Health Ministries Clinic

This place runs like a well-oiled machine. From start to finish they are so organized, and Jennifer Wagner is one of the best providers I’ve ever worked with. So knowledgeable, kind, and fantastic bedside manner all around. Great place to seek healthcare.

I was in a great deal of pain after midnight from an epidural. Elizabeth Classen was on call for Dr Lanza. She took my call, immediately gave me instructions and saved a trip to the Emgcy Room. I am so thankful for her and all that she does. Peggy Bell-Nash

I heard many good things about the place. I never thought it would end up this way. I hurt my knee really badly at work. I was in the ER twice. Both visits both doctors said they really think it’s a torn meniscus and I need and MRI asap. So I was provided pain meds to keep me at work through the holiday until I can get in. They did really well getting me in day of. However, nothing was of any help. I was told, which I can understand, that getting MRI is tricky through insurance. I needed to do PT for 30 days and “give it time to heal on its own” first before I could. Either way I was prepared. However I still needed to work during this time. And go through PT. I asked for some meds to help me get through that until the time for the MRI comes around. I was told “no. Just take Tylenol and I’ll give you an anti inflammatory to take for 7 days” I was just told I need to do 30 days of healing and PT and I’m expected to still go to work WALKING ON A KNEE THATS IN THE CONDITION ITS IN?! Are you kidding?!” That’s not the end of it……she walks out getting my paperwork. I hear her whispering to her nurse. Saying “she asked for pain meds” judging me as if I’m over here shopping. MY KNEE FEELS LIKE ITS RIPPED IN HALF, LADY. so. They talked about me behind by back and judged me. It was an amazing experience indeed.

Okay, this is going to be a long review. Please read carefully and bear with me. My partner was seeking out new PCP’s about 2ish years ago. We found Dr. Diane Newth here at Health Ministries. At first, she was amazing. Diagnosed Whitney, my partner, with asthma, was helping her with her SEVERE stomach issues BUT when AND IF EVER Whit started to bring up her chronic pain issues that she has had her entire life, Dr. Newth would either change the subject or completely shut Whitney down. Whitney AND myself aren’t always top notch patients. What I mean by that is, we both have depression. We miss appointments, miss medication doses, forget to refill meds. We are so broke that we can’t afford our own existence. So when I said we aren’t top notch, I meant it. BUT, the level of care shouldn’t change. Should it? — A week and half ago, Whitney hurt her knee: possible torn meniscus according to the ER. Unfortunately, the ER could not perform the MRI to see if was in fact a torn meniscus because of circumstances but said to get in with her doctor. So, Whit called and made the appointment. Today was the appointment. Dr. Newth said something along the lines of: “Because of insurance, I can’t order the MRI right away.. we have to do 30 days of PT first.” Her reasoning? She thought it was a sprain in the knee. I want to remind you, Whitney hasn’t hardly walked on this knee. The ONLY REASON she was able to work (and by work I do mean sitting at the cash register on a stool) was because she was on pain killer that the ER so kindly gave her. Today, all Dr. Newth did was prescribe her ONE WEEKS worth of a “potent anti-inflammatory”. When I asked, “what if that doesn’t work because we’ve told you many times that she deals with chronic pain, what if this anti-inflammatory doesn’t help with the pain?” Dr. Newth said: “This type of injury is treated very conservatively.” Now, I have no idea why what happened next had to happen. But it did. Dr. Newth left the room and was presumably talking to one of her nurses and said the following: “I will not prescribe any narcotics to her because she doesn’t need them or deserve them. Her pain is fake.” — Here is the thing. She doesn’t with live her… She doesn’t see what I see. She doesn’t hear what hear. She doesn’t hear the cries at night, the winces in the morning, the yells trying to force herself out of an uncomfortable position or into a comfortable one. So… how would she know? She never once asked. Not once. Not once did Dr Newth EVER ask about Whitney’s pain, chronic or otherwise. We, and I say we because I went to every appointment with her, talked about her chronic pain every chance we got. Whitney brought it up so many times. Why she’s in the pain she’s in.. and Dr. Newth always avoided the topic. Always. I understand, I understand there’s this stigma around narcotics and things. I do 100% understand that but when a patient is doing everything in their power to tell you they are in severe pain, why won’t you listen? Why won’t you at least acknowledge? I will never understand. Never. I will also never understand why you think a patient doesn’t deserve love, kindness and understanding and DOES deserve for you disrespectfully talk about them behind their back right other side of the door?! I thought highly of you Health Ministries but with doctors like her… you won’t go very far.

Very upset with this clinic and my Dr. Today at my appointment I was pretty much told there was nothing that could be done and she doesn't know why I have the problems I'm having, I've had ultrasounds and blood work and there was no follow up appointment set or anything. I was there for almost 3 hours today for no answers. I've followed every recommendation given by my Dr and now she says there's nothing she can do. I'm pissed