New West Physicians Lakewood Internal Medicine

Darla Reeves

Let me begin with saying, I’ve been a patient with New West physicians since 1987. The last several years I’ve had difficult experiences with this particular clinic office. I’ve been in the spin cycle trying to fix a coding error with my Annual physical bloodwork. The blood draws were submitted by my clinic office to Quest Diagnostics and then to my Friday Health Plans insurance company as diagnostic codes rather than a preventative screening blood work. I have made numerous calls to talk to the practice manager Fawn. I’m always told that she will call back but she doesn’t call back. Later, she did have someone deliver a message that all was resolved …that it is correct and was billed with diagnostic codes and subsequently goes toward my insurance deductible. Last year the same thing happened with this clinic, blood draw lab, and insurance company. It finally got fixed three months later and was recoded and billed at preventative screening blood work. This year, eight months after service, it still is not corrected. And since Quest said the bill would be sent to collections, I opted to pay Quest the deductible amount, despite being told over and over that the diagnostic codes and preventative screening codes just need a quick fix to be corrected - to be flip flopped so the preventative code is in the Primary coding position. Please don’t worry about submitting a follow up response here saying to call the practice manager. As mentioned above, I’ve called a dozen or more times and the Practice Manager does NOT call. I’ll opt to leave appropriate reviews to NEW West physicians here and on Yelp and to change providers. Some advise to get an attorney…but I don’t want to go through all of it any more. It’s too bad any patient, let alone a loyal patient/customer of 40 years, is put through the ringer and spin cycle this way. I highly recommend that people go somewhere else for healthcare services. Hopefully this review saves others grief by selecting other patient centered providers. Darla Reeves

N M

The scheduling and office staff just can't help but be rude and give attitude. When I tried to make an appointment I was not listened to, talked over, and then got condescension while just trying to schedule an appointment

Rakel M

Pleasant & Professional staff.

Pestem Medico

I only give two stars because the providers are phenomenal, as well as the front desk staff. Some of the best I've ever experienced! However, like most insidious things, what is lurking in the back office that you can't see is where things fall from two stars to none. Professionally, I work in healthcare administration so I know it well. My doctor, Dominique Walker, ordered a procedure that had to be done at a specialist. This is because I was coughing blood. Not a little amount of blood, a fair amount of fresh blood. Something that is rather scary. I specifically asked that the referral go to a provider that takes both of my insurance plans. They sent it to the one that takes neither. I took time out of my busy schedule to inquire at a facility that I could go to. Because they have a different structure, they require outside doctors to fill out and fax back a direct access form. I faxed the document New West with a request to fax it to the specialist but heard nothing. I called and the woman who answered told me that it was on Dr. Walker's desk. A month went by. I called back and the person didn't know what I was talking about or what a direct access form was. They assured me it would be taken care of. In the meantime, I also got bills for lab work that they never told me would be coming. Long story short, it's been four months and tired of dealing with ineptitude, I've decided not to get my colonoscopy. I will also have to go through the hassle of finding another provider after spending so much effort establishing myself here! It's just too much of a headache and far too time consuming to deal with! I shouldn't be responsible for having to lead staff around on a leash. I finally wrote a letter to the practice manager, Fawn Dillon, detailing what happened. Did I receive ANY kind of response? NO. Fawn Dillon is disappointing and perhaps should spend some time in hospitality to get to know customer service. If you want an office that literally doesn't care, this is the place for you--which is a sad state for healthcare. I hate to think what would happen if I had an urgent need or serious medical condition.