Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me After waiting almost months for a reply to my request, I have received my complete medical file from Believe Midwifery Services, LLC Regards, [redacted]
We have reviewed [redacted] complaintWe have sent all records we were able to send; however, the largest section of her health record, totaling pages, was too large to send via our typical secure electronic pathwayI have already contacted our IT support person for our medical charting program to research if they can offer another solution [redacted] has the option of waiting for the last part of her chart, at no additional charge -- or she has the option per Indiana Code 1-71-of paying per page to have her records printed and mailedThe cost, again per Indiana Code 1-17-3, is as follows (in addition to the processing fee for those already sent electronically): first pages no charge, then fifty cents per pate is required through page 50, and then pages and higher are billed at twenty-five cents per pageThe client is responsible for actual mailing costs, and a twenty dollar fee if certification is requested.We are in process of fully resolving this complaint and are happy to do soHowever I would like to note that [redacted] still owes us a substantial balance for care provided, even after we wrote off a considerable amount due to financial hardship, for which she agreed to pay monthly until paid offWhen we don't receive payment from our clients, it makes it exceedingly challenging to pay administrative staff to process requests such as theseWe do depend on financial reimbursement for services rendered to continue extending care to our clients in an efficient manner
Our argument is unchanged [redacted] stated in her original complaint that she communicated via email, and one phone callWe have no evidence of this, and she has not provided any herselfEven so, Mrs [redacted] has acknowledged that this is an inappropriate mode of communication regarding healthcare informationNeither she or her provider have sent a medical release (which can not be done by phone)She also has no evidence of having paid for this serviceHer complaints and accusations continue in this email which is evidence to her motive with this Revdex.com reportWe are more than willing to provide her medical records, but we must have a secure mode of transmitting these records per Federal lawOur attorney has been in contact with her's to request her preferred methodThere is nothing more we can do.The release is necessary because we need a fax number or protected email address to forward confidential patient information or we violate Federal lawWe can certainly waive the fee, but we must follow rules and regulations regarding private healthcare information.Respectfully,DrPenny L***
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait until for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved
Regards,
*** ***
"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Regarding the concern shared by *** ***, I wanted to share that she is in fact, a previous disgruntled employeeShe was reprimanded for damaging property, harassing our clinical staff, and violating a number of policiesAfter being counseled on these matters, she terminated her employmentFollowing departure, *** became very hostile and so when it became apparent that she had no other motivation than to retaliate against the practice, we requested all future communication occur through our attorney*** has since contacted our attorney with a plethora of complaints and threats since October of last year, including threats to file a file a complaint with the Attorney General, the Labor Board, and the Revdex.com
Our attorney sent *** a cease and desist order due to her ongoing assault to our practice, and has argued that her threats had no merit, including informing her that a complaint to your organization would be invalid because the Revdex.com is for consumers, not employeesIt is not surprising that she has fabricated this complaint
*** was a midwifery client prior to becoming an employee with the practiceUpon entering care, *** signed an agreement that states email and facebook are inappropriate modes of communicating with our practiceShe was provided a handout on how to appropriately communicate with our clinical staff, provided access to our client handbook also detailing how best to communicate with our practice, and a copy of her signed client agreement agreeing to these termsFurther, the Contact Us page on our website (www.BelieveMidwiferyServices.com) details how to appropriately communicate with our practice regarding healthcare matters, and specifically addresses requests for obtaining medical records, providing a medical release form
In her complaint to the Revdex.com, *** states that I've given excuses for not responding to her email about medical recordsIn fact, I haven't seen a request via email, but even had she sent such request via email, this violates our agreementAll requests must come via a medical release with payment of $This form is provided on our websiteAdditionally, our phone system maintains records of all in-coming and out-going calls and faxesNone have been received by *** for many monthsIf she would like to receive her records, she must follow the terms she agreed to and which are part of the professional standardCommunicating with her via email about her healthcare is a violation of the Federal HIPAA regulations
*** was very happy with her care as a client, even sharing a testimonial for our website, and subsequently sought employment with our practiceHer concerns have all come after being reprimanded while on the jobWe can provide a copy of her signed agreement and a copy of her birth testimonial, as well as a number of emails regarding her love of her job and the plethora of frivolous complaints that followed her being counseled while an employee, if those would help resolve this complaint
We appreciate your mediation in this matter, and again, are more than happy to provide her records with a signed medical release and $fee
Peas, Lovage, and Saladarity, Penny L*** DNP, CNM, IBCLC www.BelieveMidwiferyServices.com
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.[Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
Regards,
*** *** The response from DrL*** is not surprising, but is irrelevant nonethelessSince the Revdex.com doesn't handle employee complaints it's neither relevant, nor professional to bring up disputes in the workplaceMy frustration doesn't stem from my employment, despite whatever impression DrL*** would like to believeIt is not worth my time to defend each and every point made, as it is a matter of he said she said at this pointRegardless of the situation surrounding the frustration, the fact of the matter is that I have provided appropriate documentation and signed the medical release form for my records, as well as sent in the required funds (although, typically for the release of medical records for military families, this fee is usually waivedI recognize that DrL*** does not offer such a courtesy to those families serving our country, so I provided a check anyhow)The reason I am only bringing this up a year after my son's birth, is because prior to some recent health issues, I have not needed these filesNow, I doI suppose, it seems like coincidence to a skeptical person, as DrL*** tends to be, though it is merely the fact that I am having health issues which warrant the need for my health recordsThe fact of the matter is that DrL*** has withheld these from me, and since she has demanded that I only contact her lawyer (whom now no longer represents her) I am unable to get answers as to why, after having provided necessary paperwork and funds, I am not being served my recordsI believe that several months is more than enough time to retrieve these documentsPerhaps an issue of disorganization is at fault here, or improper communication between her and her attorneyI am not here to speculate why, only to ask that my records be given to meI am happy to re submit my medical release form, but believe that for the inconvenience I should not be charged the 25$ fee
I am not entirely sure of how best to respond to this complaint, both in that much of the client's argument revolves around private healthcare information and that in defending our practice, I risk dishonoring the clientI will share that those who know me will recognize quickly that this report is
not consistent of my character, nor my staff'sI will also share that all of our maternity clients sign a lengthy contract that outlines our expectations, including consistent prenatal care, educating oneself in natural childbirth and breastfeeding, preparation of the home for childbirth, and establishment of a trusting relationship with our midwifery teamOne's mental health should also be stable to secure a safe home deliveryAt any point any one or all of these components are not met, or one's clinical presentation is outside the scope of practice for home birth attendance, it is in the best interest of the mother and child to consider other options for careCertainly we extend a great deal of grace, but it would be reckless to disregard consistent or ominous indications that one is not an appropriate candidate for this model of care
With regards to the requested refund, the client was charged for prenatal care which is consistent with our signed agreementMany of our clients take advantage of an early payment discount, as did this clientIn the event of a transfer of care prior to the thirty-sixth week of pregnancy, the client is charged only for the care that was provided and refunded the remaining overpaymentThis client's charges were itemized, which her healthcare records will support, and the client received a refund within the same week she was notified of our inability to attend her in a home deliveryAlternative providers were recommended and continued care was extended during the transition of careOur total global fee has no correlation to her complaint, as she was not charged the total package feeThere is no refund dueFurthermore, at no point did this client notify our office in regards to her invoice or refund, which is evidence that this complaint is more an effort to attack the practice than an attempt to seek mediation for an unresolved complaint
Respectfully,
*** *** *** CNM
Believe Midwifery Services, LLC
In I transferred care at weeks from my (very kind and competent) OBGYN to DrLane at Believe MidwiferyI wanted to pursue a homebirth and found DrLane's practice to be most transparent about what that might look like during my shopping around process She took great pains to inform potential clients what they can expect from her; for example, how long prenatal appts last, how often appts occur, how she will or will not discuss health concerns, what she requires her clients to do prior to the birth to get the home ready, she was so thorough I sometimes wondered why, but from the few complaints I've seen here perhaps it is her effort to avoid situations that culminate in an unhappy client
Her practice is, by far, strongest in town for clinical expertise of the homebirth She staffs births well (1-CNMs at delivery, 1-assistants, everyone is trained for neonatal resuscitation so if baby and mom both need attention after delivery one practitioner isn't tasked with both) and has attended so many homebirths that her experience alone was a huge boon for me as a client In the research I read prior to making the plunge into homebirth, over and over a key factor for outcomes was the experience level and ability of the delivering practitioner in the homebirth settingI have absolute confidence in her clinical ability and also her professional integrity I know that should a situation occur where I was no longer a good candidate for homebirth, she would tell me She does not seem to have any blind allegiance to "homebirth at all costs" that I find so questionable in the homebirth world
As far as her personal manner, she is just the kind of person I want by my side when it comes to the health of my child or myself She is so patientAfter a safe and happy birth at home, my son's newborn blood screen showed that he tested positive for a rare problem called galactosemia and it was a scary time She was reassuring, calm and positive without being saccharineShe and her staff helped me transition to pumping full time while further testing occurred and then transition back to breastfeeding when he was cleared to nurseWhat a debt I owe them in patience and encouragement! I chose to return to her practice when I became pregnant againAnd then I got to see how tactful she can beI grilled her with questions about reimbursement of the maternity package fee should I miscarry because I was so much earlier in my pregnancy (weeks vs weeks the first time) and had had a late miscarriage previously So I knew if I MC'd again there would be some money owed, but needed to know what that might be She answered all my questions, without any discomfort at all my prodding "if I miscarry after weeks, would that change the amount reimbursed?" etc I really am grateful for how kindly she fielded these and many other questions I've put to her during my two pregnancies with Believe
All in all, if you are interested in a homebirth, she is the best
If you want to know the true weaknesses of the practice I think they are pretty straightforwardIt is the administrative side of Believe that has the weaknessesAs her practice has grown, she continues to provide stellar maternity care, but meanwhile the organization seems to be a step behind her vision-- the ongoing struggles to achieve a method of documentation that doesn't leave patients & her staff in a lurch with lost information (like "I thought I filled that form out already" kind of things) she recently went back to paper charting to address that, the difficulty contacting anyone with non-emergency questions, there was an email system to handle that but it needed to be scrappedmost of these problems are the problems of a growing business that is finding its feet Probably for too long DrLane's tremendous work ethic covered a lot of the gaps and now Believe is transitioning so that the staff supports DrLane's clinical work instead of DrLane taking time out of her clinical work to support the ongoing tasks of a busy office (like follow up phone calls, processing paperwork, answering general phone calls, making appointments)
If you are considering Believe Midwifery--they do more than homebirth, by the by-- I can absolutely recommend the practice and DrLane
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
$100 worth of ridiculous charges were made including: $50 for excessive phone calls- a decision per the midwife to call excessively during the business hours from a blocked number while I was working and could not answer my phone, which was never outlined as a potential charge in any paperwork which I signed. As well as $50 for for "office visit outside clinic appointment" which was an appointment time that was not specifically chosen by myself and was offered by the clinic, never was there mention made of an additional charge if I accepted this appointment time. This appointment was within regular business hours during the regular business week. Again, never did I sign ANY paperwork accepting this ridiculous fee. I was also charged $175 for office visits when I only saw the RN, this is illegal. I was charged $260 for an office visit with an RN reviewed past medical history. Again, this is not consistent with any healthcare billing which I have ever seen as a healthcare provider myself.
The fact that the healthcare provider is now resorting to alluding to a possibility of mental instability on my part, as part of her argument, is evidence enough of her nastiness and speaks as to her character. There had been no behavior on my part to warrant any of the unfounded verbal attacks I incurred from Ms. [redacted] during my office visit when she felt compelled to name call using adjectives such as "annoying", "bully", and "disrespectful". The only mental instability is excessive stress caused by the midwife during my third trimester of pregnancy by her verbal attack, rude phone calls on the part of her and her staff, privacy violation and the associated stress of attaining a new midwife 7 weeks shy of delivery.
I will now be escalating my complaint to include the professional organizations to which this midwife belongs as well as filing a complaint with HIPAA for the violation of my privacy which was infringed with Ms. [redacted] and Ms. [redacted] choosing to discuss me by name as a patient.
Regards,
[redacted]
Our argument is unchanged. [redacted] stated in her original complaint that she communicated via email, and one phone call. We have no evidence of this, and she has not provided any herself. Even so, Mrs. [redacted] has acknowledged that this is an inappropriate mode of communication regarding healthcare information. Neither she or her provider have sent a medical release (which can not be done by phone). She also has no evidence of having paid for this service. Her complaints and accusations continue in this email which is evidence to her motive with this Revdex.com report. We are more than willing to provide her medical records, but we must have a secure mode of transmitting these records per Federal law. Our attorney has been in contact with her's to request her preferred method. There is nothing more we can do.The release is necessary because we need a fax number or protected email address to forward confidential patient information or we violate Federal law. We can certainly waive the fee, but we must follow rules and regulations regarding private healthcare information.Respectfully,Dr. Penny L[redacted]
Arguing the details of this complaint would require that I divulge private healthcare information, which is a violation of federal law. This is understood by the client and so this complaint serves no other reason than to slander the practice. Again, this client did not contact our office at any time about her concerns; therefore, we had no previous ability to discuss her position regarding the refund provided. While we appreciate the role of the Revdex.com in mediating for businesses and their consumers, our hands are tied by Federal Regulations so we are unable to properly defend our position. However, we do believe our reputation is one that will hold up to this attack if the Revdex.com determines it appropriate to publish this complaint on a public website. We simply are not willing to dishonor the client to save face and would argue that in time and with some self-reflection, this client would also regret this complaint being published publicly.
We can assure the Revdex.com however, that a very detailed financial agreement is offered to each of our maternity clients, and this particular client and her spouse signed the agreement without altering the arrangement. Registered Nurses are legitimate professionals within the healthcare profession, and billable by Medicare and every other third party payer. The appointment the client refers to that was billed outside office hours was during a week our practice had closed to offer a professional workshop, and the client was made very aware we did not have availability for appointments; however, she was quite adamant that her schedule had no flexibility what-so-ever. We worked to accommodate her because she was advancing in her pregnancy (as stated below), but this did require that I step out of my presentation to provide consultation for this visit and have another speaker fill the gap. We billed an increased fee for this visit which is also a standard for the profession, and allowable by Medicare. It is also a standard within the profession to charge an increased fee for the initial maternity visit, as a new patient, which is also detailed in her signed financial agreement and on our website.
The statements otherwise made by this client simply aren't reality. It would serve no purpose to speak to a client in this manner, and had we done so, it would seem preposterous that we would also continue to willingly extend care. In fact, in our last meeting, the one in which we bent over backwards to accommodate, I extended a hug to this client upon her departure. It is genuinely my hope that at some point in the future, this client will revisit the situation and reevaluate her position on our relationship.
Finally, [redacted] is not an employee of our practice, and because no records have yet to be shared regarding this client, I am not aware of how this practitioner and myself would be guilty of violating her confidence or HIPAA regulations. Certainly, she is more than welcome to file complaints with whomever she finds most appropriate. We continue to stand by our care and the fees that were charged for this case. The refund remains appropriate and provided in a timely manner. I would like to point out however, that the client fails to argue the additional $1,000 she felt she was due in her original complaint. Again, this complaint is consistent with anger, not genuine concern that she was wronged.
Respectfully,
[redacted] CNM
Believe Midwifery Services, LLC
$100 worth of ridiculous charges
were made including: $50 for excessive phone calls- a decision per the
midwife to call excessively during the business hours from a blocked
number while I was working and could not answer my phone, which was
never outlined as a potential charge in any paperwork which I signed. As
well as $50 for for "office visit outside clinic appointment" which was
an appointment time that was not specifically chosen by myself and
was offered by the clinic, never was there mention made of an additional
charge if I accepted this appointment time. This appointment was within
regular business hours during the regular business week. Again, never
did I sign ANY paperwork accepting this ridiculous fee. I was also
charged $175 for office visits when I only saw the RN, this is illegal. I
was charged $260 for an office visit with an RN reviewed past medical
history. Again, this is not consistent with any healthcare billing which
I have ever seen as a healthcare provider myself.
The fact that the healthcare
provider is now resorting to alluding to a possibility of mental
instability on my part, as part of her argument, is evidence enough of
her nastiness and speaks as to her character. There had been no behavior
on my part to warrant any of the unfounded verbal attacks I incurred
from Ms. Penny Lane during my office visit when she felt compelled to
name call using adjectives such as "annoying", "bully", and
"disrespectful". The only mental instability is excessive stress caused
by the midwife during my third trimester of pregnancy by her verbal
attack, rude phone calls on the part of her and her staff, privacy
violation and the associated stress of attaining a new midwife 7 weeks
shy of delivery.
I will now be escalating my
complaint to include the professional organizations to which this
midwife belongs as well as filing a complaint with HIPAA for the
violation of my privacy which was infringed with Ms. Penny Lane and Ms.
Victoria Floyd choosing to discuss me by name as a patient.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.
After waiting almost 3 months for a reply to my request, I have received my complete medical file from Believe Midwifery Services, LLC.
Regards,
[redacted]
We have reviewed [redacted] complaint. We have sent all records we were able to send; however, the largest section of her health record, totaling 76 pages, was too large to send via our typical secure electronic pathway. I have already contacted our IT support person for our medical...
charting program to research if they can offer another solution. [redacted] has the option of waiting for the last part of her chart, at no additional charge -- or she has the option per Indiana Code 1-71-3 of paying per page to have her records printed and mailed. The cost, again per Indiana Code 1-17-3, is as follows (in addition to the processing fee for those already sent electronically): first 10 pages no charge, then fifty cents per pate is required through page 50, and then pages 51 and higher are billed at twenty-five cents per page. The client is responsible for actual mailing costs, and a twenty dollar fee if certification is requested.We are in process of fully resolving this complaint and are happy to do so. However I would like to note that [redacted] still owes us a substantial balance for care provided, even after we wrote off a considerable amount due to financial hardship, for which she agreed to pay monthly until paid off. When we don't receive payment from our clients, it makes it exceedingly challenging to pay administrative staff to process requests such as these. We do depend on financial reimbursement for services rendered to continue extending care to our clients in an efficient manner.
As noted in the last response, I have contacted our IT consultant for our electronic health record. After hearing back from him, I was recently able to compress the files down to an email friendly size. I have already sent these files to [redacted], who now has possession of her entire clinical record and receipt for services provided. If [redacted] still wishes to obtain a paper copy she may request it per the notes in my last response, however I have taken the liberty to honor the original request and send it by email, which is the most expedient method.
Kristina [redacted], MSN, CNM
Chief Operations Officer
Believe Midwifery Services, LLC
Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me After waiting almost months for a reply to my request, I have received my complete medical file from Believe Midwifery Services, LLC Regards, [redacted]
We have reviewed [redacted] complaintWe have sent all records we were able to send; however, the largest section of her health record, totaling pages, was too large to send via our typical secure electronic pathwayI have already contacted our IT support person for our medical charting program to research if they can offer another solution [redacted] has the option of waiting for the last part of her chart, at no additional charge -- or she has the option per Indiana Code 1-71-of paying per page to have her records printed and mailedThe cost, again per Indiana Code 1-17-3, is as follows (in addition to the processing fee for those already sent electronically): first pages no charge, then fifty cents per pate is required through page 50, and then pages and higher are billed at twenty-five cents per pageThe client is responsible for actual mailing costs, and a twenty dollar fee if certification is requested.We are in process of fully resolving this complaint and are happy to do soHowever I would like to note that [redacted] still owes us a substantial balance for care provided, even after we wrote off a considerable amount due to financial hardship, for which she agreed to pay monthly until paid offWhen we don't receive payment from our clients, it makes it exceedingly challenging to pay administrative staff to process requests such as theseWe do depend on financial reimbursement for services rendered to continue extending care to our clients in an efficient manner
Our argument is unchanged [redacted] stated in her original complaint that she communicated via email, and one phone callWe have no evidence of this, and she has not provided any herselfEven so, Mrs [redacted] has acknowledged that this is an inappropriate mode of communication regarding healthcare informationNeither she or her provider have sent a medical release (which can not be done by phone)She also has no evidence of having paid for this serviceHer complaints and accusations continue in this email which is evidence to her motive with this Revdex.com reportWe are more than willing to provide her medical records, but we must have a secure mode of transmitting these records per Federal lawOur attorney has been in contact with her's to request her preferred methodThere is nothing more we can do.The release is necessary because we need a fax number or protected email address to forward confidential patient information or we violate Federal lawWe can certainly waive the fee, but we must follow rules and regulations regarding private healthcare information.Respectfully,DrPenny L***
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait until for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved
Regards,
*** ***
"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Regarding the concern shared by *** ***, I wanted to share that she is in fact, a previous disgruntled employeeShe was reprimanded for damaging property, harassing our clinical staff, and violating a number of policiesAfter being counseled on these matters, she terminated her employmentFollowing departure, *** became very hostile and so when it became apparent that she had no other motivation than to retaliate against the practice, we requested all future communication occur through our attorney*** has since contacted our attorney with a plethora of complaints and threats since October of last year, including threats to file a file a complaint with the Attorney General, the Labor Board, and the Revdex.com
Our attorney sent *** a cease and desist order due to her ongoing assault to our practice, and has argued that her threats had no merit, including informing her that a complaint to your organization would be invalid because the Revdex.com is for consumers, not employeesIt is not surprising that she has fabricated this complaint
*** was a midwifery client prior to becoming an employee with the practiceUpon entering care, *** signed an agreement that states email and facebook are inappropriate modes of communicating with our practiceShe was provided a handout on how to appropriately communicate with our clinical staff, provided access to our client handbook also detailing how best to communicate with our practice, and a copy of her signed client agreement agreeing to these termsFurther, the Contact Us page on our website (www.BelieveMidwiferyServices.com) details how to appropriately communicate with our practice regarding healthcare matters, and specifically addresses requests for obtaining medical records, providing a medical release form
In her complaint to the Revdex.com, *** states that I've given excuses for not responding to her email about medical recordsIn fact, I haven't seen a request via email, but even had she sent such request via email, this violates our agreementAll requests must come via a medical release with payment of $This form is provided on our websiteAdditionally, our phone system maintains records of all in-coming and out-going calls and faxesNone have been received by *** for many monthsIf she would like to receive her records, she must follow the terms she agreed to and which are part of the professional standardCommunicating with her via email about her healthcare is a violation of the Federal HIPAA regulations
*** was very happy with her care as a client, even sharing a testimonial for our website, and subsequently sought employment with our practiceHer concerns have all come after being reprimanded while on the jobWe can provide a copy of her signed agreement and a copy of her birth testimonial, as well as a number of emails regarding her love of her job and the plethora of frivolous complaints that followed her being counseled while an employee, if those would help resolve this complaint
We appreciate your mediation in this matter, and again, are more than happy to provide her records with a signed medical release and $fee
Peas, Lovage, and Saladarity, Penny L*** DNP, CNM, IBCLC www.BelieveMidwiferyServices.com
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.[Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
Regards,
*** *** The response from DrL*** is not surprising, but is irrelevant nonethelessSince the Revdex.com doesn't handle employee complaints it's neither relevant, nor professional to bring up disputes in the workplaceMy frustration doesn't stem from my employment, despite whatever impression DrL*** would like to believeIt is not worth my time to defend each and every point made, as it is a matter of he said she said at this pointRegardless of the situation surrounding the frustration, the fact of the matter is that I have provided appropriate documentation and signed the medical release form for my records, as well as sent in the required funds (although, typically for the release of medical records for military families, this fee is usually waivedI recognize that DrL*** does not offer such a courtesy to those families serving our country, so I provided a check anyhow)The reason I am only bringing this up a year after my son's birth, is because prior to some recent health issues, I have not needed these filesNow, I doI suppose, it seems like coincidence to a skeptical person, as DrL*** tends to be, though it is merely the fact that I am having health issues which warrant the need for my health recordsThe fact of the matter is that DrL*** has withheld these from me, and since she has demanded that I only contact her lawyer (whom now no longer represents her) I am unable to get answers as to why, after having provided necessary paperwork and funds, I am not being served my recordsI believe that several months is more than enough time to retrieve these documentsPerhaps an issue of disorganization is at fault here, or improper communication between her and her attorneyI am not here to speculate why, only to ask that my records be given to meI am happy to re submit my medical release form, but believe that for the inconvenience I should not be charged the 25$ fee
I am not entirely sure of how best to respond to this complaint, both in that much of the client's argument revolves around private healthcare information and that in defending our practice, I risk dishonoring the clientI will share that those who know me will recognize quickly that this report is
not consistent of my character, nor my staff'sI will also share that all of our maternity clients sign a lengthy contract that outlines our expectations, including consistent prenatal care, educating oneself in natural childbirth and breastfeeding, preparation of the home for childbirth, and establishment of a trusting relationship with our midwifery teamOne's mental health should also be stable to secure a safe home deliveryAt any point any one or all of these components are not met, or one's clinical presentation is outside the scope of practice for home birth attendance, it is in the best interest of the mother and child to consider other options for careCertainly we extend a great deal of grace, but it would be reckless to disregard consistent or ominous indications that one is not an appropriate candidate for this model of care
With regards to the requested refund, the client was charged for prenatal care which is consistent with our signed agreementMany of our clients take advantage of an early payment discount, as did this clientIn the event of a transfer of care prior to the thirty-sixth week of pregnancy, the client is charged only for the care that was provided and refunded the remaining overpaymentThis client's charges were itemized, which her healthcare records will support, and the client received a refund within the same week she was notified of our inability to attend her in a home deliveryAlternative providers were recommended and continued care was extended during the transition of careOur total global fee has no correlation to her complaint, as she was not charged the total package feeThere is no refund dueFurthermore, at no point did this client notify our office in regards to her invoice or refund, which is evidence that this complaint is more an effort to attack the practice than an attempt to seek mediation for an unresolved complaint
Respectfully,
*** *** *** CNM
Believe Midwifery Services, LLC
In I transferred care at weeks from my (very kind and competent) OBGYN to DrLane at Believe MidwiferyI wanted to pursue a homebirth and found DrLane's practice to be most transparent about what that might look like during my shopping around process She took great pains to inform potential clients what they can expect from her; for example, how long prenatal appts last, how often appts occur, how she will or will not discuss health concerns, what she requires her clients to do prior to the birth to get the home ready, she was so thorough I sometimes wondered why, but from the few complaints I've seen here perhaps it is her effort to avoid situations that culminate in an unhappy client
Her practice is, by far, strongest in town for clinical expertise of the homebirth She staffs births well (1-CNMs at delivery, 1-assistants, everyone is trained for neonatal resuscitation so if baby and mom both need attention after delivery one practitioner isn't tasked with both) and has attended so many homebirths that her experience alone was a huge boon for me as a client In the research I read prior to making the plunge into homebirth, over and over a key factor for outcomes was the experience level and ability of the delivering practitioner in the homebirth settingI have absolute confidence in her clinical ability and also her professional integrity I know that should a situation occur where I was no longer a good candidate for homebirth, she would tell me She does not seem to have any blind allegiance to "homebirth at all costs" that I find so questionable in the homebirth world
As far as her personal manner, she is just the kind of person I want by my side when it comes to the health of my child or myself She is so patientAfter a safe and happy birth at home, my son's newborn blood screen showed that he tested positive for a rare problem called galactosemia and it was a scary time She was reassuring, calm and positive without being saccharineShe and her staff helped me transition to pumping full time while further testing occurred and then transition back to breastfeeding when he was cleared to nurseWhat a debt I owe them in patience and encouragement! I chose to return to her practice when I became pregnant againAnd then I got to see how tactful she can beI grilled her with questions about reimbursement of the maternity package fee should I miscarry because I was so much earlier in my pregnancy (weeks vs weeks the first time) and had had a late miscarriage previously So I knew if I MC'd again there would be some money owed, but needed to know what that might be She answered all my questions, without any discomfort at all my prodding "if I miscarry after weeks, would that change the amount reimbursed?" etc I really am grateful for how kindly she fielded these and many other questions I've put to her during my two pregnancies with Believe
All in all, if you are interested in a homebirth, she is the best
If you want to know the true weaknesses of the practice I think they are pretty straightforwardIt is the administrative side of Believe that has the weaknessesAs her practice has grown, she continues to provide stellar maternity care, but meanwhile the organization seems to be a step behind her vision-- the ongoing struggles to achieve a method of documentation that doesn't leave patients & her staff in a lurch with lost information (like "I thought I filled that form out already" kind of things) she recently went back to paper charting to address that, the difficulty contacting anyone with non-emergency questions, there was an email system to handle that but it needed to be scrappedmost of these problems are the problems of a growing business that is finding its feet Probably for too long DrLane's tremendous work ethic covered a lot of the gaps and now Believe is transitioning so that the staff supports DrLane's clinical work instead of DrLane taking time out of her clinical work to support the ongoing tasks of a busy office (like follow up phone calls, processing paperwork, answering general phone calls, making appointments)
If you are considering Believe Midwifery--they do more than homebirth, by the by-- I can absolutely recommend the practice and DrLane
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
$100 worth of ridiculous charges were made including: $50 for excessive phone calls- a decision per the midwife to call excessively during the business hours from a blocked number while I was working and could not answer my phone, which was never outlined as a potential charge in any paperwork which I signed. As well as $50 for for "office visit outside clinic appointment" which was an appointment time that was not specifically chosen by myself and was offered by the clinic, never was there mention made of an additional charge if I accepted this appointment time. This appointment was within regular business hours during the regular business week. Again, never did I sign ANY paperwork accepting this ridiculous fee. I was also charged $175 for office visits when I only saw the RN, this is illegal. I was charged $260 for an office visit with an RN reviewed past medical history. Again, this is not consistent with any healthcare billing which I have ever seen as a healthcare provider myself.
The fact that the healthcare provider is now resorting to alluding to a possibility of mental instability on my part, as part of her argument, is evidence enough of her nastiness and speaks as to her character. There had been no behavior on my part to warrant any of the unfounded verbal attacks I incurred from Ms. [redacted] during my office visit when she felt compelled to name call using adjectives such as "annoying", "bully", and "disrespectful". The only mental instability is excessive stress caused by the midwife during my third trimester of pregnancy by her verbal attack, rude phone calls on the part of her and her staff, privacy violation and the associated stress of attaining a new midwife 7 weeks shy of delivery.
I will now be escalating my complaint to include the professional organizations to which this midwife belongs as well as filing a complaint with HIPAA for the violation of my privacy which was infringed with Ms. [redacted] and Ms. [redacted] choosing to discuss me by name as a patient.
Regards,
[redacted]
Our argument is unchanged. [redacted] stated in her original complaint that she communicated via email, and one phone call. We have no evidence of this, and she has not provided any herself. Even so, Mrs. [redacted] has acknowledged that this is an inappropriate mode of communication regarding healthcare information. Neither she or her provider have sent a medical release (which can not be done by phone). She also has no evidence of having paid for this service. Her complaints and accusations continue in this email which is evidence to her motive with this Revdex.com report. We are more than willing to provide her medical records, but we must have a secure mode of transmitting these records per Federal law. Our attorney has been in contact with her's to request her preferred method. There is nothing more we can do.The release is necessary because we need a fax number or protected email address to forward confidential patient information or we violate Federal law. We can certainly waive the fee, but we must follow rules and regulations regarding private healthcare information.Respectfully,Dr. Penny L[redacted]
Arguing the details of this complaint would require that I divulge private healthcare information, which is a violation of federal law. This is understood by the client and so this complaint serves no other reason than to slander the practice. Again, this client did not contact our office at any time about her concerns; therefore, we had no previous ability to discuss her position regarding the refund provided. While we appreciate the role of the Revdex.com in mediating for businesses and their consumers, our hands are tied by Federal Regulations so we are unable to properly defend our position. However, we do believe our reputation is one that will hold up to this attack if the Revdex.com determines it appropriate to publish this complaint on a public website. We simply are not willing to dishonor the client to save face and would argue that in time and with some self-reflection, this client would also regret this complaint being published publicly.
We can assure the Revdex.com however, that a very detailed financial agreement is offered to each of our maternity clients, and this particular client and her spouse signed the agreement without altering the arrangement. Registered Nurses are legitimate professionals within the healthcare profession, and billable by Medicare and every other third party payer. The appointment the client refers to that was billed outside office hours was during a week our practice had closed to offer a professional workshop, and the client was made very aware we did not have availability for appointments; however, she was quite adamant that her schedule had no flexibility what-so-ever. We worked to accommodate her because she was advancing in her pregnancy (as stated below), but this did require that I step out of my presentation to provide consultation for this visit and have another speaker fill the gap. We billed an increased fee for this visit which is also a standard for the profession, and allowable by Medicare. It is also a standard within the profession to charge an increased fee for the initial maternity visit, as a new patient, which is also detailed in her signed financial agreement and on our website.
The statements otherwise made by this client simply aren't reality. It would serve no purpose to speak to a client in this manner, and had we done so, it would seem preposterous that we would also continue to willingly extend care. In fact, in our last meeting, the one in which we bent over backwards to accommodate, I extended a hug to this client upon her departure. It is genuinely my hope that at some point in the future, this client will revisit the situation and reevaluate her position on our relationship.
Finally, [redacted] is not an employee of our practice, and because no records have yet to be shared regarding this client, I am not aware of how this practitioner and myself would be guilty of violating her confidence or HIPAA regulations. Certainly, she is more than welcome to file complaints with whomever she finds most appropriate. We continue to stand by our care and the fees that were charged for this case. The refund remains appropriate and provided in a timely manner. I would like to point out however, that the client fails to argue the additional $1,000 she felt she was due in her original complaint. Again, this complaint is consistent with anger, not genuine concern that she was wronged.
Respectfully,
[redacted] CNM
Believe Midwifery Services, LLC
$100 worth of ridiculous charges
were made including: $50 for excessive phone calls- a decision per the
midwife to call excessively during the business hours from a blocked
number while I was working and could not answer my phone, which was
never outlined as a potential charge in any paperwork which I signed. As
well as $50 for for "office visit outside clinic appointment" which was
an appointment time that was not specifically chosen by myself and
was offered by the clinic, never was there mention made of an additional
charge if I accepted this appointment time. This appointment was within
regular business hours during the regular business week. Again, never
did I sign ANY paperwork accepting this ridiculous fee. I was also
charged $175 for office visits when I only saw the RN, this is illegal. I
was charged $260 for an office visit with an RN reviewed past medical
history. Again, this is not consistent with any healthcare billing which
I have ever seen as a healthcare provider myself.
The fact that the healthcare
provider is now resorting to alluding to a possibility of mental
instability on my part, as part of her argument, is evidence enough of
her nastiness and speaks as to her character. There had been no behavior
on my part to warrant any of the unfounded verbal attacks I incurred
from Ms. Penny Lane during my office visit when she felt compelled to
name call using adjectives such as "annoying", "bully", and
"disrespectful". The only mental instability is excessive stress caused
by the midwife during my third trimester of pregnancy by her verbal
attack, rude phone calls on the part of her and her staff, privacy
violation and the associated stress of attaining a new midwife 7 weeks
shy of delivery.
I will now be escalating my
complaint to include the professional organizations to which this
midwife belongs as well as filing a complaint with HIPAA for the
violation of my privacy which was infringed with Ms. Penny Lane and Ms.
Victoria Floyd choosing to discuss me by name as a patient.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.
After waiting almost 3 months for a reply to my request, I have received my complete medical file from Believe Midwifery Services, LLC.
Regards,
[redacted]
We have reviewed [redacted] complaint. We have sent all records we were able to send; however, the largest section of her health record, totaling 76 pages, was too large to send via our typical secure electronic pathway. I have already contacted our IT support person for our medical...
charting program to research if they can offer another solution. [redacted] has the option of waiting for the last part of her chart, at no additional charge -- or she has the option per Indiana Code 1-71-3 of paying per page to have her records printed and mailed. The cost, again per Indiana Code 1-17-3, is as follows (in addition to the processing fee for those already sent electronically): first 10 pages no charge, then fifty cents per pate is required through page 50, and then pages 51 and higher are billed at twenty-five cents per page. The client is responsible for actual mailing costs, and a twenty dollar fee if certification is requested.We are in process of fully resolving this complaint and are happy to do so. However I would like to note that [redacted] still owes us a substantial balance for care provided, even after we wrote off a considerable amount due to financial hardship, for which she agreed to pay monthly until paid off. When we don't receive payment from our clients, it makes it exceedingly challenging to pay administrative staff to process requests such as these. We do depend on financial reimbursement for services rendered to continue extending care to our clients in an efficient manner.
As noted in the last response, I have contacted our IT consultant for our electronic health record. After hearing back from him, I was recently able to compress the files down to an email friendly size. I have already sent these files to [redacted], who now has possession of her entire clinical record and receipt for services provided. If [redacted] still wishes to obtain a paper copy she may request it per the notes in my last response, however I have taken the liberty to honor the original request and send it by email, which is the most expedient method.
Kristina [redacted], MSN, CNM
Chief Operations Officer
Believe Midwifery Services, LLC