Livermore Pleasanton San Ramon Pediatrics Group - Livermore

Sep 2023

Complaint Against Dr. Alyssa Bianca Tan Velasco for Discriminatory Behavior and MisconductMy family's experience with pediatrician Dr. Alyssa Velasco was marred by unprofessional conduct and apparent discriminatory behavior toward my family due to our racial background. This was a deeply troubling experience that ended with her making several false accusations to social services including that my newborn daughter had jaundice and needed a blood transfusion (she did not), that I was not taking my older daughter to the doctor (I am) & that I was not cooperating with her (I was).1 Communication Breakdown: Following my newborn daughter's appointment I attempted to contact Dr. Velasco on a Friday late afternoon. I was advised to call Monday since she was now out of the office.2 Unexpected Visit by Authorities: To my astonishment social services & the sheriff's office arrived at my door shortly after calling Monday. Acting upon her unfounded accusations. This unexpected visitation left me humiliated, confused and feeling targeted treated like a criminal.3 Denial of Medical Care: My calls were neglected, redirected to two different nurses. One refused to identify herself stating she was there to assist the conversation and instructed me to schedule with another doctor. Velasco did not want to speak with me, failed to return my call and declined to continue treating my child- no explanation or conversation.4 False Medical Claims: She inaccurately reported that my four day old newborn was suffering from jaundice and needed a blood transfusion. My baby required follow up blood tests, at no point did her condition warrant a blood transfusion. My daughter improved significantly within a day, her bilirubin levels dropped to a low level.5 Insurance Confusion: A major insurance issue arose at the hospital lab. I was informed that my insurance was not accepted, despite being accepted the previous day. This miscommunication contributed to further complications. Lab staff redirected me to Quest for testing indicating a lack of coordination between the lab and Velascos office. She clearly is unaware of insurance practices.6 Unilateral Appointment Scheduling: Velasco unilaterally scheduled an appointment for Saturday without obtaining my confirmation. It was to be contingent upon the events of Friday which did not happen.7 Unjustified CPS Reporting: She unjustifiably inquired about my older daughter's medical history. I disclosed we had switched doctors. She reported to CPS that my other daughter had not received recent medical care. She is currently under the care of a different doctor in excellent health. Dr. Velasco's unwarranted involvement in this exceeded her professional boundaries and appeared motivated by a desire to fabricate information to justify her actions with social services.8 Lack of Reporting Standards: Stanford Medicine's practice of allowing employees to report without clear standards or thresholds is irresponsible. Mandatory reporting should be reserved exclusively for clear instances of abuse such as visible signs of harm. Misuse of mandatory reporting especially driven by racial bias and unfounded allegations is deeply concerning.9 Racial Discrimination: The incident strongly suggests racial discrimination against my family, who are people of color. Her actions appeared to be rooted in bias against our cultural background. Even if Dr. Velasco does not consciously harbor racist beliefs, her conduct undoubtedly appeared racially biased. She consistently communicated in a condescending manner as if she assumed we were incapable of comprehension. Her manner of explanation came across as excessively patronizing. She continued to mispronounce my daughter's name although she was corrected.10 Attempt to Evade Accountability: It strongly appears that Velasco attempted to exploit the anonymity of mandatory reporting to conceal her actions plus evade accountability. A written apology from one of the nurses confirmed her involvement in the report.

Sep 2017

We have taken both of our kids here since their 2 week appointments. We love the staff and the doctors. Always so friendly and courteous. Dr. Werne has seen both of my kids grow up and has always given our children the absolute best care.