Unprofessional Staff

I had a virtual consultation with Dr. Straka in 2024 and paid the $100 consultation fee. The consultation went very well, and I was excited to proceed with the surgery. The office was in the process of moving locations at the time, which I understood, but the move caused a lapse in communication and I was unable to schedule a follow-up because calls and emails were not returned.

I called again today to try to proceed, thinking they must have finally settled in at the new location. The staff member I spoke to (a medical assistant) immediately became emotionally reactive to my request for an updated 2025 quotation. She said she wasn’t going to just “throw numbers at me” and that I have to have another consultation. When I explained I already did have a consultation and that calls and emails had not been returned, but I still wanted to proceed with the surgery, she responded, “that sounds nothing like us,” as if I could possibly make any of this up. I have had multiple cosmetic surgeries and been a loyal patient at a couple med spas, but I have never encountered any staff member becoming emotionally reactive to what is a routine, industry-standard request following a paid consultation. A surgery quote involves more than just prices or “throwing numbers”—it includes procedure details, materials, and planning—but she refused to accommodate me. I felt embarrassed on Dr. Straka’s behalf, as her behavior was completely antithetical to his professionalism. If this is how they react to something as benign as a patient’s expression of interest in proceeding with surgery, I cannot imagine how concerning and potentially dangerous it would be to suffer a surgical complication and encounter a medical assistant who is so unnecessarily combative over the phone. While Dr. Straka was my first choice of surgeon, my experience with this individual made it difficult to move forward, and I am left with secondhand embarrassment from the encounter.