***** ********* therefore she does have Advanced Practioners at her office.The system at her office is very clearly explained to patients at the outset of their care journey which includes close collaboration with highly selected and well-trained Nurse Practitioners. There are many choices for rheumatology care in *********** including two large ********** systems. We encourage any patients who are displeased or have lost trust to kindly see another care provider in the area. West County Rheumatology will expeditiously forward records over to the next provider. Once you have left our practice, our policy is to stay with that provider as we have already rendered an opinion and care plan. It would be highly unlikely that our plan would change so we believe your care at that point should be entrusted to your new caregiver.We believe our 4.9 rating with over five hundred reviews on ****** speaks volumes about our dedicated care for patients suffering from rheumatologic conditions in the *********** area and beyond.*********************************, ****