Dr Epstein consulation charge $175 ??

[Roxy]

Dear Forum Members;

I would like to share some light on the $175.00 consultation fee. I am Dr. Epstein's Office Manager. Dr. Epstein offers courtesy consultations in all of the Florida offices since we are based here. However, there is a fee for the NY office. Greg, you sent in pictures and if Dr. Epstein's response was that he wanted to see you in consultation it's because he felt your particular situation shoult not be addressed by an on line consultation. We do charge a consulation fee in the NY office because we are not based there. This fee is very competitive for that market but it has been waived before if it becomes an issue. Dr. Epstein's goal and the mission of our office is to provide the best possible quality care we can to our patients. Dr. Epstein didn't quote the consultation fee it was the staff which was just following office policy. Dr. Epstein is constantly marking out pictures and providing his expert opinion to those prospective patients who seek his advice. In spite of his busy practice he spends hours every day consulting and advising patients.

[Jeffrey Epstein MD, FACS]

Dear Gentlemen- Pat brought to my attention the discussion going on at length about my charging for consultations, and unfortunately some erroneous information is being passed on.

 

I have been in practice for almost 14 years now, providing the state of the art work with my dedicated team of 14 assistants. Never have I had anyone do my consultations other than myself- I personally take the time to meet and speak with each patient, examine him or her, and provide them with my recommendations. Sometimes those recommendations are to not undergo a procedure, for my reputation for being honest is my most important asset. I typically receive 6 new internet inquiries EVERY DAY, as well as follow up emails with more questions from easily another 10 patients a day. I typically spend 3 hours a day personally replying to these emails, as well as speaking with patients on the phone- for NO CHARGE. Why?- because i am trying to help people even if that means advising them not to have a procedure but to answer their medical questions.

 

In addition, along with personally performing 2 procedures every day, I typically see 5 new patient consults in my Miami office- and do not charge for these consultations. These patients are provided with my recommendations based upon my thousands of cases' experience. Last year, due to the overwhelming demand for my work in the northeast, I opened an office in NYC. When I travel to NYC, I typically travel with 5 of my assistants and office manager, and pay an additional (not cheap- the office is located on Park Avenue and 56th Street) facility fee (i.e. rent) for these 2 days. To help offset the extremely high additional cost to me, I have decided to charge for consults a fee of $175. Let me be very clear, to all of you who feel you have the right or the knowledge to even question where my heart is, that I have waived this fee when patients are unable to pay it- such as the young male who is just starting to lose hair, or the burn victims.

 

I am not in the business of telling online consult patients that they should go to my NYC office and pay me $175. Clearly, Greg's online consultation form required me to meet with him in person- perhaps he was quite young and I felt it particularly critical for me to examine his donor area or to assess his maturity for the procedure. As a physician, I sometimes need to personally meet with my patients beforehand, prior to their flying a long distance for a procedure and typically blocking out a period of time afterwards for healing. In order for me to PROPERLY assess the occasional particular patient, I sometimes need to meet with them in person. Likely once he called my office, he was told by the person making his appointment of the consultation fee- and if there was a particular problem with that, he could have asked that the fee be waived, which my office typically does

 

I love what I do, and I give my heart to each of my patients to make sure they get the very best results. I cannot understand how some of you can criticize not only the way I manage my practice, but also to question my integrity. Who are some of you to criticize from such an uninformed perspective. Let me tell you how many hundreds of thousands of hours I have put into my training, my lecturing, my writing, my pro bono work, my teaching at the University of Miami- none of which has ever been compensated for. So now I charge a relatively small consultation fee to help partially offset my extremely high costs of making it easier for patients in the NY/New England area to see me, and I am criticized?

 

If anyone wishes to have a consultation with me, I am happy to provide the most information I can by an online consultation www.foundhair.com or by email jsemd@foundhair.com.

 

And I want to gratefully thank those whose comments were positive, more reflective of what I and my office provide for every patient.

[nikkop23]

Some of you should let it rest; Epstein is obviously one of the best, and I appreciate this very impassioned response. It must be hard to do such great work and still feel like you can't win sometimes b/c anybody with nothing better to do can nitpick you to death in cyberspace and stir up muck in the ether. I live 4 blocks from that NYC office, and probably would not spend money on the consultation fee, nor would I push to have it waived since that would be unfair to someone who really needed that done; nonetheless, I understand his rationale and its his business decision to make. If you don't like it, Bernstein's a few blocks uptown, True a few blocks downtown, and Dr. Rose is on Park Avenue now, too, maybe even in the same building.

[Eman]

Dr. E, thank you for your post and response to everyone. From what I have read and seen on tv, you do awesome work and should be commended for the pro bono work you do. I didn't know the facts for the consult fee, so I will be the first to apologize if any of my comments seemed critical.

 

I put what my experience was and would never question your integrity. Thank you again for your post.

[JakeVig]

Well I think Dr E's response has put the issue at rest. Just one last thing can Pat or Dr E adjust your signature or something so it doesnt take up the whole page.

[Mark H]

Dear Dr. Epstein,

 

I appreciate your feelings about all the kvetching over the consultation fee, and some things were said that should not have been. It is the nature of these boards to be pretty rough. This board is actually better behaved than most IMO. Still, I'm very sorry if you were (quite rightly) offended.

 

On the issue of the online consultation though, Greg indicates that he didn't get the very excellent explanation you've given us today indicating that his case was beyond the scope of an online consultation, but only a response that he should come in for an in-person consultation.

 

So whatever happened, there was a disconnect in the online consultation process. I suppose that is about all that can be said about that.

 

My Wife just says you shouldn't upset bald people...lol.

 

Best Regards,

 

Mark Tyler

[troy]

I agree with you Gorphy. Dr E, Run your buisness how you see fit your doing great work, very noble thing you did for that burn victum I read on here. Sometimes people can get caught up in numbers, and its always built into the profit one way or another, or the buisness simple goes away. I personally wouldnt get caught up in the consult fee, its a very small hurdle for a great Ht.

[the B spot]

Good thread, but I hate the fact that it takes negative threading to get an office manager or a Doc on here!!!! I don't agree with the consult fee, but again, I say if you want to go that route, great, no problem. The real issue is the feeling Greg got when approached with this, regardless of whether or not he is right or wrong. I just think this is hitting people top and bottom, but please note, I am NOT questioning Dr. Epstein as a surgeon, just how this has played out. IF everyone knows that they have to pay to see him, so be it, just as long as the interent consults are given FULL attention and not used to get people in the door for an office fee.

Time will tell, and if more people begin feeling the same as Greg, I am sure we will revisit this issue. The great part about this is that Dr. Epstein is a great HT doc, and we aren't talking about bad work here, just some details.

As always, we'll keep watching and talking!

[Guest]

Well Dr. E, I was shocked that you charge a fee, but I am still coming to NY to see you and I am going to pay, BUT PLEASE TAKE CARE OF MY HEAD, IF YOU FIX IT, I WILL PAY $500 FOR THE CONSULT! lol

[Mark H]

I'm sure this will all change after HT's are combined as a free service along with government cheese.

[the B spot]

The government gives out free cheese?

I thought that was a myth

I am sure that the government can afford HT consult fee's if they are giving out free cheese!!!!!

What a deal!!!!! Now everyone is happy and can dance!!!!!!!!!

 

I had to laugh at that Mark, good one!

[Guest]

I am going to New York NY tommorrow for my 1st consult with Dr. Epstein.

 

I went on one with Dr Feller last year. Dr. Epstein's pics on his site look great and I like that he is a plastic surgeon.

 

If I move forwad I need dense pact and a paper thin scar. lol I really think I am ready, I will let you know how it goes. I hope my donor passes.

 

Mr Bill

[Guest]

18: End at 60 E 56th St

New York, NY 10022-3204, US Map

 

Total Est. Time: 1 hour, 32 minutes Total Est. Distance: 78.92 miles

[Neil Nelson]

I underwent corrective surgery with Dr Epstein in Miami in December 2004.

 

As my posting history shows, I have been a vociferous advocate of Dr Epstein's work based on my experience of his practice.

 

In August this year I holidayed in Florida with my wife and two sons. I let Dr E and Roxy know I was in the state and they invited us to call in to the surgery while we were in Miami.

 

We spent more than an hour on the premises, mid-morning, mid-week. Of that hour, Dr Epstein chatted with us about our holiday and property prices in the state, uninterrupted for 20-30 mins.

 

It was only at the end of the social chit chat that I asked Dr E if he would like to take a proper look at my results, and maybe take some photos. He did not ask himself - he waited to be invited.

 

I was not charged for his time.

[Guest]

I am driving now, on my way to the BIG APPLE, If anyone would like to ask DR E a question or make a comment you can call me on my cell phone 732-300-1006 or text message me on it.

 

Mr Bill