Tahir Irfan MD

This doctor was extremely rude and did not listen to my problems. He spent more time explaining that he doesn’t prescribe narcotics than he did explaining what might be wrong with me. (Note: I never even mentioned medicine to him other than what I already take)

To put it bluntly my experience at the Health Care Partners of Nevada Urgent Care clinic with this doctor was hands down the worst experience I’ve ever had with a physician. Never have I encountered a doctor so rude and unprofessional.
Background: I come down with severe tonsillitis infections yearly & before moving to Vegas have had a routine that always works for me since I opted out of removing my tonsils years ago. I go in to my provider for a strep test and pending the results I either start on antibiotics (positive test) or I’m given a combination of ibuprofen and narcotics as well as a steroid to help with the inflammation and swelling (negative test). This may sound like a lot, however this infection results in the most swollen and excruciating throat pain imaginable… literally like someone took a machete to the back of your throat.
Now, I’m a member of the healthcare community myself and choose to avoid prescription drugs at all costs while opting for more holistic treatment whenever possible. I work in a local hospital & think our healthcare system is broken due to lack of emphasis on nutrition and disease prevention, combined with over-​prescribing of pharmaceuticals. However, this tonsillitis is another breed of virus and when I get it I’m out of commission for two weeks minimum. Every swallow brings tears to my eyes, and I take the necessary steps to keep the pain controlled simply so I can manage more than a few hours of sleep at a time. Let me also add that we see a lot of «drug-​seeking» behavior and addicts coming through the hospitals and they have unfortunately ruined it for those of us who actually need temporary pain relief.
The Visit: Upon entering my exam room the first thing this man says is that he doesn’t want me to stay seated because he has a bad back. So I proceed to stand during the entire exam… Next, instead of allowing me to bring him up to date with an appropriate amount of my history he elects to cut me off after every fifth word out of my mouth to go on about the troubles in his own life. He took a half second peak in my throat, and proceeded to write me a script for antibiotics. When I tried to tell him I wanted the strep test because I don’t take antibiotics if the infection is viral, he proceeded to again continue cutting me off and making remarks about his own life and experience that had no relevance whatsoever to my visit. (and PS… over prescribed antibiotics are leading this country into a dangerous new war with returning antibiotic resistant bacteria we thought we had controlled decades ago! Avoid taking them unless absolutely necessary!!!)
I also tried explaining my history of insomnia and how pain control is essential for me in order to get enough sleep to help fight off infection. He in turn cut me off to tell me about his own personal troubles with sleep and how he wasn’t able to get to bed until 4am last night… He told me to just take Ibuprofen and throat spray, which was basically like telling someone with a severed foot to put a band-​aid on it. I tried to explain how I was currently taking max doses of ibuprofen & acetaminophen with no relief whatsoever, and that I normally get a few stronger pills just to help me get to sleep. However, I was not even able to get that much out before he started going off on me about how taking ibuprofen is better for me than pain control because it’s an anti-​inflammatory and that if I want stronger medication I need to find another doctor. Well thanks Sherlock, but getting in to see a primary can take months and I don’t need pain controlled on a regular basis, just for my present condition.
I was so frustrated I proceeded to start crying right there in his office, which I can honestly say is a first for me. However chronic sleep deprivation combined with severe pain, stress, and lack of control over the situation got the better of me. His response was to abruptly walk out of the room.
In summary I spent almost three hours in a waiting room with absolutely nothing to show for it and would have been better off staying home. Shame on this doctor for bringing his own misfortune to the table in front of patients in pain & distress. Avoid this physician if possible, as nobody with this kind of woe-​is-​me attitude should be practicing medicine.

I’ve dealt with a lot of docs in my job. Dr Tahir was superb. Thoughtful, insightful, listened, took in the full picture, and was extremely intelligent and clear with his diagnosis and treatment recommendations. He stands out as a supremely good example of professional excellence and interpersonal humanity.