[Talk Host]

I think Dr. Rivers is a competent doctor.

There are a couple of things that made me decide to change to another doctor.

# 1

I was seeing him for a throat condition and he suggested that I be referred to an Ear Nose and Throat specialist. I agreed and he said his office would set up the referral. After a couple of days, I heard nothing from the ENT. So, I called Dr. Rivers office. I was told that, "......it would be at least two weeks before they would make the referral." TWO WEEKS, I said. Yes, she said, we don't do it until the office notes are transcribed. I said, "do you know how ridiculous that is?" She said, "I'm sorry, that's our office policy.'

I told her to forget the referral and I made the appointment myself. I was in and out of the ENT in five days.

Can you imagine????????????? Two weeks before they can even make a phone call to make an appointment for me. I asked my new doctors office how long they take to make a referral, and they said it is done "THE SAME DAY."

#2


This past fall, he asked if I wanted a flu shot. I said yes, and it was administered. Since they are free in some places and $30 in others, I never expected to get a bill for $70. That's 110% higher than anywhere else.
I told them I would pay only $30. So now they are turning it over to collection. I guess I am going to pay the remaining $40.

These comments are my opinion.

JLK

[BobKat1]

$70 does seem high for just a flu shot (assuming you didn't get a pneumonia shot along with it).

Around here a flu shot is about $30 at a Walgreen's, CVS etc. Our family doctor charges $45. No charge at the time of the shot if you're on Medicare.

[graciegirl]

Jan.

Is it possible that you were given the name of the ENT to make your own appointment? That is how our GP handles referrels because you can schedule it to your own convenience. Usually on the intake form it will say " Who referred you?"

Certainly there was some kind of misunderstanding somewhere. If you needed immediate care, then that was deplorable. I have found that sometimes I get worried and don't take in information clearly especially when a referral is being made, because usually that triggers a minor panic in me.

We have had a LOT of health issues over the years, most especially with our daughters' open heart surgery and then cancer and we have been blessed with really awesome care from the medical community in Cincinnati.

I haven't yet made any medical connections in TV and I must say to hear this is very troubling.

[Talk Host]

There was absolutely no misunderstanding. I understood it perfectly clear. My coversation with his nurse was in great detail.

[Bryan]

My bride used Dr. Rivers recently and was generally pleased. She had liked him when he was part of a practice here in TV. When he moved out to practice solo, she stayed with the practice. She finally decided, after having to switch doctors a few times due to comings and goings, to give Dr. Rivers another try. It took her almost two years to get an appointment - he was so booked that she had to go on a waiting list for new patients. Her chief complaint was that she wasn't seen for almost an hour after her scheduled appointment time. She has one follow-up appointment with him and then will decide if she wants to stay with him to move on to someone who is a little more diligent in seeing patients at their scheduled times.

[RonJan]

Hi, We use to go to Dr. Rivers when we first moved to the villages three years ago. We were moved over to Dr. McKeon his asst. for no reason. We also have the same problem of a referal for my wife. When the referal doctor office staff called they could not get my wife in for a appointment until four months, we told them this is unacceptable and hung up. One week later, Dr. Rivers office mgr. called us and said we are causing trouble and Dr. Rivers will no longer will be seeing you..you have 30 days to find a new doctor. wow !!!!!!!!!!! We said doesn't Dr. Rivers run the office, she said NO I do. When we said we want to stop by and see Dr. Rivers about this problem, she said if we stop by the office she would call the POLICE !!!!!!!!!! REALLY.

We told her where to go.... if you know what we mean lol.

We now have Mr. Tufar and he is great...also chief of staff at the hospital..

[Whalen]

O my, this is scary!
Am I going to have to move back to New York before I even move in to TV?

[cglenhar]

I walked out of an appointment with my "new", "new"Dr. (second since we moved here) today after waiting one hour. I told them that I had read their policy regarding their right to turn patients away that were 15 minutes late for an appointment, and charge them $50 dollars for a missed appointment. I am sure that after waiting 4 times that time I will get my $50 check in the mail. (Right)

I am interested to hear others experience with Florida doctors. Most of my Florida experiences have been better than those in NY (weather especially), but Florida medical care for me so far, not so much.

Read my most recent blog entry here on this subject:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=170

[Shirleevee]

Originally Posted by cglenhar

I walked out of an appointment with my "new", "new"Dr. (second since we moved here) today after waiting one hour. I told them that I had read their policy regarding their right to turn patients away that were 15 minutes late for an appointment, and charge them $50 dollars for a missed appointment. I am sure that after waiting 4 times that time I will get my $50 check in the mail. (Right)

I am interested to hear others experience with Florida doctors. Most of my Florida experiences have been better than those in NY (weather especially), but Florida medical care for me so far, not so much.

Read my most recent blog entry here on this subject:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=170

OhOh,

I am used to waiting at doctors offices here in Staten Island, NY, and somehow I thought it might be better in TV.... When I go to my doctors in Manhattan, I hardly wait at all.....maybe leaving and stating your reason willl shake then up.

[borjo]

RonJan,
I'm sure there is more to this story than you've written. No office staff would "call the police" unless they were pushed, aggravated or frightened. Perhap you were the individual I heard yelling in the office one time I was there.
I get to see the PA, Glenn Mckeon and the NP, Lori Eschary during the year as well as Dr Rivers. Glenn is a very capable physician assistant and Lori a whiz as the nurse practioner. Being a retired medical professional I found Dr. Rivers to be an intellegent, caring and sincere physician. It hurts me to hear someone give only one side of the story about an individual I respect.

[Talk Host]

Well, now that you mention it. I too, at one point, was shifted over to Glenn McKeon by the front office. I found him to be a most capable, caring and thorough PA. I was really getting to feel comfortable with him as my health care provider. After several months, out of the clear blue, I got a call from Dr. River office manager asking if I was going to continue to see Glenn or did I want to, once again, begin to see Dr. Rivers.

I was astounded by the call. I asked why I was being put in a position to make such a decision when it was not me in the first place who had switched me to a different provider. The office manager was nothing short of insolent. She informed me all she needed from me was a yes or no answer.

I said that I thought that seeing a "Physicians Assistant" was the same as actually seeing "The Doctor," that they worked in concert. It turns out that these two apparently have separate practices in the same building, each having his own patient list.

I asked her which of the two was a better choice for me. Of course she refused to offer an opinion. She said she makes these calls all the time and this is the first time time anybody has questioned her. HUH? Does Glenn know she is making these calls?

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by borjo

RonJan,
Being a retired medical professional I found Dr. Rivers to be an intellegent, caring and sincere physician. It hurts me to hear someone give only one side of the story about an individual I respect.

I have reread all of the posts, including mine. Nobody has called into question the ability of Dr. Rivers or Glenn McKeon as medical professionals. I think they are both very capable.

In my opinion, most of the problems we, as patients have with our doctors, are caused by the office staff. Of course this is a good time for office staff to jump in and tell us how unreasonable and difficult the patients are.

[graciegirl]

It doesn't matter how unruly and difficult patients are. It is the duty of the office staff to be PATIENT, POLITE and if caring is somewhere in their pocket, use that too. The patients are the Paying Guests at their establishment.

I couldn't handle their job. I am a mean hearted smart mouth.

But my cats like me.

Sometimes.

[Shirleevee]

My primary physician (HMO), is the goto doctor for all referrals. From time to time he will ask me how his staff is doing. Only once did I complain that one of the staff was less than professional. He stated that I was not alone in telling him about her rudeness. On my next visit, she was gone.

[Talk Host]

I think the thing that frosts me most about arriving at a doctors off is: when you arrive at the glass window (which may be closed), there is a clip board for you to "sign in." The receptionist may be less than one foot away from you and fails to acknowledge your existence. Many times that is the last communication you have unless they need to question your ability to pay. Then, if they need to speak to you, they slide the glass open, speak their piece, then slam it closed in your face, while immediately looking elsewhere.

It telegraphs the immediate impression that you are a mere walking piece of meat. (sick meat at that) I feel that many front office personnel believe their job is to protect the doctor from the hoards until they are allowed to funnel in one at a time. In fact, their job is to welcome the patient to the office and make them feel comfortable until their time to enter.

How about those offices that are running 1/2 hour or 1 hour late, and there is no attempt whatsoever to communicate with the poor saps sitting in the waiting room. Not a word, nothing. Just, "sit there and wait until we are good and ready to see you."

We all understand emergency situations. What I personally don't understand is the failure to communicate with the human beings sitting in the waiting room. (sick human beings at that)

Not all doctors offices are like that, but many are.

Medicine is a "people" business. Every person who walks through the door is not only a customer, but a person as well. They deserve to be treated like an individual (a sick individual at that).