Shenandoah Psychiatric Medicine

"I don’t recommend this place at all. I had an appointment today and when I got there the receptionist said there were too many new patients today and dr Christensen couldn’t see me. I went for literally nothing."

"Changing my review from 5 stars to 3 stats, here's why: First off, I want to say Dr. Christensen is a great doctor. He can be intimidating at first and his demeanor can come off as short, but once you get past that he's very good at what he does. The reason for my review change has to do with front desk/whoever answers phones. When I first started going here there is this very sweet older lady who has been always pleasant to deal with. A few visits in, another younger lady I've noticed was also working there. She seems to just have an attitude and doesn't really care much about patients from my experience. Not only that, she has given me the wrong information several times, specifically on how to refill a prescription. When I first asked how to, she said I could just call the office to get a prescription refilled. (I live a good distance away and was wondering if I had to have an appointment each time I needed a refill). I called before I ran out of my medication, but no answer. So I left a message. After no response to my voice ail after a few days I called again, this time getting an answer. After asking about getting a refill, the younger lady said "I'll have to check your chart." Okay. No big deal. Time goes by I don't receive any update on that, so I call again. This time, it's "you need to get your pharmacy to send a prescription request". At this point I've run out of medicine because I'm a week into trying to figure out the CORRECT way to get a refill. So I do that, wishing I was told that the first time. After doing that I STILL haven't recieved any notification about my meds being refilled, and I'm starting to get symptoms of withdrawal. (Withdrawing from meds for your mental health is dangerous if you abruptly stop) I call to see what's going on. This time the older lady answers and says I need an appointment to get a refill. I told her I wish I knew that a few weeks ago but she said she wasn't the one I talked to. So now I have to wait 2 more weeks without medication because I had to schedule an appointment. But that's bot the end of it. And I'm not sure what went wrong here: she said she can send in a 2 week supply of meds to my pharmacist. Which I thought was great. However, the pharmacist informs me that the prescription sent in is only 25% of the strength I'm usually prescribed, which would be a 3 day supply of my usual dose. That's not even enough to get back into my system. TLDR: If you need a prescription filled just schedule an appointment for before you run out, apparently. Dealing with mental health and medication is important and it's especially important to make sure you don't have gaps in between. I'm hoping that this review can save people who need medication for their mental health from suffering through going without like I had to due to poor communication from the office. Mistakes like this can cause people's lives because they're going without the treatment they need to be well. It's crucial that staff be knowledgeable and on the same page about questions like these."

"Careless and not helpful with psychological issues. Went there multiple times for mental issues till I had enough of their poor practice. Each appointment felt like they just wanted to push me out the door and be a pill pusher. Each appointment was less then 10 minutes! That's pitiful for helping anyone. Even the main doctor (christianson) was the same way. STAY AWAY FROM HERE if you are looking for actual help."

"In terms of their level knowledge and professionalism (on the most basic level), I have been satisfied and feel I can trust the care I receive there. If you, like me, go there because you don't really have a choice, I hope that this review will help you as you weigh your options. I've been seeing a psychiatric professional at Shenandoah Psychiatric for about a year now, and I go there due to a lack of options for psychiatric care in this geographical this area, which is why I suspect they still stay fairly busy. In terms of the personal treatment of the patients who come in, its rather pitiful, I'm afraid. In my own experience, I have been called the wrong name by the person who treats me every single time. The administrative staff are very short and unfriendly and lack the very basic decorum one should have in front of psychiatric patients (i.e., speaking openly and unkindly about other patients, never greeting patients, treating them as if they are interrupting more important work). If you decide to receive care there, and you have a similar experience, just know that it shouldn't be that way and that it has nothing to do with you, but that it's probably a symptom of the health care system at large."