Broker Cramer & Swanson Ent

This review is for the office in Bryn Mawr, PA, but the office in Phoenixville seems to be the main administrative office.
Stay away. There are many other ENT offices in the area that will be better run. I talked with Dr. Cramer about all of the concerns below (except for the non-​calling today) & he didn’t offer any solutions. He says he just wants to practice medicine and not get bogged down in admin.
This is only my 3^rd Unilocal review. I am not a complainer & I’m very loyal. My general practice & OB/​GYN have been the same since I moved to the area 15 yrs ago. I started seeing my first ENT (Dr. Cramer) at this practice 11 yrs ago.
The good:
Dr. Cramer performed an adenoid removal surgery on me about 10 yrs ago; I haven’t had a sinus infection since. He also performed surgery on my husband for snoring that has much improved sleeping. Dr. Cramer underestimated the recovery time for that surgery, but I suppose all surgeons do that or else no-​one would opt for surgery. Overall we are quite happy with the results of both surgeries, and Dr. Cramer seems like an OK guy.
The allergy care up until now has been pretty routine stuff. I haven’t needed anything more than the yearly appointment.
There is no daytime TV blasting in the waiting room in Bryn Mawr (but there is one at the surgery center in Wayne). I appreciate not having to listen to The View or whatever else.
The bad:
The administration of this office has gone severely downhill. Mistakes are made constantly & the attitude is the patient is at fault. Here are some example issues:
My insurance covers allergy shot co-​pays so I don’t get billed. A bill came with a receipt attached with my name on it, but the charge was put on another customer’s credit card. It took 3 phone messages and more emails to «Vicky» the office manager, for her to tell me over the phone it was a mistake and «Not to worry about it.» I got nothing in writing that this was resolved or that my name did not show up on someone else’s credit card statement. I have a pic of that bill as proof.
I was told immunotherapy was a 3 yr commitment. I’m now at the end & doing quite well, but was informed I need another 2 years, just to «make sure.» This office’s markup on the at-​home allergy drops is high, $ 100-​$ 110/​month when other offices charge that same amount for a 3-​month supply. That isn’t within my budget, so I’m stuck with monthly shots. That’s a 66% project creep.
Now the office takes a patient’s temperature, pulse & blood pressure before each injection, adding time and energy to an already lengthy appointment (You’re never out of there in 30 minutes like they claim. More like 45min-​hr). They told me the reason for the change is patient safety, because a man had high blood pressure before an injection. So they were either not taking good care of me for 3 yrs by forgoing these measurements or they are overly concerned with being sued. I’m guessing it is the latter.
Other incidentals:
Merck was listed as a filler of my scrips on my records & Dr. Cramer almost sent the script there. Is this a trick to get patients to pay more for pills? I get generic pills from an e-​pharmacy.
The waiting room is increasingly uncomfortable, as the desk staff will sometimes announce quite loudly to incoming patients their outstanding balance and whether or not they’d like to make a payment. One young lady gave all the cash she had after telling the front desk person that she didn’t have 3 dollars left for the parking garage. They can take patients aside quietly, but they don’t.
Today the office didn’t have my serums ready. They knew this yesterday and at the start of today, but didn’t bother to call me to reschedule my 12:40 pm appointment. They made me come in to the office when they could have saved me the trip with a quick call. This kind of disregard is now typical. They don’t care about your time. Plus, I wonder if they will bill my insurance for today, even though I saw no doctor and got no injection.
I have at least 2 other friends who already left this practice for similar reasons. When it is obvious the practice is overly concerned about money and not getting sued, it’s time to find another doctor. It is severely disappointing.
I have to go again next week to get serums which I’ll then take to my primary care office, but hopefully it will be the last time I have to deal with them. They know I’m stuck for at least a little while longer and that it will be quite difficult to start allergy shots again at a new practice.
Too long, didn’t read:
With so many doctors to choose from, why bother with a poorly-​run office? I’ve kept with them, hoping it would improve but it’s just gotten worse. Find another place and save yourself the trouble.