Scripps Clinic Rancho Bernardo

I'm a 77 year old patient for m15 years at RB Scripps and I'm alarmed and distressed about the way this health organization has been steadily deteriorating. Presently suffering from "Severe chronic cervical spine degenerative changes ".

I saw Dr. E. Kaufman of the Orthopedic Dept on 6/30 and besides RXs she referred me to Spine & Sport on Pomerado Rd., Poway for physical therapy. I have been in treatment there already for 12 weeks for hip bursitis/tendonitis and lumbar problems.

On 6/30, upon reading her notes on the portal

I saw that she wrongly referred me to Spine L for PT. I called her office and explained that referral needed to be sent to S&S who also called Dr. K's office and spoke to Sheila (sp?) who said she would fax it. On 7/3, a Monday, as no referral was received by S&S and having had a previous run around 12 weeks ago when Dr.

Shaker and his PA had referred me for PT, I tried to send a message to Dr. Kaufman through the portal. Her name would not come up in the list of doctors I had seen recently. I called Dr.

K's office and was answered by a man to whom I explained the problem. This man was very short and insisted the referral had been sent to the correct place and that he could do nothing about my not being able to reach Dr. K for intervention on this. S & S also called and left a message that referral needed to be re-faxed.

On 7/5 as no referral had been received, S&S called the orthopedic department. They spoke to a very rude man who insisted that the referral had already been sent to Spine L and that they had no record that this was the wrong provider, and that no one had called to correct it. He ended up hanging the phone up on the clerk from S&S who disputed what he was saying. I called Orthopedic Dept.and asked for Dr.

K's nurse and explained the convoluted situation. I spoke to Sheila (sp?) who confirmed that she had indeed faxed the referral to S&S on 6/30 and suggested that perhaps they have a different fax #. I called S&S and verified that they only have one fax # which is 877-298-****. I called back and asked to speak to Sheila.

The man who answered (named Marvin) said that no one by this name worked in that department. I had to explain the whole story all over again. Then he said that there was a Shella who scheduled appointments. I asked him to send her a message that the fax # for S&S was correct and to please send referral again to S &S.

Upon my asking he stated that the only male who assists Dr. K is an MA named Matthew. He may or may not have been the person who blew me off on 7/3 and hang up on S&S on 7/5.

As things stand today 7/5 12:30 PM no referral has been re-sent to S&S, nor received. My hands and fingers are on fire as given my condition I should not be typing on a computer or Iphone as the neck injuries radiate down to

arms and hands, until PT alleviates the situation.

This is totally Kafkiest .

And to add insult to injury I'm sure I'll get an e-mail canned message asking me to call blah, blah, blah which I won't be able to do because even holding a phone aggravates my pain. Why can't Scripps simply reach out to me since they have the means to do so by going into their patient data base?

While the doctors are great, Scripps' supportive staff are in need of re-education and their communication and protocols system in need of a complete overhaul.Do not