Dr. Anne Laura Torna, MD

Delay in care, attitiude, unprofessional, condescending, abrupt, and impatient.

Shes great I loved her and want to find her office and start going to her again

Dr. Torna is not my usual doctor, but she was the only one available at the time I needed her. I waited over an hour to be seen for a simple STD screening that I needed due to an unfaithful partner. I was embarrassed to even be there for that reason; nevertheless, her condescending attitude did not improve the situation. Her answers were very short, and it was clear that it was her way or no way. She also essentially forced me into additional testing that I told her I felt was unnecessary. Finally, she left the room without even saying goodbye, and on top of that, didn't send a refill for my BC prescription. I do not recommend her to anyone, and I am now looking to change GYN offices because of her.

I have nothing but the highest praise for Dr. Torna. She is totally professional with a very caring personality. She takes time to speak with me as a person, not just a patient. She clearly notes not just my medical information, but also info about what we've talked about. In my most recent visit she remembered to ask about my father who was quite ill and my daughters who were both expecting. As for her staff; I have always found them to be helpful and professional. I have been her patient for several years and have never experienced any of the problems others have related. Wonderful doctor, lovely person. Don't let negative reviews from years ago influence your decision.

I have read some of the other comments and have to say I agree with all of the staff negative comments. I LOVE Dr Torna, she is kind, intelligent, personable,patient, spends quality time with patients. However, on multiple occassions I have put myself thru the same irritation with the staff. I have had bad experiennces getting med refilled (Dr Torna says if you need something simple, can call in for a refill, etc....NOT!!!), I have gone to this location and been "forgotten"...even after reminding them I'm there..waited an hour and half for a 5 minute apmt, I've spoken to staff regarding meds...never hear back so I call back and the SAME STAFF PERSON tells me she never spoke to me?? Don't you make notes????....the staff truly makes this office a turn off.....honestly I'm surprised I even return....I really love the doctor and suppose I "suck up" the sucky staff. Please read this, and all the other staff comments and MAKE SOME CHANGES!!!!

Dr . Torna has always been an extremely welcoming, pleasant, friendly and informative doctor. I have always been pleased with the medical care that I receive from her. Dr. Torna's bedside manners are very professional and inviting. She has always taken the time that is necessary for the appointment. However, her staff is too relaxed and has conversations about other patients in the presence and/or ear-shot of others that have no need to hear. They are rude and abrupt on the phone and not helpful. The staff needs to be reminded that they are the first impression of the practice. Professionalism and etiquette are vital for a successful practice. It is ashame that it is not seen from the beginning of contact by phone to walking in the doors of the office and then the final contact when leaving from the appointment. Unfortunately, Dr. Torna is being judged and evaluated negatively before she has even seen her patients. She is a fantastic doctor........her staff not so… great.

Dear Dr. Torna, I first came to you last year in your Elkton office. It was a wonderful experience. You were warm and understanding and your entire staff was delightful. The atmosphere of the office was hard-working but happy. As an RN, who once ran my husband's medical office in NC, I knew a gem when I found it. I moved to Baltimore in the winter but even so and there was only one physician I wanted to see and that was you. Worth it, I thought to brave the I-95 traffic. So when the time came I made the appointment to see you in your Perryville office. Oh Dr. Torna what has happened to you and your practice? Sometimes things that change a little each day are hard to assess by the people that experience them. I see the changes as two snapshots in time a year apart and the contrast is shocking. I am writing in the hopes that my observations will be of value to you and finding your way back to the practice you once had. I allocated well over two hours to get to your… Perryville office but experienced difficulties (traffic) getting to the 10:30 appointment. I called twice during that drive to let your staff know I was running late and to give them the opportunity to reschedule me, understanding that my problem was not your problem. Both times I was told to come on in. I was about 15 or 20 minutes late when I finally arrived. Once there, I very soon wished with a whole heart that I had never come. With full bladder needing to void anyway- after the long delay in the car- and needing to offer a specimen due to the symptoms- I was told to wait. Finally, I insisted that I must go. With no instructions otherwise, I brought the specimen out and set it on counter in the patient room. Blood pressure was taken, I was instructed to undress, and then you rushed in. Your first words were scolding for bringing a specimen into the room. Since I am not your employee and I do not know your protocol, and this was only my second visit to you, logic dictates to keep specimen with me until otherwise instructed. You proceeded to let me know I was inexcusably late, that I should never have been seen that day and that we would address the vaginal exam only but not the pap or any other questions I had. I was more than happy to reschedule and have my appointment include everything I had driven so far to have done included in one visit. I gave your staff two opportunities to do this. I was prepared to self pay for the pap smear. I had other issues I wanted to discuss with you as well. I was hoping, based on the respect and admiration for you that I was bringing with me from our last appointment, that we could build a rewarding long term relationship. Instead, as you escorted me out you suggested I might want to find a doctor nearer to where I lived. There was no need for that final comment, I have no desire to drive a great distance to be treated with such a rude manner. You took every bit of your stress out on me and the trickle down of the stress enveloped your staff into the patient room (with the exception of Tracy who able to maintain her warmth in spite of the chill around her.) I did not deserve rudeness. I did try to get out of the appointment understanding that a reschedule later that day or another day was was perfectly within reason. Your behavior was inexcusable toward me. When a patient enters the office, he/she should be able to find sanctuary there. I had lost my brother days before and to experience this behavior in the place where you look to find a quiet place is not acceptable. When we meet others we must assume their journey has been long and hard and we must treat them with kindness especially in a place of healing. You should never have chastised me. You should never have told me I should not have been seen. You tell your staff about those issues not your patient. You do not tell your patient to go see a closer doctor because your staff worked her in and because she was late. You should have held yourself together and taken care of my needs and later talked calmly to your staff about how to handle latecomers such as me who drive far and call twice to update on traffic issues. This all could have been handled without emotion. Emotion is what I received from you and too much of it. Anger, stress, frustration. None of it about me but all of it toward me. I understand it . I just do not want any more patients to have to experience it. Today, I finally called to get the results of my urine culture when I realized your office was never going to call me on their own. Even in this simple conversation your staff member was brusk if not downright rude. I was told that the policy was , if I did not hear anything, to assume it was negative. I explained that as a medical person, things do get lost and I wanted to make sure since I was symptomatic, that I received an answer. She became irritated and the conversation just ended and I was officially hung up on. I called back not to argue but to ask why? She stated she thought I was upset. I was not upset. I just wanted an answer and then to find out why the abruptness on a simple call. Your phone staff- they are the soul of your practice Dr. Torna. Your office is losing its soul. It is my hope you find it again. This is one single letter but from a very mightly soul. I hope you hear what I am saying to you with good heart. This letter is not written to vent my disappointment or to cause you or your practice harm, if I wanted to do that I would do it on the Internet. It is because I felt your old manner and practice really was something special, its dissolution should not go unremarked. I do not know what personal or professional suffering has so altered you (certainly the medical field is not what it once was) but I am so sorry to see it.Sincerely,

This doctor is the worst I have ever experienced. As the spouse of a disabled person, I deal with doctors a lot more than I would like, but Dr Torna misplaced a urine sample, produced incorrect test results from a degraded or wrong sample, then prescribed a drug with potentially fatal side effects that was not neccessary. After all these failures, she and her office were not even available to provide emergency assistance. I would ratrher die on the side of the road then be forced to ever deal with this physician again.