UW Carbone Cancer Center

The doctor I saw here may be good at what he does in terms of treating patients (I have no idea), but his bedside manner was deplorable. I went in for a consult, expecting positivity and genuine concern for my well being. Instead, I was treated like a nuisance case — and literally told within a minute of him coming into the room that it would be a one time appointment because there were people sicker than me who needed his time (more than me). I was literally in disbelief.
As anyone who has had cancer, deals with cancer, etc. these days knows, cancer patients (and survivors) really need positivity. With that, you generally see cancer centers focusing on holistic approaches to well being (looking at the whole person), and being especially attentive to extending compassion to their patients.
In my case, nothing I said to this doctor elicited ANY warmth from him whatsoever. I explained that I had been suffering, in pain, and depressed as a result of the aftermath of my cancer treatment. He just looked at me blankly, like I was wasting his time. The vibe I got from him was that he actually resented me being there.
A particularly defining moment in our interaction occurred when I shared a few thoughts with him about my beliefs (i.e., sometimes things happen for a reason), and looked to him for some validation around the need for support groups, etc. for people with my condition. In response, he gave me ZERO encouragement whatsoever. Worse, he didn’t seem at all concerned or interested in the fact that this was something Carbone was not doing or providing. He simply didn’t seem to care about much more than getting me out of his office.
Of note, Carbone also did a very poor job with getting my prior treatment records. I got there to find that they had no paperwork on my cancer treatment! Yet they had ample time to get them (it took about two months to get the appointment) — OR at the very least, call to let me know they could not get them BEFORE I came to the appointment. I might have been able to at least bring some of what I had, or pursue the records myself. Not good.
My advice is to avoid this cancer center, and instead, make the drive to Chicago to either Northwestern or University of Chicago. If Carbone is okay with their doctors treating patients like I was treated, I do not want to know what other lapses in judgment and care might be in store.