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:07/26/2023

  Type:Billing 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.

  -Paid for a mental health diagnosis on 07/06/2023, scheduled for 07/07/2023 -Further research into the business reveals majority of ****** reviews are fake -Misleading wording on the website alludes to multiple professionals, using language such as our providers, when in reality there is only one -Canceled appointment because I felt that the service I was to receive was falsely advertised to me -Requested a refund; a 48 hour cancellation policy meant I needed to fill out a refund request form -The appointment time offered to me was less than 48 hours after I scheduled it.-When I did not receive the refund request form, I called and requested it again. I was told it would send eventually. I never received it. -The cancellation policy at the bottom of the email says no refunds will be offered, yet I was told I would receive a refund request form. It also mentions a $100 deposit, something I did not do. Finally, it says all refunds will be at the discretion of Elmbrook Psychiatry -This description is confusing, and the information I received on the phone and online was contradictory.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/06/2023

  I am writing to address a recent situation involving a customer who booked an initial psychiatric evaluation with our practice and subsequently canceled the appointment 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time.
  
  Our cancellation policy, which is clearly outlined and was agreed upon by the customer at the time of booking, stipulates that appointments are refundable if canceled 48 hours in advance. In instances where cancellation occurs 48 hours prior to the appointment, a $100 fee is retained, while all other fees are refunded.
  
  In this particular case, the appointment was canceled with only 30 minutes' notice, rendering it non-refundable as per our stated policy. The customer was informed that a billing dispute form would be provided to address any concerns related to billing, consistent with our standard procedure for resolving such matters.
  
  It has come to our attention that the customer has raised allegations of misleading wording and potentially defamatory claims regarding the structure of our healthcare providers. I must emphasize that these allegations are unfounded. Our organization is transparent in our operations, and it is common practice not to list all providers, especially when they are contracted as **** personnel rather than employees.
  
  Further, it is alleged that fake 1-star reviews have been associated with our business. We have taken legal measures against those responsible, as there is no proof substantiating these allegations, and we view them as defamatory.
  
  The customer also requested the destruction of all records and documents related to his case over a recorded line shortly after canceling the appointment. This request raises concerns regarding his motives, and we suspect it may be an attempt to evade responsibility for the cancellation and circumvent our refund policy.
  
  We have made every effort to address and resolve this matter in a fair and respectful manner. Our policies are clear, and the customer's agreement with those policies was obtained at the time of booking.
  
  We appreciate your attention to this matter and hope to reach a satisfactory resolution.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/07/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  This response does not address any of my concerns, and it in fact accuses me of having ulterior motives. First, I must address the claim that I canceled my appointment 30 minutes before it was scheduled. This is NOT true. While I understand it does not matter since it was not 48 hours in advance, Id just like to point out that the *** I sent very clearly states that I canceled the appointment scheduled for 7:30 around 4:45. 
  

  Next, Id like to elaborate on why I canceled. As I was doing more research into this business, I found some major red flags. First, nearly all of the five star reviews on ****** are fake. This is evident by the names in the profiles, the language used by the reviewer, and the other reviews the reviewer has left (most of which are in a different language in a different country). Next, I noticed that Elmbrook Psychiatrys website makes reference to multiple providers, while only one exists. There arent any details on the website explaining what credentials the other providers have, or even any details regarding how the business operates and handles patients between the multiple providers. Transparency is important in the mental health field. Without any more elaboration, I feel this is misleading.
  

  When I realized I had been taken advantage of, I requested that my personal MEDICAL information be removed from whatever system Elmbrook Psychiatry uses. This is because I did not trust, and still do not trust, this business with my medical information (which consists of a detailed intake form I filled out including personal medical details, family history, etc.). The claim that that request might be some sort of cover up is frankly egregious and inappropriate.

  All of these reasons together are why I made this complaint. I fully understand the 48 hour refund policy outlined by Elmbrook Psychiatry, but I feel I was advertised a false service. 

  I hope that this matter can be resolved. I am afraid others might be taken advantage of by this business when they are experiencing a mental health crisis. 

  
  Regards,
  
  *******************