WholeHealth Chicago — Local services in Chicago

I have dealt with many health institutions in my experience - from North Carolina, Ohio, and California. Whole Health Chicago is by far my worst possible experience to date. Upon moving back to Chicago, I was excited to seek a new place of "home" for my health care. When looking for a new health care provider, you want to find a place that will take care of you and have the patient's best interest at heart. I can say from my experience that Whole Health Chicago is not interested in the patient's best interest nor does Whole Health Chicago see their patients as "human" but only "money machines".

After doing diligent research on the Whole Health Chicago website and even speaking with the front desk on which doctor would best suit by interest, I decided on a practitioner I thought would be the best fit for my specific needs. I was eager to get an appointment and truly looked forward to my first appointment! (I'm a health nerd and love all things health). I knew there would be a decent wait list to get in with this specific doctor, but knew it would be well worth the wait. About a week or two before my scheduled appointment (I had been on the wait list for about 3 and a half months), I got a call on Saturday morning. Typically, I don't anticipate calls from doctors during the weekend, especially since I'm usually out running errands and in the midst of many tasks at once. The front desk informed me that my desired practitioner was no longer with Whole Health and they automatically matched me with another doctor for a different day. I was frustrated and a little upset at this very last minute change, but like I said, it was a Saturday morning and I was driving at the time I took the call and said okay. I never received an email confirmation or text, confirming or reminding me of my appointment.

The last minute, and newly scheduled appointment came and went unbeknownst to me. I live close by, and did not even receive a courtesy call asking why I was late for my appointment. Nope - just a $325 dollar charge for a late appointment was charged to my credit card. Let me repeat - $325 charge for a missed appointment.

I was shocked of this charge. I attempted many times to call and talk with the finance manager of whole health. On one occasion I was told that I would not even be able to book another appointment until the late fee was paid. I asked if there was any way they would consider removing the $325 late fee so that I would continue to be a patient. Reminder: I was supposed to be a brand new patient, and I was looking forward to it - but the fact that Whole Health Chicago wouldn't even let me book an appointment (which would be an additional $325) without paying a missed appointment fee of $325 was frustrating and upsetting. I'm not a wealthy person who can throw money here or there (even if you are wealthy, it's not an excuse to be treated like this either) However, I am just out of college with a ton of student debt. Is it a crime that I am being overcharged?) I tried many attempt to contact the finance office and the manager to explain my side of the story (which ended up being weeks of phone tag), but every time I was told I was SOL. It's disappointing because I was truly looking forward to being a part of the Whole Health Chicago Family, but after this experience, every one at the front office just seems to be, for lack of better words, a bunch of jerks.

No, I definitely don't recommend Whole Health Chicago. If you're reading this and decide not to go to Whole Health, please feel free to send me a message and I can recommend several other...

We found whole health Chicago while dealing with mold toxicicity and needed a Dr who specialized in dealing with mold testing and treatment. We met with Dr Alana Gremeles. I do NOT recommend. She made false promises, diagnosed the four of us with toxic mold sickness ( mold in the blood), mis led us with expensive treatments for months and then when we needed her to put everything on paper for our lawyers ( which we discussed was our goal in the very first meeting and every meeting after) she declined and said we didn’t actually have mold sickness and after months of panic, detoxing, stress and thousands of dollars later- she said it was her GUESS. But the entire time she was very adamant she KNEW by OUR TEST RESULTS of 12 vials of blood each that we could undoubtedly prove in court we had positives and they had a guy to go on the stand and do just that. She gaurenteed we were in the right place for what we were going through. We payed cash ( what we could )every visit roughly $800 per visit each time for her “specialized treatments” and were dooped in the end. She recommended that we throw away every piece of furniture, clothing, and every item we owned along with moving out and into a new home. We did everything she recommended and it was highly costly to re buy everything we owned and a deposit on a new place while paying for dr visits and treatments all in cash as well. To have done all that while being assured we’re doing the right and best possible thing and then to be told AFTER the majority of the money was collected that she wasn’t actually sure we had any issue at all- was just plain purposeful diception. Taking full advantage of a family at their lowest. She had NOTHING to say when I called her out. We stopped payments going into the practice on what was owed after our last visit and are disputing the charges. It’s been two months since payments were stopped and yesterday they pulled out $700 out of my account with out my permission for a SECOND TIME and during a pandemic. They were alerted payment was stopped due to dispute but also and mainly due to loosing my job and ever since the first stop payment call it’s like pulling teeth getting anyone from the billing department on the phone anymore. My last attempt took multiple phone calls and voicemails every day for two weeks after their first attempt at an unauthorized withdrawal from my account. Now I’m dealing with a second while trying to not go homeless. This place is smoke and mirrors. It’s rediculous what they get away with. If it seems to good to be true- it is. Worst and most expensive “ specialized medicine “ experience my family and I have ever gone through and it seems we’re still going through the distress this company...

I went through WholeHealth for about 8 months, seeing 3 different practitioners, including Edelberg. It was a giant waste of time and money, and it didn't take long to realize this was more a business than a doctor's office. They diagnosed me with SIBO based on a positive reading off a breath test, which of course is 100% out-of-pocket and goes to their buddies over at Rupa Health. If you actually dig a little, you'll find out the breath test they prescribe has been shown to demonstrate up to a 50% false positive rate. I didn't realize this until after they had nuked my whole system with about 10 weeks worth of 2 different antibiotics. In the end, it turns out there was a much more simple solution--I'm lactose intolerant. It still kind of blows my mind that a center with WholeHealth's reputation couldn't figure this out when it affects 2/3 of the world. This should've been one of the first thing they looked for before resorting to ABX that destroyed my gut biome (doesn't this go against literally everything they apparently stand for in their mission statement as alternative medicine practitioners?)

Once I moved on from Edelberg and his endless re-ups of ABX, I started working with Dr. Crosbie. He was nice, but literally did nothing except order a bunch of the same bloodwork every 3 months or so. Each session I was waiting for him to give me some form of treatment plan for some chronic pain issues, but most of our sessions were just him telling me he believes in "mind over matter" and I need to take less supplements. Not at all worth the out-of-pocket. I since discovered my chronic pain and even the bulk of my digestive issues were stemming from a strained muscle and trigger points deep in my lower back, that I'm finally getting the appropriate treatment for.

So all in, 8 months with WholeHealth and I had to figure out all my health issues on my own. They contributed nothing, and probably left me worse off by putting me on so many needless meds.

Lastly, I will parrot what a lot of other reviewers are mentioning. Administratively, this is the worst run health center I've experienced in my 10 years in Chicago. Impossible to get in touch with anyone at the front desk, and when you finally do they act as if they have more important stuff to deal with. You will have to pester them everyday to get anything...