Ironwood Urology, Phoenix AZ

I have been a patient with Dr Avila for 18 months and am satisfied with him as a doctor. However, the office is so poorly managed that I am now seeking a new urologist.

The most recent example would be the problems I had in obtaining a simple prior authorization for a prescription. I have had to call and hound the staff to perform a simple prior authorization for my medication - five calls and three pharmacy faxed requests over the course of ten days produced no results; voicemail left for the office manager were never responded too, and the medical assistants did not return calls as promised by desk staff.

I am still waiting as of writing this waiting to hear back from my latest phone call today that they have at least filed the prior authorization with my insurance, after which it will take 48-72 hours for the insurance to process that (with the weekend in the middle), and then likely another day until my pharmacy can fill the rx. As a result, I will be without my medication for 6-7 days.

Given all that, I would not recommend Dr Avila to anyone while he is working with this office staff.

Update: shortly after writing this review, Dr Avila's office notified me by letter that I was no longer welcome as a patient. Upon calling, the office manager was either unwilling or unable to say why this was so, and my request to have Dr Avila call or write me to explain was never followed up on. I can't help but feel that this was some kind of retribution by the office staff in response to this review, and that Dr Avila is likely altogether unaware of my being dropped as a patient as I can't imagine Dr Avila as being that petty or unprofessional.

Dr. Bigalow is probably one of the best and most practiced physicians in the country for performing prostatectomies. All tests to determine if a prostatectomy was warranted were painless and performed in the office with dignity. Dr. Bigalow's experience and knowledge of cutting edge surgical procedures include robotic surgery which minimizes nerve damage associated with this type of surgery. I was provided with options other than surgery, but to be sure all cancer was removed, a prostatectomy was necessary. I was released from the hospital next day after surgery with few side effects. I have been under Dr. Bigalow's care for 3 years now, and so far the follow ups show I am cancer free.
I recommend to anyone if you have elevated PSA, see Dr. Bigalow. Can't say enough about the Doctor. Though quite personable, he is very efficient, and won't waist time with small talk. Straight to the point. So if your looking for a chatty doctor, find someone else. Dr. Bigalow is all business.

Thank you Dr. Bigalow
John O'Callahan

I made an appointment with Dr. Bigelow regarding a prostate problem. I had a 10 minute exam, DRE and then had a CAT Scan scheduled. I was told the results would be done within 48 hrs.because of Thanksgiving. I called today to get results since they haven't called me. They told me they didn't have the results, so I called Ironwood Radiology. They told me the results were faxed the next day at 9: 15 am. I called back to the Dr's office and was told I had to call and have them faxed again. Wow, great patient service.

Can't say enough about Dr Avila and his staff. I had to leave my last urologist due to staff incompetence while waiting for stone surgery. Ironwood got me in the same day my referral arrived and within a couple weeks my procedure was done. Yulandia, the surgical scheduler was terrific and the rest of the staff was very knowledgeable and friendly.

Ok, these reviews are not kidding and it looks like it's been happening for awhile. I had a procedure performed and I was told that I would be scheduled for a follow up 60 days from the procedure. After getting closer to this time frame I decided to call since I didn't get a call or notification for the follow up. I call and wait on hold for 12 min's and then they inform me that I need to schedule with Sonora Quest for the follow up. Not Ironwood Urology. "Oh thanks! " Information I could've used 2 months ago perhaps.jeez why is scheduling such an issue with this place. Their communication grades out at an F-

These people do not communicate effectively, Took 3 days of repeat calls to get an antibiotic called to CVS for my father who was discharged from the hospital and MD neglected to order the meds and call to pharmacy. He had a major urinary tract infection and I had to argue with front desk until I spoke to the appropriate professional. They did not return calls for 3 days to my father. I only got results when I insisted on talking to the appropriate person. Poor patient follow up! They should consider a nurse case manager instead of medical aids.

Dr Avila did a good job finding the answers I need. However, I am unhappy with the surprise costs I experienced with Ironwood. When I called in advance, your staff gave vague answers, said I have "really good insurance". Later I get a surprise bill in the mail about my 2 visits. My bloodwork was also more expensive than I anticipated. Too many Healthcare establishments have this problem, it is unacceptable, and there are no excuses. As consumers, we have a right to exactly what we will pay in advance. This is not OK.
Let me add your response to this review is Irresponsible and dishonest. Your office made provided NO good faith estimate, made NO attempt at it. Let me also correct you, that YOU and all health-care establishments have an ethnic and moral responsibility to disclose accurate costs in advance.

Dr Kevin Bigelow is the best for vasectomies. Pain free, very generous with the anesthetic. Only felt the needle sticks (one each side) and after that it was only about 17 minutes to complete the procedure. He's done several thousand of these procedures. I healed up quickly and I would recommend that doctor to anyone, even if it was out of their way to go to him.

Office seems OK. Problem is after 5 phone calls trying to schedule a follow up surgery nobody I repeat nobody return my call in 4 days. And even after aoffice staff member replied back. With no mention to who they were. I again called 2 more days and left two more messages and still nobody has called me back. This is starting to get to be a serious problem. I had an office visit this prior Monday with the doctor. I was told I would have my operation scheduled by the end of the next week the 25th 6th or 7th period or the following week. I was told I would be notified in 24 hours. I called in Tuesday and left a message with my date of birth and phone number. I called in this morning again with the same information let them know it was urgent that someone call me 2nd schedule my X-ray of the area a few days prior to still no phone call back. Horrible communication to say the least.

If you like wasting your time dealing with forgetful, incompetent office staff then this is the place for you.

I was quite concerned with the results from an ER visit, and Dr Bigelow fit me into his schedule the very next day, even as a new patient. Yes, the visit with the doc was brief, but it was very to the point, no beating around the bush. Some may find that they don't like someone being this forward and up front, but I do. I definitely recommend him. The front end staff was accommodating, and friendly.

This office is much nicer and less busy then the Gilbert location. The front office staff is very nice and welcoming. The back office staff is nice as well. I live in Mesa and this office is so worth the drive.

I love Dr. Bigelow and it's unfortunate that the staff there can't get it together! I was scheduled for surgery and had an appt before, now, when I went in for said appt no one told me I needed to bring money, HSA info, nothing to pay a down payment so I ended up giving them $350 out of pocket! From then on I was harrassed about setting up a payment plan, all the while wondering why they haven't billed my insurance! I can easily pay you from my HSA account after you've billed my insurance, which I don't know why I had to call and argue to get them to run this thru my insurance! So, I still paid them another $100 out of my pocket the next month because it still hadn't been put through to insurance! I don't know what kind of scam these people are trying to run but it's ridiculous! They FINALLY ran it through my insurance and I owed them $80 for the surgery! I got harrassed, I mean called 4 times in 1 day, now I'm waiting for my money back that I over paid! I cancelled my next appointment and will never be back! *Edit-spoke to Becky today, very rude, was unhappy that I was asking questions and obviously doesn't understand this is frustrating! She said she doesn't understand why I'm being difficult and hung up on me!

Thank you for the reviews, based on this information. I'm going to find another urologist! I hope the staff reads these reviews and takes some kind of action to become a better provider.

Had my first and last appointment. The doctor spent less than 10 minutes with me. He quickly prescribed me to do an ultrasound and a scope up the urethra, which requires full anesthesia, about $1k, and a day off of work for me. The ultrasound setup was so screwed up, the doctor wrote the wrong thing down causing all sorts of confusion. Don't waste your time.

Awful communication by the office staff, incredibly unprofessional phone courtesy, they can’t seem to correctly bill insurance, and their connection with pharmacies is terrible. I will be switching my urologist after the latest incident and I have been going there for over 15 years. Stupid me!

I set an appointment 2 months prior to consult with Dr. Avila concerning my 90 year old mother. He had cared for her for quite some time. I was told by the office manager that he would not see me. I was willing to pay out of pocket. I asked for him to tell me himself. She said he was too busy. I truely dont believe he even knew about this incident. I was promised by him that he would care for mom to the end.
I will never go back.

Avoid going here at all costs. Lack of professionalism, long wait times, and last minute rescheduling by the office have been the main things I have encountered here.
Been going here for the past few months, this is my 3rd visit to the place and every time I go here I run into one or the other. It’s now been an hour since My appointment time and I’m still waiting to get test results.

These BAD reviews speak for themselves. From to date, this office is very unprofessional. I was an employee here and it is so negative. The doctors were always in a angry mood, talked DOWN to MA’s and we’re quickly to judge and point fingers. They even fired the manager due to some unprofessional acts. That I had encountered more than once with this manager. The coworkers that worked there the longest had warned me about this high tempered manager. She had came up to me in my face and yelled at me once (Her name is Shawn Helie). She also made a remark about me when I made a mistake. After making the remark about me she walked passed me and gave me the dirtest look someone has ever given me. I understood her frustration. She did not need to come at me the way that she did. Prior to this, when I had applied for a front office position she had changed where she was going to put me and gave me a position I had no experience in. That was not even on my resume. When she was fired by HR the manager from the Gilbert office stepped in (End of August). She had given opportunities to a few people, including me to move to different positions (Her named is Lorine Lott). She had a front office position open for me and said I can have it. When given the opportunity, she had been very busy that she forgot about me and other employees. When I had asked multiple times when she was going to move me, she finally called me and told me she did not have a front office position open anymore. That day of, she blurred out she hired someone to take my position. She then explained to me she did find someone for my position and that she did not have an opening to give me. I then realized she was going to let me go. I did not appreciate the the way she went about it and made me wait when she could’ve given me a two weeks notice so I could find another job. Not a three day notice. After I had let some of my coworkers know what was happening, they then explained how this place is going down negatively. This manager is not even a manager. She rather be a friend to her coworkers and have favorites. I asked to speak to her and talk about how unfair this is to me. She then ignores me and I had to come up to her to talk about it. Before talking to her, she came to the break room and looked outside to see what one of the MAs where doing. She said she wanted to talk to her to see if she had ate lunch so she can give her her keys to drive her car to get something to eat or she can go and get her something. At that moment she did not care about what I had to say or if I’m okay. She had her favorites and she wanted friends than to be a professional manager. I should’ve known because she was an MA before they gave her the position as manager to the Gilbert office. I should've took these reviews seriously before taking the opportunity to be hired here. I had seen the reviews before getting hired. For anyone applying here for work, you’ve been warned. Do not take this lightly.

I’d give no stars if I could. I saw Dr. Bigelow because of his impressive resume. I went to him to obtain a second opinion. After waiting nearly an hour past my appointment time he came into the exam room. He was the meanest and nastiest doctor I ever saw. He seemed outraged that I would dare seek a second opinion from another God-ordained urologist! He did the requisite prostrate exam and squeezed so hard I almost pissed on the floor. No warning. No apology. He left in a huff. The man may be well-educated but should be avoided at all costs. In the end, a nurse practitioner correctly diagnosed the problem. My urological symptoms were a negative consequence of another prescription I was taking. Switched meds. Problem solved. Avoid this nasty man at all costs. There are plenty of other trained urologists out there.