Avalon Urgent Care Center

I have gone here several times and each time gets worse. Last night was the last time I will step foot in the door
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In the waiting room sits an old Asian man who is coughing without covering his mouth (to which I said out loud «Come on man, cover your mouth!»), and he is aiming it at the 3 children sitting next to him (ages 3, 2, and 1 month old). He gets called back and comes out quickly and exclaims «Well last year it was negative!» to which the nurse replies «Well, this year, your TB test is positive and you need to go have a chest x-​ray. Here is a place that accepts cash patients.» My husband and I look at each other with a look of horror. This guy has no insurance and you KNOW he isnt going to pay for a chest x-​ray. I tell hubby to look up WebMD for TB treatment. 9 months of antibiotic. Awesome.
We get called back and checked in by the nurse. In comes a «physician assistant» — I would still like to see her licensing because I am highly skeptical. She is older, very disheveled looking and clearly has a chip on her shoulder. Asks why I am there. I tell her that I need an antibiotic for a sinus infection (let me give you some history here. I just had sinus surgery in May of this year for chronic sinus infections, deviated septum and enlarged sinuses. I CLEARLY know when I am getting an infection as I have dealt with them for almost 20 years before having surgery. You know your body better than anyone else.)
She proceeds to «school» me in a highly condescending way, and interspersing it with laughter, that I do NOT have an infection because I don’t have a fever. I tell her that I have been having these chronically for 20 years, almost NEVER get a fever and please, can I just have a Z-​Pac and go on my merry way? I am not asking for pain pills, anything that I could get high on or anything that would be questionable. I just want a Z-​Pac. I’ve been having a migraine that wont quit for almost 2 weeks, I cant take any pain killers for it (nothing that thins the blood due to a medical procedure within 5 days I am getting done) so can I please just have the antibiotics? She proceeds to ask «What is that?» when she hears the procedure I am having done. I have to explain it to her, like you would a two year old, that I am getting a camera down my throat for a stomach biopsy. She then says «Well, why couldnt you take blood thinners?» At this point, I am staring at her like she has three heads and realizing that this is an enormous waste of time, this woman is actually dangerous and I start looking around for a hidden camera because this is clearly being taped for a joke show. She tells me to use nose spray and continues to shriek that she wont give me anything to «stop you up». All I wanted was a freaking antibiotic to get RID of it but clearly, Einstein wasn’t getting it. She then pronounces in grand fashion that I have a «viral infection» and she will NOT give me an antibiotic but that my nasal passages are swollen.
Before I leave, I ask her is there anything that my husband and I can do to protect ourselves from the Asian man with TB? She says «Oh, I am 99% sure he doesnt have that. He was probably vaccinated against that „over there“. Thats why it comes up positive.» I said «Um, he said his test was negative last year» to which she replies «Oh, well, we have a large bubble of protection here in the USA that doesnt let us catch it!». My husband and I look at each other and I say «Oh, because we vaccinate for it here in the USA?» and she says «No, we don’t vaccinate for it…» and proceeds to look lost.
At that moment, I bolted from the room, scared that the stupid that was pouring out of her may be catchy.
Do yourself a favor, go to the Urgent Care over by Applebee’s (they are great) or go down the hill. Sadly, my insurance only has Avalon as an authorized facility up here now so we have to go down the hill to get a decent urgent care.

Even if you’re bleeding from your eyes, or whatever, avoid this place.
We just left Avalon Urgent Care after they REFUSED to see my daughter for a Worker’s Comp. follow-​up. On her first visit for this issue, she was hassled by the staff because they had messed up the billing on one of her prior visits and insisted that she owed them $ 250.
Only after we told them she was there on a Worker’s Comp. issue, did they agree to treat her, if you could call their exam «treatment».
She told the sloppy doctor (my wife calls him «The Juggler» because he has a habit of putting his hands in his pockets and adjusting himself) that she had been hit in the head by two heavy boxes and described the pain and numbness she had experienced since. He proceeded to jerk her head and neck around, to the point she cried out, and then said «You’re fine, you can go back to work.» We insisted he keep her out of work, but he would only give her a note for one day off before a follow-​up. Went back today for the follow-​up, and the surly woman at the front desk, immediately told us they were not taking any more patients, even though it was only 12:30 pm and their posted hours were 7 to 4. When we said we were there because the doctor had required it, she told us to wait, then reappeared to tell us «The doctor looked at your chart and said come back Monday.» When we asked for a note for her work stating that they had refused to see her, they refused that as well, and were angry and totally rude toward us for asking.
This place is absolutely USELESS to anyone needing anything more than a drug test or a Band-​Aid, as they seem to be totally indifferent to the health and welfare of their patients.

Absolutely terrible. I have used Avalon for a while now, and I’ve always had great experiences.
My visit yesterday (3÷19÷15) was horrendous. The girl at check-​in was very nice. One hour wait time. After being called to the back, the nurse did her job and was nice. They were having some difficulty with the blood pressure cuff, oddly enough, so she had to use a different cuff at my wrist («it’s the cuff, not you» she assured me).
Now the doctor walks in. The only way I was able to point him as the doctor was the stethoscope around his neck (which any hobo can buy at walmart across the street). This man had hair that looked worse than my sick-​bedhead, and his shirt was trying to be tucked in, while failing miserably. The «doctor» looked at me, asked me 1 question, grabbed a tongue depressor, and looked in my throat (okay, I can see that…). He then touched my neck («ow!»), and then said «Okay, here’s some penicillin.» Then he just walked out! I was still sitting because I thought maybe he was getting something, yet halfway out the door he says «come get your prescription».
Um, what?! I spent more time with the nurse! I filled my script and came home. Fast forward to early this morning (1 am), and my ear feels as though it’s going to explode. This man didn’t look at any of my other issues (only my sore throat), nor did he ask any questions. I’m highly disappointed in this facility.
Though I pay out of pocket, I’m going to the other urgent care instead of Avalon. This facility might be cheaper ($ 60 vs $ 100+ at other facilities), but the lack of professionalism and lack of care will cause me to go elsewhere.

I am adding my unfavorable review to all the others regarding Avalon Urgent Care.
I went to the center with a debilitating and lingering cough. The attending physician appeared very unprofessional with his shirt untucked in back. He listened to my lungs, said they sounded OK, and offered a prescription for an antibiotic, He agreed to my request for a chest x-​ray, said it looked OK, and gave me prescriptions for a cough syrup and antibiotic.
My bigger problem was the condition of the facility itself. The exam room where I was taken was seriously in need of painting and had a dirty floor. On the ceiling next to the overhead fluorescent light fixture, what appeared to be a section of sprayed-​on asbestos was peeling off.
I knew I was foolish to go to urgent care in a small town where I was unlikely to see a real urgent care provider. However, I did not expect unprofessional and unsafe appearances and condition. I have filed a complaint with the CA State Health Department to be sure the apparent asbestos issue is addressed.

Was appalled by the attitude of the receptionist and nurse on a recent visit. I am in the medical profression and in all my years of dealing with the public I have NEVER seen such rude behavior by employees to their customers. Every person in the waiting rooms jaw dropped at how the receptionist spoke to a client. The nurses treatment of me during my visit was even worse. I can’t express how disgusted I feel about this place because of these 2 ladies.

I have been going to this urgent care for over 20 years. In that time most of the Doctors were suited to the task of figuring out what is wrong with me or my family.
The latest Dr. they have is a jerk! He is very short with white people and gets you out of there in a hurry. He is just the opposite if you are a person of color like him. I will not be back!

Absolutely terrible, do not come here, the Dr spent 3 mins with me, failed to diagnose my infection, and just gave me amoxicillin, the next day I went to DRMC in Palm Springs, after a short wait the PA was able to diagnose my condition and prescribed me the pain relieving medication I needed until the virus passed, and gave me 10mins of his time to explain the condition and what would make it better or worse. However IF YOU VALUE YOUR HEALTH DO NOT GO TO AVALON URGENT CARE, I will never again, you are better off going to Desert Regional Hospital…

I would think twice before going to this urgent care. There is only maybe 2 desk staff that are very nice, and answer your questions. For the lady in the back, she is very mean, and can careless. Her name is Raquel Felan. I will no longer go to this urgent care because for her.
The doctors in the office should really take a closer look at the staff that is working for them.
I did really like this office, I dont know what happened.

I moved to Joshua Tree the end of 2008 and have the great fortune of not getting sick till now. So without a primary doctor I went to Avalon Urgent Care on the third day of a sore throat & headache. I broke down when I saw white spots on my throat.
The front desk was helpful and friendly. The nurse didn’t have much of a bedside personality & wasn’t concerned when my blood pressure was higher than it has ever been in my life. I’m hoping it was only because I was sick. The doctor had less bedside personality than the nurse & asked few questions. He looked at my throat, wrote me a couple prescriptions & that was that.
I guess I’m used to a certain standard of care and I am spoiled from Henry Ford Medical Center I used to go to in MI. First of all there was no quick blood test to check my white blood cell count to see if I had a virus or bacterial infection. Secondly, after seeing my throat there was not strep test done. No, just a couple of generic prescriptions of penicillin and Motrin.
I guess it would be all fine and good if I had gotten better. Sadly, I have one more pill to take and my throat is still sore, I still have half of a voice and I’m still coughing up a lung while trying to sleep at night. I called them today and told them my health situation. They told me my only option was to come back in and be reevaluated.
My feelings are that they care more about their co-​pays then the health of the people that walk in and out of their doors.

I have frequented this place many time over the years… but you couldn’t pay me enough to ever go back there. The few last trips I made there were horrible. The doctors are complete jerks, and fail to communicate anything. The nurses seem to have the level of education that you would find in a third grader. They actually have pamphlets displayed on their wall hanging sharps containers, and their magazine selection laying on their bio-​hazard trashcan. GROSS. Osha needs to shut this place down, period.

I had a very rude woman help me at the counter. The waiting room stunk like death and there were weird wet marks on the floor, chairs, and magazines. I got sick not long after visiting and feel like it was their lack of hygiene that was the main factor.