Imperial Joanne C MD

I was seeing Dr Imperial for a chronic liver condition. My gastroenterologist referred me to Dr Imperial because she’s a hepatologist (specializing in liver disorders). She devised a combination medication that has kept my conditions under control. When side effects showed up she adjusted the combination that reduced the side effects and allowed me to continue taking the medication. She did take a sabbatical leave and I don’t think she’s in private practice at this location at this time but I’m always grateful that her knowledge helped keep my liver ailments under control.

Joanne Imperial was the Gastrointerologist who visited Mariner Medical Center until sometime last year. I was sent to her by Dr. Bowles after my IGg antibody levels came back abnormally high and she determined that I need more specific testing through a specialist to decide whether or not I am Gluten Intolerant.
Dr. Imperial got on my bad side from the second she walked in the door. She didn’t even say «hello» or introduce herself first. She walked in the door and said «You’re not Gluten Intolerant». WTF!?! I know I am not a doctor, and I am sure that people who try to do basic self diagnosis on the internet are probably annoying to real ones, but come on! At least ask me about my symptoms, history … anything before shooting me down like that. It is my body and I have been living in it for much longer that the 30 seconds it took you to scan my chart.
Her reasoning was that other than my IGg antibodies, my blood serum was completely normal. All this told me is that she isn’t up on the latest research on this condition that says that GI may not always present with anemia and malnutrition. I am certainly not malnourished, especially not with high cholesterol, which she pointed out. Of course she didn’t consider my family history at all in this (everyone, and I mean everyone, on my dad’s side of the family has high cholesterol), nor did she really probe into my eating habits. Begrudgingly, she did run a few more blood tests and offered to put me on the calendar for endoscopy (which is the only sure way to diagnose).
Then she disappeared. I got some terse note in the mail saying that she was ill, and was taking a break from medicine. I was very sorry to hear this. I didn’t like her, but I also didn’t think she deserved to be that sick. At the same time her office should have done more to make sure that her current patients got the info they needed to continue their treatment with someone else. But, sadly, no. It took me 3 – 4 months of calling around between her office and Mariner just to get the (relevant) test results back, not to mention the 2 months I waited to start calling and asking where they were.
In the end, the more sensitive blood tests gave a weak positive … well from what I can gather since she isn’t around to explain them to me. The cherry on top is that I have been trying to move medical insurance plans, but I can’t because I don’t have a definitive positive or negative diagnosis. Thanks Dr. Imperial.