St. Lucie Medical Center - Heart & Family Institute

I had a very bad flu and my labs showed elevated cardiac enzymes. I was told to follow up with my doctor's office. When I went I was booked with Karen Dyer, PAC and she basically told me I had wasted her time and nothing was wrong with me. She refused to order follow up labs and made me wait 2 more months for my already booked appointment with my primary. I waited. That appointment was referred to a cardiologist which took another 2 months to see. Come to find out I have fluid around my heart and cardiac issues that could have been diagnosed sooner and protected me from chest pain and other problems. I do not recommend her or this office. It seems like they don't care.

I started with this group years ago but now it's impossible to get an appointment when you need it. I never can see my primary because no matter when I get sick and need an appointment she has no availability for 2-3 weeks! And don't bother making am appointment online because that platform doesn't have accurate availability. I made an appointment just to receive a call stating the appointment was double

It shouldn't take a year to see your cardiologist. I have been attempting to see Doctor Zanto at HEART & FAMILY HEALTH INSTITUTE SINCE October 2023. Every time I call I'm told she is either out of the office for a week or she DOES NOT have any appointments available. Or I'm told the next available appointment is FIVE months from the date of my actual call.. Also, when I was sent an appointment reminder (to set up an appointment) the appointments are scheduled out 5 months in advance. From the date of the appointment letter. This last call (today) I was met with a very non- compassionate operator who was just plain rude and unsympathetic to the fact that I needed to see my cardiologist as soon as possible. SMH. When I asked if I could see one of the other cardiologist in the office he just outright said "No" . Again smh. For the record.. I was not nice with my response to him. He could have spoken better, responded better and had a little compassion towards me and my plight of not being able to get in and see the cardiologist for a year now. Also, I have attempted to see two other cardiologist over the last few months.. they won't see me until My recent Cardiologist releases me from her care.. it's call "physician courtesy".

Dr Darron Lewis does not explain things well at all plus he mumbles thru his mask which makes it very difficult to understand him. He spends very little time with you ,just enough time to order test and then he's out of the room. I had 2 visits with him and knew nothing after each visit. There are several other experiences with this office too many to mention here. I just know that I'm looking for a new cardiologist . The only reason I gave him 3 stars is all the tests he ordered. However, I'm going to go to the new Cardiologist to receive the results of all the test. Someone that will explain the results clearly to me.

I've always tried to have patience with the Residency practice over the last 8 years. But today I needed actual medical attention and they just left me in a room for over an hour. Info on my meds that I've tried to have corrected 4 times was still wrong. You have to call them constantly and wait forever just to try and get prescription refills. They say they will call back but won't. Their system is not compatible with the refill calls from pharmacies so you have to call to get your refills. Mine have even been sent to the wrong pharmacy. This place seems to be more about quantity of patients instead of quality of care. Oh and you never have the same doctor. I had blood work done and never even got the results and that was 4months ago. Oh and they collect their fee ahead of time even tho they haven't seen you. So today cost me and no one even attempted to give medical relief Oh...a nurse practitioner actually came in to help me and I started calming down.. but then a paper pusher lady barged in the room without knocking, interrupted and proceeded to kick me out! Btw I could hear them before that deciding who would see me bc I hadn't been assigned to anyone. They legit forgot about me in that room. And they're supposed to check on you at least every 30 minutes but that didn't happen either.