Not all medical care is created equal. Some Physician office staff impact deliver exceptional service, treating patients with dignity, transparency, and skill. But others—despite having competent physicians—are undermined by poorly run offices, careless staff, or unethical practices. A physician’s reputation is only as strong as the team behind them.

Patients should never feel trapped in a substandard practice. If you sense dishonesty, repeated mistakes, or even fraud, trust your instincts. Your health is too important to gamble on a dysfunctional system.

Over the years, I’ve walked away from multiple providers. In one case, I wrote a letter to a physician explaining that while I respected his medical expertise, his staff’s dishonesty and errors made me uncomfortable continuing care. Ironically, after my departure, I added up that he had ordered over $50,000 in cardiology tests—perhaps a reflection of deeper concerns.

Another cardiologist I left had too many patients and failed to communicate test results. I had to push for the findings of a sleep study, only to discover I had severe sleep apnea—something the nurse had casually dismissed as “probably normal.”

A third cardiologist ignored input from my primary care physician and barely acknowledged me during visits. That kind of dismissiveness is a red flag.

Thankfully, I’ve now found a cardiologist whose care is exceptional. He doesn’t run his practice like a business, and his staff—many of whom have been with him for over 20 years—reflect his values. He doesn’t push expensive procedures, and his integrity shows.

Patients deserve transparency, respect, and competent care. If you’re not getting that, walk away. No provider owns your health journey.