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:04/26/2025

  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 was admitted to the psychiatric unit on January 17th 2025. I was experiencing troublesome very real physical symptoms so I called 911 myself but I was so upset my daughter 302ed me for psychiatric care but ONLY after an ultimatum that I FIRST be thoroughly evaluated for my physical complaints. ( she now regrets doing this ) I was tranquilized by medic and I came to in a psych room , cold , shivering , uncovered and scared ( without first being medically cleared as promised . My record is filled with multiple inaccurate statements, many misquotes and diagnoses largely based on a cherry picked misrepresentation of a past medical experience involving a 3 year bout with one pathological skin lesion that was mismanaged and lasted for 3 years due to it being labeled factious early in its course. I saved EVERY record from that experience including a signed letter to my then PCP from a UPMC infection disease specialist stating patient says shes been marked as munchausins , these revelations and allegations are troublesome pt needs reevaluation this **************************************************************** March 2022 with a plastic surgeon dictating patient has a longstanding history of inflammatory lesions of lip and chin dating back to 1991 ( date is a typo ) thought to be self inflicted I was never given the opportunity to defend this as it was never directly related to me by the plastic surgeon. I started seeing delusional on my problem list and had no idea who diagnosed it or put it there. Ive since had a 3 hour reconstructive surgery ( In which the root issue was not addressed ) for a lesion charted as non surgical in 2022. As of my January admission the root issue was still not addressed. MANY misquotes . Just one example - I stated that somthing was done to me ( in the past) without my knowledge or informed consent, but it was charted as secretly and against my will NOT my words . Im still trying to get help .

  Business Response

  Date: 04/28/2025

  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond to this complaint. Below, is a redacted version of the letter being send out to the patient today. Please reach out with any questions.

   

  April 28, 2025
  
  
  On behalf of St. Clair Health I would like to thank you for reaching out through the Better Business Bureau and via phone directly to St Clair Hospital regarding your experience at St Clair Hospital during your recent admission. St. Clair Hospital takes patient concerns very seriously and appreciates the opportunity to look into your encounter. 
  
   Your concerns regarding your care and treatment received including inaccuracies and misstatements in your medical record and your medical needs not being met were reviewed by hospital leadership including but not limited to the Director of the Department you were admitted to, the Director of Patient Safety and Regulatory Affairs, and the *************************** This review is now considered complete. This review indicates you received the appropriate care, treatment, and applicable testing during your admission.   As we discussed during our phone conversation on February 2, 2025, to have changes made to your medical record, you need to complete and submit to me the form titled Request to Amend Protected Health Information. I mailed you a copy of this form in February and Im including another copy with this letter.  Once you complete the form and submit it to me, we can start the process of reviewing your record. On April 25, 2025, you contacted me and let a voicemail requesting an in person meeting to discuss the inaccuracies and provide supporting documentation. Per our policy, the Director of the unit you were admitted to reached out to you and left you a voicemail that afternoon. We received notification of your complaint with the Better Business Bureau on April *******, prior to speaking with you. We can further discuss an in-person meeting after you submit the needed Amendment form listed above. You are also welcome to submit a Written Statement of Disagreement at any time. This statement can be in any written format you choose and the statement will be made part of your medical record. We cannot assist you with any concerns with UPMC as we are not part of their hospital system, so you would need to contact them directly for assistance. We want to work with you and attempt to resolve your concerns, but we need to follow the appropriate steps. While your experience cannot be changed, please know we take your concerns seriously and appreciate the opportunity to utilize your feedback to make improvements and work toward providing the best possible patient experience. We understand it is a privilege to provide care to you and want to continuously work toward providing the highest quality of care.
  
  If you wish to appeal this decision, you may submit a Level One Appeal notice in writing to this office. This letter may be in any format you choose, but must be received within 10 calendar days of this letter.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/30/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

   

  I disagree with their statement that any testing was performed to rule out a physical cause for my symptoms. They immediately put me in psych . My daughter insisted a physical cause be investigated and the mental health nurse assured me this would be done . And its in writing. The only medical evaluation was that I was seen by a hospitalist internal medicine doctor. No diagnostic testing was done . No one looked at pictures and other data I had . Ex) peer reviewed journal articles I had on tissue regeneration and cutting edge research on bioengineered skin grafts . Stuff that wouid prove a scientific explanation of all the convoluted bizarre stuff my skin graft does . Stuff only a surgeon would remotely understand. There was no surgical consult , no bx , or request to have a surgical path specimen transferred from ********** for special stains and mass spectrometry. ( which was NEVER done ) fact : the doctor I saw never got close to me . She was inattentive. I was having inorganic material between my toes , she only ordered a podiatrist consult only after I was discharged. They just made up psych stuff . One example patient has been making odd statements, per nursing she said she needed new glasses because an inorganic substance was coming from them and getting into her eyes when in fact what I did say was an inorganic substance is coming from the graft  and getting on my glasses all they had to do was scrape my skin or behind my lip and test it for inorganic substances. Like possible silicone . I have journal articles stating that silicone can migrate throughout the body from inplantable medical devices. And why was scanning it for identifying information too much to ask ? Its clear no one wsnts the truth and have silenced me with unsupported psych diagnoses. I saved every scrap of records from my past medical history from *********, which a plastic surgeon ( dr ****** ******* ) ) cherry picked to come up with patient. Has a longstanding history of inflammatory lesions dating back to 1991 thought to be factious and justified the diagnosis of patient delusional, thinks she has a false lower lip and somatic symptoms disorder , these were never discussed with me , they are permanent on my problem list . ** parapally dictated a note alluding I am racist simply because I asked what his native country was . For the record i love and prefer Indian doctors . So many misquotes and diagnosis thst was never clarified or discussed with me as a matter of fact or informed consent . The itemized bill I got from st Clair hospital does not indicate any medical evaluation to support my real physical condition. I am not crazy or delusional but the documentation in my record manipulates every one to think that . I will seek answers elsewhere in a place that does not have a conflict of interest in diagnosing the TRUTH.
  

  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ********

   

  See attachment.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/09/2025

  Type:Billing 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 went to the ** at the end of August, and was billed for the visit in October. I paid it in full, but St. Clair hospital keeps sending me mail saying I owe the money I already paid. I've called them more than once and even emailed them proof of payment. I was told they would look into it further but that was back in December. I'm now getting another piece of mail saying that statements not paid will be sent to collections but they have absolutely done nothing on their end to finish this transaction. I've already paid months ago and I'm not sure why they can't figure it out on their end but this is ridiculous.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/13/2025

  Hello Ms. **************** you for sharing your concerns with us regarding a payment you made on 10/1/24. I have reviewed this inquiry with our billing team and was assured that they have taken care of your issue. This payment you made was to a different provider and was not for the ** services back in August 2024, therefore,we had no record of the payment in our system. I would like to apologize for the delay here and hope that we have resolved your concern completely this time around. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need any additional assistance from us. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/28/2025

  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 am always treated poorly by a triage person. He makes it my fault for being sick. No matter the issue, he gets extremely angry at me. Yesterday, Monday I was taken to St Clair for cardiac issues. I was called a pill pusher, I just wanted attention & a liar. I do not know his name, but he was tall with blonde hair. He is uncouth, crude & disgusting towards me. He had me sit in the waiting room for hours on end until I took a Lyft to a different hospital where they have brains & never to treat their patients inferior. I am highly disgusted and have had it with that hospital!! I dont care how much money I have to spend to go to other hospitals. What he said was uncalled for & I will make sure I never go back there. As an influencer, dont even get me started.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/03/2025

  On behalf of St. Clair Health I would like to thank you for reaching out through the Better Business Bureau and via phone directly to St Clair Hospital regarding your experience in the ******************** on January 27, *******. Clair Hospital takes patient concerns very seriously and appreciates the opportunity to look into your encounter. 

  Your concerns regarding your interaction with our triage staff, wait time, and choosing to seek care at another facility were reviewed by hospital leadership including but not limited to the Chair of Emergency Medicine, the Director of ******************* and the Director of Patient Safety and Regulatory Affairs. This review is now considered complete. I apologize for the amount of time you spent waiting to be seen in the ********************. The ******************** wait time can vary based on many factors and the wait was higher than usual on this day. This is not what we strive for at St Clair Hospital. I apologize for your interaction with our triage staff member. While I cannot share any personnel action taken please know all personnel actions were thoroughly and thoughtfully handled including any opportunities to utilize education and corrective action to improve our patient experience moving forward. I am unable to reimburse you for the Lyft charges of $45 you reported in your phone message, when you left our facility to seek care at another hospital. While your experience cannot be changed, please know we take your concerns seriously and appreciate the opportunity to utilize your feedback to make improvements and work toward providing the best possible patient experience. We understand it is a privilege to provide care to you and want to continuously work toward providing the highest quality of care.

  Thank you for taking your time to bring your concerns to our attention, and again my apologies for your experience. Please contact me at ************ if I can be of further assistance. 
  

  Sincerely, 
  

  *** Cober 
  Patient Representative 
  Patient Safety and Regulatory Affairs Department 
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/03/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  

  I do not accept the non refundable of the Lyft to the other hospital.

  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/26/2024

  Type:Billing 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.

  Hello, I am having issues with St Clair Health and their Billing Area. Long story but in 2023, starting August 1, I have 7 Lab Charges netting to ******, At that time, I only had Highmark as my insurer but in April 2024, I was approved for esrd (End State Renal Failure).Medicare Part A and B retro to 8/1/23. I paid this amount in 2023 to avoid collections (As this is my deductable). I have been asking St Clair to ************* for those back charges so I can be reimbursed the money I paid. It is November and St Clair still has not done the billing. I have been calling every few weeks only get the run around. Now that we are past 12 months, ******** informed me that they will not pay St Clair anything. St Clair owes me the funds due to their inept billing area. I would like to file a complaint against them. I have Cancer and **** and really do not have the time to deal with this so hoping you can step in.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2024

  Hello Mr. ****************** you for reaching out to share your concern regarding the $542.34 bill for your visits at *** Clair Health. I understand that you are concerned about timely response/resolution from our billing vendor. I want to assure you that we have taken necessary actions to rectify this situation as a priority. We use a third-party vendor for patient statement billing,and they failed to share information provided by you, therefore, we were not able to update insurance information in our system timely. I have addressed this issue with the vendor and can confirm that we have reviewed all your open accounts and are billing ******** for back charges. A refund in the amount of $575.82 was approved on 11/5/24 and checks were mailed out to you on 11/22/24. 

  I hope I have been able to address your concerns and would like to apologize for any inconvenience you have faced due to our current process. We appreciate your choosing St. Clair Health not only to meet your healthcare needs, but also to meet the healthcare needs of your family. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/04/2023

  Type:Billing 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 is regarding the payment code:*************.My wife had a panic attack and called 911 so we were taken to StClair emergency department by the ambulance. We waited for almost 2 hours to get in ER due to long wait time, meanwhile she was fine & recovered herself before we got in ER. Nurse/doc talked with wife & they told we need to consult psychiatrist outside as for then she was ok. The only thing they did in ER department is they took her blood and sent for lab to test for any tablet she might have taken. No checkup or treatment of any sort or done.But I received multiple bills: one from doctor(payment code: ************) for $356 which was $121.64 after insurance and one from lab (****** *** ******* pathology) which was $160 and $45 after insurance . Both bills are payed off as of today . Also I had an ambulance bill with third party which is also settled. Again now after few months I got hospital bill payment code: ************* which is $751.41 after Cigna insurance adjustments (Pre-insurance bill $1922). When I called at St.Clair billing department they said this bill is for ER department. But as I see in the bill the ER room fees is $459 , but the Chemistry/Hemato lab fees is $1392 and microbiology bill is $71. ER room bill is for we entered there even if we dint took any medical care, but the lab bill is shocking as we already had lab bill separately and also for blood test shd not cost so much , when called they said it’s equipment’s charge. The equipment fee should not be this much nor we needed or asked for any blood tests.We feel we have been billed wrongly & incorrectly. I called twice St Clair billing department & asked for itemized charges of the lab bill which I still dint to get from the hospital, they said they would mail me but dint, nor did they replied to my email sent.Request to have review on this bill &help in this matter to correct the charges as we dint took any treatment or procedure from the hospital nor we asked/needed blood test

  Business Response

  Date: 12/08/2023

  Dear BBB and Mr. *******,
  
  Thank you for reaching out to us to outline the concerns you have regarding the cost of services for your recent visit to St. Clair Hospital’s Emergency Department (Date of Service 11/21/2022, Account Number ********). We have reviewed your account and have not identified any billing errors for the Emergency Department visit in question, I am attaching supporting documents for your reference as well.
  
  For services rendered in Emergency Department, separate bills are generated by the various providers involved in your care. You can expect to receive a separate bill from the ED physician, any specialists involved, ambulance (if one was used), and a facility bill for the actual ED visit. The $45 you paid was for the pathologist’s professional fee and the $121.64 payment you made was most likely the professional fee for the ED physician. The $751.41 bill from St Clair is for the facility charges related to the Emergency Department visit. I have attached itemized statement where you can see a breakdown of all labs that were done along with Emergency Department room charge. St Clair's bill is specifically for the labs, ED room charge, and a urine culture, aka microbiology. We are not seeing any equipment charges billed to you.

  We understand that healthcare bills and cost can be overwhelming at times, and we have some programs to assist our patients. I would encourage you to call ************ on your statement to learn more about your options under our Financial Assistance program.
  
  We appreciate your choosing St. Clair Health not only to meet your healthcare needs, but also to meet the healthcare needs of your family.  If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/11/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  *** ****** ** ** ******** **** ****** ** * ****** ** ***** **** ** **** **** **** ** *** ********
  
  Regards,
  
  ********** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/03/2022

  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.

  Billing issue with Dr. Karin O***** of the St. Clair Medical Practice located on Oxford Drive in Bethel Park. Dr. O***** ordered bloodwork to be done on me, ***** *******, as part of a yearly physical in July 2021. Once I completed the bloodwork, I began to receive bills from Quest Diagnostics in the amount of $264.06 for one test that was not covered. It was for a general blood panel. After contacting Highmark and Quest, I was advised that Dr. O***** used the wrong code for my bloodwork tests. Multiple calls, email, and messages to their office has yielded nothing. I have been trying to resolve this myself for over a year now. I am currently on hold again with their office just to exemplify how no one ever answers the phone (8 minutes already). We've left detailed messages, my wife and I, but nothing is resolved. We are asking for intervention from the BBB. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/09/2022

  September 6, 2022 
  

  Better Business Bureau 520 East Main Street Suite 100 Carnegie, PA 15106 
  

  This letter is in response to the ********** ************ filed by ***** ******* against St Clair Hospital and referencing an updated diagnostic code submission to Quest Diagnostics. The physician's office made numerous attempts to reach the patient via phone to resolve this issue beginning in November of 2021. The patient left a message requested corrected diagnostic codes be sent to Quest Diagnostic. On November 11, 2021, the physician corrected the codes and the updated information was faxed to Quest Diagnostics. The physician's office attempted to notify the patient of this fact, but the phone number listed for the patient was disconnected. The patient again contacted the office in July of 2022. Several attempts were made to respond to the patient including July 6, 7, and 18, 2022. Messages were also left on the patient's wife's cell phone. The physician's office requires a copy of the invoice from Quest Diagnostics to further assist the patient and cannot move forward without the patient providing this information. The Patient Representative's Office left a voice message for the patient indicating what information is needed by his physician's office to resolve this concern. We also sent a letter encouraging him to contact us to discuss his concern in more detail. At St Clair Hospital we take patient concerns very seriously and appreciate the opportunity to work with patients to resolve issues and provide the best possible patient experience. We will be happy to provide updated information to the Better Business Bureau and more details of our response, once we receive clarity from the patient. 
  Thank you very much for your time and the opportunity to resolve this patient's concern. If | may be of further assistance, please contact me at ************* 
  

  Sincerely, 
  
  Amy C**** Patient Representative 
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/16/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to ********* ** ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  We began calling Dr. O******* *ffice in July of 2021 regarding the invoice. I didn't note the date and time or the content of my messages, but no one ever call me back. We continued to receive monthly invoices and in November 2021, I again attempted to contact Dr. O*****. At that time, the office had apparently changed their number, as I could only reach the main office number when I called Dr. O******* (*** ********** **** number. I looked online and found a different number, but again reached the main number. Both times I was transferred to Dr. O******* *ffice only to find the staff at lunch or just not responding to calls.
  
  Once I finally got in touch with staff, they said that they tried to call us multiple times at an old number even though my cell phone number is on file with Dr. O******* *ffice (as is my wife's cell phone number). No one ever attempted to contact either of us at those numbers.
  
  I could go around and around with this, but the point is that they entered the wrong code for their procedure and would not give us the time of day to make it right. I contacted them again and again and once I finally got connected with the office manager, still nothing happened.
  
  Therefore, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau to help resolve the issue. Someone seemingly higher up, Ms. C****, eventually reached out and left a voicemail on September 9, 2022 in which she mentions needing the invoice, which I promptly photographed and sent to her via email at *********************. I specifically mentioned that no one had called us or left any messages regarding the Quest invoices (again, they have both of our cell phone numbers; I am happy to request phone records). We still have Ms. C****'s voicemail as well if that may help.
  
  This is the most contact I have had from the hospital in the past year and a half. Once we have proof that the invoices will stop, then we will be satisfied. An official apology for poor customer service by numerous people over a year-and-a-half timeframe would also be appreciated. We have since switched to Allegheny Health Network and are beyond satisfied. Ironically I need a refill on an old script from Dr. O*****, but haven't called because I figure no one will answer. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *******
  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/03/2022

  This letter is in response to the ********** ************ filed by ***** ******* against St Clair Hospital and referencing an updated diagnostic code submission to Quest Diagnostics. The patient's wife did promptly submit a copy of the needed invoice to St. Clair Health as requested on September 16, 2022 and this information is greatly appreciated. An administrative review of the patient's chart was completed. The coding for the completed lab work was reviewed and compared with the invoice from Quest Diagnostics provided by the patient. The review determined there was no clinical justification for the lab work and the physician practice will assume responsibility for the payment of $264.06 indicated on the invoice. St Clair Health issued a check for payment to Quest Diagnostics on September 26, 2022. We apologize for this error, the communication concerns, and for the length of time needed to respond to and resolve this concern. We understand the patient's frustration and apologize to the patient and his wife for this situation. At St Clair Hospital we take patient concerns very seriously and appreciate the opportunity to work with patients to resolve issues and provide the best possible patient experience. 
  Thank you very much for your time and the opportunity to resolve this patient's concern. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me at ************* 
  Sincerely, 
  
  Àmy C**** Patient Representative 
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/02/2022

  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.

  Incorrect or fabricated notes that could delay treatment was placed in my file.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/06/2022

  August 31, 2022 
  Better Business Bureau 520 East Main Street Suite 100 Carnegie, PA 15106 
  

  
  This letter is in response to the complaint, ************ filed by ***** ***** against St Clair Hospital and referencing "incorrect or fabricated notes that could delay treatment." We have made numerous attempts to reach the patient via phone to discuss her concerns. We also sent a letter encouraging her to contact us to discuss her concerns in detail. Unfortunately, we are unable to move forward with the complaint without more detailed information from the patient. At St Clair Hospital we take patient concerns very seriously and appreciate the opportunity to work with patients to resolve issues and provide the best possible patient experience. We will be happy to provide updated information to the Better Business Bureau and more details of our response, once we receive clarity from the patient. 
  Thank you very much for your time and the opportunity to resolve this patient's concern. If I may be of further assistance, please contact me at ************* 
  Sincerely, 
  
  Amy ***** Patient Representative