I want to share my husband’s recent and very disappointing experience at Piedmont Care at Eastside, so other patients can be aware and double-check their appointments before coming here.
My husband was turned away for being "late", even though he arrived on time and had proof of his confirmed appointment time.
He received a text message beforehand asking him to confirm his appointment. He also received a phone call stating that he should only arrive 15 minutes early if his paperwork was not completed. He completed all paperwork in advance, exactly as instructed.
On the day of the appointment, he arrived at 11:10 AM for his 11:15 AM appointment, checked in, and was told he was late. The two front desk staff members who assisted him were rude and dismissive from the start. When he showed them the confirmation message with the correct time, they told him it was “not right” instead of trying to resolve the issue or show any empathy for the situation.
What made this even more frustrating is that he took the day off work specifically for this appointment.
Afterward, I called Piedmont myself and spoke with Sherry in Scheduling. She confirmed what my husband had already told me, the system showed he checked in at 10:45 AM,
and that Tammy Williams canceled his appointment at 11:12 AM, three minutes before his actual appointment time of 11:15 AM.
This is unacceptable. Patients often wait patiently when doctors run behind schedule, yet when we arrive on time, we can be punished for it? Respect should go both ways.
To make matters worse (or better, depending on the perspective), my husband then went to the Piedmont Primary Care office on Newton Drive. The front desk staff there reviewed and confirmed he did everything right and was, in fact, on time. They even disagreed with how the Eastside office handled the situation.
Piedmont, do better. Please be more considerate of your patients’ time and ensure your staff treats patients with professionalism and respect.
To other patients: double-check your appointment times and keep your confirmation messages. This experience shows that even when you follow all instructions, mistakes on the clinic’s end may still impact your care.