Dr. Katarzyna E. Jankowska, MD at 1530 U.S. 9, Wappingers Falls, New York.

I am writing you today to bring some issues that I had with Dr. Jankowska. I visited your establishment in March 2016. I had been have symptoms for weeks and since my symptoms started to get worse, I called me ENT doctor. and PCP and couldnt get in to see them I decided to go to Urgent Care. I have a history of recurrent sinus infections for a very long time. More importantly, I am immunosuppressed.
When she walked in, it seemed like she already decided that I did not need antibiotics. She told me to use steam or something….things I had been doing for weeks but she didn’t bother to ask me. I said, I am very sure that I need abx. She then got irate and told me that I didn’t understand how dangerous they are and that I don’t “look” sick. She asked me if I drove myself there and I did. She said that if I was so sick, how can I drive myself to the doctor. I have no idea what criteria she was using to diagnose sinus infections. I explained to her that I am taking immunosuppressant medication and that I am immuno compromised. She then scolded me and said…why didn’t you tell me this. I was very confused because I told her assistant this information and it is not my fault that she didn’t read his notes or bothered to ask.
She then began to raise her voice and argue with me for no reason. I was in pain and just needed help. I have no idea why she thought that arguing with me was good patient care. She was arrogant, disrespectful, unprofessional and ignorant.
Sinus infections are diagnoses by history and examination. Diagnosis and treatment are bases on physical examination. She NEVER touched me. NEVER. NOT ONCE. There was no physical exam but I’m sure she billed for one.
What was more egregious was the fact that she said to me “if you are so sick, you should just go to the Emergency Room”. I was SHOCKED! Why would I go to the ER for a sinus infection just because you are unable to diagnose one yourself? I asked her if she could put that in writing and she refused.
When she finally said that she would prescribe me medication, she suggested a medication that does not work for me. She got more irate and agitated. I suggested that she call either my PCP or my pharmacy if she needed information. She sucked her teeth and gave me an attitude. She asked for their numbers. I didn’t have them because I didn’t have a phone. She berated me…”you don’t have a phone”? I really feel like she was being nasty and making fun of poor people. She finally called my PCP and I am unsure what the conversation was about, she told me to make an appointment with him in the morning. So I had to go home and endure another day with an infection, and I am immunocompromised.
It is a shame that a doctor at an Urgent Care cannot diagnose a sinus infection. .
It is SO INEXCUSABLE for a doctor at your establishment to use her own arbitrary criteria for diagnosis sinus infections such as, you don’t look that sick and did you drive yourself here. What medical book did she get that from?
The entire time was hostile, unprofessional and unnecessary. If she wanted to verify my history, she could have. But to treat me like less than a human being was extremely hurtful and demeaning.
Someone in the office said that “she is like that” and “she never treats sinus infections with abx”. I don’t understand this strategy either. I think patients should be treated as individuals and he or she should be respected. If you cannot diagnose a sinus infection using the standard of care, she should have told me she should not have wasted my time.
I was in tears, sobbing the entire time. She didn’t care at all. The staff helped me and gave me tissues.
When I finally got to see my ENT doctor, he scoped me and said I have a bad sinus infection.
She was nasty, arrogant and completely ignorant to the criteria to diagnose sinus infections and should not tell patients to go to the ER because she is unable to do her job.
I left in tears with no treatment and being treated like less than human by this medical professional.