I regret not researching reviews before my first visit. If I had, I would have canceled my…read moreappointment. My negative experience with this office leaves much to be desired.
When I made my first appointment, I was told I would receive a follow-up call 7/1 one week before my appointment to confirm my insurance coverage and out-of-pocket cost. I didn't receive the call until 7/3, and I was told that my insurance would cover the visit.
When I arrived for my appointment, I filled out the new patient forms and met with the nurse practitioner. The intake and assessment included logging my weight, blood pressure, and medical history. The NP overviewed the body composition report, asked if I have sleep issues, reviewed a list of weight loss medications to consider, and discussed goals (sleep 7-8 hours, add weight training, and keep a food diary for the nutritionist appointment). I told the NP I was not interested in taking medication for weight loss. After the assessment, I was guided to the front desk to make a nutritionist and NP follow-up appointments. I was told by the front desk clerk that there wasn't a nutritionist on location, and if I wanted to meet with the nutritionist before August, I would have to do a telehealth visit. While scheduling the appointments, the front desk clerk gave me two additional forms to fill out. These forms were not included in the original stack I filled out when I arrived. I was given a folder containing information I could easily find online and left the office.
While reviewing the material in my car, it occurred to me that I wasn't given a tour of the facility. I returned to the office to ask questions about their on-site gym and asked more questions about the cost of the services. A third person (I assume an office manager) said they could not tell me the cost of my initial visit. I asked how much it would cost if I were uninsured. She stated that she could not give me that information because the cost differs between the insured and uninsured. Due to my insurance, I wanted to get an idea of how much my initial consultation would cost. She stated they bill each insurance company differently, so she could not give me an estimate of the cost. I continued to press the matter, and she gave me the billing office's phone number. Since no one in the office could give me a cost estimate, I canceled the nutritionist appointment until I could see how they would bill my insurance.
This morning, I received a call from a pulmonary care and sleep medicine specialist in Towson. The caller stated she received a referral from my PCP and was calling to schedule an appointment for a sleep evaluation. This information was news to me. I asked the name of the doctor who sent the referral, and she named the NP I met with at CoreLife. There was no discussion about being referred to a sleep specialist during my initial visit. I immediately called the CoreLife office, asking to speak to the NP to find out why I was referred without my knowledge. I was told the NP was unavailable as she was with a patient. I gave my reason for calling and asked for a callback. The receptionist said she would pass along my message; however, the NP only takes appointments to discuss concerns. I canceled my follow-up appointment with the NP because this company is dishonest.
I am writing this review to highlight the lack of transparency, questionable business practices, and rudeness I encountered in the Owings Mills office. Their primary service is administering weight loss medication, upselling personal training, and billing for follow-up visits with the NP to check vital signs while using the medication. Their website and social media marketing are misleading, failing to mention that patient success relies on taking weight loss medication. They claim to provide behavioral health clinicians, but the NP offered to give me a list of therapists, suggesting everyone could use therapy. There is no on-site nutritionist at the Owing Mills location, and the sad-looking gym is in a backroom in their office, which I had to ask to see as it was not included in the new patient orientation. My experience with this office and company leaves me feeling they prioritize medical billing over patient care. The attached photos show the unprofessional material given in my packet.
