Do not go to Skyland Behavior Health for Treatment

Based on my experience, I've come to the conclusion that Skyland Behavior Health is either inept or unethical, possibly both. The first problem I noticed when trying to work with them is that their new patient paperwork waves confidentiality rights.

An excerpt from the paperwork below:

"Informed Consent refers to a patient's decision to allow their health care provider to perform a particular treatment or intervention."

How can an intervention be organized without violating the patient's confidentiality?

When I refused to sign this, the woman behind the desk explained to me that it doesn't say what I think it says. She told me that it is simply giving the doctor the ability to treat me.

(As an aside, explaining a contract to someone requires a legal license which she doesn't have. The reason for this is because of situations exactly like this one where the person is either misinformed or intentionally deceptive in an attempt to get a contract signed.)

They refused to see me for treatment and the women behind the counter were quite rude and antagonistic from this point through my entire experience with Skyland Behavioral Health Associates, including refusing to give me a copy of my file when requested. After two visits requesting the file and accepting various excuses for not giving it to me, I refused to leave the office without it on my third attempt to get a copy and they threated to call the police if I didn’t leave.

Based on the conversation, I decided that the women behind the counter are ignorant about contracts and contract law so I altered the contract in a way that voids it and signed it because I felt I needed treatment and didn't want to let blind bureaucracy get in the way of getting the help I needed. I was right. They didn’t dispute the alterations and accepted the paperwork as long as they had my signature.

The 2nd problem I had with them is when there was an issue with my insurance. Instead of making me aware of this, they simply charged the full amount without assistance from the insurance company to my credit card. I didn't find out there was an issue with my insurance until I went to get a prescription filled. I brought this to their attention and their responses indicate that they care more about money than providing proper care to their patients.

When I met with the first doctor, I told him I needed help to quit smoking cannabis and felt I may have issues with ADD that effect my ability to do my job. I informed him that my sister and her daughter have both been diagnosed with ADD and that I have a business partner with a background in natural support who feels like there could be an issue.

Understandably, the use of cannabis could mask and/or create symptoms. I told the doctor I had been prescribed an anti-depressant in the past and was successful to quit smoking while using it. I informed him that I had a full bottle at home left over from when I quit taking it after quitting smoking before. He told me not to try to quit smoking or cut back and not to take the antidepressants. Then notes from my 2nd session with him indicated that no progress had been made to reduce smoking. I later discovered that he intended to diagnose me with Bipolar disorder. The questions they asked were leading and notes in my file are a direct result of his actions and preconceptions.

For example, he writes that I spoke in a hurried tone. I didn't start the session that way. I began speaking in a hurried tone when he interrupted my story to tell me we didn't have a lot of time. I explained the business I own, my job, and a new business I'm working on launching and how I felt ADD was affecting me. I noticed him jump out of his seat and dive to his notebook in response to a comment I made about how my new business will affect the industry. I felt that he didn't believe me and when I got a copy of my file and read the notes, I found that his disbelief was a key element in his misdiagnosis.

Imagine Bill Gates telling a doctor what he had in mind for the computer industry before he launched the windows operating system. Doctors aren't businessmen or inventors and shouldn't make a dangerous diagnosis based on their preconceptions of what is or isn't possible.

When I perceived that he didn't believe me, I went on to explain more of my business plan and inform him of partners I've spoken to, and industry experts that intend to join me in my endeavors and let him in on some of the trade secrets to make it possible.There is no evidence that he was even listening to me in his notes.

After the 2nd visit, the doctor informed me that he thought I may have a bipolar disorder. No additional testing was performed. I did some research before going back for my 3rd visit and found that friends and family should be interviewed prior to making such a diagnosis. I called and offered to bring both my mother, a nurse practitioner who has worked with Bipolar individuals as well as my business partner, who has a background as a natural support advocate. They declined to meet these people in my life and became very agitated when I got my mother on the phone to discuss the bipolar diagnosis during my 3rd visit with the prescribing psychiatrist. She didn’t like being questioned about the validity of the diagnosis and stubbornly

refused to listen to input from people who know me much better than she could after an hour of conversation.

Between this behavior and the insurance issues, I've come to the conclusion that they were more interested in taking my money twice a month to monitor me on the dangerous Bipolar meds than treating me to quit smoking. I felt like the questions they asked were leading questions with a goal of supporting a preconceived diagnosis. I strongly urge you not to work with them or refer your patients to them.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.