Patient
Was referred here by my PCP because they could see me earlier than any other cardiologist. And now I think I know why they had immediate openings for patients: poor customer service. Arrived on time. Staff asked if I'd had flu in the last 10 days. It'd been 10 days since my flu diagnosis and I'd been fever and symptom free for well over a week. Soon as I said I said yes, their whole demeanor changed: I was treated like a leper. Staff rebuked me for coming in (though the flu WAS the reason for the referral and it was in the referral/notes/scheduling request I'd had the flu, mind you, 10 days ago). Front staff began screaming at me to put on a mask. Refused to answer my questions as to why it was required. Just yelling to put on the mask. No one was in the waiting room. Not a single person. 3 receptionists who were *behind glass* immediately masked up. The glares and eye rolls and death stares sent my way were obnoxious. The real kicker? The doctor who saw me (Akhtar) AND his scribe.... Didn't wear a mask. Came in the room, touched me, examined me, sat inches from my face. Didn't have a mask. Didn't care I'd been sick. Didn't care it'd been 10 days since my flu diagnosis. . Listen, my issues are 2-fold: First, I don't care you have a covid/flu mask policy. That's fine. To each their own. My issue is treating people like lepers in a cattle car -- berating them, yelling at them, making them feel like less than human with eye rolls, stares, death glances, whispers under the breath. That's uncalled for behavior. There is a way to enforce policy with grace and kindness. My second issue: inconsistency. If you're going to have a mask policy, have a mask policy *all around.* It was laughable that the front staff FREAKED OUT, treated us like junk, and then doctor had a 100% different tune. I got a different referral from my PCP. And you should too. Humans treat other humans with dignity. Avoid NC heart and vascular at ALL costs.