Dr. Rodney Powell

I provided a 3 out of 5. He is knowledgeable and will get you screened for things you're worried about. However, the amount of time he spends with you and listening to you is minimal at best. I believe he lacks bedside manner, but that may just be due to having done this for so long he no longer has the patience for bedside manner. Either way, like I said, he's a knowledgeable doctor who will work to find a resolution to your issue, but it's not going to involve much speaking time between you two and your input will be minimal.

Let me start off by saying that patient care and assessment is a "lost art". Doctors do not care about the patient's concern, and it's obvious. My visit with Dr. Powell was a waste of my time. I've had lots of different symptoms since having COVID that have been blown off by another cardiologist before, so I was hoping that I would finally meet a doctor that cared about getting to the root of the issue. Dr. Powell didn't explain any of why I'm experiencing these symptoms to me, listened to my heart for a few seconds in one spot, seemed annoyed that I didn't want to try to the first thing he suggested me, and then was in a hurry to get out of the room. It's disheartening that doctors who care are becoming a rare find. The receptionists and LPN's are always kind though.

My experience with Dr Powell has been nothing but excellent. I have found his bedside manner and sense of humor to be delightful. In a routine check-up with my primary physician, Dr Sites, I complained of a shortness of breath which also caused a dull ache in the chest. I thought I was developing a lung problem. Dr Sites told me to wait and left but returned in a few minutes. He then told me that I had an appointment with Dr Powell, the cardiologist, first thing the following morning. I met with Dr Powell who examined me then immediately started a stress test. After only a short time on the stress machine, Dr Powell said, "Stop! That is enough." He then said he would be back in a few minutes. When he returned, he said he had scheduled me for surgery with Dr Sandwith early the following morning. He offered me alternatives at other hospitals if I desired them but I chose to stay with Dr Powell and Dr Sandwith. Long story short, my Widow Maker was 99 percent blocked and I required quadruple bypass open heart surgery. Those three doctors saved my life. That was nine years ago. In my follow-up visits with Dr Powell, which I am still doing, he makes sure I am still doing fine and I actually enjoy my visits with him. I have nothing but good to say about Dr Powell and Dr Sandwith and Dr Sites. Thank you for my life, doctors.

After taking my heart rate, Dr Powell said "there's nothing wrong with your heart but I'll send you to get tests anyway" & then he got up and left! The whole meeting took about 3 mins! Later I rec'd an e-m from WWMC w/a survey about my experience. I said I felt like a number and not a human. During the week prior to test I rec'd a couple of calls from dr's office but no messages. Since there were no messages I didn't call them back. When I arrived for the test a (marketing) woman met me in lobby. She said she'd rec'd the survey & wanted to discuss it. She told me that the Dr had tried to reach me a couple of times but was unable. I said that I'd rec'd no messages from Dr Powell & then she said "he wouldn't leave a message" (how am I supposed to know it's the dr calling if he doesn't leave a message?!) She then told me that Dr Powell would no longer be working with me! I was speechless! Whatever happened to the Hippocratic Oath? Doesn't it say that The physician Will Do no harm? Isn't it harmful to fire a patient without referring them to another Dr? Obviously I can't speak to the quality of Dr Powell's medical expertise b/c I saw him a total of 3 mins. But I can speak to his work ethic and I will say that it lacks a lot!

I firmly believe in the patient and the doctor working together and so I had a list of all of my symptoms all ready to show to the doctor. I was very excited when I met him and showered him with compliments and then when he asked me what the issues were, I pulled out my list and started to read from it. I got to the second symptom and he was checking my heart rate with the stethoscope but pretty much ignoring what I was saying and I realized this so I just quit talking. After taking my heart rate he said and I quote "I can tell you right now there's nothing wrong with your heart but I will send you to get the stress test and ultrasound anyway and then we can figure out where we need to send you." And then he got up and left! The whole meeting took about 3 minutes! I was so upset when I left that I was in tears as I was signing out with the receptionist! That night when I got home I had an email from WWMC w/a survey about my experience that day. I was honest in my answers and I said I don't think Dr paid enough attention to me; I felt like a number and not a human. The stress test was scheduled for the next week. While waiting to do the stress test I received a couple of calls from Dr Powell's office but no messages were ever left. I presumed that they were calling to confirm my appt for the stress test and since there were no messages left I didn't call them back. I figured if it was really important to speak to me, they would have had the common courtesy to leave a message. On the day of my stress test, when I arrived the receptionist told me to take a seat and wait and somebody would be with me shortly. About 15 or 20 minutes later a lady showed up and introduced herself as some sort of marketing person for WWMC. She explained that she had rec'd the survey results and wanted to discuss them with me. I was happy because I felt like somebody was finallyyyy listening to me and seeing me as a human. Boy, was I wrong! After I reiterated what I had already said in the survey, she informed me that Dr Powell had tried to reach me a couple of times over the phone but was not able. I explained that I had rec'd no messages from Dr Powell and she responded by saying that "he wouldn't leave a message" (how am I supposed to know it's the doctor calling if he doesn't leave a message??!) Anyway, after telling me this, she then informed me that Dr Powell would no longer be working with me! I was speechless! So basically, the guy fired me because I did not answer his two phone calls! If that's not egomaniacal, I don't know what is! I promise that this man knows that there are very, very few cardiologists in this town, much less cardiologists that are taking new patients so basically he just threw me to the curb. Whatever happened to the Hippocratic Oath?? Doesn't it say somewhere in there that The physician Will Do no harm?? Don't you think it's harmful to just fire a patient without giving them another cardiologist to go to? In my opinion, it's perilously close to malpractice! And the last little thing that probably irks me more than anything was the fact that they could have called and left a message and told me not to bother coming for the test but instead, for whatever reason or excuse they used, they made me get up, get dressed, get in my car, and drive all the way to their office just so they could fire me in person! Obviously I can't speak to the quality of Dr Powell's medical expertise b/c I saw him a total of 3 minutes. But I can speak to his work ethic and I will say that it lacks a lot and needs some serious work! IF I could go back to him, you couldn't pay me enough! All in all it was a terrible experience but seeing as how it's WWMC I should not be surprised! I have had more than one bad experience with doctors there!