Penn State Health Urgent Care - Muhlenberg — Local services in Muhlenberg Township

This is a long one, so bear with me. Horrible experience today. I'm 260 lbs. Yesterday I missed a step and fell 6 steps down hardwood steps. When I landed my left foot went out from underneath me, my ankle twisted, and there was an audible crunch/tear. I was in immediate and excruciating pain, couldn't bare any weight, swelling was instant, and even slightest touch (I mean not even a blanket could rest on my foot) made me see stars. I did the whole RICE thing and added 2-500mg extra strength Tylenol. Compression was impossible, elevation as well, and the Tylenol had to be repeated every 5-6hrs because it wasn't doing anything..at all. Needless to say, the pain was(still is) so bad, that RICE was a failure. The next day I went to this urgent care around 9am. The person assigned to my case didn't even look at my foot, nor did she perform any kind of physical exam. Our first encounter was legitimately 1 minute long. She knocked (at least), came in, and said verbatim "we're going to do an x ray. If it's not broken. It's just a sprain." And left. Only a foot X ray was done. Came back clear thankfully. I asked her if it wasn't broken, why was it hurting so much? I reported to the nurse, as well as her, that I was at a 10/10. She told me it was because I had injured the ligaments when I twisted the ankle. I then asked her for two things. A doctor's note for the day, and something for the pain. She immediately said, verbatim, "We don't do that here. I can only give you a note for today." I said ok. If I needed more time, I could work it out with my job. Now the pain control. Immediately, "We don't give out narcotics here, I'm not going to give you narcotics. You didn't even break anything. You can do Tylenol, ice, and prednisone. Prednisone alone will help with pain. At this point my pain was climbing, I was developing a small grade fever (99.9), and between work and the incident, had been awake almost 30hours. I, verbatim said, "For a 10/10, worst pain ever (at this point it was over a 10)? I already tried 1000 mg of Extra Strength Tylenol every 6 hrs and it isn't working. 1000mg is a lot." She responded that I was ok because the max per day someone can take of Tylenol is no more than 3G. She tried telling me that I hadn't tried tylenol with ice and elevation(which I did). She reiterated how nothing was broken and how she was not going to give me narcotics. Said that I would develop a DEPENDENCY. I'm not sure if she thought the expectation was to write a 5 month script, but I didn't even ask for narcs at first, and she was only giving me like 5 days of Prednisone, so if anything, any pain medication should coincide with how long I'm on the Prednisone, no? Originally I just asked for pain control. Once she went on her rampage about narcotics, and how my pain wasn't enough in her eyes to warrant being on them, I asked for a Torradol shot, which I've had in the past. She scoffed and said "well that's an NSAID." I can't take that P.O. Other more compassionate, competent providers have already given me the 411 on how it's safer IM because it bypasses the stomach. I tried explaining that to her but she said if I wasn't supposed to take NSAID's, that I shouldn't take NSAIDs..Horrible experience. I left with nothing but a steroid shot, a script for Prednisone (not sure if she gets a cut from whoever makes Prednisone or what, but that's what it was giving), the same pain, if not worse, and a full distrust in Penn State's healthcare system. I will never go back there or anywhere this "provider" is covering, nor would I tell people to go there. She did not treat my pain. She treated an addiction I don't even have. She made me feel like a drug addict; like I was lying to score some pills or something. She dismissed the immense amount of pain I was in because SHE didn't think the pain of a badly sprained foot out trumped broken bones. I've never in 33 years had such a bad experience, but I now know why people think the healthcare system is so bad, and it's all thanks to Penn State State...

Worst health care experience of my life!!! Waited over 2 hours with 1 sick child, 2 hyper kids, and myself sick as well. When we finally did see a provider (Jennifer Williams) she immediately came in the room very loud and gave a 3 minute lecture on viruses and how they work ect. Did not assess my daughter AT ALL! Never looked at her or laid hands on her. Said kids will just keep getting sick because of the season and we need to let them build their immune systems. Mean while my daughter been coughing for 2 weeks, so bad it makes her throw up. Nope, want concerned about it . Moves on to me I describe my symptoms, coughing, burning feeling in chest, feeling of not being able to breathe. Again I am given a very loud lecture by this provider, “a person that couldn’t breathe would be in the ER not standing here, clearly you can breathe because you can speak.” I said I know that I’m just trying to describe how I’m feeling, again yells at me the symptoms of of person that can’t breathe. Again I say I know that but that’s how I FEEL I’m not saying I can’t breathe, again she’s belittling me in a aggressive tone and speak. My 3 kids sitting with that fearful look in their eye a kid has when they are in trouble. I’m getting upset at this point, she wasn’t listening to me or even trying. She wrote me off the same as my daughter that there was nothing wrong with me. Offered to do a chest X-ray BUT said I can do it but it will just prove me right there’s nothing wrong. I am a nurse. I work with patients, nurses, doctors, lab techs ect every day. Never. Have I seen such a unpleasant, unprofessional provider patient interaction. I have never seen a provider speak to a patient in such a tone and manner. I also do know my medical terminology, body systems and functions as well. I’m not stupid. But I was talked to and belittled as such. It was incredible the amount of disrespect. Also, I am not one to seek doctors appointments. I probably go for myself 1x every 2-3 years. I have to feel like I’m dying to go for myself. To give you any insight of how horrible I was feeling in this moment and then to wait that long and then to be treated like that. I grew frustrated and said I’m leaving because your not going to help me, the provider (Jennifer Williams) says not a word ripes her gloves off in an aggressive manner and walks out. I leave with my kids. As we are walking to the car my kids are upset and scared asking my why that doctor was yelling and mean to mommy. Not only did you not help you also scared my children with your unprofessional behavior. I will be reporting this provider. I will be seeking a 2nd opinion for me and my daughter and if they do find something I will be seeking legal counsel against this provider and facility. Just reaffirms to myself how important positive, respectful treatment of our patients are when they are already feeling so sick it can be...

This is a review of my experience in October 2023 which I only submitted to their internal review system:

Not only would I not recommend the online scheduling, I would not recommend this practice at all. It started with my check-in. When I got to the check-in counter, I showed the receptionist my online scheduling confirmation and she said “what’s that?” and “we don’t really use that.” In general, she was short and not polite. Waited 30+ minutes. The RN was fine. The PA was okay, but she said I was about half way through a two week cold and that I should take another week to get better. Okay, reasonable. After the whole very slow process, you can imagine my shock when she gives me a work note that says return to work tomorrow. On the way out, I inquired at the provider desk and I let them know that for my employer to excuse an absence, they would need to recommend four days off. Keep in mind, the PA told me to take a week to get better. Whatever woman was sitting next to the RN and PA, presumably a doctor, abruptly says “we do not do that!” and then doubled down at my reply of confusion. I think the other review I read is correct that they must have just one provider floating between patients which is the reason for the slowness. And I am Caucasian, but I think it’s sad for the members of our community that they were having to use a translator service for Spanish. The only positive was that they did not push a covid test like Tower Health always seemed to do. I will not recommend this practice to anyone, including any of...