The Polyclinic Downtown

Ever since Optum bought out Polyclinic, its just gone down hill. My doctor just up and left because it got so bad. I can see why so many are leaving. Had to find another hospital. Only informed that my appointment was canceled. No explanation.

I have been a patient of Polyclinic Downtown for a few years now and it was a great experience until my beloved doctor left. They stuck me with Dr. Andrew Smith. I am the most low-maintenance, easy-going patient out there but it only took one visit for me to realize this guy is no bueno and I don't like him.

I came in for my introductory visit with the new doc for one purpose, to refill my prescription for my inhalers (I have minor asthma). After going through the standard questions about my prescriptions, he proceeded to spend the next 10-15 minutes trying to persuade me that I may not need my long term inhaler and that I should try going without it... wait.... what? Excuse me? I came here for this medication, and this guy is literally trying to convince me that I don't need it. After he finally agreed to refill it, I left.

Fast forward about a week or two. Ran out of my current inhaler, so I go to pick up my prescription and they tell me that I don't have a prescription for my long term inhaler. I was very confused. They told me that doctor Smith had canceled it. Are you kidding me?

Bad people skills, bad manner, bad doc, and an all around bad look for the Polyclinic. I'll be seeking a different doctor now.

I love my Polyclinic doctors especially Dr Taagen and Dr Tran but their billing department is borderline criminal.....as briefly as I can explain it:

1. Saw eye doctor in October
2. Received bill months later for the entire amount
3. tried to call numerous times to find out why the bill was never sent to my insurance company.....no responses to request for call back or to "save my place" in line on numerous occasions when I could no longer spend more than 30 to 45 minutes on hold.
4. Received service denial letter from UHC. My insurance co. was Aetna!
5. Once again went through the terror of trying to get the billing dept. and on the rare occasions I was able to speak with someone they were barely able to even consider helping. Rude, incompetent, lazy! They repeatedly told me they would resend the bill to the correct insurance company.
6. I continued to receive bills for the full amount, then letter stating "final warning" and then letter and call from collection agency.
7. Throughout this time (months) I called on more occasions than I can recount
8. I called the Everett Clinic number vs. the Polyclinic number and was greeted professionally by someone who really wanted to help.
9. I was redirected to someone competent at Polyclinic who assured me that there would be no collection action and that I didn't owe anything.
10. I received an apology letter from Everett Clinic advising there was no balance owed, that the issue was resolved and thanking me for being a customer/patient.
11. Received a phone call message from someone in management at Polyclinic once again apologizing and thanking me for my patience. Nothing more for me to do. No balance to pay
12. Received a call waking me up two days ago from the same collection agency advising me that I had the same outstanding balance and that I needed to pay.
13. Started the entire phone call, lazy employee, Everett Clinic transfer back to Polyclinic and then no call back routine over again.
14. Screamed at the collection agency manager and submitted formal complaints to the WA State attorney general office and to the CFPB.
15. Was told once again by someone purported to be a supervisor at Polyclinic that they would send a note to the collection agency "tomorrow" to tell them I didn't owe anything...no apology just rank indifference.
16. Today received another bill statement showing the old balance as "Bad Debt."

Question:
Do I leave my preferred doctors due to the incompetence and malpractice of the billing department ?????

Most, if not all of this, is documented


FYI: The bill in question was for $528. Had I known the hell they would put me through to get this corrected (although I am still not sure it is corrected) I would have just paid it and then left the Polyclinic behind.

The physicians and medical assistants are great; however, my doctors and my friend's doctors are quitting in droves. I have lost more than 50%. When I try to make an appointment, I have had to give up because no one answers the phone and no one calls back. The worst are the bills that arrive and are threatening. I have decided to move on!

In a just world, the people responsible for the polyclinic would at least be in jail. The complete lack of patient care and their profit seeking billing practices are disturbing. They were the worst people to be trusted with the care of my husband. We would have been better off with no doctor, rather than trying to seek care with the polyclinic.

On top of the lack of care, they have repeatedly billed us for things we paid for literally years ago. Apparently, in their desire to enrich themselves they hire people to look over medical records and find things they can try to bill you again for.

I cannot re-iterate enough how much I despise this place. Stay away at all costs.

Full disclosure here: I, too, am a doctor, so it's difficult to get me to go to a doctor. My old doc at the Polyclinic, Hatfield, has moved on from general care and is into a more specialized kind of patient, so I opted on using someone else there, Kelly Thompson. In person, she looks nothing like her profile picture on the Polyclinic site; she walked into the exam room with her colorful tattoos and a sundress, and I was immediately more comfortable. Normally my social anxiety around beautiful people would kick in, but she was super personable, and actually listened to me.

A mentor of mine once told me that "if you listen to your patients, actually listen, they will give you the keys to the castle". She actually did, and she stated that I needed to get a diagnostic ultrasound, STAT. When that came back negative for what we were looking for, she even sent me back for another.

Eventually we determined the diagnosis, and while there is no immediate solution to my issues, the understanding of what is going on with me has reduced my stress levels.

Dr. Thompson is the kind of doctor I wish I knew outside of the doctor - patient relationship... wait, that sounds creepy! What i mean to say is that she's a great balance of "human" and "professional", and I'll choose her each time going forward. She seems genuinely interested in her patients, and as a huge bonus to her, loves dogs, not just her own.

Why does Polyclinic fight creating a transgender care hub? They have the team and opportunity to walk the walk. Perhaps Dr. Lloyd David as CEO has the ability to provide inclusive support and maybe even expand the business?

The worst medical company in town, in dozens of visits not one has been billed correctly. Doctors may do a great job but you have to spend nearly a part time job worth of your own time on the phone with their billing department after every visit and it is truly not worth the stress and tears.

What's new in town and lucky enough to find Dr Smyth it's been years now and trust her care and her pleasant demeanor

Multiple visits to Dr. Andrew Smith were just frustrating. Been with the Polyclinic nearly 30 years and never had such a frustrating experience with any doctor there. Very rigid and not empathetic or collaborative in helping me figure out care plans. And apparently felt the need to disparage my previous physicians care by telling he me repeatedly that he is not him, or that they have very different opinion on things when I've been confused by his different approach. Additionally Dr Smith has contradicted himself as to the preferred care plan. And on my initial visit, he was clearly not listening, as he asked the same questions at different times not registering that I'd already given the answer. Further he jumped to a conclusion with a complex regiment on a particular health issue, only to find it was something basic when I saw a specialist. I'm done.