ComplaintsforUniversity Family Medicine Center

• Initial Complaint

  06/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  - Date: 5/31/2024 - Amount: $100 - Commitment from business: A medical appointment - I made an appointment to come in for a physical today (a few days ago) and because I did not confirm the appointment via a text message that looked like spam, I was charged $100. I was not told to be on the look out for that type of communication or the new rules on charging patients for not confirming the appointments they created.I paid it right then and there and had them print the receipt before I left and the receipt stated it was for a "no show", which would have been understandable if that were case. However, not only did I show up for the appointment I made, but I showed up early.I made sure to have them write down what they were really charging me for on the receipt, they wrote "late cancel" at first, when again, I was not late, nor did I cancel. They charged me for "Did not confirm", and that is what they wrote on my receipt instead. Not only was I charged for showing up to my appointment early, they also gave away my appointment slot.

  Business response

  06/03/2024

  In the **, and especially in *******, there is a shortage of primary care.  With the many people that have moved in and out of *******, health care has struggled to keep up with the demand.  We, as most medical offices, require patients to confirm that they do want to keep an appointment time by responding to a text, phone call or email.  Many appointments are made months in advance.  Confirming appointments allows us to free up appointment times so patients that are sick can get in same day.  We do not hold an appointment that is unconfirmed.  Instead we allow sick patients access to care in their PCP office at that time.  If an patient does not come in, I will often call patients we sent to walk in clinics and to the emergency room to try to save them the hassle and let them know we can see them in the office due the no show. 

  Best practice in health care is to confirm the schedule and allow others access to care ***** hours prior.  

  We sent texts and left voice messages on 5/30 and the morning of 5/31 to ************** with no response.

  We do not use a computer to text. Each text message is sent by a staff member and each phone call is personally made. 

  We confirmed with ***** that she had received the texts and voice messages.  She was busy and did not want to respond. The text message is as follows:

  "Hello- This is University Family Medicine. Type YES to confirm your appointment for today or you **** your appointment being cancelled."

  ***************** appointment time was given to a patient with strep throat that was treated prior to the weekend and to a patient with urinary track infection.  This detail shows that this best practice in the medical field does result in lowering health care costs and helping the most people in the out patient setting.  

  We encourage Ms. ****** to establish with a new PCP and consider this information for future care.  Thank you

  Customer response

  06/03/2024

   
  Complaint: 21786107
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  "We, as most medical offices, require patients to confirm that they do want to keep an appointment time by responding to a text, phone call or email. "

  - No such agreement was ever made upon entering into business with University Family Medicine Center

  "If an patient does not come in, I will often call patients we sent to walk in clinics and to the emergency room to try to save them the hassle and let them know we can see them in the office due the no show. "
  - Not only did I come in for my appointment, but I came in early.

  
  "We sent texts and left voice messages on 5/30 and the morning of 5/31 to ************** with no response."
  - No voicemail was left on 5/31

  
  "We do not use a computer to text. Each text message is sent by a staff member and each phone call is personally made. "Hello- This is University Family Medicine. Type YES to confirm your appointment for today or you **** your appointment being cancelled.""

  - The message above looks like spam / marketing, not a human, and was not opened because of this. Being charged for not opening text messages is unlawful.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  06/03/2024

  I am happy to refund the $100.  We were not going to charge her this fee but she insisted being charged when we brought up the normal fee charged for unconfirmed appointments. I will mail the check to her but wanted you to be aware of this.  Thanks for you help. *****

  Business response

  06/03/2024

  Date Sent: 6/3/2024 1:41:08 PM
  I am happy to refund the $100.  We were not going to charge her this fee but she insisted being charged when we brought up the normal fee charged for unconfirmed appointments. I will mail the check to her but wanted you to be aware of this.  Thanks for you help. *****

  Customer response

  06/03/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me, however, i want to clarify the false statement in the previous response from University Family Medicine.

  "I am happy to refund the $100.  We were not going to charge her this fee but she insisted being charged when we brought up the normal fee charged for unconfirmed appointments. I will mail the check to her but wanted you to be aware of this."

  - I was never insistent on paying unjustifiable fees, but needed to pay them to prevent University Family Medicine from reporting it to creditors. They further did not describe the $100 fee as an "unconfirmed appointment"  but for a cancellation which I did not do, thus they choose to charge me for the unjustifiable "Did not confirm" on the pdf sent in the original email.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Customer response

  06/07/2024

  It is the end of the week University Family Medicine had agreed to send me a check for the full refund of $100 in regards to the unjustified charge of "Did not confirm" appointment. I still have not received the check / refund mentioned. 

  Customer response

  06/10/2024

  Date Sent: 6/7/2024 10:34:01 AM
  It is the end of the week University Family Medicine had agreed to send me a check for the full refund of $100 in regards to the unjustified charge of "Did not confirm" appointment. I still have not received the check / refund mentioned. 

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  I can not control the US post office.  It left here mailed out, postage paid.  Per the post office, 7-10 days is normal delivery.  Perhaps call them and ask for assistance.  Thank you

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