Austin Thyroid & Endocrinology

I've been to Dr Scumpia's office a few times now and have not experienced any of the kinds of things described in these reviews. Nor have I witnessed any hint of such things in the office. I have met with the Dr herself each time and have been pleased with the interactions. Now, she's not a saccharine-sweet Southern lady, and she doesn't make small talk or pretend to be your friend. Dr Scumpia is Eastern European, as some reviewers have pointed out, so there are some cultural differences, and this may be difficult for people who believe their way of behaving is the only correct way of behaving. She is reasonably pleasant (we even talked about her unique childhood) and quite professional. Dr Scumpia has answered every question I have asked to my satisfaction. I have not felt rushed at all, and she has even re-answered my questions so that I can take good notes on her answers. (But then again, I'm first-born, and so I believe the world exists for me ;-) And she is proud of her record of fighting insurance companies to get them to pay for patients' care. Part of getting the care you need is expecting it. If you expect to be mistreated by specialist doctors, then mistreatment is probably what you'll get. You may also face some resistance if you bring in lots of myth-based material from the web and insist that you know more than the doctor. Specialists start with the facts and the lab results and current scientific knowledge. If you expect to be treated well, and also behave with respect and courtesy and dignity, then more times than not you'll be treated well, with respect and courtesy and dignity. Pros: Pros: In-house lab & diagnotic services Cons: Very far north more

There are not enough words to explain the disappointment I felt after trying to find the answers to my thyroid issues with this practice. Wow, I wished I had read all this before going. My records were lost twice, after 3 visits and many request and promises to see the doctor I have yet to meet her. Seeing 3 different PA's of which on one visit the PA looked like a little girl with bows in her hair and lacy socks. I know for a fact that I was never given any true attention to my problems. After lots of lab work and still no answers to my questions I just gave up. The staff seemed clueless in every direction I was taken. I have been in the medical field for over 20 yrs and have never experienced anything like this. I had my yearly physical with my Gyn and I ask him about Dr Scumpia and he said word for word ""DO NOT GO THERE"".. I have since been told by 3 other physicians NOT to go there before I even told them my story. I take some of the blame for not investigating her before I went, I just never dreamed that my attempt to find a great doctor would go so wrong. This practice and the MYSTERY DOCTOR will not help you in any way. Oh, and I also received collection notices without ever getting an original bill. I tried to call and straighten it out and all I got was a recorder off and on all day. I dare you to get through the phone system...Please do not make the same mistake I did ---this practice is a lose lose situation both with money and your health... Cons: The Mystery Woman and Her Staff more

Dr. Scumpia and her staff lack proffesionalism, sympathy and any interest in their patient's health. I have been a patient of hers for quite some tme now and have only seen Dr. Scumpia ONCE!!!! Her unknowledgable assistants prance around her office while you are left waiting. The patient leaves the office without any explanation of their state of health. You later receive statements from the office harrassing you that you will be sent to collections because they have failed to properly reconcile your billing records. Cons: bedside manner, etc more

I saw a different PA every time. Rarely saw the doctor. I tried to address issues with this practice and it was simply impossible. No personalized attention whatsoever. more

I agree with most everyone. I was also referred to Dr. Scumpia by family Dr who raved about her being ""extremely knowledgable"" with the warning that she was somewhat rude. I considered myself warned and expected a Dr. House type of person. What I got was worse. My first appt consisted of a lengthy appt with her PA. She seemed friendly enough and sent me to get lab work done. On my 2nd appt to get results, I waited for over an hour for Dr. Scumpia to come in and see me for a whole 5 minutes. The reason for my appts was to find out why I at the age of 38 have the beginning stages of osteoperosis (lack of calcium in my bones) AND kidney stones (made of Calcium) Dr. Scumpia put me on diuretics and sent me on my way. I was so frustrated that a week later I called and spoke to her PA and she encouraged me to see Dr. Scumpia again.... because she said there may be a reason for all of this. Which Dr. Scumpia did NOT even consider!!!! The PA also informed me that my levels of Vitamin B were extremely low and that I should be on prescription strenth Vitamins. Dr. Scumpia never even mentioned this!!! According to Dr. Scumpia I was just to take the meds and come back in 6 months!! Hello???? So now I am trying to decide if I should give her another chance since she does have all test results or just go to another Dr and start all over. I am not expecting someone to coddle me or hold my hand but for goodness sakes at least have some courtesy & decency for your patients!! If anyone actually reads these reviews and takes them into consideration, please review your decision carefully. In my 2 visits, I have gathered that she is just not a very good dr....she may be a genius but if she cant have the decency to spend more than 5 minutes with you and your test result, Is her knowledge even going to do you any good? If you do choose to see her, make sure to have a list of questions that you expect to be answered and allow at least 2-3 hrs for an appt!!! Good luck!!! Pros: PA staff was knowledgable and helpful Cons: Dr. Scumpia!!!! more

On Dr. Scumpia's advice, I had half of my thyroid surgically removed. A week later, my hypothyroidism symptoms (including uncontrollable crying and horrible fatigue) had become just about intollerable. The P.A. told me to call the day after my lab work for results, but an angry nurse returned my call to say I'd have to wait two weeks for results. After many phone calls, I was able to get my prescription corrected the day after my lab work, but when you're having uncontrollable, irrational crying fits due to something as easy to correct as a thyroid hormone dosage, the last thing you want to hear is an angry person telling you to wait two weeks for results. Pros: Short wait for an appointment Cons: My lab tests were misplaced twice more

Absolutely horrible! I saw Dr. S for maybe 30 seconds and she was the rudest, coldest and inpersonal person I have met. On top of that, her staff, especially the skinny little girl at the front desk are very un-welcoming! I will NEVER go there again. A HUGE waste of money and time. They do not display any compassion and more so, friendliness. Not that a doctor MUST be friendly, but a good bedside manner is much better than a bad. I felt like a pig going through a slaughter house. I will never return. Please, find another doctor. So not go to this one. If you are paying the extra money to see a specialist, it better be worth it. Pros: Nothing Cons: everything more

I have been a patient for over 3 years (way too long) and the only time I saw Dr. Scumpia was on my first appointment. All subsequent appointments have been with PAs and never the same one twice (I think she has high turnover). I always wait over an hour to be seen and then it takes another hour to get out of there (wait in lobby 45 minutes, wait in exam room 30 minutes, be seen for 5 minutes, wait again for lab slip, get lab work done, wait to make follow up appoint ment and check out....). Cons: Extremely long wait time, always seen by a PA, they don't listen to the patient more

I am stunned with the lack of consideration and professionalism that this office exhibits. I made an apppointment a month ago with Dr. Scumpia. I re-scheduled my appointments, drove 14 miles to her office, paid for the visit and then after all this, was told by a PA that she was not even in town, but on vacation. I decided to keep the appointment, but the PA was unable to answer my questions with the specific detail that I wanted. I rescheduled for a month later. The day of the appointment, I called her office to confirm that she would actually see me and was told that even though she was in the office, there was no guarantee that she would see me. I informed them that the appointment was with her, not the PA, and asked that if I called 30 minutes before the appointment, could they then let me know if she would see me? The reply was ""we never know if Dr. Scumpia will choose to actually see a patient or to relegate them to a PA...this is her practice and she hires PA's to do a lot of the work."" I cancelled immediately. This is the type of hubris and vanity that plagues much of the specialist medical profession. I canceled immediately. I would highly recommend to anyone seeking an Endocrinologist with good office and work ethics to look elsewhere. Pros: no pro's; the Dr. never graced me with her presence Cons: The Dr. arbitrarily decides who to see and who to relegate to the PA's - do not recommend more

After 7 years of being diagnosed with Thyroid Nodules (Multi-Nodular Disease) and suffering with severe weight gain (all 80-100 pounds in a few months several years ago), feeling horrible and being UNDIAGNOSED with Hashimotes Disease by OTHER Endo Dr.s...I was referred to Dr. Scumpia by my incredible surgeon (Dr. Alex Esquival) who removed my thryroid and found the Hashimotes and Cancer. He highly recommended Dr. Scumpia immediately after my thyroidectomy. She is so thorough and was very nice and informative along with her staff. I have the highest opinion of Dr. Scumpia and have no problems with her or her office at all. She is even checking my body for some other issues that are possibly going on as well. I actually look forward to going back for my bone density test and eventual Body Scan, possible RAI and getting back on my Synthroid and finding out the good news she has already hinted towards with her expertise. I walked away feeling like I finally am going to get well soon! Thank you so much to Dr. Esquival, Dr. Rosendahl and Dr. Scumpia for saving my life! I was so impressed with every thing! I want to write Oprah and tell her to come to Austin to these fine Doctors and surgeons fr her Thyroid problem! Pros: Everything Good! more

haha I've got a good story. So, I had been to Dr. Scumpia's like three times already (and I had not once seen the doctor herself) and on my last visit I was returning to hear the results of a biopsy I had gotten done somewhere else (apparently they don't do anything at this clinic but read someone their results). Anyways, I was called back into the room and sat there anxiously for half an hour. Finally , a PA came in and began questioning about whether or not I had this certain thyroid test. How the hell was I suppose to know? I had like a million tests run in the last month. Well, I was like: What's going on? could someone please tell me? why would I need to get that test done? I've been in this room alone for the past hour! So.. she said she'd explain further when she returned... well she did and just told me I had cancer. Wow, they really don't know how to break the news.. awesome job at it. Then Dr. Scumpia comes in and said, I quote, ""So, you have cancer"". I was thinking , ""what the hell???"" YEs! !! I freaking know! To top it off she wouldn't even answer my questions. She kept trying to cut me off. Oh, yea, almost forgot-- at the end she said she'd give me the name of a surgeon she was referring me to , BUT, she never did. I had checked out and then returned to the cash register and said that the doctor was referring me to someone else (whoever that was) and she was like ""oh"" and wrote the number on a little square inch sticky note. That place has issues. DO NOT GO THERE!!! they have terrible customer service and frankly I could have found out I had cancer without ever going there. Pros: nice building Cons: everything else more

I should known when I overheard the angry ladies in the waiting room... They were upset about waiting so long and about not being able to speak to anyone over the phone as well as several other things. Pros: location, new facility Cons: Lack of compassion/professionalism more

My experience with this practice was terrible! Pros: location Cons: Dr. Scumpia has no bedside manner- very rude and not timely. more

I cannot speak for Dr. Scumpia or the PAs but there is now another doctor in this practice: Susan Dubois. I have been a patient of hers for several years now and find her very bright, personable, and extremely compassionate. She is the best endocrinologist that I have dealt with and I followed her when she switched practices. She is an amazing doctor and takes the time to really listen and answer questions. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to switch or for a new endo. Pros: Dr. Dubois is part of this practice. Cons: Crowded waiting room since this is a LARGE practice. more

Horrible! Horrible! more

I spent more time in the waiting room and exam room then with a person. When I did see the dr. I felt like it was a drive by experience. When the results of my tests came in I had to ask for them and then asked for an explanation as the dr. stood with her hand on the door. She took a phone call while with me and I felt like I was in her way, like she had some other priority some place else. When I left, I followed her down the hall asking for copies of my test results. I now know what someone else meant when they said the practice would be okay if you could get someone to sit down and talk with you and explain your condition. Othewise, the decor was nice and the technician was pleasant. Pros: Seem like they have a state of the art facility Cons: Felt like I was in their way. more

First of all you have to demand to meet her on the third visit and then they get mad at you for wanting to see the actual doctor. She overuses her PA's. Then she left the examination room to take 2 personal cellphone calls. Her physical exam was minimal after waiting 50 minutes in the exam room for her . Then the office failed to fax hundreds of dollars worth of testing to the new doctor I had to go to anyway after numerous pleadings and many promises. They had to be repeated in the end. She cost me a fortune in repeated tests in the end because she would not co-operate. When you call at 10am the recording will say they are closed and that they open at 8am. THis office is a mess.Plus, she is just so unpleasant. Don't make the same mistake I did. Don't go to begin with. Pros: near by, takes insurance Cons: rude, doctor not present more

Good staff and doctor, but the practice has grown too large for them too handle. The doctor and staff know what they are doing but are overwhelmed. Expect to get formal care and responses from the staff and doctor. If you need ""high touch"" care, find another practice. The waits are getting longer because of the number of patients. more

I highly recommend Dr. Scumpia, and this is why: she listens! No, she might not be the friendliest Dr. out there, but I highly recommend her. I was suffering for years from several different problems, going from Dr. to Dr. with no one listening to me- just doing lab work and telling me I was fine. (My husband is in the Army, and unfortunately, I have not had a good experience AT ALL with military doctors. 90% of them are completely incompetent, but that is another issue) Well, I wasn't fine, and I was actually being treated for a condition I didn't have, PCOS, when upon moving to TX I had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Scumpia and within 5 minutes of talking to me, she determined that I had been misdiagnosed, and started my on some new thyroid medication that has totally changed my world. I feel like a new person today, and I will forever be grateful to Dr. Scumpia for not just looking at a piece of paper (lab results) to diagnose my problems, but truly listening to what I had to say. Thank you Dr. Scumpia! So, given the choice between having a friendly doctor or a competent one, I choose Dr. Scumpia. Pros: Nursing staff are amazing, the PA's are amazing Cons: Office staff are terrible, long distance (I have to drive from Killeen due to insurance) more

I was referred to her office with a warning not to expect anyone warm and fuzzy so I considered myself prepared. What I got was far beyond warm and fuzzy - she is downright mean! The office staff is friendly and helpful - if only they could be the ones to treat you! At first, it seemed like she knew what she was talking about but after a couple of visits and conflicting information with no results, I decided she is not only mean but uneffective. Perhaps she is good working with patients that have cookie cutter, easy to diagnose problems but any kind of curve ball seems to be beyond her capability. Do go here, don't let your friends or family go here, in fact don't even let your enemies go here. Needless to say I have transferred to another endocrinologist in town (even though she acts like she is the only one)and am very happy. Pros: good parking, nice office, staff is friendly Cons: no magazines, rude doctor, not helpful more