Health First Medical Group Gateway 1223 Gateway Drive, Melbourne, FL 32901

"I worked at Health First when it was Holmes Regional Medical Center. I started in 1994 while still in school to be a lab tech. I did the nursing home run and started at around 3-4 am. I saw what I felt was unnecessary testing on patients on blood thinners. I was taught at the most once a week unless the therapeutic level required it. I was doing PTs 3x a week and all 5 nursing homes were under 1 Dr. I also had to see this one lady held down by 3 aids for me to take blood. In my mind, I thought it was wrong but what did I know, I was only a student. I also have a mental disability described by 30 grade school teachers from 1968 1969 and 1970. I moved from Chicago to Florida in 1981 to ensure my sobriety and I had a son and felt I needed this. I came to Florida and I had a problem with tension headaches and I was prescribed opioids. In 1983 I got 2 DUIs and was saved in jail. In 1996, while employed at Health First I had 2 suicide attempts due to an abusive marriage and a mental disability and stayed at the same hospital I worked. In 1997 I went from per diem to full-time in microbiology and waited 9yrs years for the position without any write-ups. In Florida, you don't have to have a 4-year degree like most states. All have to do is pass a test to go from a lab technician to a technologist in the area of the lab you choose. I loved microbiology! I passed the test the 2nd time. I finally got the job of my dreams as a Microbiologist in 2005. There were two bullies in the department and they called me Switzerland because I got along with them and everyone else. I even went to their house and cut their hair. They started to distance themselves when I met my husband and got married in 1999. We still joked around but I don't think they liked me being happy. They started bullying me at training. I went to the Head Supervisor who was always in an office or in another department he was the head of. I went to him and said that they were not training me right and he responded, THEY WON'T TRAIN YOU THEN. I was bullied relentlessly for 2yrs straight seeing EAP and developed insomnia and PTSD. It was slow unrelenting torture for me. As a mentally disabled person, I was afraid to quit and they had a monopoly 4 hospitals. Finally, I couldn't take it so I went above the supervisor's head because he was telling me to STOP PLAYING THE VICTIM...I WAS A VICTIM! I went to HR, they did an investigation, the bullies had a reputation in the lab and liked being bullies. They found the head supervisor at fault but the damage was done, and it caused more mental disability. He fired me a year later in 2008 and the hospital broke its own rules. I lost my retirement, and my house and instead of another suicide attempt, I got a Dui. Some other people with mental disabilities would be more than homeless, they would be drug addiction, incarcerated, or dead. This is Health First and I have tried to perfect chaos with no organizational skills my whole life, so I'm slower than most people and NO OVERTIME IS ALLOWED IN A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. Of all businesses, the hospital should do whatever it takes to give patients the best and safety of their lives. All they had to do was pay a salary to people like me instead of threatening my job. Welcome to HEALTH FIRST THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WORKERS AND QUANTITY NOT QUALITY...MONEY HAS CORRUPTED AND ENDANGERED THOUSANDS OF LIVES."

"Terrible Experience with Dr. Ramon Colina's billing Office* I had an extremely frustrating experience with Dr. Ramon Colina's office regarding my annual healthcare check-up. During my annual healthcare check-up, my family Dr. ordered several tests for me, including a colonoscopy. Prior to the procedure, I confirmed with my insurance company that it would be covered since I hadn't had this check-up for five years. During the consultation with office members and also before the procedure, I was asked couple of times if I had any symptoms and I clearly stated that it was just an annual check-up and I had no any symptoms. Despite this, right after the procedure Dr. Colina told me that everything is good and you are very healthy. You don’t need to come back for 10 years on 2/9/2024. But I started receiving bills over $300 from the hospital. Upon contacting my insurance company, I was informed that the doctor’s billing office had sent the wrong code—diagnostic instead of preventive—resulting in the insurance not covering the procedure. The insurance company reached out to Dr.’s billing office multiple times to correct the coding mistake, but they keep sending the wrong code and insist that they are right. Due to this continued error, I had to file an appeal with my insurance company by using their form, as instructed. To make matters worse, the doctor's billing office sent the bill to a collection agency. After explaining my situation to the collection agency, they disputed the case on my behalf. It's incredibly disappointing and unacceptable that Dr.’s billing office cannot distinguish between preventive and diagnostic codes, especially for a routine annual check-up. Their repeated mistakes have caused me significant stress and inconvenience, and I am now consulting my legal service to resolve this matter. The billing office has incompetence and poor handling of billing and insurance matters which I never have this kind of experience before for any annual check-ups."

"Very poorly functioning system. Health First Gateway failed to fulfill contracts for some of physicians with Florida Blue. The results of this claims are denied by the insurance. Gateway collected on one of my test my full deductible $500.00 but insurance denied the claim so my deductible shows not fulfilled. It has been 5 months already. Currently I have a procedure done in different facility and today I have to pay another $500.00 deductible plus a coinsurence to get my procedure performed. I made numerous calls to billing department during last 5 months with no resolution. It is unacceptable that a patient has to pay for Health First incompetence. It is unacceptable that patients have to carry the financial burden caused by the provider. As a patients we are constantly forced to fulfill our financial responsibilities toward providers by threatening us with no service rendered but there is no repercussion for the provider/facility holding our money hostage. I understand and fulfill my responsibilities to a provider and I expect the same in return."

"The issue I'm having is this. I am a Diabetic type 2. I started seeing a new primary care Physician ( January 2023 ), with Health First. BTW, it is just a pleasure to visit. He had suggested after a year of our visits,that I might like to see an Endocrinologist specialist for my A1C who might be able to help me get my glucose numbers under control. I started seeing Dr. Rabail Soomro at the Gateway clinic.(February 2024). We discussed my lab work results that I had taken 2 weeks prior. We discussed my medications list. I'm prescribed 11 different medications for various diabetes related disorders. Dr Soomro gave me a sample and a prescription for the drug Rybelsus 3mg tablet which I took for 1 month. I also got a prescription for Lifestyle Libre 2 sensor, a continuous glucose monitoring system that is used in conjunction with your smartphone. Cool right? I used this sensor and found it to not coincide with my finger prick glucose blood meter that I use multiple times a day. This was to not have to stab yourself all the time. My follow-up with Dr Soomro along with my new lab results were worse. My A1C went from 8.0 to 8.2. I'm monitoring the foods I eat and amounts closely. Dr Soomro changed my medications around and increased the Rybelsus to 7 mg daily. I ordered the new prescription only to find out that the pharmacy was going to charge me almost $700.00 And informed me that the full price prescription for a 90 day supply is almost $3,000.00. I called Health First to inquire and they informed me that I've reached my coverage gap because of the Rybelsus medication. Now for the rest of this year, from May to December (7 months) I have to pay out of pocket, 10 other medications. Dr. Soomro did not discuss what the cost would be. We did not discuss her prognosis or any long term goals. As a matter of fact I took it upon myself to split my insulin shot to regulate my peak times. I feel Dr. Soomro has worked with other retired patients on Medicare and Medicaid who are on fixed incomes. Dr. Soomro should have known the cost of this medication was very expensive. I assumed she has prescribed this same medications to other diabetics. Thank you Dr. Soomro for putting me into my donut hole. I was stupid and put my trust into the doctor's advice. I'm now scrambling to different pharmacies trying to pay the least possible prices. I'm also going to have to stop seeing a few doctors to lower my costs for the year. Taking half medications to stretch them out to last. On top of all this every time I called Dr. Soomro's office no matter what time of day, I get an answering machine. I've called 3 times since February and not one time were my calls returned that day. I've waited 2 or 3 days and had to call them back. I'm not sure if Dr. Soomro has stocks or interests in this medication or how often she prescribed this to others without discussing the actual costs. You'd think that she would know a bit about what she's dishing out and at least informing a patient so they could make their own informed decisions before ruining someone's life. I'll never again trust any of these doctors / Prescription Writers. This is why we call this "PRACTICING" medicine."

"It was my first visit here with new insurance and had an appt with cardiologist, Dr Smull. Everything went great; I was highly impressed with the facility, the fact that all needed tests were available in the same bldg - very convenient & time saving. There was no wait for my appt with the Dr, no wait for blood work & x-ray. Every staff member was friendly, helpful and professional. Dr Smull was knowledgeable and helpful - and immediately ruled out one of my concerns which was a big relief. The test results were available within 1-2 days and promptly sent to my portal after a phone call informing me they were ready. The office staff went above and beyond and were very helpful - answered all my questions and took the time to relay messages and questions to the Dr. and return my phone calls very quickly. Special thank you to Livia! I highly recommend Health First Medical Group."