AH
Andrea Horowitz
Apr 7, 2026
I had one of the most shocking, unprofessional, and frankly disturbing experiences of my life at this Quest Diagnostics location (139 Center Street, NYC).
I arrived at 6:00 PM, before closing, with urgent lab orders from my doctor after an MRI indicated a possible infection. This was not routine bloodwork—this was time-sensitive, medically necessary testing. There was not a single patient in the waiting room, and two phlebotomists were present doing absolutely nothing.
Despite this, I was flatly refused care.
When I calmly explained the urgency, the staff:
- Raised their voices and spoke to me with hostility
- Told me it was “too late” despite being open and completely empty
- Claimed they “couldn’t do blood cultures,” which is inaccurate for a facility like Quest Diagnostics
- Repeatedly dismissed me instead of offering any solution
It escalated into behavior I have never experienced in any professional setting:
- One staff member literally walked away mid-conversation and hid in a room
- Another went into the bathroom and shut the door to avoid me
- They talked about me to each other while I was standing there, mocking my situation and urgency
- I was accused of “lying” about my travel timing when I was simply trying to problem-solve
I was yelled at, dismissed, and humiliated while trying to access urgent medical care before an international flight the next morning.
This wasn’t just poor customer service—this was a complete failure of basic medical professionalism, empathy, and responsibility.
I have never in my life been treated this way by healthcare staff. It was shocking, demeaning, and unacceptable.
I am actively escalating this incident to Quest Diagnostics corporate for a formal investigation, as this level of behavior—especially in a medical setting—is completely unacceptable and warrants accountability.
I will never return to this location and strongly urge others to avoid it.