Good Doctors and Bad Doctors

It would be a good idea to have people comment on who they feel is a good doctor or which doctor they feel should be avoided. We put so much trust into these individuals and we need a way to share stories with others to avoid bad experiences. I would like to share this story with you today.


I know there are a lot of good doctors out there but there are also a lot of bad ones. What is it that makes a bad doctor? For me it's a doctor that either does too much or too little, or just, perhaps, rips you off. I must tell you about my office visit a few months ago to the eye doctor, Dr. Basilice. I never did see Dr. Basilice, but another doctor in his practice. When I went into the office the secretary asked me to fill out the usual forms. I thought it was weird when I had to also give them my license as well as my insurance card. I also noticed that this office had pamphlets for eye lifts, hair removal and other cosmetic surgery, etc. I thought that was strange for an ophthalmology office. To begin the exam, the nurse directed me to this machine which, according to her, measured my eye. I still cannot figure out what this machine had to do with checking my vision. But she got the numbers and after that she gave me the usual routine checkup looking through various lenses. At this time she gave me a sales pitch to have another test done through this new machine which looks at my whole eye at a cost of $50.00. I felt a little uncomfortable having someone in a doctor's office trying to sell me a test which I couldn't afford and which I new the insurance company wouldn't pay for. Did I really need this test? Who knows. I declined the test, much to her chagrin. As I left I was directed to the checkout cashier who presented me with a bill for $45.00. $15 copay and $30.00 for the first test on the machine. I was never told about having to pay this fee when the test was issued. I was outraged since I had a very good insurance policy and just knew this test was some big waste of my hard earned money. My brother-in-law, who was also having his routine test at this time, was charged an additional $20 contact fee (in addition to the $45.00) for talking with his physician about his contacts. He was not measured for contacts or anything else, just a discussion. They informed me that the fitting for the contacts would be an additional $150. It cost us a total of $110 for 30 minutes at this doctor even though I have a very good insurance policy. I really felt taken here and will never go back again.