Shipp, Dane, MD Pacific Coast Womens Health

[If there were an option for zero stars, I would give this facility 0 stars.]\r \r Recently, I moved to the area, and I wanted to find a women's doc to get my yearly checkups and such. I should have researched a little more, but I thought this location would be good.\r \r By the way: Location...very hard to find. (if you do try to find it, just look for a steep driveway...they are up there...the last building before the exit. But trust me, you will be glad it is near the exit.)\r \r Waiting Room: Like an older Planned Parenthood.\r \r Time of my appointment: 2 p.m.\r \r My arrival time: 1:58 p.m.\r (2 minutes early, but they considered it late because they seem to want you to get to your appointment 30 minutes prior to your actual appointment time).\r \r I actually thought I was going to be late to my appointment today. I was off the Encinitas Blvd exit for about half an hour trying to find the facility, so I ended up calling them at 1:50 p.m. (10 minutes before my appointment time) to let them know that I was lost. The receptionist, Shannon, picked up and she was absolutely no help in offering directions, she told me that she had no idea where I was if I took the Encinitas Blvd exit. When I introduced myself as her 2 p.m. appointment she said this, """"Well, you should have been here at 1:30 p.m., because it takes 30 minutes at least to fill out paperwork, and at this point, the doctors will probably not see you.""\r \r Anyhow, I kept driving, found the facility at 1:58 p.m., and arrived at my appointment at the proper time. Since it was my first visit, I guess I was supposed to be there like 30 minutes early to fill out paperwork. --they did not warn me of this ahead of time when I first scheduled my appointment last week. \r \r To reiterate, they 1) did not tell me that if you make a 2 p.m. appoinment to get there at 1:30 instead, and 2) when I got there at 1:58 p.m., the two receptionists (Shannon and Brenda) said I was too late for my appointment and by this point, she was not sure if the doctors could even see me, because I was ""late"". \r \r I apologized that I did not arrive earlier; I said I thought I was supposed to be there at 2 for my 2 o'clock appointment. Shannon huffed and said, ""Well, since you are late, I don't think the doctor will want to see you. I'll go ask."" (What kind of client based culture is this?!) Then she went to the back and asked the doctor. She returned and said, ""We do not like to see people who are late to their appointment , but they said that they will still see you but you will have to wait EXTRA long to see anyone since you are LATE."" P.S. There was no one in the waiting room besides me. She just kept rubbing the fact that I would have to wait extra long, and I started to feel really uncomfortable. (okay, then next time please schedule me at 1:30 if you wanted me to come then)...\r \r Anyways, I decided that I did not have to be treated that way, and I left before giving them any private information like my insurance card, and thank goodness I did not fill out the forms.\r \r I was in fact on time for my appointment and the receptionists are just plain rude. It is sad because the doctor could have been a really nice person, but I decided to leave before meeting anyone else at this office. If I were you, I would not waste my time going to this office, until the managers coach their receptionist employees on how to speak with all clients. They just lost my business at the front desk. more

Stay away from this practice! \r \r The office staff is cold and unfriendly, but that didn't bother me as much as the completely negligent care I received here. \r \r To keep it brief, I went in due to irregular bleeding. The nurse practitioner came in and launched into a tirade about me not being on birth control, did not listen to my answers or ask me probing questions, and essentially just forced the birth control pill down my throat. \r \r Then, she got up to leave, opened the door and I stopped her saying, ""That's not what I came in for. I need an exam!"" To which she responded, ""I don't have time. You'll have to come back."" (I should mention that I was sitting there naked, in an exam gown that I had been told to put on) Then, she proceed to tell me that, ""at my age"" (I'm 31 and single) that I shouldn't waste my most fertile years on a man if he's not, ""the one."" That as the years pass, it will only become harder for me to get pregnant, and that I shouldn't be wasting my time with a guy unless he's going to give me children. I should note, all of this was WITH THE DOOR OPEN. Well, this was not a family planning appt., I had not asked her any questions about my fertility, and she has no idea if I want kids or not, so none of her comments were founded or appropriate.\r \r Needless to say, I was horrified. I called and spoke to one of the doctors who owned the practice, and she apologized, agreed that the behavior was completely inappropriate asked me to come back the next day to get the exam that I should've had the first visit. \r \r Well, I showed up yesterday for that apt. and they didn't have me on the books! Instead, they had scheduled me for a later date, with the same nurse that I called to complain about!!!! When I told them this was unacceptable, they said there was nothing they could do- no one had time to see me. And yes, I was still bleeding and having pain.\r \r I walked out, told them I'd never be back, and that I'd be sure to tell everyone how terrible they are. \r \r I would've had to come in THREE times in one week (and pay two co-pays) to get the exam I needed. I was insulted, my privacy violated with the door open, and then stood -up for an appointment. As I've discussed this with my girlfriends who also go there, they all tell me they've also been insulted by the abrasive nurse practitioner who's either told them they were, ""irresponsible, not 17, and should know better than to not be on birth control, "" or, they were called fat during their pregnancy, or like me, were given unsolicited dating advice as if this is 1950. \r \r I've decided to speak up about this because I believe that women should know that it's not ok to be treated this way and we should all demand much better care! more