Once was a caring, considerate doctor. But a couple of years ago, if you wanted to see Dr McGorry…read moreJr., it was a six month wait for an appointment. Can't say much for Dr. Patel, since I've seen her once in my life. It was for my 'Welcome to Medicare' visit. Except they submitted the wrong billing code and I got a bill for $250.
Skip down to the middle of a pandemic. Pharmacy submitted request for two prescriptions. Meds I have taken for years. They were both declined. In fact every time I requested a refill, it was an argument. But that's old history. This time I had no need to expose myself to the dangers of Covid-19 for no reason, other than their desire to bill Medicare.
I called the office to try and straighten it out and was told no appointment, no prescription. When I expressed my concern as I am 68 years old, prediabetic, with other comorbidities.
"It's perfectly safe." they told me. How do they know this? "We ask the patient if they've travelled recently" and if they were sick, "They'd tell us. They're honest and wouldn't lie." Forget about being untested or asymptomatic.
They wouldn't have the doctor return my call. Unless it was a 'virtual appointment'. Translation, a billable phone call.
I understand Dr. McGorry Sr. was a kind, considerate doctor. McGorry Jr. also seemed to be. That is, until they joined St. Luke's, changed their name, and the Hippocratic Oath went out the window.
My father was a well known orthopedic surgeon. My mother was a registered nurse. (They both served in France during WWII). My sister is a pediatrician, a neonatologist, and has a law degree. So I don't come from an uninformed, ignorant family.
If you value the health and safety of your family or loved ones, you'll find a doctor who hasn't sold out, and values a personal respect and relationship with their patients. You'd do better asking Siri or Alexa for advice.
I hope some executive at St Luke's reads this and sees the importance of this failure to provide adequate, if not compassionate, service to their customers. Maybe they'll show some concern, despite the fact that Pennsylvania doctors have no issue lining up willing patients, considering many good ones are leaving the state for places where practices get more consideration and cost less to work in.
If they want to sue me for this critical, but completely honest and forthright review, be my guest. I'd love to tell a judge about their virus mitigation efforts, where not having travelled recently is their determination that patients are virus free. I guess Trump just tested positive (according to news reports tonight) because he's traveled recently.
I should add, when I asked the name of the woman who explained their coronavirus screening methods, she hung up on me.
