Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Forefront Dermatology, S.C.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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Forefront Dermatology, S.C. has 40 locations, listed below.

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  Forefront Dermatology, S.C.

  801 York St Manitowoc, WI 54220-4630

  
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  Forefront Dermatology, S.C.

  1620 N Shawano St New London, WI 54961-9318

  
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  Forefront Dermatology, S.C.

  2351 State Road 44 Oshkosh, WI 54904-6333

  
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  Forefront Dermatology, S.C.

  451 E Brooklyn St Ste 5 Chilton, WI 53014-1595

  
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  Forefront Dermatology, S.C.

  10303 N Port Washington Rd Ste 101 Mequon, WI 53092-5760

  

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/01/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 3/1 I went to my appointment at ForeFront Dermatology. I was received in a timely manner, When the doctor arrived, she told me what my options were, and I explained that I did not understand me. She left, the whole appointment lasted one minute and some thirty seconds. The nurse came back with some papers and basically told me to figure it out. I paid full price and I'm sure my insurance paid more.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/13/2023

  Thank you for apprising us of the member complaint filed by ************** on March 1,2023. I have had the opportunity to review his medical records, including notes from my visit with him on March 1st, 2023. Attached you will find the relevant documentation from his visit within our practice which has also been reviewed by my supervising Physician ***********************, MD.  
  
  In brief, I will open with a summary of myself and my training. I graduated in **** from the University of Wisconsin ************** of ******* with my BSN.  I then pursued my masters studies at ******************** graduating in 2006 achieving my MSPA.  My board certification as a Physician Assistant was completed in June of 2006 and have continuously maintained my board certification since graduation by meeting all requirements by the ***** and the state of ** for repeat licensure.  I began working in Dermatology in June 2006 and was employed with *********** Dermatology until July 2012.  I then joined Dermatology Associates of Wisconsin in 2012 which changed its name to Forefront Dermatology in 2015 without disruption of employment or patient care.  Combined I have been providing dermatology focused patient care for nearly 16 years. 
  
  I recall my visit with ************** in great detail as we covered a number of detailed treatment options for his medical concern of male pattern hair loss. I recall providing him with recommendations for treatment that could be offered by myself or one of our other practice Physicians depending on their preference. I gave him all the options including starting oral Minoxidil along with possibly side effects, topical Minoxidil,including the expectations and limitations of topical medications as far as regrowth and PRP (Platelet Rich ******* as a self pay option since it was not typically something covered under insurance and that he would need to see one of our Physicians that offers the treatment. I also touched on Hair transplantation as an option but told patient I could not speak to that personally as we do not perform this procedure and a consult with a specialized clinician (plastic surgeon) may be necessary for this treatment plan.

  ************* had informed me that he was taking Propecia but discontinued because he thought he was exhibiting signs of Gynecomastia (increase of breast gland tissue in males).  ************** asked about a reduced dose of the Propecia and he was informed that the Gynecomastia could still occur. The second line treatment of Oral Minoxidil was discussed. ************* was not sure which treatment he would like to proceed with by the end of our visit. I advised him that I would provide additional literature to take with him that he could review and allow him to make an informed decision about his treatment plan.
  
  ************* was provided a print out on Male Pattern Hair Loss from the **************** of Dermatology as well as a Minoxidil specific handout explaining the medication and use in detail. I have included this along with the chart notes provided.
  
  It is unfortunate that ************** feels disappointed in his care, however I feel comfortable that I provided a comprehensive assessment and plan for treatment to him for his concern of male pattern hair loss with ample time for counseling.

  *********************************, Physician Assistant

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/17/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/25/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had a cancer screen by the attending physician (visual glance at my ***** ****** tag removal with freezing spray. Total charges: $530.04. I have been a patient at this clinic since 2009. This is billing/upcoding fraud. The clinic has my private insurance and this is covered by a co-pay.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/05/2023

  Thank you very much for contacting Forefront Dermatology, we take all concerns seriously.  We have reviewed the complaint and addressed the billing concern.   We have also spoken with ************** and now consider the issue resolved. Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/20/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I recently patronized Forefront Dermatology of ****************, **. When I called to make the appointment, they cheerfully acknowledged that I was in their system so I made an appointment with the same doctor I had previously seen. A few weeks later I get the bill and see that they have charged me for a ****************** visit. I called the billing department and they said they couldnt make any adjustments to the invoice but they said they would contact the local office to get a resolution. About a week later, I called the billing department again to check on the status of my complaint and was told it often takes two weeks or so for any resolution. Later that day I got a voicemail from the doctor at the **************** office who left me a callback number. I made three return calls and left two messages over the next three days. After another 6 days, I visited the office to follow up. I was told that a new patient is considered someone who hasnt visited in 3 years, but they would see what they could do and call me back later that day. Five days later and no call, and apparently, no accountability to their patients. This is no way to conduct a business. It is bad enough to be charged as a new patient when I was already in their system and none of my information required updating, but equally troubling that, for as quick as they are with their three year new/old patient explanation, they failed to let me know at the time of making the appointment that I would be charged a new patient fee. Its further irritating to know that, because I was/am an existing patient, my sensitive information was stolen during a 2021 data breach of Forefronts computer system. ************ that this company has made available the associated information of my prior patronage to information thieves while denying me the courtesy of an existing patient office visit discount - just to make some extra money.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/20/2022

  Thank you for informing us of this patient's concern.  Prior to responding, we will need a HIPAA authorization from *****************  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/20/2022

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that their request for a completed HIPAA form to be acceptable.  I have completed the form and sent it to the BBB email address provided to me and have also attached it to this response.

  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/27/2022

  Forefront Dermatology takes all concerns seriously and we do appreciate you bringing this to our attention.  We have reviewed the coding and billing for the encounter in question and have determined that the charges were correct per coding rules that we are required to comply with.  These rules state that a new patient is one who has not received any professional services from the physician within the past three years.  We sincerely apologize for any miscommunication that has occurred along with the challenges experienced when trying to discuss with our office.  We will certainly discuss this with our staff to ensure better communication going forward.  

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/03/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  It is reasonable for a patient of limited experience with the medical profession to conclude that because they are returning to a particular practice and making an appointment with a doctor that they have previously seen, that they would not be charged more for the visit because of the practices need to establish a new patient file.  This conclusion is especially reasonable when the appointment scheduling person of that practice acknowledges and is glad to report that you are in their system. To have scheduled the appointment without also mentioning the 3 year new patient rule reflects a disservice to the patient at best, and a fraudulent practice at worst.  I appreciate that Forefront acknowledges the miscommunication on their part and the need to establish better guidelines for their staff, but in light of the financial consequences of this miscommunication that are being expected to be born solely by me, I do not accept their apology and request that they take responsibility and cover the cost difference between new and established patient fees.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/05/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had a wrong spot surgery at Forefront. I had a biopsy done on a skin lesion on my chest in august 2022, it came back squamous cell carcinoma and we set up a date in November for removal. I came to my appointment and distinctly told the surgeon that you cant see the spot anymore. He proceeded to say that he knows where the spot is. He did not ask me to confirm the area he was looking at. They numbed the area and he proceeded to cut a 4 inch area on the wrong spot. He cut into only the edge area of the infected area but did not get the proper margins. Since I could not feel where he was cutting and how they bandaged the site I did not realize until the next day and proceeded to call them as soon as the office opened. The front desk took notice of my concern but no one called me back. Finally I did receive a voicemail that the results came back clear, but he did not cut the proper area correctly. If he didnt take the proper margins from the correct area how do I know we got it all. I feel he didnt even look at the pictures the ** took that did the biopsy to confirm the appropriate area. I made an appointment with the surgeon to discuss the situation. I showed him my own pictures of where the cancer was. When he opened my file I noticed that the ** had perfect pictures of where the cancerous site was pre-biopsy. The Dr apologized, and said he will keep an eye on that site in the future for free. Does that make it ok to charge me for a surgery done improperly? No. Plus do I want to go back to a place that doesnt take the time to make sure they are taking care of the proper site? No. I would like some compensation on wrong site surgery.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/15/2022

  Thank you very much for contacting Forefront Dermatology. We take all concerns seriously. We have been in contact with ****************** and are working toward a mutually acceptable resolution.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/19/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been a patient with forefront dermatology for 2 years+. My appointments are regularly at the Eisenhower road location in *********, **. Instead, I recently had a scheduled visit at the ************ location in ************. That was a terrible patient care and appointment. I met with NP **** (not sure what her last name is). She offered me multiple options for my alopecia. Towards the end of my visit, I asked her if she can file a renewal for PA for a Ciclopirox 1% shampoo I have been receiving treatment for seborrheic dermatitis (mind you at the prior appointment 3 months earlier, I asked nurses to renew this & they ignored my request, this was a second reminder). Second, NP **** offered a *** treatment for alopecia and I need to do it so I asked her if she can also file a PA for this. She said Im not sure, speak to the nurse on your way out. I spoke to this skinny older Caucasian woman, her name might begins with letter B. she said we do NOT process those. I am a pharmacist & I understand PAs through pharmacy vs medical providers (except I didnt tell her that because I care about genuineness of patient care). She dismissed my requests. So once I left, I called the office I am a regular patient at, Eisenhower road. So I did and I spoke to the front desk ************ transferred me to a nurse and I asked her for both PA requests. she said we will take care of them. Fast forward to now, I called my insurance company 50+ to check if a PA was processed though pharmacy & medical providers. For the Ciclopirox 1% shampoo, they processed an incomplete request ONLY ONCE. So I never received that ******************** For the *** treatment, they submitted a PA to the wrong provider, pharmacy instead of medical ************* called 30+ about this & they response is nurses are working on it except my insurance says nothing received. Portal does not work. However, I like my provider NP *****************. Both offices are poorly managed & nurses do NOT care.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/29/2022

  Thank you very much for contacting Forefront Dermatology. We take all concerns seriously. We are continuing to review **************************** concerns and are committed to taking steps to retrain staff and improve our processes going forward.

  ************************ was seen on October 11, 2022 for her appointment and the Ciclopirox 1% shampoo was approved by her insurance company on 10/24/22 with approval number 8377337.
  During her October 11, 2022 visit PRP was discussed as a cosmetic treatment for hair loss, this is a treatment which insurance typically does not cover. On November 3, 2022 a request for review for authorization of PRP was sent by our office to BCBS Complete. We received a response from BCBS Complete requesting additional information and office notes.This additional requested information was faxed on November 22, 2022. We are currently awaiting a decision from BCBS Complete.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/17/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Drove 45 min to appointment only to find out with their late policy they won't take you. That needs to be shared on the phone prior to appt. I can't help accidents on freeway. The phone number stated they were closed. I couldn't get a hold of them.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/17/2022

  Thank you for notifying us of this concern.  We will need a HIPAA authorization from ****************** prior to responding.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/27/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  *******************************, DO, FAAD, POS 10/11 Seven lesions removed. Biopsies due in a week.10/23 Not notified. I call "No rush. It's only cancer"10/24 Office lady ***** calls. Informs me all are basal cell cancer, 2 for MOHS surgery.. Wants to schedule me for 5 appointments. I drive 100 miles one way to get there. Ask if we could break it down to 2 visits.Haven't heard from them since.Do they have ethics in medicine anymore?

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/04/2022

  Thank you very much for contacting Forefront Dermatology. We take all concerns seriously.  We are continuing to review ********************** concerns and are committed to taking steps to retrain staff and improve our processes going forward. 

  On November 1, 2022, ********************** reached out to ****************** to discuss his treatment plan.  At that time, ****************** informed ********************** that he had made the decision to continue his treatment with another dermatology practice.  Per his request, on November 2, 2022 we sent ****************** a copy of his medical records along with an authorization form to send his records to his new dermatologist.   

  If additional information is needed, please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly at ************.

  ***********************

  VP of Compliance, HIPAA Privacy Officer