Garrett Lalich
Front desk called prior to my child’s appointment to discuss updating the vaccine schedule. The schedule they referenced included an additional round of the MMR vaccine that many health professionals acknowledge is not medically necessary for every child, since most kids develop immunity after the first dose. Some parents prefer to verify immunity with a simple titer test or to have a conversation about staggering doses to reduce side-effect risk. I explained that I wanted to discuss these questions directly with the doctor, but the front desk staff responded, “I’m calling on behalf of the doctor and this is our policy.” The interaction came across as: we’ll administer what we want, and there’s no room for discussion. That’s concerning for any parent who simply wants to understand what is necessary, what can be spaced out, and what the potential side effects are. For clarity, we are not “anti-vaxx” we are pro “is this appropriate for my child.” We wanted to have an open and informed conversation about: 1. Side effects 2. What vaccines are medically necessary vs. optional 3. Whether staggering certain vaccines makes sense for our child Instead, there was no willingness from the support staff to discuss or even acknowledge these questions. In a healthcare system where financial incentives often influence decisions, respectful communication matters. We truly like Dr. Sharma — she has always been excellent with our child — and this review does not reflect negatively on her. It is solely about the front desk staff, who were dismissive, unprofessional, and unwilling to engage in basic dialogue. With better communication and respect for parents’ questions, this would be a very different review. Update to response: Describing patient communication as “not a negotiation” was dismissive and confirmed my decision not to move forward with this practice.
