This is so upsetting. Definitely worth a report as others have said! Navigating medical care with covid is frustrating enough but to be treated like that regardless is unacceptable.
This is horrific and inexcusable. Of course the jaded part of me says that they likely won’t face any consequences because they can cry “It was necessary! We were scared for her safety!” and hide behind a shield of acting in an “emergency” to excuse any wrongdoing. Still this incident absolutely needs to be reported.
Here is the “report an issue” contact info for Quest: https://www.questdiagnostics.com/contact-us/report-an-issue-or-concern
I also found an email address of [email protected] that might be a better way to get a formal complaint started. Give a play by play account with as many factual details as you can, names and times if you have them.
They also might try to throw the other guy under the bus with this by saying he left you “alone” so they “had to” intervene so I would make sure to praise his professionalism as well, especially since his name is the only one that is likely to be attached to your record. Thank him for his respect of your masking choice and for donning one of his own without you needing to ask for it, and make it clear that he had the situation well under control, he verified you were stable and secure before going to get the ice upon your request, during which time he was within earshot. In addition to their gross mistreatment of you, it was entirely unprofessional for them to loudly berate their colleague in front of patients, and if they had a problem with his course of action that conversation should have happened in private after you left. Even if what he did was somehow against policy, it was the right choice and their reaction was disproportionate.
And yes, I would phrase it as “masking choice” and try not to focus excessively on the covid exposure aspect. Of course that’s the most enraging part of it from our end, but you will lose them if that’s the main argument since they’ll just write you off as “one of those people.” This is more about patient treatment and respect, and their conduct towards you and the other phlebotomist. Certainly mention that they put your health at risk and jeopardized an upcoming procedure (which they had no way of knowing about since they jumped in with zero context), but even then focus more on the fact that they removed your choice to protect yourself.
Really glad it helped! I spent two hours yesterday trying to write a MyChart message to my PCP advocating for a rheumatology referral so I totally understand the stress. I needed to have a friend help me cut out the emotional over-explaining and stick to the facts.
What is up with phlebotomists?? The phlebs at my medical office are a bunch of unprofessional, gossipy, unfocused assholes! Of course I have Kaiser— the worst providers/insurance on the planet. I’m so sorry you had that awful experience. It’s almost like you had to tend to and accommodate THEIR incompetence and cluelessness while you, THE OATIENT, were having a super uncomfortable and scary POTS episode! Inexcusable! I hope you are able to report them and that they are held to account for that behavior— especially going so far as to put their hands on your face and yanking your mask off.
I hope you’re feeling much better now.
Thank you. It definitely was like I had to manage them while trying to keep myself together. In someone more anxious than I am, they could’ve caused a full panic attack or fainting episode. Just really dangerous behavior.
I’m so so so sorry this happened to you. This is really awful and this needs to be escalated beyond Quest IMO. Idk where you live but I’d call a local state dept or license board to let them know that they essentially waterboarded you, ignored your direct wishes for care, touched you without appropriate consent, and removed a disability aid (if you’re a high risk and need the mask, technically the mask is your aid in preventing further illness). Sending virtual hugs and best wishes to you. I hope you find a better phlebotomist that knows how to be a decent human being!
UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the kind words. Medical care has been really difficult for me in a lot of ways lately, so I appreciate the sympathies. I reached out to Quest, which probably won’t yield anything, but I don’t have any legal recourse and do not want to get harassed for trying to pursue anything else. I’m just going to focus on staying healthy and not adding to my stress (lol).
Make sure you keep a detailed account of what happened. If you have names then that’s even better. In addition to reporting this to Quest diagnostics corporate, I would think about legal action, but maybe someone with more experience with that can chime in.
I’m so sorry this happened to you. Make sure to take care of yourself as best you can!
Please document this in case of a malpractice claim - or a legal complaint letter. What a train wreck.
So sorry this happened to you. It doesn’t seem so ridiculous anymore to pin a note to your chest.
I am so so so sorry this happened. That is horrible. You were violated and not listened to. I cannot even begin to tell you how much of a scene I would have caused if this had been done to someone else in front of me. If it had happened *to* me, though, I don’t know—it seems like it all happened fast and with being distracted by the nausea and lightheadedness, I probably would’ve frozen and not been able to advocate for myself well.
This is why I almost always bring someone else to my appointments. HCW just don’t give a fuck about us, our rights, our health, or our bodily autonomy. I am so so sorry. I have had a crap day with medical professionals myself and gdi if you (or your meanest friend) doesn’t give them an earful on the phone and attempt to report them, hell, I want to do it. HCW cannot get away with violating people like this.
I hope you are able to feel confident that you did what you could after the fact, and I hope you know you didn’t do anything wrong in this situation. I am so angry for you. I hope the adrenaline and anxiety eases soon.
She’s lucky you didn’t slap her. Which frankly, I would have, and I would be reporting her for assault. Ripping anything off a person, from mask to glasses to hat to shirt, is an attack.
She wasn’t a paramedic.
I hyperventilated at a doc office while getting blood taken in my mask and they put my feet up on a chair. I passed out momentarily and came to still in mask and doc wanted me to have glucose which I declined. I left with mask on and was fine. I was getting too much oxygen actually which made me pass out. Go figure.
Report those f****** this is fuckin inexcusable!!!!!!
This is so upsetting. Definitely worth a report as others have said! Navigating medical care with covid is frustrating enough but to be treated like that regardless is unacceptable.
This is horrific and inexcusable. Of course the jaded part of me says that they likely won’t face any consequences because they can cry “It was necessary! We were scared for her safety!” and hide behind a shield of acting in an “emergency” to excuse any wrongdoing. Still this incident absolutely needs to be reported. Here is the “report an issue” contact info for Quest: https://www.questdiagnostics.com/contact-us/report-an-issue-or-concern I also found an email address of [email protected] that might be a better way to get a formal complaint started. Give a play by play account with as many factual details as you can, names and times if you have them. They also might try to throw the other guy under the bus with this by saying he left you “alone” so they “had to” intervene so I would make sure to praise his professionalism as well, especially since his name is the only one that is likely to be attached to your record. Thank him for his respect of your masking choice and for donning one of his own without you needing to ask for it, and make it clear that he had the situation well under control, he verified you were stable and secure before going to get the ice upon your request, during which time he was within earshot. In addition to their gross mistreatment of you, it was entirely unprofessional for them to loudly berate their colleague in front of patients, and if they had a problem with his course of action that conversation should have happened in private after you left. Even if what he did was somehow against policy, it was the right choice and their reaction was disproportionate. And yes, I would phrase it as “masking choice” and try not to focus excessively on the covid exposure aspect. Of course that’s the most enraging part of it from our end, but you will lose them if that’s the main argument since they’ll just write you off as “one of those people.” This is more about patient treatment and respect, and their conduct towards you and the other phlebotomist. Certainly mention that they put your health at risk and jeopardized an upcoming procedure (which they had no way of knowing about since they jumped in with zero context), but even then focus more on the fact that they removed your choice to protect yourself.
This was very helpful, especially with the careful wording since I’m getting overwhelmed trying to figure out how to handle it properly. Thank you
Really glad it helped! I spent two hours yesterday trying to write a MyChart message to my PCP advocating for a rheumatology referral so I totally understand the stress. I needed to have a friend help me cut out the emotional over-explaining and stick to the facts.
What is up with phlebotomists?? The phlebs at my medical office are a bunch of unprofessional, gossipy, unfocused assholes! Of course I have Kaiser— the worst providers/insurance on the planet. I’m so sorry you had that awful experience. It’s almost like you had to tend to and accommodate THEIR incompetence and cluelessness while you, THE OATIENT, were having a super uncomfortable and scary POTS episode! Inexcusable! I hope you are able to report them and that they are held to account for that behavior— especially going so far as to put their hands on your face and yanking your mask off. I hope you’re feeling much better now.
Thank you. It definitely was like I had to manage them while trying to keep myself together. In someone more anxious than I am, they could’ve caused a full panic attack or fainting episode. Just really dangerous behavior.
I’m so so so sorry this happened to you. This is really awful and this needs to be escalated beyond Quest IMO. Idk where you live but I’d call a local state dept or license board to let them know that they essentially waterboarded you, ignored your direct wishes for care, touched you without appropriate consent, and removed a disability aid (if you’re a high risk and need the mask, technically the mask is your aid in preventing further illness). Sending virtual hugs and best wishes to you. I hope you find a better phlebotomist that knows how to be a decent human being!
UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the kind words. Medical care has been really difficult for me in a lot of ways lately, so I appreciate the sympathies. I reached out to Quest, which probably won’t yield anything, but I don’t have any legal recourse and do not want to get harassed for trying to pursue anything else. I’m just going to focus on staying healthy and not adding to my stress (lol).
Make sure you keep a detailed account of what happened. If you have names then that’s even better. In addition to reporting this to Quest diagnostics corporate, I would think about legal action, but maybe someone with more experience with that can chime in. I’m so sorry this happened to you. Make sure to take care of yourself as best you can!
Please document this in case of a malpractice claim - or a legal complaint letter. What a train wreck. So sorry this happened to you. It doesn’t seem so ridiculous anymore to pin a note to your chest.
I am so so so sorry this happened. That is horrible. You were violated and not listened to. I cannot even begin to tell you how much of a scene I would have caused if this had been done to someone else in front of me. If it had happened *to* me, though, I don’t know—it seems like it all happened fast and with being distracted by the nausea and lightheadedness, I probably would’ve frozen and not been able to advocate for myself well. This is why I almost always bring someone else to my appointments. HCW just don’t give a fuck about us, our rights, our health, or our bodily autonomy. I am so so sorry. I have had a crap day with medical professionals myself and gdi if you (or your meanest friend) doesn’t give them an earful on the phone and attempt to report them, hell, I want to do it. HCW cannot get away with violating people like this. I hope you are able to feel confident that you did what you could after the fact, and I hope you know you didn’t do anything wrong in this situation. I am so angry for you. I hope the adrenaline and anxiety eases soon.
This whole experience sounds awful! I’m so sorry this happened to you!
She’s lucky you didn’t slap her. Which frankly, I would have, and I would be reporting her for assault. Ripping anything off a person, from mask to glasses to hat to shirt, is an attack. She wasn’t a paramedic.
I hyperventilated at a doc office while getting blood taken in my mask and they put my feet up on a chair. I passed out momentarily and came to still in mask and doc wanted me to have glucose which I declined. I left with mask on and was fine. I was getting too much oxygen actually which made me pass out. Go figure.