Alfred Shtainer, MD

I found Dr. Shtainer through Zocdoc. He had great reviews and was conveniently located near me. His office is filthy and he and his staff are scarily unprofessional - he told me that test results showed the presence of blood in my urine. I had my urine tested again the next day by another doctor and there was no trace of blood. Here is what I wrote in my formal complaint to the New York State Department of Health about Dr. Shtainer. To: Office of Professional Medical Conduct, NY State Department of Health During my first visit with Dr. Shtainer, he exhibited such a lack of professionalism that I feel obligated to file a formal complaint with the Office of Professional Medical Conduct because, as a patient, I felt unsafe and concerned for my wellbeing under his care. The details of my complaint are as follows. I sought Dr. Shtainer's opinion with regard to a potential bladder issue. Upon entering the examination room for my consultation with Dr. Shtainer, I noticed that the surfaces of the room were covered in visible layers of dust and debris, and even the examination table itself had clearly not been cleaned in some time, as it had marks where dirt and other substances had not been cleaned prior to my visit. There were other instances in which Dr. Shtainer failed to use professional sanitation practices. During my physical exam and subsequent ultrasound, he did not wear latex gloves (even though I noted that there was a full box of them within his reach). Most notably, when I was asked to produce a urine sample, I was not provided with a standard sterilized container that I had seen in every other medical practice and testing facility. Instead, a woman on Dr. Shtainer’s staff provided me with a small paper cup (as one would use when drinking from a water cooler). When I produced the sample, I saw that the restroom was not stocked with any paper towels, so I was forced to hand the urine-soaked paper cup to the same woman who had provided me with the cup, and she was wearing a glove only on one hand. Obviously, Dr. Shtainer’s failure to abide by standard sanitary practices alone (especially when supervising staff who are collecting bodily fluids that may contain bacteria, as in the case of a bladder infection) is the foremost and most pressing concern for his staff and his patients. However, another very serious concern I wish to emphasize here is that Dr. Shtainer’s disregard for sanitary practices may lead to diagnostic errors for the patients under his care. In my case, for example, Dr. Shtainer examined the results of the test his staff ran on my urine sample and reported to me that there “might” be blood in my urine (he stated that he was not sure, and that I should not worry). I expressed confusion over the lack of a definitive result for a test that could indicate the presence of some very troubling health issues, and he responded by stating that he would send the same exact urine sample to a different lab. I am not a medical expert, but I found Dr. Shtainer’s reasoning here to be a major cause for concern. Why would this doctor send the same urine sample – which was contained and transported around this office in an unsterilized container and handled by a woman who was not wearing full medical protective gear – to be tested a second time? Again, this sample could have been contaminated in any number of ways during processing, perhaps by open cut or wound on the nurse’s unprotected hand when she processed the sample. If the details of the account above are consistent across patients – the lack of cleanliness in the office and examination rooms, the very real possibility that test results performed in Dr. Shtainer’s office are contaminated – this is cause for grave concern for Dr. Shtainer, his staff, his patients, and most importantly, for the state agency that is responsible for regulating the professional practices of the physicians who care for New York state residents when they are at their most vulnerable. I am happy to elaborate on my concerns or provide more information regarding this experience. I strongly encourage the New York State Department of Health to pursue an inquiry into Dr. Shtainer’s practices for the protection of all involved.

I was able to receive Dr. Shtainer on the weekend and avoid going to the ER. His staff is very professional and the facility has all modern technology. He made a diagnosis the same visit and was able to treat me. I highly recommend this practice.

Excellent.

Dr Shtainer and staff were able to see me same day as I called. I didn't have to miss work and they even offered me sample to treat my infection.

Excellent experience with doctor and staff.

Dr Shtainer speaks fluent Spanish and was able to take great care of my father.