Community Health Of Central Washington

I have a bulge disk that may be ruptured and made an appointment for new patient at

Community Health of Central Wa-Ellensburg
521 E Mountain View Ave
509-962-1414

for Thurs Feb 15th @ 3:00pm. When I woke up on Thurs Feb 15th the pain from my back was so severe that i had no choice and went to the ER at Kittitas Valley Hospital where they gave me a pain shot and some medications. The pain pills are not working at all. I wanted to make sure I made the 3:00 appointment at Community Health to get an MRI and prescriptions for the pain and no feeling in my whole leg.
When we arrived at 2:30 I had my mom check me in since i cannot stand and use a walker now. We waiting till 3:30 and had my mom go and ask what was going on. The woman at the desk said the doctor is running behind. By then my pain was beyond a 10 sitting for so long. My mom explained to the receptionist I was in severe pain and need to be seen. We were finally called at 3:55. Once we got me to a room the nurse said the doctor was still running late and that they would get another doctor. Doctor Stone came into the room and told my mom and I that they couldn't see me and had to reschedule because my medical doesn't cover two appointments on the same day. I was outraged by this information. They turned me away while i was in such pain and needed a referral for an MRI. They set me up for an appointment the following day but i cancelled due to me not being able to get out of bed now. Medicine is not working and i cant get medical help.
Community Health dropped the ball when they denied me help which I truly needed to fix my back so I can walk again. I don't feel that this clinic takes patient issues seriously and they failed me and my health care. I wont be going back there because the broke my trust in the medical world.
This clinic needs to be investigated for failure to treat and help patients.

I am okay with it… I loved my doctor, but he's leaving. I like the doctors and nurse staff just fine, but the constant waiting on the phone drives me NUTS. I wish the front desk operations were a little better.

I recently moved to Ellensburg from San Diego. I heard bad things about this place, but none of the KVH doctors were accepting new patients, and I desperately needed a prescription refill. This place is a joke. They don't care or even attempt to offer a decent standard of care, but they know people in Ellensburg have few options.

After calling numerous times, I was finally able to schedule an appointment. I go see the doctor, he writes me a one month prescription (I have been on this drug for 6 years) and requires me to come see him again before he will give any refills. I also have a weird patch of skin that looked like an infection of some sort, for which he prescribed some cream.

…and here my troubles begin. He told me to schedule an appointment in 30 days for a follow up. I tried to do so, but they only schedule two weeks in advance. No problem. I call back later when I need to refill my prescription, and make an appointment so that I can keep getting my meds.

They cancel on me the day of my appointment.

I tell them I need to get in, because I need the prescription. They say there's nothing they can do. I ask if someone can just call in the refill, and I can do an appointment later. They say no, you have to see the doctor before you can get a refill. So I say, ok, and ask if I can reschedule with any provider before my pills run out. They look and manage to find me an appointment. Crisis averted.

Not.

They cancelled again.

At this point, I have no more of my meds and no way to get more. I ended up having to call my former doctor in California and ask her to call in a new prescription, which thankfully she does.

They don't contact you with test results, but rather make you contact them. I had a biopsy, and the doctor said 3-5 days for results. 8 days later I call and they have them, but they just didn't call me and tell me. Then they try to say that only my provider can give me the results, and he won't be in for another 4 days.

They put money in front of care. Make people come in for unnecessary visits that they can't actually staff because it puts extra cash in their pockets. I swear they'd unnecessarily cut off your leg if it made them $100. I will be seeking care in Yakima (40 Minute drive) or Seattle (2 hour drive) before I continue to go here.

I have never been to the doctor's office and I am basing this review solely off of the phone conversation I had with the receptionist. I called in wanting to make an appointment because I had an issue that wasn't necessarily an emergency but needed to be treated as soon as possible. Not having lived in the area for very long (just a few years) I was not a registered patient. The receptionist then says that I should go to Yakima were there is a walk in clinic and that it is too much of a hassle for me to transfer my information and become a registered patient! I did not care, I wanted an appointment, but she kept pushing that I either go to the ER and pay hundreds of dollars or go to Yakima (Which would be hard since I don't have a car). I can only hope the doctors are better than the receptionist.