Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine

This clinic is different. They spend the time with you so they find out what is causing your health issues. I didn’t want to just take a pill and not address the problem. It took several visits and functional medicine testing but it worked and I feel so much better without drugs!

My goodness, all I can say is amen to the two posts before mine! I had the same experience as both of you combined. Lots of tests, lots of money over $ 15,000, and no real plan.
Online it all looks great but when I got there the site had not been updated, some of the policies had changed, and the right hand didnt know what the left-​hand did! It was very smooth to get me in and commit to some sort of magical plan, but the plan didn’t ever pan out. The only thing going out with my money. Tests were deemed unfit and therefore not able to be processed with no refunds. Once you give them their money it’s pure credit, you won’t see it again. I had to call repeatedly to try to track down whether or not my tests had arrived. They said no many times. I finally had to call the companies myself and track down the status of my tests. One said that the specimen arrived compromised and the test would have to be repeated. And the other said that they had sent the results weeks earlier! I had waited in the state of Arizona for the results of this test for weeks.
Another frustrating aspect of this practice is they ask you for all this paperwork and you go to great lengths to provide it so they can scan it in your chart and when the time comes to use it they can’t find it and sometimes ask you to resend it. You look in your email and it’s obvious that it was sent and received, AGH. This is what I thought I paid them to do.
Then there’s the lab tests that Blue Cross Blue Shield is supposed to pay for. They assure you that they will pay for these lab test and to ignore the notices of nonpayment. Well that didn’t work and months later we ended up paying for all the lab tests.
They had a great sub contracted person ithat would file each and every claim for you, fight your battles. When we sent our records to this person she wanted to know why we were using an old form. Obviously this office does not communicate with her.
One of my biggest shocks was the fact that the people in their IV lab we’re going from patient to patient without changing gloves are washing their hands! I had to repeatedly point it out and insist that they change gloves. Not everyone was like that in fact the best employee in this office is Dr. grouts daughter. She was superb and I found myself asking for her every time I went to the lab.
I have so many other things that I struggled with in this practice but I will leave it as this. I really felt very disillusioned with my Homopathic experience. I also felt embarrassed that I had spent so much of my family’s money. It seemed like everybody pretty much got the same protocol followed up with lots and lots of suggested supplements.
I was extremely disappointed.

I am really surprised to read the other two reviews! I have found Dr. Grout and the staff there to be professional, caring, and very nice. I visit this office at least once a week and, again, I am shocked. «Doctor is God??» That’s ridiculous. Dr. Grout is a caring doctor and a sweetheart who cares about her patients. The staff could not be friendlier or more helpful. It’s a wonderful doctor’s office with an uplifting atmosphere.

Although I had a challenging experience since my initial visit on 8÷24÷2014, I wanted to give this office a chance to regain my confidence. 6 months later still disappointed. The office is INCREDIBLY disorganized. I apologize this post is so lenglthy but I wanted to provide detailed reasons– instead of just ranting.
1) — Initial visit was review with Dr Grout — I moved from another city and wanted to be sure to provide as much detail about my previous care– so put together an extensive outline which provided previous bloodwork review, diagnoses, recommendations, supplements/​med, etc. (Dr Grout;s office also made me fill out extensive paperwork) — none of this was reviewed prior to my appointment. Dr Grout basically asked me the same questions I provided in the outline (s). In my opinion, she could have used the time more effectively to determine a plan and explain her recommendations. She ordered a slew of very expensive testing to be reviewed during my next visit. I left without understanding a plan.
2) — 2^nd visit was to draw blood. What they did not tell me was that I would be there 2 hours for an IV drip which I was not apprised of this prior to the appointment– I thought 30 minutes to quickly take blood and I could get back to work– 2.5 hours later– still at office (2^nd red flag). Note: during my IV another patient was asking questions as to what IV she would be receiving that day and technician was very nasty towards her and replied she would have to wait her turn– until she reviewed her chart. The woman was very disenchanted and wound up leaving (they should have patient coordinator greet you — advise plan and review post follow-​up items — this could be as quick as a 10 min process to ease the patients questions, worries, etc.).
3) — A few weeks later I received a call from Dr Grout– my blood test was lost in delivery and I would have to come to the office to retake. (3^rd red flag) .
4) — The Front office and Doctor need to get back to patients in a timely manner. I’ve called the office several times with questions– either it took weeks for them to get back to me or they never returned my call. I have also sent email messages in reply to an email Dr Grout sent and never received a reply back from the doctor when I responded.
5)-Next visit was to administer LDA for allergies. No one reviewed the dosage, what I should expect from the shots and/​or recap next steps (where was the patient coordinator?)
6) — Final visits in October — My PA advised I was to take a GIFX test for further review — I promptly submitted test items– several weeks later when I called for the results of test they said there was not GIFX test on final. I requested the diagnostic report the PA documented during appointment and the form stated a GIFX test. With a little more digging I found out it was noted on the diagnostic report wrong and it was actually a Comprehensive Parasite test (Genova). (it’s like navigating through a maze)
7) — The last straw was that upon review of my tests — they found high mercury levels and put me on a DMSA oral chelation protocol — which may work for some with an uncompromised immune system but those with autoimmunity, chelation can often make immune symptoms worse, due to a «detox reaction». I have since moved to a new Doctor, who has written an article on the dangers of chelating with an autoimmune–
8) — Since December 2014 I have moved to a new Doctor for my autoimmune — (Dr Datis Kharrazian — San Diego). I have also, moved my Allergy LDA shots to Dr Shrader (Santa Fe, NM) — who has also recommended we administer Yersinia to help with my autoimmune disease symptoms. I found a wonderful local Dr– Dr Kari Vernon that support Dr’s K’s protocol for any follow-​up visits, I may require. So finally feeling better and have a good team of support that is much more organized!
It is hard enough dealing with a sickness but to put in a position to navigate a dysfunctional office. This leaves me no choice but to provide a dissatisfied rating. I really hope Dr Grout’s office takes these reviews seriously and work hard to get their office more organized (and professional (the Dr and technician need to communciate better and get more insync) –they could provide more personalized/​detailed treatment plans and get back to patients in a timely manner.