Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/11/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This complaint is for Digestive Associates located at ********************************************************************. I've had three colonoscopies within a year and a half. The first two, *************************** said I wasn't cleaned out enough (even though I followed the directions on the solution they gave me) and I've had other colonoscopies and never had an issue. Finally, the third procedure was done on July 28, 2023. They found something but it needed to be discussed with the doctor. I had an appointment on August 11. I received a call from ***** in early August who said he'd need to postpone my appointment because the doctor would be out. I told him of my concern and I wanted to find out what my medical problem was. Could I see someone else in the office. He said no. **************** is the only one. He gave me an appointment for Sept 15 at 1:45pm and if they could get me in earlier, they'd call me. Well, they did call me back and moved my appointment from 1:45pm to 10:45am on the same day. (Big deal). Then, in early September, I received a call from April who said the doctor was going to be out and they'd have to yet again reschedule me for some time in October. I said this was unacceptable and I didn't want to wait any longer and that I needed to find out what my medical issues are so I could take care of it. ***** said she was sorry and could give me an appointment on either October 20 or 22. I said "You have appointments on Sundays now?" She said no, I'm sorry. Needless to say, I hit the roof with their incompetence and that they don't keep their minds on what they are doing. I told her I was reporting them. She did give me an appointment for October 17 at 8:30am. **** knows if they'll change it yet again. This service is unacceptable and I've requested my medical records because I no longer trust them with my care.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/13/2023

  Hello and thank you for bringing this patient's complaint to our attention. We are in the process of contacting the patient and reviewing what transpired. We will provide you with an additional update shortly. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/02/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have made several attempts to contact the medical assistant for my Dr at Digestive Associates starting 7.21.23 however she seems to be on vacation. I am shocked that the office coordinator doesn't have anyone to handle her caseload or return calls. This is a problem because my stomach has been in severe pain for over 2 weeks and I have visited the ** 4 times seeking help. I visited the office on 7,20,23 and was seen, the next day I was back in the ** and tried to call the office about a concern that had passed the day after, I never received a return call back. I returned to the ** on 7.24.23. and called again on 7.26.23 left another message and never received a call back. I tried back the next morning as instructed and left another message, still no return call. I called back again on 7,28,23 to be informed that the medical assistant was on vacation and no one could handle my concerns. I became rather upset and managed to get an appointment for 7.31.23. At that time the Dr prescribed a medication in liquid form and my insurance doesn't cover that so the pharmacy tried calling that day around 2 pm, no reply. I called again on 8.01.23 to have an updated set of instructions for my procedure prep because my appointment had been moved from am to pm and also check the status of my prescription. I was told "You'll be ok" by the office supervisor. Feeling dismissed I called the pharmacy who had informed me they had placed another call to request a change in my prescription and still had heard nothing from Digestive Associates. I called the pharmacy again later in the evening at 6:44 pm because I had still not received the email with prep instructions or any update on my prescription. The pharmacy sent a fax tonight however I doubt they will receive the updated prescription by morning. This office is sorely lacking in appropriate staff for patient concerns, Someone should return calls when their patients keep going to the **. Please help.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/17/2023

  *************************** was contacted by Digestive ****************** manager ****** on 8/8/2023. Patient voiced her concerns about the wait time for an initial appointment. Patient confirmed she received her medication but wanted to speak with a provider regarding some symptoms she was experiencing. Our provider *************** returned her phone call on 8/8/2023 and according to ******'s last conversation with ******, all her concerns had been addressed. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have Crohns disease and Im completely disabled from this disease. Since COVID Ive been trying to find the right doctor. In that process Ive also run across some bad doctors. And ***************** from Digestive Associates was one of them. I complained about him a while ago. When I checked into hospital *** was assigned a Gastro doctor it happened to be ******************************* and she didnt tell me she was apart of Dr. ******** group. So from the moment I was assigned to her shes been lying to me. I was checked in the ** on Saturday June 10th. ****************** told me for 5 days, I would get my infusion (which I get every 90 days at this hospital). She never told me she worked with a doctor I previously complained about which is ******************. My nurse **** paged her over 8 times within a 2 day timeframe and she never came. But she kept informing my nurses I would get my medication and seems now she was stalling them. After 5 days of not getting my medication my wife showed up asking questions. We had charge nurse ***** reach out to her and she still didnt answer, thats when she told us she cant force ****************** to do her job. The nurse explained they see where I have been getting my infusion there at hospital but cant understand why the doctor ***** given it to me. Once my wife asked more questions is only when we found out the doctor was sent from digestive associates. Thats when we realized the real reason I wasnt getting my medication. To be biased against a patient because of what they went through with your colleague or boss, shouldnt result in you not treating that patient. So we immediately we to ***** manager only to discover ****************** isnt going to treat me and told me to leave. Its documented that Ive been getting this every 90 days at this hospital. I had never met her or ever had her as a doctor. But for her to interfered with me receiving my medication because she being biases because of what I did to her office a while back is hurtful and just mean.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/28/2023

  ******************* was initially seen by ****************** in our office.When the physician assumed his care, he attempted to explain to the patient that he would need to ascertain the extent and activity of his Crohns, to which the patient replied you do not need to make the diagnosis, it has already been made,to which ****************** countered he needed to make the appropriate diagnosis to treat him appropriately.
  According to ******************, ************ was only marginally compliant with diagnostic efforts and little evidence of active Crohns has been found.The only objective evidence of possible Crohns disease is a CT enterography performed by another provider in the past revealing a patulous terminal ileumbut no inflammation. He has had normal endoscopic studies and no positive inflammatory markers have been found.
  Despite the paucity of evidence for ******, the patient demanded pharmaceutical interventions for flares and even went as far as incorrectly informing his infusion center of Dr. ******** desire to change and/or schedule Biologics which is simply not true. Due to these incidents, it was clear that this was an unsafe patient care environment. The patient was discharged from *********** care so that he may find a physician with whom he can work with to effectively diagnose and treat his condition.
  The patient was then seen in the hospital by the on-call provider, ****************** and demanded he be treated for Crohns Disease with in-patient biologics. However, as per extensive review of records, both hospital and office records, there was no clinical or histopathological evidence to support this diagnosis. Due to the patients demands, ****************** did attempt a non-invasive work up with a MR ************* He also admitted to having bidirectional endoscopy just prior to this admission at a different facility that he stated was unremarkable. This is sufficient reason to not provide the patient with a medication such as Humira.
  The allegation that physicians are biased or somehow conspiring to interfere with his care is baseless. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/29/2023

   
  Complaint: 20199993
  
  I am rejecting this because its not up to you to diagnose my disease.Telling me I dont need a medication like Humira goes actually to my point. I didnt come to the ** to be diagnosed. I have been disabled from this disease for almost a decade. I cant help that ****************** nor his colleagues are good at their jobs. This is actually the problem I dont need for you to tell me I have crohns or even find it. And at the end of your response saying thats why they didnt give me medication such as Humira, which by the way comes directly from ****************** you shouldnt be able to have a biases opinion from a colleague and not treat the patient in front of you. Both ****************** and ****************** went directly off the info from digestive associates by you interfering with my treatment. Which is only based on information they got from your office which is ******************. I assure you I m going to take this as far as I have to after both your doctors told me to my face they would give me my infusion because they see its something Ive been getting the past 2 times at the hospital. Only to speak to you and your office and then for them to tell me after they speak to you that now Im not getting it. Just so were clear no one comes to the hospital and ask for an infusion unless they need it its not pain medicine its Medicine I need for me to survive and the fact neither of your doctors gave it to me. I have a problem, and I will continue to have a problem until the reprimanded. Either through the hospital or other means, I assure you I will fight to make this happen.

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/02/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am so upset and disgusted. I had a doctors visit with the Gastro specialist about two years ago. It was a quick visit, he didnt do any tests on me, just asked me some questions and told me I needed a procedure so they can look further in my stomach. This procedure was rescheduled about three times because the doctor ***** available. I waited about a year for this procedure, still bearing with the discomfort I had. The day before the procedure, when I finally think I am going to have it done, and will have answers to what I have been feeling, an assistant called me, saying, my insurance covers the doctor, but not the facility where the surgery will take place. Then I get a call saying I owe $190 for that one visit because my insurance didnt cover it. I feel completely blindsided and lied to. I would never do business like this and hide the prize or the details from a customer. I dont even know why it is so much if it was a quick talk and what I needed didnt even get resolved. Not to mention, I should have been told this price before the visit or that my insurance didnt cover it.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/28/2023

  *************************** was initially seen on 07/20/2022 and was scheduled for an EGD on 09/12/2022. On 09/09/2022 the patient called and requested for her procedure to be rescheduled. She was called back on 09/15/2022 and she did not answer, therefore a voicemail was left. She returned our call and left a voicemail on 10/28/2022 to reschedule her procedure. Her voicemail was returned on 11/04/2022 and she did not answer but a voicemail was left. The patient called again on 11/15/2022 to reschedule her procedure, and she was called on 11/18/2022, she was able to get rescheduled for 02/20/2023. On 01/09/2023 the patient sent a reschedule request through the patient portal. During the returned call a date could not be found that worked for the patient as she was requesting specific dates. She was at work and asked for a date to be found and for someone to call her with the information as she did not have the time to be on the call. She was called back to inform her of the date that was chosen. She was scheduled for her procedure 03/15/2023. On 02/15/2023 we got a message through the portal, asking if she can reschedule the procedure again, before she was called she sent another message saying she was going to keep the appointment for the day and did not wish to reschedule it anymore. On 03/10/2023 our authorization department received a denial letter as her specific insurance plan could not go to ************************* The patient was called but again a voicemail had to be left. On the voicemail it was explained that our providers do not go to the surgery centers that are in contract with her insurance. That same day she called and said she had updated her insurance and that we had the wrong one but our authorization department verified we did have the correct one on file. The patient was notified and she was upset but understood the situation. She was offered to get the procedure done as a cash pay patient but she said her insurance should be able to cover the procedure, after she said that she was going to find a different ************* that went to the surgery centers that were in contract.

  Upon reviewing her account, it appears that the patient has been sent 6 statements to pay her deductible assessed by UMR as patient responsibility of $190.23. Patient had a $1500 deductible that was not met at the time of service. This balance has been written off as a professional courtesy.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/03/2023

   
  Complaint: 20133826
  
  

  Hello,

  I just wanted to clarify I will no longer owe the $190.23

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

  Business Response

  Date: 07/20/2023

  That is correct, we have given a professional courtesy for the $190 which you do not need to pay.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/21/2023

   
  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.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/10/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I received a referral from my ************ MD, to see ************** at the ************* for an Endoscopy Ultrasound procedure,to diagnose possible cancer of the Pancreas. I was informed by my regular Gastroenterologist that this test needed to be done "STAT" I attempted to make a required consultation appointment with ****************** staff by phone, No one at his office would answer the phone, I left my name and number on 4 attempts, I never received a call back, So I went in person to a Digestive Associates office near me and the receptionist was able to schedule my appointment. After seeing **************, he scheduled my procedure at ******** ********** for March 2nd 2023, On March 1st 2023 I received a call from the D.Assoc. Office that ************** was no longer associated with the ************** and I would have to re-schedule for the test at Centennial Hosp. On March 21st 2023. On That day ***** to receiving anesthesia, I informed ************** of the problems I had with his staff not answering the phone or returning calls, he was aware of the issue and admitted that this was an ongoing problem with the staff at the *************. After the procedure he informed me to see him for a follow up and Biopsy results in 3 weeks, I have never been able to make that follow up appointment due to his staff never answering the phone or returning my calls. On April 2nd 2023 I talked to my ************ ******************************* and explained my issues, He stated (Since he was the referring MD) that he would have D.A. send him my Test/Biopsy Results, His Staff had issues reaching ****************** staff also, he was finally told he would receive my results (per D.A. on April 21st 2023, They never received them! On Monday May 8th early am, I went to the local D.A. (Digestive Associates) office and requested they Fax over my results to my Primary MD's Office, They assured me they would Fax my Results that Day (May 8th 2023) As of Today May 9th 2023 @3:30 pm, I have received no call from my primary that they had received anything from Digestive Associates. It is very stressing waiting on pins and needles to find out if I have Pancreatic cancer or not, Its a very cruel and undeserving way to treat a patient.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/25/2023

  Regretfully, the patient's grievance pertaining to the difficulty in getting through to the office has been a problem due to an exceptionally high call volume and difficulty in acquiring staff. As of late, we have been successful in adding a few more staff members to help mitigate this problem and will continue to monitor this in order to improve this area of our practice. 

  With regards to the patient's results being faxed, we received an initial medical records request on 4/21/2023 from ***************************, DO at IMH. All the records were faxed over as requested and the confirmation was attached to the patient's chart. We received another medical records request on 05/08/2023 from the same doctors office and records were refaxed over the number they provided. 

  Please let ** know if we may be of any additional assistance with this matter.

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/09/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy with biopsies on 10/31/2022. When the procedures were scheduled I was also given a follow up for 11/10/22. After the procedure I was told 2 biopsies were done, I was also given a paper that stated diverticulosis as a diagnosis. A few days later I was called and told that my follow up would be rescheduled until January 2023 because the doctor no longer accepted one of my 2 insurances. I rescheduled for January 2023 even though I didnt want to wait that long for results. Due to having to work I had to cancel the appointment but requested a doctor call me or send me the results. I was told it was not possible but they could send the results to my primary doctor which I agreed. Finally after several attempts my primary was sent some results. When I had my primary appointment my doctor said all they sent was something saying I had to repeat the procedure in 6 months because I was not clear and that there were no biopsy results. It is now March 9, 2023 and I have called them last week and today requesting a call back, my results or something and I cannot get a call back. If Im fact they recommend a redo why would they not tell me that from the get go. It is now almost 5 months later and I am still waiting for an answer. This is my health that they are playing with. Why cant I just get a call back and put my mind at ease if everything is in fact okay. Totally disappointing.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/10/2023

  Thank you for sending us this email, ****************** called the patient last night and went over the patient results of the procedure and spoke to her in depth and provided recommendations.  The patient was satisfied with the outcome.