Jyothirmai Kondapaneni
I had a deeply disappointing, concerning, and distressing experience with this doctor.
Throughout my cancer treatment, she repeatedly failed to remember what medications she had previously prescribed, what had helped me, and what had not. Every visit felt like starting from zero. For a cancer patient, where continuity of care is critical, this was extremely stressful and unacceptable.
Her behavior was consistently rude, dismissive, and unprofessional. Rather than listening or exploring options, she repeatedly stated that there were “no medical options available” and effectively gave up on my treatment without meaningful discussion, explanation, or effort.
At one point, an Emory-affiliated doctor had to explain—directly to her and right in front of me—which treatment had previously helped me and should be considered again. Witnessing another specialist step in to restate my own treatment history underscored the lack of preparation, continuity, and attention in my… care.
I was prescribed very expensive oral chemotherapy medications for several consecutive months. During this period, my condition continued to worsen, and I developed severe pain in my right abdomen and rectal area. When I raised concerns about increasing pain and lack of improvement, my questions were refused or left unanswered, and no meaningful reassessment or assistance was offered.
When I asked about palliative care to manage pain and quality of life, I was told that she did not know how palliative care works, yet I was still referred without explanation or guidance. At that point, I felt abandoned and unsupported.
However, once I began working with the palliative care team, the entire experience completely turned around.
I want to sincerely acknowledge and appreciate the palliative care team at every level—physicians, nurses, coordinators, and staff. They listened carefully, explained options clearly, treated my pain seriously, and showed genuine compassion and professionalism. Their care restored dignity and support at a time when I needed it most.
During this process, I discussed my concerns with multiple staff members across different levels of care. From those conversations, it became clear to me that many were already aware of ongoing concerns related to communication style, attitude, and work approach. As a patient, that realization was deeply troubling.
Additionally, the after-visit summaries did not accurately reflect our discussions. Important concerns and questions were missing or misrepresented. I was never asked for consent to record video visits, and when I declined recording, no effort was made to properly document or preserve the conversations. As a result, there is no reliable record of what was discussed, placing the burden entirely on the patient.
For anyone currently receiving care here: if you are comfortable, insist on clear documentation and keep personal records of your visits and conversations.
I am sharing this review across all available platforms and with media not out of anger, but to create awareness and help protect other cancer patients. Cancer patients deserve doctors who listen, remember their history, communicate honestly, and actively work with them—especially when treatment is not working and pain is increasing.
I will continue to share my experience through every available channel. If this helps even one cancer patient save time, energy, or emotional suffering, then it is worth it.
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This review reflects my personal experience and is shared solely for patient awareness.
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