EXCLUSIVE: News and Opinion Rude Intake Desk Clerks, 6 Foot Rule Broken, Patients placed in danger waiting in parking lot.
How Much Life Can you Afford?
SPARTANBURG, SC: (SPARTANBURG.ONE) - Locally Spartanburg.one staffer has visited local clinics and pharmacies to obtain a COVID-19 test to evaluate the professionalism and
safety of the practices.
Have you ever walked into a clinic and had the immediate feeling that this place is all about money and not patients? Well, I would publish the name of this immediate care, but I know, as soon as I do, there will be letters and phone calls from lawyers, seize and desist letters and notices to appear filling my mailbox.
LONG WAITS: 198 - 213 4 Hour Waits Unsafe Waiting Area
One location was a clinic within the city and they had an incredibly long wait time. When the Spartanburg.One staffer approached the building parking lot, which was completely full, patients were standing in mass outside the facility in a cordoned off area using construction codes. The longest waiting time was 198 - 213 minutes (a nearly 4 hour waiting time) for care. Anyone who is unfamiliar with the parking lot could easily turn off the higher speed side street into a crowd of people and not realize it, based on such a simple traffic barrier.
CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS:
Upon a new patient entering your practice this is your opportunity to win a customer for life, or completely fail. When the opportunity arises "Insurance information on this clipboard or use the tablet." is not the best statement. "Welcome to [facility name], Let's get to know you a little better, could you fill out this patient data sheet for us and we will give you a call up in about ["X" number] of minutes." This sounds so much better.
POSSIBLE CROSS-CONTAMINATION:
When patients enter the office they are presented with the option of being handed a pen and clip board, which other patients have handled, to fill in their health insurance information and vital details, or use the very small touch pad, that yes, many of the other patients have handled, if not the majority. There were no wipes, or cleaning solutions available to use between patients.
SIX FOOT RULE NOT ENFORCED:
Upon casually glancing around the room the staffer could easily notice that the six foot guidance was a complete joke in this small office waiting area with patients stacked wall-to-wall waiting to be seen.
NURSING / OFFICE STAFF FAILED TO OBSERVE UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS:
During the visit, the Spartanburg.one staffer explained they did not have their insurance card with them because they were referred over from another pharmacy whom stated that the records were sent over. The nurse / patient intake representative removed her mask to enable her to speak loudly and insult the reporter.
Once the reporter was informed that there was no way to get the test without insurance information, that the reporter would not be seen. The reporter politely placed the clipboard on the counter and said. "Thank you. You realize you are denying me service?" The reason is the patient was not offered the ability to self-pay. The desk clerk at this point should have mentioned the price.
The thing that really emphasized the poor customer service and unprofessionalism is the comment that was said by the staffer as the reporter had their back turned and nearly out the door.
" Well, your not going to get something you don't have the ability to pay for. The test is One Hundred Ninety Dollars!"
So, what this tells people of a reasonable cognitive process is, that the nurse made a snap judgement that the reporter did not have the ability to purchase the services on their own, and tried to embarrass the reporter, in front of a crowd of on-lookers. In addition this was the first time price was mentioned, and only in a negative manner. The statements also implied that the reporter was looking for something they were not entitled to or the facility would not be paid for. If the prospective patient was African American this story would be likely be on national news.
Fun Fact:
Immediate Cares and doctors' offices can not bill insurance companies on Sundays. It's a Monday - Friday proposition for billing of services. So if an individual walks in on a Sunday Morning and returns with the insurance information in the afternoon, does it really matter?
TO TOP OFF THE TOXIC EXPERIENCE:
At the end of the experience at this facility. The reporter left the facility and noticed a woman brown hair, black slacks, dressed somewhat professionally unloading a mini-van full of metal containers into the side door of the facility.
"Excuse me, Miss? Are you a manager here at [Facility Name]? May I speak to you for a moment?"
Woman's Answer: "Oh, heavens no. I am the caterer."
The facility staff, whom allowed patients to stand within 6 feet, use the same clipboards, pens, and computer screen with no cleaning supplies, and removed their universal precautions for no other reason then to insult a patient, that they assumed was poor, was being delivered catered lunch. That's why, in part, for the nearly four hour delay.
IN CONCLUSION:
These are our "American Front Line Heroes." These are the ones profiting from a pandemic. These are the ones, whom will be benefiting from forced inoculations of vaccines that many don't want, but in some cases, if people do not accept, they can be fired in South Carolina.
Athletes, Politicians and the wealthy can get tests very easily, but the general public can not, but we will have no barriers to a vaccine that the public has not been educated about potential side effects, or effectiveness. How much life .... can you afford? The whole point is you have the choice of where to go for testing, as long as your plan allows it. Don't be forced into one site or another. Do your homework. This is your health, and your choice. Until they take that away as well.
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