I'll apologize in advance for this long rant but I'm still reeling from the events of yesterday and know I am among friends here. I had a 9:30 appt with my cardiologist (associated with Penn Medicine, Philadelphia) for an annual appointment. I arrived at 9:15 as instructed to complete paperwork, if any. The receptionist "signed me in" and I took a seat in the waiting room among a couple of other patients. Several other people came in to be signed in and I could feel the headache start. (My first symptom.) At 9:45, I went to the receptionist and said I needed to wait outside. She said when I came back in, I could not wear the mask I had on but would need to wear one of their "approved" ones because the one I was wearing only protected me, not others. (It's a DeBrief me with valve and N99 filter.) I told them I cannot wear the paper masks they offered because they had been sitting in an area sprayed with disinfectant and handled by someone wearing a hand sanitizer which I could not tolerate breathing in. I explained about having a filter in the mask but they didn't care. I was told I would not be seen by the doctor unless I wore their mask. I asked them what would happen if I passed out because of having to wear their mask and, after shrugging of shoulders, was told I should find another doctor. Not only was I humiliated by the cloth mask-wearing receptionist who was joined by the office manager who did most of the talking and another girl who was bare-handling the paper masks she was trying to stuff in an envelope to give me - but mortified, due to my anxiety by this time, that I raised my voice enough to be a spectacle for the other patients in the waiting room. I wish I could find who to write to at Penn Medicine but they are such a huge conglomerate that I've been unsuccessful so far. However, there is hope with sending a letter to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health.