Dr. Jill Sisselman Review / Sisselman Medical Group
My experience as a 1st time patient of Dr. Jill Sisselman (+ Physician Assistant, Elizabeth Westendorf) was the Worst experience I’ve ever had with a doctor. My wife and I arrived on time, wore masks per their policy, & when asked at the front desk if I had any symptoms, I replied (honestly) that I had a tiny cough. I was asked to stand in the (bustling) hallway. Later I was shown to a room and Elizabeth, the PA, came in (I had made the appointment for Dr. Sissleman but I said nothing, I simply wanted to do the check-up). Elizabeth mostly kept her back to me, and quickly moved to ask about the tiny cough I had (honestly) reported. She struggled to explain that it would be mandatory that I take a Covid test—if I didn’t take it, they would refuse to do the checkup, and also if it was positive, they would immediately send me home and not do the checkup. I said to her—3 times I repeated this—that I had made this appointment for a checkup and that I’d already had / got over Covid, but if taking the test was the only option, yes, I would take it but: (1) I felt forced to do so and (2) I disagreed with the policy because it created an incentive for patients to lie (*Key Point* I know for a fact that multiple patients lied in this way). Elizabeth then stood up and raised her voice! She insisted I must not only agree to take the test, but I must say I do NOT feel forced (I said again I would do the test, but reiterated I simply disagreed) She then threatened that perhaps I should move to my car in the parking lot and they’d come out to do the test there… I repeated again that I would do the test since it seemed to be my only option. —I did not curse —I did not yell —I simply said I would do it—3 times—and gave the concrete reason why I disagreed. Her eyes were bug-wide as she stood up, shook her head with her hands out: “I need a moment to compose myself!” I said: “I think you’re taking this personally, I’ll do it, I simply disagree with the policy.” She repeated: “I need a moment”— And then *WALKED OUT, THE DOOR SLAMMING*. She did not return… 2 min. later Dr. Jill Sisselman came in breathlessly scolding me. I calmly repeated again and again what I said until she actually heard me. I pointed out how disrespectful and unprofessional Elizabeth’s behavior was. Dr. Sisselman, calming down, then apologized twice (2x)... I took the test as agreed. Of course it came back negative. Dr. Sisselman proceeded with the checkup. Her demeanor was cold. I felt extremely uncomfortable. I tried to be friendly and said how perhaps we’d gotten off on the wrong foot, I wished we could “hit reset :)”. “Some people need to think about the suffering of others,” was her reply as she tightened the blood-pressure wrap around my arm. Yes… She actually said that. Perhaps I should have said something, but honestly, I just wanted to leave. And I will not be coming back & neither will my wife. What a shameful, unprofessional experience. Shame on both Elizabeth for being so disrespectful & entitled, and on Dr. Jill Sisselman for enabling such bad behavior (as well as being deliberately rude and contradicting herself, both apologizing (2x) one moment then lecturing her patient the next moment.) Shameful! The above is my review of my experience with Elizabeth Westendorf, PA & Dr. Jill Sisselman’s office, and I hope you find it helpful in your decision. And my hope is also that the business owner(s) will STOP lashing out at patients & instead take this feedback to heart and be more respectful and helpful toward their patients in the future. 3 weeks later, since they could not let it go and because they were so convinced of their righteousness, they sent me an unprovoked letter saying I was “argumentative” and therefore could no longer be a patient—it’s a Clown Parade of neurotic feelings over there…And, of course they forgot paperwork that the letter claimed to be included there, just like they also forgot to upload the lab results. #ClownParade… Hopefully they’ll reflect and choose to do better but we recommend you avoid this place.
By Jon A.