Dr. Marta Kalinski

Let me preface this by saying Dr. Kalinski claims she is licensed to practice medicine in the state of North Carolina. I find it very strange that she does not list the medical school she graduated from on her profile and when I attempted to verify her medical license an error message appeared. I tried this on several websites that verify medical licenses. I came up with nothing. I had an appointment with her at Ascend in Pineville. The office staff was very pleasant and efficient. But from the moment Dr. Kalinski came out to get me, I felt she was questioning my integrity and condescending. At several points she came up just short of accusing me of out right lying. She read off my list of prescriptions from her computer screen and asked me why I waited so long after the doctors’ called them in to pick them up. Huh? I don’t know when doctors call in prescriptions. I only know when I am contacted and told they are ready for pick up. She also had many of my prescription dates wrong and appeared to suggest that I was inappropriately filling prescriptions more frequently than allowed. NOTE: Not possible, because my doctor, the pharmacy and the insurance Company would not allow this. In addition she named “X “ as the pharmacy I use, which is incorrect. I told her I use “Y” pharmacy and she said something like “look, I can see all of your prescriptions right in front of me on the screen”. Was she suggesting that I was being untruthful? That is certainly the feeling I got. She also slammed my current doctor’s Choice of medications and treatment, and even suggested that I could swap out one type of drug for another. When I asked her to name a few of those drugs I could switch to, she named classes of medications that I was already taking! Just terrible. Condescending, awful chair side manner, uninformed and rude. I left and won’t be back. Unless this is your only option, my suggestion is that you seek treatment elsewhere.

My experience with this practitioner was only at a Medication Assisted Treatment clinic, Ascend Health, so maybe she’s just got some disdain for addicts, which is understandable. Drug addicts can be unbearable at times. I have dealt with more doctors, psychiatrists and PAs than I can count in regards to an opiate addiction I’ve been fighting, since a surgery in 2009 that came with an over-prescription of opiate pain killers. But this one, by far, was the most unpleasant. I am new to the MAT world, having spent the majority of my recovery from opiate addiction in 12 step abstinence, but upon some major life changes that lead to a relapse after many years of sobriety I was really given no practical alternative. So here I find myself at Ascend Health, sitting across from Dr. K. My experience at the actual clinic was very pleasant actually, up until meeting this doctor. I am almost annoyingly polite, well mannered and kind in my desire to people please and treat people with respect. This however was not reciprocated. She was aggressively rude, suggested every choice me and my previous health care providers have made was wrong, insinuated I was irreparably flawed and that my life was terrible ( side note: not a flex just the hard facts; in my early 30s been sober over half the past decade, am in excellent physical/mental health, traveled the world, a high paying salaried job, a college degree, a long time partner, friends, family etc etc. I was at one point your classic junkie loser but that person has been gone for a long time). It was the most wild experience with a doctor I’ve ever had, and I used to go to Florida pain clinics in the early 2010s! Those places were like going to a war torn, Third World health clinic. Armed guards and everything. I’m not sure if she’s just burnt out from dealing with drug addict hustlers or what, but I don’t suggest seeing her for MAT reasons. Giving 2 stars cause she probably is a smart woman, who has a lot of experience and a wealth of medical knowledge. But her people skills and “bedside” manner are desperately in need of an overhaul.

Dr. Kalinski is a phenomenal doctor. She is an authentic health care provider in every sense of the phrase. You can see her passion for what she does in the way she approaches, talks, and treats you as a patient. She is very knowledgeable and bright. Every visit I’ve had with her refreshes my spirits. She’s not another “bothered that your here” white coat, she’s a considerate person who truly cares about you, the patient. She’s got quite a sense of humor too. I’d go out of my way to have her as my healthcare provider. From one “Ski” to another, thank you Dr. Kalinski! -M.O

Dr. Kalinski is a phenomenal doctor. She is an authentic health care provider in every sense of the phrase. You can see her passion for what she does in the way she approaches, talks, and treats you as a patient. She is very knowledgeable and bright. Every visit I’ve had with her refreshes my spirits. She’s not another “bothered that your here” white coat, she’s a considerate person who truly cares about you, the patient. She’s got quite a sense of humor too. I’d go out of my way to have her as my healthcare provider. From one “Ski” to another, thank you Dr. Kalinski! -M.O

Dr. Kalinski is a phenomenal doctor. She is an authentic health care provider in every sense of the phrase. You can see her passion for what she does in the way she approaches, talks, and treats you as a patient. She is very knowledgeable and bright. Every visit I’ve had with her refreshes my spirits. She’s not another “bothered that your here” white coat, she’s a considerate person who truly cares about you, the patient. She’s got quite a sense of humor too. I’d go out of my way to have her as my healthcare provider. From one “Ski” to another, thank you Dr. Kalinski! -M.O

Dr. Kalinski is a phenomenal doctor. She is an authentic health care provider in every sense of the phrase. You can see her passion for what she does in the way she approaches, talks, and treats you as a patient. She is very knowledgeable and bright. Every visit I’ve had with her refreshes my spirits. She’s not another “bothered that your here” white coat, she’s a considerate person who truly cares about you, the patient. She’s got quite a sense of humor too. I’d go out of my way to have her as my healthcare provider. From one “Ski” to another, thank you Dr. Kalinski! -M.O

She is a EVIL WITCH DEMON!!! She had me wait in the waiting room for 2 hours before I finally got to the back. Then she proceeded to question the decisions my regular doctor and I had made about my recovery plan... Mind you she works with my regular doctor and she was just filling in for her... Then she tells me I dont deserve my medicine because I was on a conference call from work... Which everyone in the office had said it was ok... Even my counselor. She didnt even ask me to turn it down or get off of the call. She just said i didnt deserve my medicine. Now mind you this is a recovery/addiction specialist doctor. Now a normal doc I can see how i might seem rude. But this doctors office is supposed to support me in my job venture not discourage it. She is critically toxic to recovering addicts and she needs to stick to just everyday ailments.

Dr. Kalinski is a wonderful doctor and she has helped me more than any doctor i have ever been too. I would recommend her to everyone!

Excellent docotor - listens to patients, uses common sense along with great medical background