Vu Anh Tran

Let me just say that I have tried to work out my complaint with Dr. Tran, but to no avail. So I am expressing my grievance here in order that you, the future or existing patient, can avoid having a similar experience.

My primary care doctor referred me to Dr. Tran in 2013 for Sleep Apnea, which I have been treated for since 1999. Dr. Tran is part of the Sutter network, as is my physician.

I submitted to an overnight Sleep Study, which was arguably the worst night sleep of my life, but necessary. Then, a prescription was sent to a local provider (Valley Oxygen) for a new "BiPap machine and related equipment.

When I went to pick up machine and get mask fitted by a respiratory therapist, they were flummoxed: "The prescription that Dr. Tran wrote for your BiPap machine is higher than the machine's settings go." The tech at Valley Oxygen then showed me how to lower and raise the settings, should I need to do so. I lowered the settings to slightly higher than my previous settings. Dr. Tran's response when I met with him shortly after was to just leave the settings where I had set them (which was half of the level he had ordered and which literally blew the mask from my face).

Recently, I had the need for insurance and provider reasons to obtain a new machine and gear. I wanted to use Apria Healthcare, where I had gone for years prior to Dr. Tran and Valley Oxygen. Dr. Tran said that he would order a new machine and gear. However, when I followed up with Apria a week later, they stated that they had received the prescription -- but that it had no signature. I contacted Dr. Tran's office, and staff said they would take care of it. I received a phone call from Apria. Few days later: they now had a signed prescription, but no settings on it for the machine.

I then emailed Dr. Tran and expressed my disappointment on the level of care that I was getting, and outlined the above details. His email reply was to take no responsibility, and to instead tell me that if I didn't like his office, that I could go elsewhere.

I still needed my machine! I asked him to please order new machine with settings on prescription. He indicated in email that he would. As of this past Friday, more than a week later, Apria had no record of a new prescription.

A face mask and hose did arrive. However, it was not the kind of mask that I had asked for and consequently did not work. I emailed Dr. Tran, who said he would order replacement. However, insurance states that doctor must let them know it is a 30-day exchange. Dr. Tran's office is not willing to do this.

At this point, I have a machine that I have to return to its owner, and no working mask, On May 15, Dr. Tran told his staff to have me meet with their respiratory therapist the week of May 29. This was unacceptable because as a Sleep Apnea patient, I require both mask and machine to sleep at night. Dr. Tran would not authorize a new "sample" mask, as he has done in the past. That evening, I received another email from him stating that since I was not satisfied with his office, that I should go elsewhere.

I have since contacted Sutter Health to complain about Dr. Tran. I am grateful that I am not an Oxygen patient because I would likely be dead given this type of "care".