*Edit* Michelle is working hard to make positive changes to how the practice is run and to fix the issues I outlined below. My most recent visits went more smoothly, and referrals and prescriptions were handled immediately after my visit. Here's hoping these changes continue! I added one star due to these recent developments.
I wish I could give Michelle 5 stars, but honestly even though you can tell she does care about her patients, the actual practice itself it not run very well. I originally chose Michelle because I wanted a private practice that wasn't owned by a private equity company (very, very difficult to find) so that the practioner was more free to do what they felt was best for the patient and wasn't forced to see a patient every 15 minutes (which is why most doctor offices run HOURS behind schedule). My first visit with Michelle was awesome - she listened to my concerns, spent time getting to know me, she did tell me a bit about herself and her journey to opening her own practice which I did appreciate because it made it feel like she really wanted to establish a patient-doctor relationship. We did discuss the HRT pellets that her practice sells, but I told her I wasn't interested in those and she didn't push me. I have seen her multiple times over the past few years since she opened up and although the in-person visits themselves are always great, always on time, it's when I need something else other than an appointment that things get difficult. I had to request a referral multiple times over the course of several months before I got what I needed. This was a referral for a somewhat severe health issue, so having it take that long was really not great. My husband is having the same issue with a referral he needs for a dermatologist. Getting prescriptions filled can also sometimes be a bit of a chore, especially if it is a new prescription or it needs to go to a different pharmacy. Again, we have had times where we had to request items multiple times. Often times no one answers the phone, and I think we have only ever gotten an actual call back after leaving a message one time, so we don't bother doing that anymore. We just call multiple times until we can get someone on the phone. Getting blood work results is also a time consuming process and involves having a telehealth visit with Michelle, which she always is running late for. Last time she completely missed my husband's appointment and ended up giving all the results to me because he had to go to work. Now I have put in a request on their online portal for an appointment and haven't heard back even though it has been several days. I love Michelle, but that office needs a true office manager with real experience running it so they can get these issues ironed out. If they can do that, this would be a five star practice! I also want to add that everyone I have interacted with in this office are sweet, sweet people. Never have I encountered any rudeness from a single member of staff, and I really do value that as well.