This review is not a commentary on Dr. Basson. It is, instead, a reflection on her receptionist and how receptionists can do great damage to a medical practice.
The problem began when I called to schedule an appointment. After being told by one receptionist that Dr. Basson did not accept my insurance, I asked her to check again. After all, my insurance provider was who directed me to Dr. Basson in the first place. When relaying this information the receptionist apologized for the misinformation and scheduled an appointment. Perhaps Dr. Basson had previously accepted my insurance (First Health Network) and no longer did. Maybe this receptionist never even bothered to confirm and instead took my word for it. I did not receive confirmation from an automated text, much less someone from the office.
I arrived for my appointment early and was forced to interact with Vanessa, a different receptionist from the one I previously spoke with. When I gave her my insurance card (admittedly different in appearance from most insurance cards) she condescendingly asked, "What is this"? When I told her it was what she asked for, she replied skeptically and, without saying it, seemed to imply that I fabricated my insurance card. She insisted that Dr. Basson did not accept the insurance, to which I replied that I had engaged in the same discussion with the other receptionist who confirmed the opposite. Vanessa went on and on, almost incensed that I would dare schedule an appointment that made her have to depart from her usual routine and input information about a different insurance provider. Finally she scolded me that I didn't even have a referral to be seen. But how did she know? She never asked for that information. In fact, I did have a referral from an earlier ER visit. At that point I demanded my insurance card and canceled my own visit. I made it known, and do so here, that Vanessa was bewilderingly unprofessional, her tone remarkably pedantic, and her attitude rotten to the core.
Perhaps Vanessa had a bad day (she looked like she had a cold). But Dr. Basson should know that Vanessa's behavior not only jeopardizes the practices' bottom line, but also destroys the very basis of a patient-doctor relationship, namely trust. Why would I want to be seen by a doctor who has working for her someone who is skeptical, condescending, and blatantly disrespectful? Other patients should know and refuse to be treated as such. read more