$1687 to Dr. Julie Griffith, A D.A.N. Doctor (Defeat Autism Now) for an alleged "consultation" where this "doctor" decides to tell me the Doodle is not autistic, might have Lyme disease and diagnoses him with Dandy Walker, a serious malformation of the brain by looking at the same exact MRI that two other neurologists had looked at and said was Normal. She waits until the end of the agreed upon one hour consultation to tell me this--so that I am distraught enough and crying, thinking she just cracked the case with the autism and seizure disorder--and now my son might die.
So she continued the "consultation" and then proceeded to charge me $500 per hour for the additional two hours she went over. She never even gave my two year old a physical examination, which the consult was supposed to include. We were also supposed to get lab testing done on my baby for vitamin deficiencies, metals, toxins, food allergies, yeast build up, etc. No tests were done. I was sent away with a brown grocery bag full of lab tests to UPS off in the mail to various States--including all the paperwork.
This crack pot of a Doctor also prescribed my baby two very severe anti-seizure medications on top of the two that he was already on without ever doing any blood tests to see where his existing medication levels were. When he had an adverse reaction to the new drugs which she prescribed several days later, after our consultation, she refused to come to the phone to talk to me about it unless I gave a credit card and paid her $400 per hour for a phone appointment first. I should mention, coincidentally, it wasn't until she prescribed him these new drugs and had the bad reaction--which triggered and was the beginning of his head drop seizures.
After I found out she misdiagnosed my son with Dandy Walker in an attempt to alarm me and coerce me into returning for future appointments at $500 per hour, I immediately fired her, stopped payment on the credit card and reported her to the California Medical Board.
So we had to prove our case to the credit card company and justify why we stopped payment on the $1687 consultation and we won our case with them, twice. They reversed the charges. I had to get letters with the second and third opinions that NO, my son did not have Dandy Walker. Now, this delusional, unethical "doctor" wants her money because she is insisting she provided "medical care"...when she never did.
I've talked with other moms who had equally and similar bad experiences with this same doctor, with misdiagnosing and continually charging a credit card on file.
This Doctor preys on desperate parents looking to help their children...she has no business prescribing drugs like that during a simple office consultation nor diagnosing genetic diseases without genetic testing and counseling.
Because I stopped payment, she has filed a small claims action against me. Why should I have to pay for a purposeful misdiagnosis from a doctor who moonlights as a "massage therapist"? She overdosed and drastically changed the course of my son's life. I should be suing her in Superior Court for malpractice.
The red flags were there and I didn't want to see them. The fact that her office is in her living room at her home. The fact that I never had to wait for an appointment when getting an appointment with a DAN Doctor is know to take forever. The fact that in the 3 hours I was there the phone never rang nor did any other patients come in. The fact that she refuses to bill insurance and demands cash or credit card at the time of service (no checks). The fact that she actually misdiagnosed myself and my mother by just looking at us...with no physical exam, history or lab testing.
Be very aware and be sure to bring your stop watch to your appointment with Dr. Julie Griffith. The meter never stops running when you are there--not even when the Dr. needs to take a bathroom break...yes, you are paying $500 an hour for that too.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
MarinCounty
California,Wow!
#7General Comment
Wed, July 24, 2013
My God! Thanks for the heads up. I searched the court calendar index. this woman was involved in these cases this year:
MarinCounty
California,Thank You For the Info
#7General Comment
Wed, July 24, 2013
Thank you so much for having the courage to talk about your experience. I've read through Dr. Julie's website, and was apprehensive at the fees. It's not that she doesnt' have the right to make a living, but her fees are outrageous. Especially if she's charging patients for her to go take a dump, or to talk on the phone, or even to give out a tracking number. She really sounds like someone who is taking advantage of desperate parents. I think those are the worst kinds of people there are. Dr Julie's replies, if they are really hers, are shockingly rude. As a parent with a child who needs help, I want to get my child the best help possible, but I don't want to be ripped off by someone who charges $100 to get fedex tracking numbers or whatever.
angela
santa rosa,California,
P.S. Dr. Griffith Distorts the Truth
#7Author of original report
Wed, July 24, 2013
Dr. Griffith claims that she gave us advice and referrals, however, our referrals to UCSF came from another neurologist in Santa Rosa. We did not use any of the referrals or advice of Dr. Griffith, especially after she almost killed my (then) 2 1/2 year old son with the overload and overdose of anti-seizure medications which she prescribed him without even WEIGHING HIM or giving him a physical. I have found from my research and conversations that Dr. Griffith does not have a good reputation within the medical community.
angela
santa rosa,California,
Beware of Dr. Julie Griffith Frivolous Small Claims Actions
#7Author of original report
Wed, July 24, 2013
As if unethical issues aren't bad enough coming from an "esteemed" so-called-Doctor. Dr. Julie Griffith is relentless, first she uses scare tactics in order to over charge parents with children with special needs who are already distraught--she is a known frivolous small claims court filer at the Marin County Court in San Rafael CA. She has taken dozens of patients to small claims court insisting they owe her money, this is all Public Record.......the fact that she still has a medical license is a true miracle! I have personally been contacted by NUMEROUS pissed off parents and former patients of Dr. Julie Griffith for almost always the same thing......unethical practices and bad business practices/over billing. She has a huge pattern of taking advantage of her patients and families. My bill with Dr. Griffith was approximately $1600 for just over 3 hours of an "initial consultation" which DID NOT INCLUDE A 'COMPREHENSIVE' PHYSICAL OF MY SON! The small claims court ruling was very simple...the judge asked me if I was there in her office for the time stated. I said yes which I never disputed....the judge said the hearing was absolutely only regarding Dr. Julie Griffith's billing/office visit. He asked me if I was aware she was $500 per hour. I said yes. It did not matter what she did or did not do to us while we were there...he said I would have to file a civil lawsuit for malpractice if I wanted to bring up my reasons for disputing the bill....even though I would have never stayed in her office for 3 hours had she not given us a misdiagnosis! She likes to scare the patient's parents and freak them out so that they will stay longer and keep coming back for treatment! The judge was nice enough to REDUCE THE AMOUNT OWED TO DR. GRIFFITH BECAUSE HE COULD SEE RIGHT THROUGH THIS SITUATION. He took $500 off! This is all public record, along with the numerous other cases that have been filed including some labor dispute case. I guess she is a nightmare to work for as well! I have also been contacted and questioned by a Law Firm in San Francisco regarding a law suit against Dr. Julie Griffith. This incredible neurologist sure spends a great deal of time at the courts!
After filing numerous complaints online, etc. I was contacted by Dr. Julie Griffith where she was asking me if she dismissed the money I owed her, would I remove all of the online complaints and blogging I have done about her! What does that tell you? I refused to sign her nondisparagement/confidentiallity agreement and remove my posts. It's my constitutional right to speak my mind and tell our story as it happened and I kept all of the documentation just in case I do decide to file a civil suit against her--or class action suit against her with the other parents/patients she has wronged.
The latest small claims court ruling that I am aware of that just happened with Dr. Julie Griffith on July 12th, the people won the case. And now she is trying to exploit more money from them even though they have a court ruling. Feel free to contact me for more detailed information--I keep really good records.
MarinCounty
California,Wow
#7General Comment
Tue, July 23, 2013
Wow - if that really is Dr. Julie responding, even her responses sound rude!
Julie Griffith, M.D.
San Rafael,California,
Rebuttal
#7REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, June 21, 2013
This mother is just sore that she lost in court and had to pay for the medical services, as any patient would. She had taken my advice, gone to the consultant I had recommended, and she had put multiple medical treatments in place which I had recommended. My staff and I, to the very least, found her extremely difficult to work with. Her commentary is riddled with lies.