Jennifer Teague, MD

Extremely Disappointing First-Time Patient Experience As a new patient, I drove nearly an hour to make it to my appointment on time. Unfortunately, the parking situation at this location was incredibly confusing. While I was trying to find where to park, the front desk called and asked if I was on my way. I explained that I was already at the facility but was having trouble navigating the parking and entrance process. Instead of offering guidance, I was told I had "two minutes" to get to the office or I would need to reschedule. When I explained that I had traveled a long distance and asked if there was any grace period, the response was that a voicemail had been left the day before explaining their policies. I never received that voicemail, and the conversation felt more focused on policy than helping a first-time patient find their way. What made the situation even more frustrating was that the office is located inside an outpatient hospital. Between finding parking, going through… security screening, navigating the building, and figuring out which elevators went where, it took several extra minutes just to reach the office. There was no signage or guidance that made the process easy for someone visiting for the first time. When I finally arrived, the office was completely empty. I was then told I would have to reschedule because the doctor was "back-to-back." Looking around at an empty waiting room, that explanation was difficult to understand. I repeatedly asked if there was any way I could still be seen that day after driving such a long distance, but the answer was no. The entire interaction felt cold and dismissive. The front desk staff barely made eye contact and seemed more interested in their computer than helping a frustrated patient. By the end of the encounter, I felt overwhelmed and unvalued. When I said I needed to think about whether I wanted to reschedule, the response was simply, "Okay." First impressions matter. As a new patient, I expected at least a little empathy and assistance navigating an unfamiliar facility. Instead, I left feeling frustrated, disappointed, and questioning whether this is a practice that truly values patient care.