I have been a patient of Dr. Ribal Al Aridi since 2019. She has since left the practice of Prisma Health Endocrinology at 2 Medical Park, Columbia.
I was not happy about her leaving the practice as I really liked her as my doctor. I have since been told that Dr. McAdams in the same practice would be taking me as her patient. My appointment with Dr. McAdams was now scheduled for 81522 (NOW 6 MONTHS LATER ALTHOUGH I SHOULD BE SEEN EVERY 3-4 MONTHS)!
Yesterday, June 14th, I get an email from Prisma Health that my appointment has been changed to a Nurse Practitioner, Lisa Tucker. I know what that means…..I’m now stuck with her and not the Specialist, Dr. McAdams, the Endocrinologist. I’ve been a Type 1 Diabetic now for 53 years and have ONLY seen an Endocrinologist!
I called the office to speak to them about this. The office staff explained that Dr. McAdams would be out of the office on my scheduled date to be seen but Lisa Tucker would now take me as her patient. I wasn’t asked about this, in any way, but put on Lisa’s schedule.
Since Dr. Ribal Al Aridi left the practice, I searched high and low for Endocrinologists in this area. THERE AREN’T MANY AT ALL TO EVEN CHOOSE FROM! I called a Dr. Frank Ferraro from LMC and scheduled an appointment to be seen on 92722 (7 months past due now) so that I myself could choose between Dr. McAdams or Dr. Ferraro. That was the plan.
After speaking with the office staff who doesn’t care one bit about the patients, I decided to cancel my appointment with Dr. McAdams.and also the appointment I was set up for with the Nurse Practitioner, Lisa Tucker.
Nobody, especially preexisting patients, should have to wait 7 months to be seen as a diabetic!!!!! No care in the world from the staff of the cancellation, no offer of being put on a waitlist (as a pre-existing patient) to be seen on a cancellation – NOTHING!
I need a doctor’s office and practice that cares! Prisma Healthcare is not one for me! My suggestion….re-train your staff to take pre-existing patients over new patients (I know, more patients, more money)….healthcare should come first!
Diana Waddle
941 544-2868
