North Queensland Neurology at 37/21 Fulham Road in Pimlico, QLD

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Reviews about North Queensland Neurology

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  I saw Dr Costello for the second time yesterday. I asked him why he had ordered an MRI, as it was expensive, and a drama due to my claustrophobia. Dr Costello explained that he wanted to know the extent of my back problem as it could be causing symptoms that might otherwise be attributed to Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS – the problem that I was seeing him about). He subsequently gave me a prescription that was identical to my previous prescription. I then asked Dr Costello how the MRI factored into my treatment. Dr Costello replied slowly and loudly AS. I. ALREADY. TOLD. YOU. I. WANTED. THE. MRI. BECAUSE… and he continued with the same explanation as before, with his head moving from left to right and back to punctuate each word. My jaw dropped. When he finished, I told him that he should not speak to a patient in such an inappropriate manner. He said that I asked the same question twice. I asked a different question, but even if I had asked the same question a second time, what is wrong with that? Dr Costello charged me $160 for the 15 minutes of his time yesterday. He is very well paid to answer patient questions. No doubt that patients do not always understand a doctor’s explanation, and ask a second time. And a doctor should then patiently explain again, but use different terminology and examples for clarity. When Dr Costello repeatedly asked me whether I would be seeing him again, or seeing my GP for the RLS, I told Dr Costello that I needed to consider whether I could tolerate being treated in such a condescending and demeaning … And he interrupted me, as is his habit. He said he would also have to consider it. He successfully flipped it back to him as the victim. I had offer to provide him a copy of a medical journal article about RLS augmentation by a doctor specialising in RLS, when Dr Costello told me his treatment plan for augmentation which went against the specialist recommendations. Dr Costello refused to read the article but was obviously offended. I do not recommend Dr Costello, particularly for RLS. He is not informed about RLS. He argued vehemently during my first appointment that opioids were not a recognised treatment. Finally he looked it up on his computer, and conceded that opioids are a recognised treatment but he would not prescribe opioids because they are not first-line. Clearly Dr Costello is not informed about RLS and his refusal to accept a medical journal article about RLS augmentation demonstrated an unwillingness to become better informed. As the only private neurologist serving Cairns, and with the wait list for a public neurologist two years long for non-urgent matters (when I checked, although there is an additional public neurologist now), Dr Costello is busy with patients. He told me that he receives 55 referrals a week. So Dr Costello does not have to treat patients with courtesy and civility as he has plenty of patients and a long waiting list. In summary, Dr Costello repeatedly interrupts patients, speaks in lengthy monologues whilst looking at his computer, is condescending and demeaning when asked a question twice, provided inaccurate information about RLS, and is expensive ($370 for the first 20 minute visit and $160 for the second 15 minute visit). He did prescribe the appropriate medication which addressed my symptoms. I will not be returning to Dr Costello as I refuse to allow people to speak to me the way that he spoke to me and he is not sufficiently knowledgeable about RLS. My husband attended the first appointment. His impression immediately after leaving the clinic was that Dr Costello was very arrogant, lectured me whilst looking at his computer, made little eye contact with me, and interrupted me repeatedly. Perhaps arrogance and poor communication goes with being a specialist.
  Karen Higgins

  February 01, 2017

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