Dr Yakub M Essack

Extremely disappointing and unprofessional experience

Extremely disappointing and unprofessional experience I am extremely disappointed with the way I was treated at this practice today. Yesterday, after receiving my test results, I contacted the practice because one of my results and I needed assistance and an explanation regarding the results. I was specifically advised by the practice to come in this morning to see the doctor. I arrived this morning as instructed and was directed to the doctor’s office. When I got there, he told that my file is not on the table. I explained that I had my results available on my email and showed them to the doctor. The doctor then told me that he had not been there the previous day, that I was “not his patient,” and questioned why the tests had been done and why he was now expected to deal with the results. I understand that he may not have been the doctor who saw me previously, and I have no issue with being informed if a separate consultation was required. However, the way this was communicated to me was extremely dismissive and unprofessional. My issue is not that I may have needed another consultation or that the doctor was not the doctor who originally attended to me. My issue is that the practice itself instructed me to come in that morning to receive assistance with results from tests conducted at their practice, without informing me beforehand that I would be seeing a different doctor, that my file would not be available, or that I would potentially need to pay for another consultation. Had this been communicated to me properly, I could have made an informed decision and simply booked an appointment with another doctor to have my results explained. Instead, I travelled to the practice based on the instructions I was given, only to feel as though I was being treated as an inconvenience for asking about results from a service I had already paid for. I found the doctor’s manner particularly upsetting. There was a professional and respectful way to explain the situation to me, and I did not feel that this was done. I ultimately felt so uncomfortable and disrespected that I chose to leave. I believe patients deserve clear communication, professionalism and basic courtesy, especially when dealing with medical results that may understandably cause concern. Here’s theirs address The practice is also listed at 1st Floor, Rivonia Village, Cnr Mutual Road & Rivonia Boulevard, with the phone number ***. I would appreciate an explanation from the practice as to why I was instructed to come in for assistance with my results if the doctor available was not prepared to assist me, and why I was not informed beforehand that I would potentially be required to have another consultation. This experience has left me extremely disappointed with the practice and, more importantly, with the way I was made to feel when I simply came in seeking an explanation for my own test results.