Today was not a good one. I had an appointment to take a blood test at Quest Diagnostics in the Dadeland center. That’s in Miami, Florida. Since it required that I fast, my mom made an appointment for me in the morning so that we didn’t have to wait. Quest Diagnostics, unlike LabCorp, allows you to make appointments for the extraction of blood. When we arrived at the Quest facility we found no wheelchair access to the building. The building was undergoing repairs and the only way in was up six steps. In my wheelchair, that wasn’t going to happen. My mom decided we would go to another Quest location a few blocks further south, the Kendall Drive center.
When we got there my mom explained what had happened to the receptionist. They told us it wasn’t their fault the other center had an accessiblity problem and that they would take me, but I would have to wait 45 minutes or so. My mom, my service dog Fred and I hung out waiting. This is a picture of Fred working. He is a Golden Retriever and is trained to be my assistant and companion. He’s almost like a person and has over 80 commands to assist me.
Well after an hour went by, a Quest lab lady opened the door to call the next patient. She saw Fred sitting next to me in heal position and yelled from across the room that we had to leave. No dogs were allowed in the facility. Remember this is 1 hour after we arrived and had been sitting there! We told her that Fred was not a pet, rather he was a full access service animal who had the legal right to be with me everywhere I went. She continued to insist that we leave; Speaking at us from across the room and making me feel humiliated and embarrassed. My mom told her she was in violation of the ADA laws and we were not leaving, and if she had a problem with that she should call the police and we would see who was right. The tech turned her back and slammed the door.
When my mom requested to speak with a supervisor she was told there wasn’t one on duty. A few minuets later we were flagged to a window and I was told that I would have to leave, and that if I wanted the blood drawn then they would meet me at the car where they would take my blood, as if I had a disease and needed to be kept away from people. The women had the nerve to tell us that they were a medical facility and didn’t need to follow the ADA laws. They only needed to follow the Quest policies, and that is that no animals are allowed in the facility, including service dogs.
When my mom told them that 1) Fred had gone with me into operating rooms and that the blood lab was not a sterile environment and 2) ADA laws trumped Quest policies, only then did another lab tech concede that the first tech was afraid of dogs. Was that an after the fact excuse for their ignorance and arrogance? If it was the truth then it would have been much easier if they had been up front in the beginning. I am always sensitive to other’s reaction to Fred. But why did I have to go to the car and have my blood drawn there? Why couldn’t the tech that was afraid of dogs be asked to go to a different room or to take a break for a few minuets? Another tech could have handled the blood extraction.
The problem here is bigger then just the discrimination against me and Fred that Quest’s employees exhibited. The problem is that ADA laws exist for a reason, to keep order. The American with Disabilities Act must be followed without discrimination, that is its purpose. Why is it that large companies, such as Quest Diagnostics, and some people working with the general population, are so ignorant to it? Isn’t it the responsibility of employers to make their employees aware of what is right or wrong in certain situations? This tech was clearly not taught the law and I believe that it might be a company wide issue.
So what is the result? My parents will be calling Quest managers on Monday to see how they are going to treat the matter. They obviously need to properly train their employees about ADA requirements. What do I want out of it? I want a public apology from Quest, and I want to see the two women who mistreated me fired. Not for what they did or didn’t know about the law, but for what they clearly didn’t know about respect, customer service and compassion for other human beings.
7 Comments
I work for Quest Diagnostics and I assure you that this is not how our clients are to be treated. I am going to forward this link to our executive office and request that the matter be investigated. You were clearly not treated well and in accordance with company standards if this is in fact as you describe it.
I am appalled at the way this ignorant tech treated you…just appalled and I live north of you and pray I never witness this kind of treatment. For I would have stood up and told the tech off for being so rude and so unprofessional. I agree she need to be let go…there are tooooo many people out ther qualified andlooking for jobs..and they would be more respectful.
Thank you for sharing your experience..
I did the advanced training on Fred (some of you may remember him as Frasier)
and the team training with Illana and Fred March of 2008. Fred has and uses
full service dog skills for Illana. This is an example of some of the
difficulties people with disabilities encounter. This type of reaction is also
the reason that during our classes I keep going on about how important it is for
our dogs to be as well behaved and invisible as possible in public. Knowing
Marci, Illana’s mom, there will be a lawsuit.
I am shocked but not surprised by the treatment (or lack of treatment)to Illana by Quest.This happens way to often but not enough is done to fix the problem. What they didn’t know is they messed with the wrong family! I am thrilled that this message beautifully written by Illana will get to Quest’s Corp and I pray that something will be done. There are two many Good people out there who need jobs and would treat people especially with disabilities (I being one of the)with care and humane treatment. Marci & Illana I am so sorry this happened to you I hope it will be the last time. You have enough problems you don’t and shouldn’t have to deal with ignorant people. Did you ever get your blood taken?
Hi Illana. curMy family and I are currently puppy raisers for New Horizons and came across your blog from a link on facebook. I am saddened by the treatment you recieved over the weekend. This is one of the biggest reasons I feel community education is so needed. I can’t imagine this is the first time that particular medical facility had a service dog in its presence, I hate to imagine how many other people they have affected in this manner. Do you mind if I put a link to your post on my blog? Thank you for sharing your experience.
Hi Megan. First let me start by thanking you for the work that you and your family do by raising puppies. Without families such as yours there would not be dogs like Fred, who is my service dog, for people like me and others with disabilities. I would like nothing more than for you to link this info on your blog. Also, please feel free to link or submit anything of interest about the training of service dogs to mine. All my best – Lani
I am so assamed of this so called lab Quest Diagnostics for this cruelty, and disregard for ADA laws. I also went into a facility and was treated very rudely and have no disabilities I am aware of except my skin color I suppose was the reason for this technician’s smug attitude. May God Bless You and keep going for whats right.
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