Tri-State Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

ID: [redacted] To Whom It May Concern:This is in response to a letter we received from you on 1/8/(dated 1/6/15)We were informed first by the referring primary care physician's (PCP's) office and then by the patient (***) and her husband (***) that they were dissatisfied with ***’s recent office experience, specifically with their interaction with DrL [redacted] Upon being notified, we took prompt action to address and resolve the matterBelow we have summarized the events from our perspective.On December 31, at 12:16pm, our office received an email from the Practice Manager of a PCPs office notifying us that they received a complaint from a patient that they had referred to Paul L [redacted] , M.DWe responded to the manager immediately to acknowledge her email and requested permission to contact the patient directly to discuss the complaintThe manager indicated the patient was agreeable for someone to contact her.On 12/31/at approximately 2:00pm, our Clinical Manager contacted ***, the patientWhen she answered, our manager introduced herself as the Clinical Manager for Tri-State Orthopaedics and explained that she was calling to discuss the experience [redacted] had with DrPaul L [redacted] during her office visit on 12/29/The patient explained that she was unhappy with her encounter with DrL [redacted] , not the practice or other staff members, but specifically with this one doctorHer comments were consistent with complaint filed by the patient's husband.She indicated that she felt that DrL [redacted] was dismissive, seemed rushed and didn't answer all of her questions in enough detailThe patient said that she called our office the next day on 12/30/and spoke with a female nurse or physician assistant who better explained her condition and she was appreciative of thatBecause she was dissatisfied with that one physician, we offered to schedule the patient with another physician in our group, but she said she would need to discuss this with her husbandThe patient told the manager that her husband was upset about the experience and that he was the one who called the PCP's office (without her knowledge) to complainShe told us during the 12/conversation that she would call us back if she decided to schedule another appointment with a different physician and she thanked our manager for the call.The same day (12/31), after our clinical manager had left the office for the day, she received a voicemail from a male identifying himself as this patient's husband and he asked that she return his callThe tone of his voice in the message was very sternJanuary 1st was a holiday and our office was closedTherefore, the next business day (1/2/15) even though our clinical manager was scheduled off that day she returned his call at approximately 2:30pmThe patient's husband, ***, immediately starting yelling at our manager saying that he and his wife were treated poorly by DrL [redacted] during the visit and that he was extremely "xxxxxx off" by the interactionThroughout the conversation, the patient's husband yelled and cursed when describing DrL [redacted] (using profanity that we have excluded), as the manager listened aliowing him to vent his frustration [redacted] then informed her that he would be filing a complaint with the Revdex.com and the medical society [redacted] also informed her that he would like a refund of the $co-pay that they paid and any other out of pocket expenses they would have to pay for this visitShe told him she would request the refund from the billing department.That afternoon on 1/2/15, the manager formally submitted a refund request to the Billing Manager and asked that this patient receive a refund of the $co-pay and asked that she flag this account before any further billing statements were sent, if there should be any.During that same call, [redacted] asked the manager who he could speak to that was "above her" because he wanted someone with more authority to handle his complaintShe explained that our Executive Director (ED) was out of town until 1/6/and that she would forward a message to the ED to request that she call him the following weekThe ED was familiar and involved with this incident as she was replying to emails while she was out of town.The ED informed DrL [redacted] of the complaint on 12/by forwarding the email from the PCP's officeDrL [redacted] called the PCP later that afternoon to discuss this patient's visit and his diagnosis and treatment plan/recommendations.We informed the PCP's office routinely of our follow up and they seemed to appreciate the time and effort we spent on this matterThough he had been informed via emails starting 12/31, our clinical manager personally discussed the matter with DrL [redacted] in the office on 1/to be sure he was fully informed.Upon her return, the ED contacted [redacted] on 1/to discuss the incident and see if there was any further action requiredShe apologized that [redacted] and [redacted] had a negative experience during their visit and thanked them for their patience and understanding as we attempted to resolve the matterThe ED informed him that the refund request was processed and the $co-pay had been refunded to his credit card and confirmed there was a "hold" on any billing statements for this office visit [redacted] was calm and respectful when talking to the ED and was grateful for the follow up by both the clinical manager and herselfHe did indicate that he submitted a complaint to the Revdex.com and other societiesThe ED confirmed that he was pleased with the services by the practice as a whole and had no additional complaints about any other aspect of the practice [redacted] confirmed his only complaint was directly related to his interaction with DrL [redacted] We asked about his wife to confirm she was receiving care and he indicated she was being scheduled with another physician for evaluation of her knee painThe ED offered to contact the PCP as it seemed that they had some unanswered questions regarding a medication that the PCP prescribed, but when asked if there was anything more we could do at this time, and he replied "no" and thanked the EDThe ED had a few email exchanges later that day all were professional and the husband seemed content with the resolution.On 1/8, we received the complaint from the Revdex.com and our formal response is as follows:Upon notice of the complaint on the afternoon of 12/by the PCP office, we immediately replied to the PCP and contacted the patient (***)We offered another physician if they did not care for DrL [redacted] , but the patient declined this offerWe informed DrL [redacted] via email of the incident on 12/31, where he called the PCP that afternoon to discuss the patient's careAfter hours, the husband left a voicemail message on 12/(New Year's Eve)On 1/(the next business day) we returned the call to the husband to listen and further address his concernsAfter talking to the husband on 1/2, we started the process for the $co-pay refundOn 1/we formally discussed this matter with DrL [redacted] (in person) to make him aware of the statusOn 1/upon her return to the office, the ED contacted the husband to follow up to ensure their issueswere addressed to their satisfactionHe confirmed he was satisfied with the efforts/actions we tookVia email to [redacted] on 1/the ED also confirmed the co-pay refund was credited to his visa.Per the written complaint we received from you on 1/8, the "desired settlement” was put in place several days prior to receiving the formal written complaintI believe this matter has been fully resolvedHowever, if [redacted] or [redacted] feels differently, they should contact us immediatelyPlease do not hesitate to contact the clinical manager at ###-###-#### or the executive director at x***.Respectfully submitted Management of Tri-State Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Inc

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.In their response, this business is now claiming that in my phone conversation on 1/2/15, my tone was stern and I used profanity of which they have chosen to exclude. Well, absolutely I was frustrated and certainly stated I was "pissed off", and I certainly also stated that this doctor was an "[redacted]" and subsequently here, I will not back away from either of those statements. However, if their intention is to claim that my "profanity" extended beyond that, I am certainly not going to accept that. Actually, in my phone conversation with the "executive director" Tracy W[redacted] and in my subsequent email to her on January 7th, I again stated my frustration and relayed my feelings regarding this doctor by again calling him an "ae" for his horrible care of my wife. However, I would believe her viewpoint of my manner in explaining my position to have been one of respect and appreciation towards her for allowing me to vent and not one filled with profanity. I urge the clinical manager to get her opinion of my demeanor and compare the two. My position on 1/2/15 was no different and I will not allow it to be defined as otherwise. I accept that they refunded my money for their horrible care, but do not accept their explanation in putting forth the refund.
Regards,
[redacted]

ID:[redacted]
To Whom It May Concern:This is in response to a letter we received from you on 1/8/15 (dated 1/6/15). We were informed first by the referring primary care physician's (PCP's) office and then by the patient ([redacted]) and her husband ([redacted]) that they were...

dissatisfied with [redacted]’s recent office experience, specifically with their interaction with Dr. L[redacted]. Upon being notified, we took prompt action to address and resolve the matter. Below we have summarized the events from our perspective.On December 31, 2014 at 12:16pm, our office received an email from the Practice Manager of a PCPs office notifying us that they received a complaint from a patient that they had referred to Paul L[redacted], M.D. We responded to the manager immediately to acknowledge her email and requested permission to contact the patient directly to discuss the complaint. The manager indicated the patient was agreeable for someone to contact her.On 12/31/14 at approximately 2:00pm, our Clinical Manager contacted [redacted], the patient. When she answered, our manager introduced herself as the Clinical Manager for Tri-State Orthopaedics and explained that she was calling to discuss the experience [redacted] had with Dr. Paul L[redacted] during her office visit on 12/29/14. The patient explained that she was unhappy with her encounter with Dr. L[redacted], not the practice or other staff members, but specifically with this one doctor. Her comments were consistent with complaint filed by the patient's husband.She indicated that she felt that Dr. L[redacted] was dismissive, seemed rushed and didn't answer all of her questions in enough detail. The patient said that she called our office the next day on 12/30/14 and spoke with a female nurse or physician assistant who better explained her condition and she was appreciative of that. Because she was dissatisfied with that one physician, we offered to schedule the patient with another physician in our group, but she said she would need to discuss this with her husband. The patient told the manager that her husband was upset about the experience and that he was the one who called the PCP's office (without her knowledge) to complain. She told us during the 12/31 conversation that she would call us back if she decided to schedule another appointment with a different physician and she thanked our manager for the call.The same day (12/31), after our clinical manager had left the office for the day, she received a voicemail from a male identifying himself as this patient's husband and he asked that she return his call. The tone of his voice in the message was very stern. January 1st was a holiday and our office was closed. Therefore, the next business day (1/2/15) even though our clinical manager was scheduled off that day she returned his call at approximately 2:30pm. The patient's husband, [redacted], immediately starting yelling at our manager saying that he and his wife were treated poorly by Dr. L[redacted] during the visit and that he was extremely "xxxxxx off" by the interaction. Throughout the conversation, the patient's husband yelled and cursed when describing Dr. L[redacted] (using profanity that we have excluded), as the manager listened aliowing him to vent his frustration. [redacted] then informed her that he would be filing a complaint with the Revdex.com and the medical society. [redacted] also informed her that he would like a refund of the $25 co-pay that they paid and any other out of pocket expenses they would have to pay for this visit. She told him she would request the refund from the billing department.That afternoon on 1/2/15, the manager formally submitted a refund request to the Billing Manager and asked that this patient receive a refund of the $25 co-pay and asked that she flag this account before any further billing statements were sent, if there should be any.During that same call, [redacted] asked the manager who he could speak to that was "above her" because he wanted someone with more authority to handle his complaint. She explained that our Executive Director (ED) was out of town until 1/6/15 and that she would forward a message to the ED to request that she call him the following week. The ED was familiar and involved with this incident as she was replying to emails while she was out of town.The ED informed Dr. L[redacted] of the complaint on 12/31 by forwarding the email from the PCP's office. Dr. L[redacted] called the PCP later that afternoon to discuss this patient's visit and his diagnosis and treatment plan/recommendations.We informed the PCP's office routinely of our follow up and they seemed to appreciate the time and effort we spent on this matter. Though he had been informed via emails starting 12/31, our clinical manager personally discussed the matter with Dr. L[redacted] in the office on 1/5 to be sure he was fully informed.Upon her return, the ED contacted [redacted] on 1/7 to discuss the incident and see if there was any further action required. She apologized that [redacted] and [redacted] had a negative experience during their visit and thanked them for their patience and understanding as we attempted to resolve the matter. The ED informed him that the refund request was processed and the $25 co-pay had been refunded to his credit card and confirmed there was a "hold" on any billing statements for this office visit. [redacted] was calm and respectful when talking to the ED and was grateful for the follow up by both the clinical manager and herself. He did indicate that he submitted a complaint to the Revdex.com and other societies. The ED confirmed that he was pleased with the services by the practice as a whole and had no additional complaints about any other aspect of the practice. [redacted] confirmed his only complaint was directly related to his interaction with Dr. L[redacted] We asked about his wife to confirm she was receiving care and he indicated she was being scheduled with another physician for evaluation of her knee pain. The ED offered to contact the PCP as it seemed that they had some unanswered questions regarding a medication that the PCP prescribed, but when asked if there was anything more we could do at this time, and he replied "no" and thanked the ED. The ED had a few email exchanges later that day all were professional and the husband seemed content with the resolution.On 1/8, we received the complaint from the Revdex.com and our formal response is as follows:1. Upon notice of the complaint on the afternoon of 12/31 by the PCP office, we immediately replied to the PCP and contacted the patient ([redacted]).2. We offered another physician if they did not care for Dr. L[redacted], but the patient declined this offer.3. We informed Dr. L[redacted] via email of the incident on 12/31, where he called the PCP that afternoon to discuss the patient's care4. After hours, the husband left a voicemail message on 12/31 (New Year's Eve). On 1/2 (the next business day) we returned the call to the husband to listen and further address his concerns.5. After talking to the husband on 1/2, we started the process for the $25 co-pay refund.6. On 1/5 we formally discussed this matter with Dr. L[redacted] (in person) to make him aware of the status7. On 1/7 upon her return to the office, the ED contacted the husband to follow up to ensure their issueswere addressed to their satisfaction. He confirmed he was satisfied with the efforts/actions we took.8. Via email to [redacted] on 1/7 the ED also confirmed the co-pay refund was credited to his visa.Per the written complaint we received from you on 1/8, the "desired settlement” was put in place several days prior to receiving the formal written complaint. I believe this matter has been fully resolved. However, if [redacted] or [redacted] feels differently, they should contact us immediately. Please do not hesitate to contact the clinical manager at ###-###-#### or the executive director at x[redacted].Respectfully submitted
Management of Tri-State Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Inc.

My first 2 visits with Tri-State were okay. But after that it just went downhill.
In May 2015 I visited with Dr.Brian J[redacted]. I had an injury with my R knee about 10 years okay and have been receiving cortisone injections about every 2 to 4 years. It was time for another one since in April I started having pain again. I went and had it done and we had talked about doing Euflexxa injections but had not decided to try that yet. I had been given a pamphlet with info and was told to call if I would like to try it. About a month later I received a call from Walgreens pharmacy about processing even though I had never okayed this. At this time, for some odd reason, my cortisone just wasn't doing what it had always done..work so I just said, well, the doctors office made a mistake and started the Euflexxa process, I will just try the injections and see if they work. By this time I am having an extremely hard time walking, sitting, getting up, and it is just worsening. I did receive my first injection via guided u/s and it didn't hurt that bad. By the time I was halfway home, I couldn't feel my leg and was having a hard time driving. My inj site was raised and puffy. This did all pass after about 4 days. But still my ability to walk, sit, stand, etc. was getting worse. A week later I saw another PA (Katie J[redacted]) for my next injection. I asked her about the symptoms I had and she stated that there are "no known reactions" to this drug. She did the inj without the u/s. The second she plunged the plunger I had extreme pain. It burned through my entire leg. I could barely put any pressure on my leg. I am not one to cry but had burst out into tears. She didn't even flinch or blink an eye. She said I was all done and left the room. She stated that I was the last patient of the day and could sit for as long as need by standing at the door way and then left. It took me 20 minutes to walk from the office to my car. The entire time I was using my cane and crying. I was utterly shocked by her behavior and lack of compassion and empathy to the very apparent reaction I was having to the inj. The pain only increased and eventually the 1.5 hour drive home became an issue. I had to use my left foot to drive. It literally felt like a heavy brick of a leg. It took 20 minutes to get out of the car. To move my leg felt like hot pokers going through it. The next day I went to the ER. My whole leg was swollen, red, and hot. The inj site was red, raised, swollen. The ER doc didn't even want to touch me. There ended up being an infection from the injection and due to me not wanting to get up and walk, I had developed a UTI. The infection from the inj, and UTI were feeding off each other. Dr.J[redacted] called and stated that he wanted an MRI after this incidence. I met with him and he did another cortisone injection and said that the MRI showed my knee very angry and parts of the MRI were unreadable and I was to check back in 6 weeks to discuss sx and see if the swelling and pain had subsided. When I came back for this last visit, I was informed that there would be no surgery until I was older, no pain management, no PT til there was no pain, and that maybe I should go on disability. And he basically walked out the appointment leaving me dumbfounded and jaw dropped. When the nurse walked in and I asked where was the doctor going....she was a little dumfounded but very apologetic. I had tears running down my face. I feel like I have wasted time and money to get no where. I am an emotional wreck due to the pain and inability to carry out normal everyday activities. I would have never continued care if this was going to be the case.
I requested my medical records to seek help and a 2nd opinion. My medical records are inaccurate as to what occurred during most of the visits. This is the straw that broke the camels back and why I am now going to write reviews on every page that I can. The are in fact my records but the actual visits are not right in what was said and occurred.
I was told by one of the nurses to discontinue PT until there was no pain. I have always done PT at home throughout the years to help support my knee. I have a brace that I wear during vigorous activity to support my knee. I cannot currently wear it due to my whole leg swelling. I have reactions to NSAIDS as it causes GI upset. All this time I have been asking to try other orals meds for pain management or to have surgery. All I want is my life back. I know and understand that I may not be able to play softball again or go on a 5 mile hike. But I want to be able to sleep, go to the store, drive, walk my dogs, do normal everyday things and not be in pain.

Review: Upon the results of an MRI on my wife's left knee, my wife was referred to Tri-State Orthopaedics by Doctor Potter at Genesis Medical. On 12/29/2014, my wife was seen in the office of Tri-State by a Dr. L[redacted]. Not only were we not treated to any level of courtesy from this doctor, but we were instead treated to an abundance of terse tones and behavior coupled together with an abundance of condescending behavior and dismissive behavior galore from this Dr. L[redacted]. When he walked into the small room we were waiting in, he never introduced himself to us and he never ushered a simple "hello" followed up by a courtesy handshake! He never thanked us for choosing his care and never once showed any immediate sympathy to my wife's agony by even offering up a statement of "i am here to help". Actually, almost from the minute he spoke, he left us to feel as though we were invading his space, reserved only for his self perceived greatness I am left to gather. Through his terse tone and condescending attitude, we were left to feel that my wife's knee was not worthy of his diagnosis. In any event, within two minutes of entering the room, he spent the next 8 with his hand on the door knob trying to escape our lowly existence I guess. As my wife questioned his greatness over the side effects of anti-inflammatory medication prescribed by Doctor P[redacted], "Doctor God" as I now call him, actually stated in a dismissive tone towards my wife that if she was concerned over every little side effect, then my wife wouldn't even be taking an aspirin, because in Doctor God's opinion, the FDA would not approve of aspirin in todays day and age! So, with his hand firmly on the door knob, he finally made a break out of the door to escape our lowly presence I guess. In doing so, he never said "goodbye", he never said "thanks for visiting us", he never said "have I done all I can to help you", he never said "thanks for choosing us" and finally, he never even offered up a plan of treatment!!! Never mentioned icing, heating, elevating, wrapping, NOTHING!! Actually, now that I think upon it, never once in forcing my wife towards a shot, did he mention that one can only take so many cortisone shots in a lifetime, nor did he ask if she had ever even had one!!! Some fine doctoring there by Doctor God!! He left nothing but a $25 bill for his rude, terse, condescending and dismissive treatment of us for 10 minutes. As for what my remedy is to this complaint, I want reimbursed for my $25 co-pay and I want reimbursed for any subsequent costs from my visit with this arrogant condescending doctor with a god complex!Desired Settlement: Refund of my $25 copay and refund of whatever else is billed to my wife through my insurance company from this arrogant doctor within his arrogant medical practice.

Business

Response:

ID:[redacted]To Whom It May Concern:This is in response to a letter we received from you on 1/8/15 (dated 1/6/15). We were informed first by the referring primary care physician's (PCP's) office and then by the patient ([redacted]) and her husband ([redacted]) that they were dissatisfied with [redacted]’s recent office experience, specifically with their interaction with Dr. L[redacted]. Upon being notified, we took prompt action to address and resolve the matter. Below we have summarized the events from our perspective.On December 31, 2014 at 12:16pm, our office received an email from the Practice Manager of a PCPs office notifying us that they received a complaint from a patient that they had referred to Paul L[redacted], M.D. We responded to the manager immediately to acknowledge her email and requested permission to contact the patient directly to discuss the complaint. The manager indicated the patient was agreeable for someone to contact her.On 12/31/14 at approximately 2:00pm, our Clinical Manager contacted [redacted], the patient. When she answered, our manager introduced herself as the Clinical Manager for Tri-State Orthopaedics and explained that she was calling to discuss the experience [redacted] had with Dr. Paul L[redacted] during her office visit on 12/29/14. The patient explained that she was unhappy with her encounter with Dr. L[redacted], not the practice or other staff members, but specifically with this one doctor. Her comments were consistent with complaint filed by the patient's husband.She indicated that she felt that Dr. L[redacted] was dismissive, seemed rushed and didn't answer all of her questions in enough detail. The patient said that she called our office the next day on 12/30/14 and spoke with a female nurse or physician assistant who better explained her condition and she was appreciative of that. Because she was dissatisfied with that one physician, we offered to schedule the patient with another physician in our group, but she said she would need to discuss this with her husband. The patient told the manager that her husband was upset about the experience and that he was the one who called the PCP's office (without her knowledge) to complain. She told us during the 12/31 conversation that she would call us back if she decided to schedule another appointment with a different physician and she thanked our manager for the call.The same day (12/31), after our clinical manager had left the office for the day, she received a voicemail from a male identifying himself as this patient's husband and he asked that she return his call. The tone of his voice in the message was very stern. January 1st was a holiday and our office was closed. Therefore, the next business day (1/2/15) even though our clinical manager was scheduled off that day she returned his call at approximately 2:30pm. The patient's husband, [redacted], immediately starting yelling at our manager saying that he and his wife were treated poorly by Dr. L[redacted] during the visit and that he was extremely "xxxxxx off" by the interaction. Throughout the conversation, the patient's husband yelled and cursed when describing Dr. L[redacted] (using profanity that we have excluded), as the manager listened aliowing him to vent his frustration. [redacted] then informed her that he would be filing a complaint with the Revdex.com and the medical society. [redacted] also informed her that he would like a refund of the $25 co-pay that they paid and any other out of pocket expenses they would have to pay for this visit. She told him she would request the refund from the billing department.That afternoon on 1/2/15, the manager formally submitted a refund request to the Billing Manager and asked that this patient receive a refund of the $25 co-pay and asked that she flag this account before any further billing statements were sent, if there should be any.During that same call, [redacted] asked the manager who he could speak to that was "above her" because he wanted someone with more authority to handle his complaint. She explained that our Executive Director (ED) was out of town until 1/6/15 and that she would forward a message to the ED to request that she call him the following week. The ED was familiar and involved with this incident as she was replying to emails while she was out of town.The ED informed Dr. L[redacted] of the complaint on 12/31 by forwarding the email from the PCP's office. Dr. L[redacted] called the PCP later that afternoon to discuss this patient's visit and his diagnosis and treatment plan/recommendations.We informed the PCP's office routinely of our follow up and they seemed to appreciate the time and effort we spent on this matter. Though he had been informed via emails starting 12/31, our clinical manager personally discussed the matter with Dr. L[redacted] in the office on 1/5 to be sure he was fully informed.Upon her return, the ED contacted [redacted] on 1/7 to discuss the incident and see if there was any further action required. She apologized that [redacted] and [redacted] had a negative experience during their visit and thanked them for their patience and understanding as we attempted to resolve the matter. The ED informed him that the refund request was processed and the $25 co-pay had been refunded to his credit card and confirmed there was a "hold" on any billing statements for this office visit. [redacted] was calm and respectful when talking to the ED and was grateful for the follow up by both the clinical manager and herself. He did indicate that he submitted a complaint to the Revdex.com and other societies. The ED confirmed that he was pleased with the services by the practice as a whole and had no additional complaints about any other aspect of the practice. [redacted] confirmed his only complaint was directly related to his interaction with Dr. L[redacted] We asked about his wife to confirm she was receiving care and he indicated she was being scheduled with another physician for evaluation of her knee pain. The ED offered to contact the PCP as it seemed that they had some unanswered questions regarding a medication that the PCP prescribed, but when asked if there was anything more we could do at this time, and he replied "no" and thanked the ED. The ED had a few email exchanges later that day all were professional and the husband seemed content with the resolution.On 1/8, we received the complaint from the Revdex.com and our formal response is as follows:1. Upon notice of the complaint on the afternoon of 12/31 by the PCP office, we immediately replied to the PCP and contacted the patient ([redacted]).2. We offered another physician if they did not care for Dr. L[redacted], but the patient declined this offer.3. We informed Dr. L[redacted] via email of the incident on 12/31, where he called the PCP that afternoon to discuss the patient's care4. After hours, the husband left a voicemail message on 12/31 (New Year's Eve). On 1/2 (the next business day) we returned the call to the husband to listen and further address his concerns.5. After talking to the husband on 1/2, we started the process for the $25 co-pay refund.6. On 1/5 we formally discussed this matter with Dr. L[redacted] (in person) to make him aware of the status7. On 1/7 upon her return to the office, the ED contacted the husband to follow up to ensure their issueswere addressed to their satisfaction. He confirmed he was satisfied with the efforts/actions we took.8. Via email to [redacted] on 1/7 the ED also confirmed the co-pay refund was credited to his visa.Per the written complaint we received from you on 1/8, the "desired settlement” was put in place several days prior to receiving the formal written complaint. I believe this matter has been fully resolved. However, if [redacted] or [redacted] feels differently, they should contact us immediately. Please do not hesitate to contact the clinical manager at ###-###-#### or the executive director at x[redacted].Respectfully submitted

My first 2 visits with Tri-State were okay. But after that it just went downhill.

In May 2015 I visited with Dr.Brian J[redacted]. I had an injury with my R knee about 10 years okay and have been receiving cortisone injections about every 2 to 4 years. It was time for another one since in April I started having pain again. I went and had it done and we had talked about doing Euflexxa injections but had not decided to try that yet. I had been given a pamphlet with info and was told to call if I would like to try it. About a month later I received a call from Walgreens pharmacy about processing even though I had never okayed this. At this time, for some odd reason, my cortisone just wasn't doing what it had always done..work so I just said, well, the doctors office made a mistake and started the Euflexxa process, I will just try the injections and see if they work. By this time I am having an extremely hard time walking, sitting, getting up, and it is just worsening. I did receive my first injection via guided u/s and it didn't hurt that bad. By the time I was halfway home, I couldn't feel my leg and was having a hard time driving. My inj site was raised and puffy. This did all pass after about 4 days. But still my ability to walk, sit, stand, etc. was getting worse. A week later I saw another PA (Katie J[redacted]) for my next injection. I asked her about the symptoms I had and she stated that there are "no known reactions" to this drug. She did the inj without the u/s. The second she plunged the plunger I had extreme pain. It burned through my entire leg. I could barely put any pressure on my leg. I am not one to cry but had burst out into tears. She didn't even flinch or blink an eye. She said I was all done and left the room. She stated that I was the last patient of the day and could sit for as long as need by standing at the door way and then left. It took me 20 minutes to walk from the office to my car. The entire time I was using my cane and crying. I was utterly shocked by her behavior and lack of compassion and empathy to the very apparent reaction I was having to the inj. The pain only increased and eventually the 1.5 hour drive home became an issue. I had to use my left foot to drive. It literally felt like a heavy brick of a leg. It took 20 minutes to get out of the car. To move my leg felt like hot pokers going through it. The next day I went to the ER. My whole leg was swollen, red, and hot. The inj site was red, raised, swollen. The ER doc didn't even want to touch me. There ended up being an infection from the injection and due to me not wanting to get up and walk, I had developed a UTI. The infection from the inj, and UTI were feeding off each other. Dr.J[redacted] called and stated that he wanted an MRI after this incidence. I met with him and he did another cortisone injection and said that the MRI showed my knee very angry and parts of the MRI were unreadable and I was to check back in 6 weeks to discuss sx and see if the swelling and pain had subsided. When I came back for this last visit, I was informed that there would be no surgery until I was older, no pain management, no PT til there was no pain, and that maybe I should go on disability. And he basically walked out the appointment leaving me dumbfounded and jaw dropped. When the nurse walked in and I asked where was the doctor going....she was a little dumfounded but very apologetic. I had tears running down my face. I feel like I have wasted time and money to get no where. I am an emotional wreck due to the pain and inability to carry out normal everyday activities. I would have never continued care if this was going to be the case.

I requested my medical records to seek help and a 2nd opinion. My medical records are inaccurate as to what occurred during most of the visits. This is the straw that broke the camels back and why I am now going to write reviews on every page that I can. The are in fact my records but the actual visits are not right in what was said and occurred.

I was told by one of the nurses to discontinue PT until there was no pain. I have always done PT at home throughout the years to help support my knee. I have a brace that I wear during vigorous activity to support my knee. I cannot currently wear it due to my whole leg swelling. I have reactions to NSAIDS as it causes GI upset. All this time I have been asking to try other orals meds for pain management or to have surgery. All I want is my life back. I know and understand that I may not be able to play softball again or go on a 5 mile hike. But I want to be able to sleep, go to the store, drive, walk my dogs, do normal everyday things and not be in pain.