Patient
I had my first appointment at Pima Cardiology today, and unfortunately my experience was very disappointing and distressing. When I first arrived, the male nurse asked me to lift my shirt without first checking whether I was comfortable. As someone with diagnosed PTSD from a past sexual assault by a male, this lack of consent and sensitivity was extremely upsetting. My PCP is very aware of my trauma and is always accommodating, so I was shocked that no one here even asked. When the doctor came in, he spent maybe 2-3 minutes with me in total. After I explained that I've been having 10-30 minute episodes that feel like heart palpitations, happening daily, he said, "Something that happens over and over will kill you." This felt incredibly fear-inducing and unprofessional. He didn't ask if I had any questions and immediately said I'd need a Holter monitor and a heart MRI before quickly leaving the room. To make things worse, when they scheduled my Holter monitor appointment, the earliest availability was December 31st. I don't understand how a doctor can tell me something so alarming and then expect me to wait that long for monitoring. This entire experience left me feeling dismissed, scared, and unsupported. I hope this review helps others be aware of what to expect and encourages the clinic to improve their trauma-informed care, communication, and scheduling practices. update: I tried calling to talk to them about it and they 'transferred' me and instead I was sent to voicemail. I am very angry with this reaction when what I am trying to talk about is very serious and not something I am comfortable just saying to myself over voicemail.