Terri Pickering's Online Review Report Card

Great doctor with great staff. Always nice and professional. Wouldn’t go anywhere else!

I have seen Dr. Pickering for years. She is thoughtful and careful and I have received excellent care. She also has referred me to other specialists when the need has arisen and these specialists have spoken very highly of her.

The WORST front office staff I have ever encountered. My primary physician referred me to this group. I had a corneal abrasion. First I had to call 2 separate days to make an appointment. Each time I was informed that this was a GLAUCOMA Center, so no one would see me for my corneal abrasion!!!!!!!! Really? They list 5 physicians but can't accommodate me. The second day when I called and was told that they could not see me I asked again that since my doctor sent them a referral, was she sure that they would not see me? After all, they had failed to inform my doctor that they could not accept the referral! So I was told that if I was willing I could see their optometrist. Great! I got an appointment with a doctor so that I could avoid an emergency room visit! That was Friday and the appointment was yesterday, Monday. When I arrived I was informed that they did not have a record of the referral. When I asked if they could just call the referring doctor I was told by the male medical assistant that "We don't do that" and that I would have to make the call myself. It was raining and would take 2 buses to go from here to the emergency room so I told this man that my eye hurt and I needed to see a doctor, which was the sole reason I didn't just walk out right then. He said I could pay the bill in cash. I agreed. I just wanted to see ANY doctor at that point. Meanwhile the girl at the reception desk had taken the clipboard back from me when she learned that I didn�t have the required insurance information. I had gone up later and picked up the board myself so I had only partially completed the paperwork when this assistant took me to another area to start a visit, so the paperwork was incomplete. The optometrist was great, no complaint. But the staff story gets worse. I was brought back to this front desk. The 2 girls sitting there were not talking to each other and, I swear, I saw the one girl looking for my chart and asking out loud for my chart. The other girl failed to respond (and it turned out that she had the missing chart sitting in front of her in plain sight). So I called my doctor�s office on my cell phone to ask that they fax a referral. I wasn�t even asked if I had a cell phone or if I needed to borrow a phone to get the referral faxed to this office. We waited. 5 minutes later I checked and was told by the girl at the desk that the fax had not arrived. I called my doctor�s office again and was assured that the fax was sent and marked as received, but it was re-faxed. And I again waited. I then saw another employee walk behind the desk and I asked her if she could check on the fax. She got onto the computer and voila! It had been faxed into the computer. She printed it and then she asked for the chart and the girl who had not responded the first time now gave up the chart to the same girl who had tried to get it before! Now they had the paper referral and required insurance so that I didn�t have to pay. But now she required that I complete the paperwork. Since I need a follow-up appointment I just signed the paperwork. And since I just signed the HIPAA release info I asked if she could either give me a copy of the visit report or send it to the doctor who referred me to the office. This was yet a big deal because she first did not understand that I had a right to this information, and then said that they didn�t have a fax number � I pointed to the fax number next to the referral doctor�s name on the referral. Then she said she could fax it there. I went to the pharmacy and had yet one more hurdle. The prescription had not been signed by a doctor, and the optometrist�s name was not listed on the prescription. I know that this is a long review, but no patient should be put through this front office dysfunction. Happily there are plenty of eye doctors in this city so I will not have to return. And as someone who is forming a cataract, I know that I will need a specialist. So maybe this was a blessing. Final note - the office failed to send a copy of my visit despite my request and assurance that they would! I called my doctor's office before posting this review. Now they had the paper referral and required insurance so that I didn�t have to pay. But now she required that I complete the paperwork. Since I need a follow-up appointment I just signed the paperwork. And since I just signed the HIPAA release info I asked if she could either give me a copy of the visit report or send it to the doctor who referred me to the office. This was yet a big deal because she first did not understand that I had a right to this information, and then said that they didn�t have a fax number � I pointed to the fax number next to the referral doctor�s name on the referral. Then she said she could fax it there. I went to the pharmacy and had yet one more hurdle. The prescription had not been signed by a doctor, and the optometrist�s name was not listed on the prescription. I know that this is a long review, but no patient should be put through this pathetic front office dysfunction. Happily there are plenty of eye doctors in this city so I will not have to return. And as someone who is forming a cataract, I know that I will need a specialist. So maybe this was a blessing. Oh, silly me! They told me on 2 different calls that they are A GLAUCOMA CENTER so they wouldn't want me as a patient anyway! Final note - the office failed to send a copy of my visit despite my request and assurance that they would! I called my doctor's office before posting this review.