Complaint Review: Richard H. Bakst - Palm Beach Gardens Florida

In Summary: 

Dr. Richard H. Bakst Podiatrist in Palm Beach Gardens and Lantana never fit my orthotics to my feet properly and did not deliver orthotics on time as promised nor orthotics that ever fit. He initially ordered a half sized pair instead of a fullsize pair when I clearly requested a fullsize pair, (My old pair from another Podiatrist is also full size).

He admitted he intentionally ordered the wrong pair, then he said he would rush order and have within about 7 days a new correct length pair that fit properly and did not deliver on that promise making me wait over a month for the new pair. Then I went into his office twice to fit the orthotics properly and both times he failed to deliver on his promise that they would fit properly and provide support. I cannot wear the provided orthotics without pain in my left ankle and foot.

He allowed me to leave his office with the knowledge that I could not use his provided orthodics without significant pain in my foot and ankle, refused to fit them further and offered me no accommodation at all. He even walked out of the pateint room unprofessionally and left me there with no explanation on my last visit. I feel totally deceived by him, am totally unsatisfied with the product he sold me and regret spending over $350 for a pair of orthotics that are unuseable. In addition upon selling me on his orthotics he said he would waive the initial visit fee. The initial visit fee remains on my credit card statement.

In my opinion he used deceiving tactics and false claims to get me to purchase orthotics from him. I highly reccommend that anyone who needs a Podiatrist not see Dr. Richard H. Bakst. If so, I highly reccommend you get everything he promises in writing. In my opinion he is not a man of his word and has no honor as a Prodiatrist. 

Full Story:

I made an appointment and went in for a consultation with Dr. Richard H. Bakst in the middle of November of 2015 to discuss being fitted for custom fitted orthotics for my feet. As part of my job I have to stand a large portion of the day and I was heading into my companies busiest time of the year, the holiday season, where I would be standing extra hours.

I had previously purchased a pair of orthotics from another Podiatrist which worked ok with good support and no pain but wanted a new pair and wanted to try a newer molding method. The previous pair were molded to my feet using foam in a box which I now know is an outdated technique. Dr Richard H. Bakst looked at my old orthotics and told me that he didn't even consider them an orthotic. He asked me how much I paid for them and then after I told him he informed me that I overpaid for them and confirmed what I already knew, that the foam in a box technique was outdated. During the consultation he told me that he used a plaster technique which was the most up to date method.

The research that I had done previously confirmed that it was still the standard method but that this was also outdated. I informed him of my research yet he assured me he was using the most up to date method. I told him that I was also interested in a computer based method of analyzing the foot. Dr. Bakst immediately discounted the idea of a computer based method and promised me that no computer based method could match the fit, support and comfort of what he could provide with his method and his expertise.

I told Dr. Bakst repeatedly that I was concerned about purchasing another pair of orthotics using an older method of fitting my feet because as previously stated the old pair worked ok and I told him that I didn't want to spend more money for another pair of orthotics using an old method unless he could promise that they would fit better. I told him that my gut feeling was telling me to go with a computer based imaging to be exact with the fitting. He assured me that I would be satisfied with his method and his technique in the end. In addition he stated that he would waive the $40 fee for my visit, and discount it from the price of the orthotic. As of this day the $40 fee is still on my credit card.

After listening to the reassurance from Dr. Bakst that I would be satisfied with the fit, support and comfort of my new orthotics I told him that I had an additional concern. It was already the middle of November and I wanted my orthotics fitted properly within two weeks so that I had them in time for at least most of December.

Dr. Bakst assured me that it would only take two weeks to have my new orthotics back and that they would fit great because of his molding process and his expertise. This time frame sounded reasonable so I deceided to go with his reccommendation and was fitted for a new pair of orthotics. During the ordering process I told him that I wanted a full length pair of orthotics. He said that he didn't like those and reccommended a half size pair. I was very clear that what I already had was a full length pair and that, that was what I wanted. He agreed to order me a fullsize pair.

I left his office and waited to hear back from them. More than two weeks later I called the office and spoke to the receptionist who was very nice but informed me that they didn't have my othotics yet. I was disapointed but I didn't think too much of the delay because she assured me they would be in "any day now". Two days later they called me to come pick up my orthotics. As soon as Dr. Bakst handed me the orthotics I realized that he ordered a half size pair. I was disapointed and asked him why he didn't order the full size pair as I clearly requested. He stated that he thought I would prefer the half size.

I tried the orthotics on to give him the benefit of the doubt but the fit was terrible and the half size was uncomfortable. He said that he would have to send them back to have them fit better and to now order the correct full size pair. He said he would put a rush order on them so that I would have them within 7 days give or take a day. I was disapointed and I left his office empty handed but there was nothing I could do. 

 

 

All of December went by as I waited to hear from Dr. Bakst or his office staff as to when my othotics would be ready for me to pick up. December turned to January and during that time I received no phone calls or voicemails at all from Dr. Bakst's office. I always check my phone, I always check my voicemail and I was excited to get the orthotics. Finally I called the office again in the second week of January. The receptionist said that she did not have my orthotics but that she would look into the delay.

 

I called back the next day and asked if I could cancel the order being that the holiday season had passed by and that Dr. Bakst assured me that I would have them at the very least by the end of the first week in December. I went on to say that I thought that I was entitled to a reasonable expectation of service and had a reasonable expectation of delivery time. She got Dr. Bakst on the phone who informed me that I could not cancel my order or have a refund or any kind of accommodation for the delay. I told him at the time how dissapointed I was and that I felt deceived about the time frame in which I would receive my product especially since he ordered the wrong pair to begin with.

He had no sincere reaction to my concerns. I also told him that I felt compelled to warn the public about his sales tactics and service promises which I considered a form of deceit, trickery and outright mishandling of my order. He stated that it was my choice if I wanted to do that. The impression I got was that he really didn't care. I told him to please call me when the orthotics came in so that I could pick them up.

About two days later his office called to say that they had them and I went in to pick them up. I took the first pair to work under Dr. Bakst's order to wear them for only 1 hour the first day. I tried the orthotics on and within 20 minutes had to take them off because of bad pain in my left foot and ankle that was not there previously. I called the office right away and spoke to Dr. Bakst on the phone who told me that bad pain was abnormal and to take the orthotics out. I put my old orthotics back in and within a few hours or so and then the pain was gone.

i made an appointment for a fitting which seemed to make them fit better at the office. I left and tried to wear them again for 1 hour, but again I had to take them off within a half hour because they caused my left foot and ankle to feel pain that was not there before. I put my old orthotics on and again the pain went away within a few hours or so. I went in for a third fitting and during the visit felt like the left heel didn't fit right. I took out the right orthotic and saw that there was a clear discrepancy between the sizes. Dr. Bakst stated that I had not mentioned that the heel didn't fit right earlier.

I sat in the room wondering how as a pateint i was expected to know exactly where the orthotic needed to be fitted. I thought my role as the patient was to provide feedback, where by he would fit the orthotic to me as promised. I told him that I couldn't wear the orthotic without pain. Dr Bakst then left me in the patient room with no explanation and refused to fit the orthotic to me any further. Now here it is the end of January 2016 and I am out over $350 dollars and have a unueseable pair of orthotics. I continue to use my old pair, without pain, the same pair he said he didn't even consider an orthotic.

In my opinion Dr. Richard H. Bakst uses deceitfull sales tactics and is unprofessional in his ordering of products and in his duty to fulfill the promises he makes in his practice. In addition I found out that the computer based method is what's used by professional athletes such as those in the NFL. It's not a worse method or an inadeuate method of fitting someone like Dr. Bakst claimed that it was. Furthermore, in my opinion, he is not a man of his word and has no honor as a Podiatrist. I don't reccommend that anyone use him for his services in any capacity. I sincerely hope this report helps someone in the future avoid such a waste of money.