Friday, May 13, 2011

Dr. Brian Quinn and Clarkstown Pediatrics in Stony Point

Warning--this is long!

First, let me say that I sincerely miss Dr. Paul in Glendale, NY (reviewed HERE). Dr. Paul is the sweetest, most knowledgeable pediatrician that we have ever come across. He once saved the life of a choking newborn in his waiting room by sucking the mucus from his mouth and nose with his own mouth! You don't find doctor's like him every day.

And the nurses at his office were so amazing--particularly Yissenia and Chris in Glendale. Andrew loved them and he loved Dr. Paul--and so did my husband and I! I don't think we're ever going to get over not have him as our pediatrician anymore!

That said, we tried out the Stony Point office of Clarkstown Pediatrics yesterday and my unease with them made me miss Dr. Paul so much more. From the moment I called up Clarkstown Peds' appointment line and it took 20 rings for an automated message to answer, I became a bit wary. After deciphering what button I needed to press for appointments, I was passed over to the billing department to have my insurance verified. Nobody picked up in billing, so I left a message and received a callback and verification a half-hour later (not bad at all.) Finally, I was passed back to the appointments desk where I was set up with an appointment with Dr. Brian Quinn in Stony Point for the very next morning.

We arrived early for our appointment so that I could fill out the required paperwork, but when I walked into the office, the receptionist did not even look up to acknowledge me because she was on the phone. After 15 minutes of waiting and Andrew playing with the decent-enough toys in the waiting room, I walked up to the desk again to see if maybe I needed to sign in. After finding no sign-in form and not getting a word from the receptionist, I just grabbed a clipboard that had some forms on it and started filling it in. Finally, after maybe another 10 minutes, the receptionist hung up the phone and gave me some forms to fill out.

We were ushered into the examination room by a sweet nurse named Patty. She weighed and measured Andrew (I think she measured him wrongly, though, because they have a free-standing ruler rather than one connected to the table and she recorded him shorter than he was a month ago). Then she informed me that they take all temperatures rectally up until the age of 3!! What? They can't use the ear thermometer like most other doctors? Andrew is super strong now--I wanna see her try to get a rectal thermometer into Andrew's behind when he's kicking you in the face at 2 1/2. So strange.

Dr. Quinn came in and he was nice. (His full bio and picture are HERE.) He checked Andrew out, was very kind and sweet to him, answered my questions, and when we met in his office after Andrew's vaccinations, he printed up helpful articles on biting and sleeping through the night for me. What I found strange, though, was that he gave the OK for Andrew to get 3 vaccinations even though he had a cold. I should have listened to my inner mommy instincts because my poor little boy now has a fever. (Dr. Paul would have never given him that many shots in a row and not even one shot if he was sick!)

I think maybe the most terrible part for me was that a nurse or nurse-practitioner (I'm not sure--I didn't catch her name) came in to administer the vaccines and she literally had me lying on Andrew to keep him still as he thrashed about crying and she jabbed the needles into his leg. It was heartbreaking! He has never reacted this way to a shot before, and I understand that maybe he was under more duress because he was in a new office, but it still gave me a negative feeling in my stomach.

Finally, on my way out of the office, I tried to book Andrew's 18-month appointment in two-months time so that I didn't have to call the automated system. The receptionist said "Oh, I don't have that schedule up yet, so just call us in a week." Um, I've made appointments as far as 6 months out at other offices...  I just didn't get it...

The bottom line: I have friends who go to doctors at Clarkstown Ped's other offices in New City and Nanuet, and they swear they are great, but I am going to try another practice all together. Maybe because I was spoiled by having Dr. Paul, but I really prefer a practice that is much smaller. I want a person, not a machine to answer my phone calls. I want a doctor and staff that will remember my son--and it is hard to do that when you have a million patients.

Is this too much to ask? I don't know... but I'll keep you posted, as always, on my search. If any of you Rockland Moms and Dads out there have recommendations, please let me know!

18 comments:

  1. Definitely find a doctor you are comfortable with. When the children are young, they always see the doctor. My kids are in their teens and only go once a year for sports physicals. They're never sick. When they were babies, it seemed there was an ear infection every few months!
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    Have a great weekend! Nice meeting you!

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  2. Cute blog!

    I just found your blog through one of the blog hops! Have a great weekend. Can't wait to read more!

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  3. Hi! I'm following you from Social Parade!
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  4. I have been going to the Nanuet office for 6 years and it has been a pleasant experience. I've been able to figure out which doctors I'm comfortable with and which ones don't match my needs. Though I've never had an appt w/ Dr. Quinn, I have spoken to him when he was on call and he gave me great advice over the phone. Good luck in your search.

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  5. I agree. That office is not run properly. They are very rude at the front desk. I dread bring my son in or having to call them for anything.

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  6. Thanks to everybody for their comments! And, Susan, thank you for verifying that I'm not a crazy person! :)

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  7. I'm sorry to hear you had such a bad experience @ StonyPoint. I start in the Nanuet offices tomorrow...u just reminded me, I never called the billing office! My strong feeling is that you should COMPLAIN; ask if there is an office manager or speak directly to the physician about the front end. It is the patients that keep the office going, and the way things are now, I'm sure there are plenty of people eager to do a receptionist/secretary job and do it well!!

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  8. you could search for another dr. but in all honesty i think you just had a strike of bad luck that day. You will not find another doctors practice as good or compassionate as this one. I am sorry for your experience but hope you give them another chance. Dr. Quinn is fantastic.

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  9. Following up on this blog and post, i'd say i have encountered the same issue numerous times with the Stony Point office and now the Nanuet location. I was lied to and questioned on to why would I wait so long to phone in my son's illnes, but yet this receptionist when I was upset when I was questioned, i asked who i was speaking to , the receptionist lied and gave a different employee's name, little to know someone said no the person who was just on the phone is so an so, I spoke with the office manager Maureen, and she has been so rude stated she would handle this issue and never did. I was then sent a bill for a child not livving with me intentionally, and now most recent I was sent a letter telling me they feel my 4yr old son would be best with a different pediatrician. I am fuming and reported this buisness to the bbb.org and now to the attorneys general office. I want an answer as to why they think for patients and why was i questioned from an uncertified receptionist. NO ONE IS TO QUESTON A PATIENT UNLESS THERE A CERTIFIED DOCTOR, AND I DIDNT WAIT TO REPORT ANYTHING A SIMPLE EYEDROP WAS MISPLACED and I wanted to know how to go about getting another perscription. This place is horirble from getting through to a Doctor, Making appointments and to customer serivce and now horrible management. I am glad I found a new pediatrican near my area,

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  10. Again, thanks to you all for your comments! Anon directly above me, I'm so sorry you had such an over-the-top horrendous experience with these guys. I was aware of the bad service provided by the receptionist, but I really am shocked that they would "break up with" a patient--especially a four-year-old!

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  11. I have been using Clarkstown Peds for 18 years...I have 4 children. I started at the Nyack Hospital office and now primarily use the Nanuet office even though I live closer to the Stony Point office. I can understand your frustration, but I use Dr. Puder and have NEVER had the experience you had. Dr. Quinn is a very caring doctor. Yet, you need to be comfortable with your pediatrician...my experience may not be your experience.

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  12. I have been taking my son to the Nanuet office for the past year and have seen several doctors there. I was also totaly taken back when they said they would take his temp. rectally. Which of course my son hates and the crying starts from there. One of the nurses pinned him down because he was moving his legs and just seemed so cold. After all that she didn't even tell me what the fever was until i asked. It may not seem like a big thing but it makes an impression on a kid and now everytime we go there he cries from the moment we walk in to the examining room. Most of the doctors are nice but I feel that they don't do a thorough examination on my son. For example, just recently I took my son because he had a bad cough and fever. The doctor checked his breathing and his ears and said his ears are red and he has an ear infection. Just to point out my son has had tubes placed in his ears due to the amount of times he was having ear infections couple of months ago. So I found it so odd that in the past month they’ve diagnosed him with 2 ear infections. The doctor also didn’t even check his throat. The next day I decided to take him to the ENT and I was stunned to hear that his ears were fine and it was his throat, he has tonsillitis. Such a common and simple thing should never have been misdiagnosed. So of course at this I’m going to take him out of the Clarkstown group all together and find a new doctor.

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  13. We had a HORRBILE experience there and the office manager that Harvey Brownstein, ASSHOLE kicked us out of the office all together and to find a new pediatrician altogether. I'd love to share the story with you all but for now go to Orangetown Pediatrics. We love them! small practice better service.. good luck!

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  14. I have been taking my 3-year-old and 9 week old to Clarkstown Peds since they were born. I have had a hard time finding a Dr. I felt comfortable with. I finally found Dr. Hudson! We love her. We go to the nanuet office and Dr. Hudson is only there on wednesdays which makes it difficult. I agree that the staff is rude! And it is insane that you cannot make appointments more then a few weeks in advance! I have been trying to do some reseach on different offices also. I have not come across any so far that seem any better. The one really good thing about the office is the hours. They are open late and on the weekends. But I am very open to changing doctors. Keep us posted on your search! :-) Thank you!

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  15. I think the office is great. They have treated my children wonderfully, and are 100% responsive. The front office is polite and helpful. I really don't agree at all.

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  16. Hi,

    I would like to say that my son has been going to the one in Nanuet since he was a newborn ( now 2 1/2). Dr. Puder is a wonderful doctor. As a first time mom I wanted someone who makes me feel comfortable and i have been since my first visit.
    I visited the facility in Stony Point once cause Dr. Puder was not available and Dr. Quinn was wonderful. If i lived closer to his facility he will be my son's ped.
    Since i don't go to Dr. Quinn office regularly, i would say to give the one in Nanuet a chance, the nurses and the front desk stop are all great.
    My reccomandations will be Dr. puder, Dr Selber, Dr. Hudson and Dr. Quinn. I've seen them all and they were wonderful to my son.

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  17. i doubt you will find a pediatrician anywhere that you like if you don't keep comparing them to your previous doctor.

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  18. Similar experience at the Nanuet office today.

    First, if you will not just accept everything that your doctor says and wants to do to your child (you know, deciding your child's medical treatments) then you are NOT welcome. You better give every vaccine when and where they say, otherwise, you will have to find another physician, I was told. Disturbing.

    The receptionist was very confused and I had to guide her through our information, which she then kept saying "oh, it's here" since our files were in front of her on the computer.

    On the way out, the lady who makes appointments was beyond rude. Seriously, she seemed like she wanted to be somewhere else and it wasn't even lunch yet! I can't imagine how nasty she would be if it was near closing time.



    To summarize: AVOID Clarkstown pediatrics at all costs.

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