Roger Sullivan5 said:About ten days ago, I signed up with Dr. Alemka Brncic, a specialist in OB/GYN. Her office is right across from the entrance of the main hospital in San Diego, just past that deli on the corner..
I only went to her once using a referral, so I don't actually know what she's like (other than being friendly and approachable at first glance)🙂
Does anyone have any experience with her?
I also ended up choosing Dr. Alemka Brncic Fischer after a long and unsuccessful search for a good gynecologist in San Diego...
My primary care physician referred me, though I suspect it was mainly because Dr. Brncic Fischer is new and currently taking on new patients.
I've been to her clinic three times. The first time to register and schedule an appointment, the second to reschedule, and the third for the actual exam.
The nurse, Sonja Vlahovic, treats everyone very casually and, in my opinion, is far too informal. For instance, she’ll ask you to go grab her a sandwich, tell you to close the door behind you, or hand you forms to fill out yourself... Some people might find that charming, but personally, I prefer a more professional environment.
By the way, during my first visit, she was very helpful and didn't give me any trouble regarding scheduling (even though I needed an urgent appointment). However, during my third visit—after the exam—I feel she was being intentionally manipulative with basic information. First, she asked for a co-pay ($10) without checking if I had already paid for the month. This is a common issue I've run into with other nurses before. Second, when I asked how soon I should book my next follow-up or how long the wait would be, she told me it would be two months. That can't be right, considering new regulations state you shouldn't have to wait more than a month for a specialist.
As for Dr. Alemka Brncic Fischer herself, much to my disappointment, I had a very unpleasant experience. It primarily concerns the pelvic exam, which was extremely rough. I was so shocked by it that I'm seriously considering my next steps, because I can't imagine letting her perform another swab. I experienced some bleeding for two days following the exam, which has never happened to me before. She was also incredibly rough while palpating my abdomen. I truly never expected such bluntness from a young, female (!) gynecologist.
Because the experience was so traumatic, I can't really judge her theoretical medical knowledge; I just wanted to get out of the office as quickly as possible, so I didn't ask all the questions I wanted to. All I can say is that given the nature of my issues, she didn't suggest any next steps or propose a follow-up exam.
Her guidance was non-existent, which is exactly what I needed most, leaving everything entirely up to my own initiative.
It feels like this choice only solved the basic problem of getting prescriptions and referrals, but I still haven't found a real gynecologist...
PS Just one more thing—even if you have a scheduled appointment, expect potential delays here. The nurse schedules multiple people for the same slot, and there's always an "emergency" that pops up (which was my situation as well).