Lona Arotin, NP

I think Lona is a master at using the limited time we have during an appointment to cover so much information in a timely and organized way. Whether in person or by telehealth, she has timely and common sense advice that fits well with her suggestions for medication. She and her nurse have always responded to phone calls and digital messages pretty quickly. She is a very caring person who knows what she is doing. I have been seeing her for over 5 years.

My new PCP is in this office, so I called for an appointment when I got sick. My PCP was busy, but Lona, Nurse Practitioner, could meet me virtually that day. Cool, I thought, get this taken care of. It was Tuesday. When we spoke it seemed ok, she thought it was a virus and I came in to test for COVID and FLU (why RSV was omitted, I don’t know). All results were negative. Next day (Wednesday) after assessing the symptoms, I concluded it was a sinus infection, for which I have a history, and needed antibiotics. I called the clinic and was reverted to VM. The clinic’s message states to allow “up to” 24 hours for a response. Patients should actually allow “AT LEAST” 24 hours (more on that later). So Thursday, I got a call from the assistant to the NP, Donna. We chat a bit, I explain I have a sinus infection that needs antibiotics. She says, no, I won’t get antibiotics, it’s a virus. I explain, my history and that I can tell the difference and Augmentin is the antibiotic… that has worked for me in the past. She says that after a week Lona might prescribe Amoxicillin, but not for another week. I again explained that sinus infections need an antibiotic the sooner the better and that Augmentin works for me. She says, no, sinus infections need to wait a week and that amoxicillin is their choice. I try to explain that Augmentin has an additional ingredient to Amoxicillin that helps target sinus infections and that, historically, Amoxicillin doesn’t work for me. Donna says she knows the difference and amoxicillin is their choice. At this point, I ask to speak with Lona. Donna says she will talk to her and Lona will call me. This is Thursday. Does Lona call within 24 hours? No. 48 hours? No. 72? No. FIVE DAYS later, Tuesday afternoon the following week, I get a VM from Donna saying that Amoxicillin has been called into the pharmacy. Amoxicillin, not Augmentin. So here I am, 1 week after finishing that amoxicillin antibiotic and the sinus infection is back. I’ll be needing a visit to another doctor (maybe an actual doctor this time) to get treatment. I don’t know what agenda those two have going on, but it doesn’t include listening to patients, getting back to patients in a reasonable time frame or partnering with them to get better. While my PCP in this clinic seems decent and I’ll keep him, there’s no way I’m giving the Lona/Donna duo another chance at medical treatment. Oh, BTW- it looks like Lona billed insurance for a 2nd visit, perhaps for the 5th day reply?