Complaint Review: Lesley A. Taylor MD - Duarte California

I want to personally take time to share my experience with Dr. Lesley A. Taylor.  I was emotionally harmed by several acts that left my positive journey as a cancer survivor marred.

On or about July, 2015, I was due to have my yearly follow-up care as a 3yr old cancer survivor. I lived in Las Vegas and moved to CA and needed to establish an oncologist.  I chose City of Hope to find a great Dr and continue to heal from such horrific ordeal battling cancer.  I was a stage 3A, 6cm.  I underwent 2 radial breast surgeries 2 aggressive chemo treatments and 36 rounds of radiation and yes I am still alive.  However my treatment was not at City of Hope.

I was not a referral, I simply decided to go this City of Hope to find a Dr.  I was given Dr. Leslie A. Taylor.  I saw Dr. Taylor in a one on one consult and follow-up tests were order.

My first concern was raised when she wanted to order a "mammogram".  My initial appt. with her was for right breast pain and given all of what my right breast has gone through,  (partial mastectomy and lumpthetimy) Dr. Taylor insisted I have a mammogram. I was rather shocked that a breast surgeon and a women at that, that knows what mammograms do to our breast, can be quit painful.  I share with her my concerns and was told " just tell the techs to be easy on you" I was shocked at the level of insensitive and explained to her that all of my follow-up treatments had been MRI's and I would prefer that instead, she insisted.  Needless to say, I had an MRI as there was no way I was going to put myself through that trauma.  I was terribly disturbed that this women was willing to allow this. I KNEW then something was wrong. 

At the City of Hope there are those that are called "Patient Navigators" that will make sure you are assisted in getting to your appointments.  That next day, I shared my concerns with mine and asked her to come with me to ALL of my appts to ensure that I felt safe with any interactions, she agreed, 

I had the MRI done and the report came back.  I got a call from Dr. Taylor that evening and was told that they found lesions on my liver ( I was aware of these same tiny lesions, however she was not) and she wanted to get an ultrasound, Good idea I told her, because as a cancer survivor all tests are important.  I had the ultrasound done and got a call back from Dr. Taylor after hours,  that they found a polyp in my gallbladder and she was recommending that I have my gallbladder removed. I got that message and I immediately called her back and was told " I have sent you to a surgeon to have your gallbladder remove" (wow I thought, do I have a say so in any of this?) Now mind you I had only seen her once all of these interactions were by phone.  I was at a lost for words.  She then stated, " I am recommending   that the gallbladder be removed and that is it" she then stated that my calling her back after hours and was not an emergency and she was getting off the phone.  "I understand I told her" ( now mind you she called me after hours, I felt it was important to call her back)

I shared my concerns with my Patient Navigator and she too agreed that that would be a concern.   As always, it has  been my practice over the years to gather all of my medical records from various test and MRI and the like to make sure I have copies for my own records.  I decided to head over to Medical Records to get a copy of all that was reported: I was shocked that there was a finding in my pancreas that Dr. Taylor said nothing  about.  These findings were in the same report as it was the same ultrasound for the liver.  I also noticed in Dr. Taylors dictation notes that numerous inaccuracies concerning my age, parent history of cancer and dates of previous treatment and biopsies was incorrect.  I was alarmed to say the least and called The City of Hope and had Dr. Taylor paged.  Her and I spoke and I told her I was massively concerned with the finding and asked her "did you not see this", her response, "oh, um, no, I did not see where it said about your pancreas" I was shocked, You are a surgeon I said to myself and your job is to pay attention to details.  How is it that the dictation notes was inaccurate and you failed to tell me something as important as "something on my pancreas" OMG!!! 

I then had a follow-up appointment on the 30th of July, Dr. Taylor had an 911 and had to reschedule.  The appointment was set out.  I was concerned at this point as my MRI results had not been read as they were waiting to clear a previous MRI I had done to compare. 

By this time Dr. Taylor knew I was at my wits end and then the games began.  I got a call from Dr. Taylor and to my surprise she had a Social Worker on the line and stated, "we want to make sure the conversation is productive" wow I said to myself where is this coming from.  Now mind you, no patient is held to having to deal with a "social worker" and such interactions interfere or override a "patient-doctor confidentially and privacy" my right were clearly violated and Dr. Taylor allowed it.  In our conversation at a normal tone I was sharing my concerns with Dr. Taylor and all of  a sudden I hear a voice say" excuse me, and so that the conversation is productive" ok, I asked her, what do you mean, this conversation is productive, at that point I asked her to dismiss herself off the call the social worker refused and terminated the call. I went to my next appt with Dr. Taylor, but NOT ALONE.  I had my daughter, Patient Navigator and another staff  from The City of Hope there so that every word could be established.   Dr. Taylor came into what I was hoping was a good meeting to resolve my concerns and move on.  The meeting went south as Dr. Taylor was not prepared to humble herself and apology and try and correct the matter.  She started blaming me and got up and stated she was not going to sit and listen to my tone, of which was simply my voice as an articulate patient sharing my concerns. 

I sat with those that were in the meeting and they agreed that Dr. Taylor opening comment was not the best and had she not taken that angle the meeting would have been productive.

I wrote Dr Taylor a letter that night terminating care and listed why I was terminating by listing the violations. 

Needless to say, I got a letter from Dr. Taylor telling me that she was terminating me from care. Cancelled all of the other appts with the same drs, she signed me up for, without allowing to ask questions, but should just go on "her recommendations"   She lied and said I was noncompliant.  Now mind you I had only 1 appt with her and then a meeting that was not finished.  I did every test she ordered BUT I WAS NON COMPLIANT. Dr Taylor clearly retaliated against me and put the blame back on me. 

I asked her to correct the inaccuracies in the dictation and I moved on.  I had a second opinion  the second she was not competent to disclose all findings.  Had I not gone to get the report I would have never known that their was something in my pancreas.  As a surgeon, I was alarmed that her ability to play close attention to  details and to dictate accurately concerning a patients information "on paper" I was very much  concerned and could imagine what any patient would have to deal with up under a knife at her hands.

I felt RIPPED OFF in my routine process to protect my health.  All Drs. sworn in oath is to DO NO HARM.  I was very much harmed my Dr. Taylor's unprofessional behavior and more so what I felt was intentional ability to violate my patient rights and terminate my care under based on clearly documented evidence. 

I would not recommend this Dr if you have been recently diagnosed with cancer or need to have surgery.  The fact that she could not properly dictate with accuracy on paper, and failed to disclose a finding in my pancreas,  perhaps she can not concentrate in surgery with a patient under the knife and or, "makes another mistake" with findings during surgery.  Additionally, and when a “mistake” or “error” is made as in my case, she immediately used the “team” to assist her in violating my patient rights.   I pray that you will PROCEED WITH CAUTION IF YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS DOCTOR.  HOWEVER I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT TRUST HER TO CUT ON ME OR FURTHER ANY TREATMENT CONCERNING MY CARE.

Finally, cancer is not a play thing and it was clear to me by my experience that "cancer patients" have become "big business" and if you or your loved ones are not careful, you may just be a "meal ticket" a "trip to Europe" and "New Yaht".  Many lives that have to face this disease, THE LAST THING ANYONE WANTS IS TO BE FURTHER DAMAGED, by a Dr and what I felt as corrupt systems. Pray before you proceed.