Patient
My friend and I booked VO2 max tests for an annual cardiovascular performance check-in. We don't have any health issues - this was purely to gain accurate information to tell us how effective our training programs have been. We were happy to pay the premium $499 (which is almost double that of other sports performance testing centers) because the website clearly states in multiple locations that we would receive a full report on completion, including personalized recommendations, and it suggests that the test would be carried out by one the cardiologists whose profile is displayed. Although the test wasn't carried out by cardiologists, it was carried out by two exercise physiologists who were extremely competent. Of all the VO2 max tests I've done (at least a dozen), this was administered in the most adaptive and personalized way. My CV system was the limiting factor rather than leg fatigue. Usually bike VO2 tests are administered in such a cookie-cutter fashion that causes the legs to run out of steam way before max heart rate is achieved. Kudos and thanks! My friend had a question about his irregular HR that the exercise physiologists could not answer and said that the cardiologist would be able to answer that within his report. No such report came and my friend has been unable to gain any follow-up information or get in touch with the cardiologist. Immediately following the appointment the reports below (see images) were sent to me via MyChart. Everything you see is the entirety of my follow-up report. I was looking forward to my personalized summary and recommended plan, as advertised. I was excited to analyze all the juicy information relating to oxygen uptake, power output, respiratory rate and anaerobic threshold... but there's no information other than the date. When my friend (who received the same uselessness) called reception earlier this week, he was told that cardiologists don't send follow-up reports -- completely contradicting their website page AND what the exercise physiologists told us. Although my friend organized this appointment himself, without going through his primary care and paid for it completely out-of-pocket, he apparently has to go through his primary care, then to a different cardiologist, to gather the information from this cardiologist... utterly ridiculous and grossly inefficient. As for me, my primary care is not part of the Marin Health group and my test was also paid for 100% out-of-pocket. It's now a week after my appointment and despite having repeatedly called I feel like I keep getting fobbed off. I'm just waiting for someone called Gena Blackwell (the clinic manager?) to follow this up and get back to me. After four months of dedicated training building up to this test, then selecting this particular clinic (assuming it would be the gold standard) and paying the premium rate, then NOT receiving any results or data, not even the fundamental VO2 max value itself, is beyond frustrating. Although I'm sure a patient who has cardiovascular health issues is in safe hands, this clinic is definitely not geared toward athletes who are interested in performance. The exercise physiologists even told us that they weren't used to having people come in for performance reasons versus health reasons. The fact that the website suggests otherwise is BS. Am I really going have to drive back to Novato and sit in their office until someone hands me my report???