Dr. Howard Michael Noels

Went to the ER at Regional (Mercy in Scranton) for the first time in about 20 years with stroke/TIA-like symptoms. He wasn't out and out rude, but somewhat arrogant and somewhat dismissive of my symptoms. Basically he ask me a handful of questions and said "I can send you home with aspirin or start running tests", lol. Errr. YOU'RE the doctor, what do YOU recommend? I choose some tests as my symptoms were real, not imagined, not a panic attack, but rather serious and very unsettling/scary. The nurse couldn't believe, considering my symptoms, he was willing to send me home without doing a work-up and running some tests. I had some blood work, a CAT, EKG and all came back good. The thing is it takes much more digging for a proper TIA/mini stroke diagnoses. From my extensive research he should have checked for blockages in my arteries, using various examination techniques and other tests like an MRI. He tried telling me it was likely a pinches nerve, umm no, A pinched nerve is was most… definitely NOT. Your body has a way of telling you "hey, THIS is SEROUS, this not something minor". My body told me that, and in a big way. Due to me relatively young age (49), good overall health, he seemed to not quite take my symptoms seriously. That's the impression I got. I don't even know what blood work he did. I'm assuming he checked for stroke related underlying risk factors like high cholesterol, etc. but he just told me everything came back negative, which I guess is good. He told me to take aspirin, didn't tell me how much or for how long. I assumed it would be on the discharge papers.. which it was "take aspirin" lol. I don't know, he wasn't horrible, but I felt he was dismissive and again, somewhat arrogant. Even some of the staff mentioned he was a good doctor, but rude. If I was a hypochondriac, I'd understand, but the hospital didn't even have a record of my last visit to the ER, which was probably 20 years or so ago. When someone who hasn't been to the ER in two decades comes to the ER complaining of stroke-like symptoms, you take them SERIOUS. TIA's are hard to diagnose, I understand that, but if you have one your risk of stroke short and long time increases a lot. I'm left not knowing for sure if it was a TIA, but feeling deep down as if it was, I'm scared it will happen again or worse, a full on stroke is just around the corner. It's a terrible feeling. I wish at the least he would have looked at my arteries to check for blockages,, just in case. That's the point of going to the ER, so if you do have a blockage they can possible do something about it to lower the risk of a stroke. Now, I'm just left to worry.. not even knowing for sure if I'm at risk or not. I felt the trip to the ER was a waste. Yes, some tests were run, but from all my research those tests wouldn't really reveal much about if I experience a mini-stroke or not.

This is the absolute WORST doctor I have ever come in contact with in my life. He is completely unprofessional in his treatment and his mannerisms. If you end up having to go to the Emergency Room where this guy works, PRAY you do NOT end up with him or you will end up in a state much worse than what you began with. If I could give him 0 stars I would, and if I could get him fired from the medical profession I would. He actually made me more sick physically, so there is a malpractice aspect to this as well. I am not writing this review out of revenge, either. It is pure honestly. STEER CLEAR.

Arogant and did not help in the least. Informed me that I have a condition that does not exist and treated me like a drug seeking patient. I was looking for relief and got nothing but sarcasm. Horrible!

One of the most arrogant and ignorant physician I have ever seen. Would not recommend him.

Very rude, no resolution/solution to illness