Dr. Vita Mia Cucchiara, MD

Spends time , asks questions, and is thorough

Spends time , asks questions, and is thorough

This is not a pleasant review to write as I actually like Dr. Cucchiara on a personal level. She also seems like a solid doctor and a nice person(no more than five visits). However, the experiences I have had with her office indicate that she clearly does not care about the patient experience. The secretaries in her office at the Mineola location are by far, without a doubt, some of the worst and most incompetent people I have ever had to deal with in a professional setting. I have not witnessed that level of laziness and neglect since I ran food carts at Yankee Stadium when I was 16 years old as one of my first part-time jobs. For starters, one of the secretaries actually refused to let me leave the office until I had paid the 25$ co-pay. I asked her to bill it to me and she rudely replied with "no you have to pay now!" I have paid each and every bill from every doctor I have ever seen on time including this office. I was actually made late to a work related appointment because this… secretary would not allow me to leave the office without paying her (not even by the Doctors orders) first. I have never heard of this practice in a doctors office especially ones in affluent neighborhoods where people generally pay their bills on time. I have been able to bill from any medical office I have ever been to. Secondly, each and every time I have been to the office and made an "appointment" it took a minimum of 20-45 minutes just to see a rude nurse. The secretaries look worn out and beaten down everytime you go to the office. Although I do not why as it seems as if they do not do their job. I called multiple times during normal BUSINESS HOURS and just got an answering machine. Not even lunch hours or at the end of the day. I am talking 10 am on a Tuesday or 2 pm on a Monday. I was not even put on hold. I am almost positive my call just got screened because the secretary just did not want to answer the phone. When you finally get on the phone, it is like pulling teeth to get information. The secretary generally answers each and everyone of your questions with one-word disrespectful answers. I called and asked for a number to an office one floor below and she could not even provide me that. Like it was a chore for her to do. You can see a doctor faster at a walk-in appointment at any decent urgent care location on Long Island. When you finally get to see the doctor she is nice or whatever, but everytime it seems like she has 50 other patients to attend to and you are just a number. Needless to say I cannot wait to leave this awful practice and take my business to a more competent location.

I made an appointment with Dr. Cucchiara a week ago. When her receptionist called to confirm the appointment I asked how long the actual appointment took because I had to pick up my son at a certain time. She assured me it only took half an hour and that I was the first appointment so there would be no problem. Day of the appointment comes, Ive been waiting for 45 minutes and when I ask the receptionist how much longer she calls the dr who then tells her to tell me 5 more minutes. I had to inform the receptionist that I had to leave or I would not make to to pick up my son. I’m not sure if it was an off day, but my time is valuable also and 50 minutes is an unacceptable wait time. I do not recommend this Dr. for that simple fact.

Despite a large caseload, Dr C. offers first-class care. She comes to a regular patient conversant with the last visit and the patient's progress.