Dr. Lori D Smetana, MD

When I met Dr. Smetana, I liked her. I did have some bleeding in my first trimester and I was disappointed when she told... me I was probably having a miscarriage because she also found my dates to be different than my ultrasound. But I kept my baby and was able to understand she wanted to prepare me for the worst.

I had some issues maintaining my insurance through my pregnancy- something unexpected. The office was unable to tell me how much my appts would cost and or let me pay as I went. Out of fear of not being able to afford maternity leave, I missed making some appts in the middle of my pregnancy. I made one for his anatomy scan. The medical assistant said to me, it's amazing your baby is ok considering you haven't gotten prenatal care for him. This stung but I understood that if something had been anatomically wrong with him and shown up on his scan, there wouldn't have been a way to prevent that early on. My bloodwork was normal.

In my third trimester, I took a glucose tolerance test and failed it by a little, and took a second and failed it by more. The tests made me feel very sick and I had to fight myself from throwing up. I told them I couldn't take the solution that was twice as strong, and fast before hand and then the several hours of the test. I didn't think I could tolerate it. This is where everything changed between me and Dr. Smetana's office.

They told me I would need to check my blood sugar 4 x a day and see a diabetic nurse to talk about meal planning and how to check my sugar. I told them I am a nurse and I teach those things myself and did not feel I needed the appt, but agreed to check my sugar 4 times a day, after a question of whether I could start with twice a day at first. They told me I would have to find a new doctor if I didn't agree right away to these things so I did. I went to the nurse and checked my sugar four times a day starting after that phone call. They had told me they would get information for me to make an appt with her but then told me they had scheduled my appt (for a time I couldn't make it) and said and they WILL tell us if you don't go. I said it wasn't necessary to talk to me like that bc I had shown up for any appt I had been able to make and never been dishonest with them, I just needed to change the time. I asked to speak with my doctor and I did not get the chance. I had seen her the week prior and had an appt for the following week. I felt hurt and confused about the way I was being spoken to and wanted to discuss it w her. She never contacted me. Her assistant Jill also told me in these phone calls that I was a liability for them and that she felt bad for the safety of my son, in a tone that implied that his wellbeing is not important to me.

The following week I heard from Deaconess to confirm an ultrasound appt. I said I didn't know about it, it was sched for a time I would be just getting off work. I called Dr. Smetana's office and asked to speak with my doctor. Toward the end of the day, I got a call back from a different coworker. She said Dr. Smetana had told them to make all my appts for me as I was not reliable and they were concerned about my baby. I told them I was concerned about my baby too but they couldn't make appts without telling me they had made them. I was told I should find another doctor and that they had run out of patience with me, but if I agreed to not question any of the Dr's actions or recommendations maybe we could maybe start over. I felt very humiliated by the way I was being treated and comments that implied I did not care for the safety of my child, and that the Dr. would have different people tell me to find a new Dr. at 36 weeks when she knew how vulnerable I had been feeling per my last appt. I cried after this phone call and made arrangements to have my husband come with me to my next appt bc I just did not feel emotionally secure the way I was being treated. When I called Deaconess to move my ultrasound up a few hours, they told me that would interfere with another appt they had made without telling me with the diabetic nurse again. I only found this out by accident. After a stressful day I decided I just could not feel comfortable being treated in such a manner and not informed of these things. I called around and finally found someone who would consider taking me at this late stage of my pregnancy, as the Dr's office had made it clear they wanted me to leave anyway. I asked Dr. Smetana's coworker if I should still see the diabetic nurse and ultrasound because I wouldn't see my new MD until the following day. I was told yes. Today I went to those appointments but they had cancelled them without telling me. I have never seen a pt treated like that and hope to never again.

The times before Dr. Smetana decided she did not want to deal with me I found her to be caring with a nice bedside manner and I am sure if people take every test they are told to take and don't miss making appts at any stage they would have a good experience there. Unfortunately it wasn't mine. more details