Dr. Thomas Pusateri, MD

As a new patient of Dr. Pusateri I was I was extremely happy with my overall extremely happy with my overall experience. I was seen in a timely manner, had plenty of time to explain my issues without feeling rushed. The staff is great!I was seen in a timely manner, had plenty of time to explain my issues without feeling rushed. The staff is great! Dr. Pusateri made me feel as though Dr. Pusateri made me feel as though I was in good hands. He was friendly, I was in good hands. He was friendly, professional and knowledgeable. I highly recommend and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this doctor. ??????????

On Friday, May 15th, had to take my 3 year old daughter to the eye doctor so we went to Dr. Thomas Pusateri in Land O Lakes. We had seen him before and all was well at the prior visit. He reportedly specializes in seeing pediatric patients which is why we were referred there. Due to COVID-19, we were made to wear a mask and the one she was provided was too big for her face. After the initial work up by the techs, The Dr calls us back and before we even crossed the threshold from the patient waiting area to the lobby area in front of the patient rooms, he said she needed to have the mask over her nose. I looked down at her (we were walking) and saw it slipped off her nose, but was over her mouth. I tried to fix it the best I could. When we got to the exam room, the Dr told me if I couldn’t keep her mask on her face he wasn’t going to see her. I was very confused at this as she is 3 years old and the mask WAS on her face. When I questioned him about it, he kept repeating… that it needed to stay over her nose. I again tried to explain she is 3 years old and the mask didn’t fit. Now mind you... the Dr was wearing a mask and gloves so I don’t see why this was an issue. Dr. Thomas Pusateri refused to see her, stating I was not complying with his request (again, she had the mask on). He threatened to call security on me (the office manager later told me they didn’t have security) all because I was asking him if he was serious at how he was behaving. His office manager (very sweet, kind, and professional) came in to see what was happening. By this time I am now upset at how we were being treated and my daughter was crying with her face buried in my chest. Dr. Pusateri began pointing down at me from behind the office managers back, yelling at me at how I wasn’t acting safely and that he is trying to protect himself and his other patients. (During the incident he responded to my “she’s 3” comment with “I’m 62”. Like what in the world does that have to do with how he was acting). In order to get him to stop how he was acting towards us, I ended up shutting the exam room door and it was just myself, my daughter and the office manager. I was trying to calm down and calm down my daughter. The door then quickly opened and it was Dr. Pusateri yelling at me and pointing down at me again. His office manager had to raise her voice to get him to go away. Once he did and I was able to collect myself, we then went to her office where she could do nothing but apologize. Even she was floored at his behaviors. As if the 1st part of the appt wasn’t traumatic enough for her (they had to hold her down to put the eye drops in her eyes) he then acted like he did making her experience even worse. ***Note: My daughter and I are not sick, have not been sick, and have been in quarantine with her not leaving the house since this COVID-19 pandemic started and they took our temperatures BEFORE being seen.*** If this Doctor is not able to act professionally and utilize common sense when seeing patients, then he needs to not practice medicine. Needless to say, we will NEVER go back and I will NEVER recommend this Doctor to ANYONE.

On Friday, May 15th, had to take my 3 year old daughter to the eye doctor so we went to Dr. Thomas Pusateri in Land O Lakes. We had seen him before and all was well at the prior visit. He reportedly specializes in seeing pediatric patients which is why we were referred there. Due to COVID-19, we were made to wear a mask and the one she was provided was too big for her face. After the initial work up by the techs, The Dr calls us back and before we even crossed the threshold from the patient waiting area to the lobby area in front of the patient rooms, he said she needed to have the mask over her nose. I looked down at her (we were walking) and saw it slipped off her nose, but was over her mouth. I tried to fix it the best I could. When we got to the exam room, the Dr told me if I couldn’t keep her mask on her face he wasn’t going to see her. I was very confused at this as she is 3 years old and the mask WAS on her face. When I questioned him about it, he kept repeating… that it needed to stay over her nose. I again tried to explain she is 3 years old and the mask didn’t fit. Now mind you... the Dr was wearing a mask and gloves so I don’t see why this was an issue. Dr. Thomas Pusateri refused to see her, stating I was not complying with his request (again, she had the mask on). He threatened to call security on me (the office manager later told me they didn’t have security) all because I was asking him if he was serious at how he was behaving. His office manager (very sweet, kind, and professional) came in to see what was happening. By this time I am now upset at how we were being treated and my daughter was crying with her face buried in my chest. Dr. Pusateri began pointing down at me from behind the office managers back, yelling at me at how I wasn’t acting safely and that he is trying to protect himself and his other patients. (During the incident he responded to my “she’s 3” comment with “I’m 62”. Like what in the world does that have to do with how he was acting). In order to get him to stop how he was acting towards us, I ended up shutting the exam room door and it was just myself, my daughter and the office manager. I was trying to calm down and calm down my daughter. The door then quickly opened and it was Dr. Pusateri yelling at me and pointing down at me again. His office manager had to raise her voice to get him to go away. Once he did and I was able to collect myself, we then went to her office where she could do nothing but apologize. Even she was floored at his behaviors. As if the 1st part of the appt wasn’t traumatic enough for her (they had to hold her down to put the eye drops in her eyes) he then acted like he did making her experience even worse. ***Note: My daughter and I are not sick, have not been sick, and have been in quarantine with her not leaving the house since this COVID-19 pandemic started and they took our temperatures BEFORE being seen.*** If this Doctor is not able to act professionally and utilize common sense when seeing patients, then he needs to not practice medicine. Needless to say, we will NEVER go back and I will NEVER recommend this Doctor to ANYONE.

Dr. Pusateri is very professional and answered all my questions as well as offering much helpful advice. These were my first visits to have my glaucoma and cataracts diagnosed and I was a bit nervous. Dr. Pusateri and his full staff were extremely friendly and reassuring. Wouldn't go anywhere else.