Some residents in northern San Luis Obispo County are running into issues at Templeton Imaging, including trouble making appointments and issues with insurance payments.
Adventist Health acquired two Tenet Health hospitals in San Luis Obispo County in March — Sierra Vista in San Luis Obispo and Twin Cities in Templeton.
"Ever since Adventist took over, people don't answer the phones," said local resident Larry Miller. "They routinely don't answer the phones.”
Miller drives himself and his wife from Paso Robles to Templeton Imaging when their doctors request a scan. Now, he says he has to make an additional trip just to schedule an appointment.
“I tried three different times, just got no answer," Miller said. "So I gave up and I went in and there's three people at the desk and the phone's ringing and nobody's answering it.”
“You have to go physically there in order to make an appointment," said Paso Robles resident Randy Davis. "And I felt especially the elderly people, their pain. Some were coming from San Miguel, out from Creston.”
Both Miller and Davis say there's no lack of competency and they've had relatively good experiences when visiting the center in person.
Other patients who have Anthem Blue Cross or Blue Shield have also reported issues with insurance coverage.
Adventist Health told KSBY in a statement:
"As Templeton Imaging transitions from Tenet Healthcare to Adventist Health, we want to acknowledge the challenges patients may have experienced, particularly with phone accessibility and insurance issues at the imaging center.
We are aware that these changes can be frustrating, and we want to assure our patients that we are actively working to resolve these matters. To improve communication, we are upgrading our phone system, which will be fully operational next month. In the meantime, if patients have immediate concerns, we encourage them to visit our imaging center directly. Our staff is ready to assist them with their individual needs and ensure continuity of care.
We are also in the process of updating our insurance contracts to reduce uninterrupted access to our imaging services. Each health plan is working on implementing new contracts with Templeton Imaging, and we appreciate the community's patience as we navigate the necessary credentialing processes. For questions regarding insurance coverage, we recommend reaching out to the insurance provider for the most accurate information and asking them to add Adventist Health and Templeton Imaging as a provider.
In addition to these efforts, we have increased staffing levels at Templeton Imaging and are revitalizing the space to create a more efficient and comfortable environment for both patients and staff.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we enhance our services for our community. We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible and improving access to the care our patients deserve."
KSBY News reporter Ashley Stevens also reached out to a representative with Anthem but has not yet received a response.
