Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/18/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had an appointment with ******** ********, LICSW at Alona wellness center at 4pm in the last 2 months. I informed ******** that I get off work at 4pm and that I would need to do a phone visit as I would be walking home. At about 4:15pm I had not received a call from her like she told me she would do in our previous visit, so I gave her a call and it went to voicemail. A few minutes later she called me back to inform me that she went into a meeting because I hadn't logged into zoom. She was aware that I could not log into zoom and proceed to charge me a $100 no show fee. There was still over 40 min left of our session that we could have met for, but she disregarded my appointment time and went into a meeting. I should not have been charged a no show fee for this. It is unfair and unprofessional.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/23/2024

  Here is my signed form

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/25/2024

  See attached signed HIPAA

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2024

  Response to complaint filed with the BBB
  
  5/1/24: this individual contacted our office, requesting counseling services. During this call, our policies are reviewed, particularly our No Show/Late Cancellation (NS/LS) policies. Intake forms were sent for her review and signature. She did sign our policies and was also given an opportunity to ask any questions she may have. She consented to our policies and care was initiated.
  Pt met with initial provider x5 sessions, noting a desire to transfer care 7/1/24, as she did not feel her current provider was a good fit.
  
  She transferred to provider, Michelle Hamilton, with intake on 7/8/24, at 11am.
  
  7/5/24, 1104am: email reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/8/24.
  7/6/24, 1102am: SMS reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/8/24.
  7/8/24, 1000am: email reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/8/24.
  7/8/24, 1047am: SMS reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/8/24. 
  
  7/8/24, 1103: Given this was her first appointment with new provider, when she did not present at the time of her session, her provider reached out, by text, with no response.
  At 1105, provider called patient, who answered, and was reminded of our 5 minute grace period and to see if she planned to participate. Patient stated she had forgotten her appointment and was currently at work. She was offered a short session in order to avoid being charged our NS/LC fee. Pt agreed, appointment was initiated by phone, as pt stated she did not have internet access at work. 19 minutes of a 50 minute intake was completed.  
  
  Appointment confirmed for 7/15/24, 12pm.
  
  7/12/24, 1207pm, email reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/15/24.
  7/13/24, 1208pm, SMS reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/15/24.
  
  7/15/24, 7:53am:
  Message rcvd from pt: “Hello, I just wanted to let you know that I am only able to meet via phone for 30 min as I work.”
  Response from provider at 8:18am: “Hi R****, I wonder if a different time may work better for you, given our appointments are 50 minute blocks. I can do 30 minutes today, to work on completing/updating your intake, though, moving forward, we'll need to figure out a time that will work better for you. We can chat more this afternoon. Michelle”
  
  7/15/24, 1146am, SMS reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/15/24. 
  7/15/24, 1149am, email reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/15/24.
  
  Appointment 7/15/24, 12pm:
  Provider was able to reach pt by phone at 1202. We reviewed appointment policies: telehealth type provided (audio/video) and appointment duration (50min). Pt expressed understanding. She was also informed that phone calls are not offered outside of technical difficulties for telehealth and that she would need to be present for session via video for next session. 26 minutes of a 50 minute session was completed.
  
  There was no further communication, prior to her appointment confirmed on 7/31/24.
  
  7/15/24, 1205pm: SMS reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/31/24.
  7/15/24, 1205pm: email reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/31/24.
  7/28/24, 408pm: email reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/31/24.
  7/29/24, 405pm: SMS reminder of telehealth appointment sent for appointment 7/31/24.
  
  Appt 7/31/24, 4pm
  Provider waited in telehealth portal until 410p, which is longer than our policy provides (5 minute grace period). NS fee was charged.
  
  414pm: Voice message received from pt: “Hi, this is R**** C*****. I'm pretty sure that we're supposed to have an appointment now, but I'm not sure. If you could give me a call. My phone number is 425-***-****. Thank you.”
  
  417pm: text message from patient: “Hello I thought we had an appointment today at 4 over the phone?”
  433pm: message response from provider: “Hi River. I waited for you in your appointment for a bit longer than our grace period of 5 minutes and then left when you did not show up. I see you called at 14 after, though I had already started another meeting. Sorry you missed it! Michelle”
  455pm: message from patient: “Yikes ok. I do not wish to be seen here anymore.”
  
  All future appointments were cancelled and patient’s chart was closed.
  
  At any point between 4pm and 410pm, patient may have called or text her provider directly, as it is her responsibility to ensure she presents for her requested appointment time. Providers’ do not put in more work for a patient’s care, as it is part of the treatment plan for a patient to present for her appointment and to communicate otherwise, if unable to present. Even though she was an established patient, aware of our policies, her 2nd provider extended some grace for the first 2 sessions. This is not our standard of care once a patient is established.
  
  As a practice, we do not offer phone visits, given the nature of the work. Visual assessment of our patients is standard practice, so phone appointments are outside of the normal appointment options. We also do not contact patients if they do not present for their session, with the exception of 1st appointments. It is the patient’s responsibility to present to appointments that they have requested within the allotted time frame. They are reminded 4 times by 2 separate methods of delivery (email and text) of their appointment, to ensure they present, if they plan to, or cancel if they do not.
  
  While we recognize Ms.C*** is requesting a refund of her fee, at this time we will be denying this request. Had she contacted our office directly to request her fee be waived, we would have done so, as it would have been her first request, and it is our billing department’s policy to refund, if requested, first time fees.  
  Since she had not done so, instead choosing to voice her complaints online and to the BBB, and to appeal her bank fee, fiscally, this has caused us additional manpower and expense to address the following:
  -respond to online complaint
  -respond to bank appeal, which she lost
  -responding to this BBB complaint.

  Thank you