Leslie Storey, MD - Valley Skin Institute

Someone might need the information that I'm about to share with you today:Whether your insurance is a Health Maintenance Organization/HMO (like Kaiser) or a Preferred Provider Organization (YOU chose your own Dr.), you are ALWAYS entitled to a second opinion.If you have skin cancer of ANY type and need a second opinion, I highly recommend Dr. Leslie Storey.If you have been told a 'wide excision' is your ONLY option, you may CONSIDER getting a second opinion, let me explain:Very FEW dermatologists are specially trained in doing what is called a Mohs procedure. This is where skin is removed layer by layer until ALL the cancer cells are removed. This leaves healthy tissue to remain. A 'WIDE Excision Procedure' goes DEEP and WIDE, taking big hunks of viable tissue along with suspected cancer. Also, because it is not done under a microscope (like the Mohs procedure) it can leave cancer cells behind. . . This is especially important on your face and neck, as you don't want to take unnecessary tissue away, or a greater risk of the cancer returning.I knew of Dr. Storey's expertise, so when my husband recently developed a very rapid abscess (which by experience, I KNEW it quickly could develop into a systemic infection) AND sending photos of such to our HMO, we were told that he would not be able to be seen for at least FOUR weeks by the Dermatologist . . . Uh, O-Kaaaay. . . I sent the same photos to Dr. Storey, she immediately saw him, went in and BAMM ! She did a local surgery THEN & THERE! RESOLVED! (Trumpet's blaring) :DThis is TWICE we had to go "out of pocket ", to get the care we needed. I CAN say it was worth EVERY penny! She is THE 'expert' in the San Joaquin Valley and cares MORE about her patients well being than ANYTHING else. . . If I had 10 thumbs, I would hold them all up for her! Guess who is going PPO this fall? ;)

Dr Storey and her staff at Valley Skin Institute are amazing, my 93 year old father had Mohs surgery this afternoon and we are so grateful for Dr Storey's skill, knowledge and all of the time she took today giving my father the best of care.

I've been debating on a review for about a month now. I gave a star because at least she removed my cancer. (hopefully.) I was diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma in February by my trusted Derm here in San Diego. She told me I needed Mohs surgery and that it needed to be removed as soon as possible. My Derm doesn't offer Mohs surgery so I was tasked with finding a doctor for myself. I searched for 10 days and called NUMEROUS different providers until I found an office I felt comfortable with - this is due solely because of the Surgery Scheduler at Valley Skin Institute. I stressed how ABSOLUTELY important it was for me to find a certified Mohs provider who was VERY proficient with plastic surgery type of sutures. My cancer was in the middle of my forehead and I'm 36 - I made sure that Dr Storey was going to provide the smallest lateral line scar possible. I drove 6 hrs to Fresno to see her. The morning of my surgery, Dr Storey mentions that instead of a surgery, she could prescribe a cream RX that I'd use for 6 mo and it'd slowly kill the cancer while creating a wound, "At least it wouldn't be as invasive" - IM SORRY, what?! I'm here for a surgery and now all of the sudden you go against what my derm recommended to offer something that would leave me with an open wound for 6mo?! I'm an esthetician and explained I want the cancer gone TODAY via Mohs like my doctor told me to do. After the first session, dr Storey returned to the room to take a second layer via Mohs. She then tested it again and said I had clear margins. Here's the kicker. She HANDS ME A MIRROR and told me she thinks she wants to "leave it the way it is, because you're young and it'll heal fine." First, to hand someone a mirror directly after surgery and tell them you want to go against our plan to suture it and you want to leave a gaping hole in the middle of my face is absolutely horrifying. I started bawling. I've had plenty of biopsies done and I know how they heal, this was much larger and much deeper than any biopsy so I KNEW IT WOULDNT FILL IN. I explained to her and the 3 nurses staring at me crying, that I am an esthetician and I can hide a lateral line scar. I cannot fill a massive hole in my face and I advocated for a suture closing as that IS WHY I TRAVELED TO SEE HER! She proceeding to show me the best case "after photos" of a minimal biopsy scraping from someone else and the worst "after photo" she could find of a lateral scar to sway me. She said bc she thinks I'm "young" and "don't have forehead lines" that leaving it alone was a great option. I said to her, "I'm 36. I pay hundreds of dollars in botox to not have lines bc I care about my face. Trust me, I have lines to hide a line scar in." In the end, she left a hole in my face instead of suturing it closed like I searched for a provider high and low and travelled to her for. I'm now 36, and I feel Dr Storey did NOT listen to me as a patient, DID NOT follow through with what we'd discussed and planned on, and did NOT even call or have her office reach out to see how I am doing. Just a word of advice, DO NOT GIVE A PATIENT A MIRROR AFTER YOU'VE CUT A MASSIVE HOLE IN THEIR FACE and then tell them you're going to leave it that way. I truly feel wronged, and not listened to, and I feel she rushed that day and now I'm left with a scar forever instead of a minimal line I could've lightened.

Dr. Storey is the best. Valley Skin Institute is efficient, clean, and a very well run operation! Dr. Storey is very empathetic, caring, and excellent at her craft. I came in to remove a Basel (skin cancer) as well as a bump on my neck. Both required surgery. Dr. Storey and her team made me feel at ease throughout the entire process. She followed up with me personally multiple times after the surgery. Everyone is wearing masks and they require a temperature check when you come in. I'm very grateful for Dr. Storey and her team and I would recommend to everyone! Thank you

First time visiting Dr Storey at her private practice. Very nice office. They're on Ingram, just south of Nees. 7777, easy to remember. Everyone I interacted with was super nice and professional. I had a malignant melanoma years ago, so I know I should be better at getting skin checks. I finally went in today. The check was comfortable and thorough. A few pre-cancer spots were frozen and a sample taken for a biopsy of a possible melanoma. Easy Peasy. Painless. In and out in just over an hour. Great processes in place for everyone's health and safety in these unprecedented times. Bring by your mask!! Check out the artwork throughout the office when you go there. Her kids did all the paintings! Absolutely priceless! On my way out, the nice gentleman who checked me out made an appointment for me to go back in a year. Cool-a-roo! No excuses!

I recommend that you do not go to this clinic. I been a patient for 2 years. It took 6 month for them to prescribed the mediation for my skin issue. They had me talking medication that they recieved kick backs on. My insurance refused to pay $5,000 for Talz injection and told them to prescribe me the medication that is common for my issue. Billing department is not the issue. When you get incorrect billing due to the staff and office assistant getting your money. What what your insurance pays. If the staff tells you they not going to charge you for a service-get it in writing. You will be charged. The last straw was I was asked to sign a form to authorize them to access my bloodwork from my primary doctor. This has been the going on since I became a patient. Every time I ho to an appointment, I see a new doctor. Well the doctor I saw in August agree to continue to us my primary bloodwork. Now it October and they told me if I don't go get bloodwork done they will not prescribe my medication. How a doctor going to stop giving their patients medication because they don't want to come out of their pocket for bloodwork. They money hungry. They charge $70 if you miss your appt. They have you waiting for hours in the office then only spend 5 minutes with you. So never go to them. I'll show you my hands and how they looked for 6 months before they actually prescribed the recommended meds for my issue.

Pretty good experience overall. When at provider visit (not going to necessarily be a doctor just like how everywhere is pretty much like now days) everything is great. Just know that when talking with staff on the phone or by text, it is lacking. Be on hold for long time, text messages not answered, voicemail left not returned. They are way too busy for just the two people that I saw upfront. Another patient was complaining that apparently appt was lost but they took the patient in anyway once the patient complained enough. What was kind of funny though was once they were already going to take the patient in, had to still complain for 10 minutes.

I arrived on time, only to be told I had no scheduled appointment. When I insisted I did, the receptionist verified that I had originally been scheduled for Dec. 2, but had been rescheduled for Nov.21. I had received no notice of the change, was not alerted to a November appointment and did not receive any message about a missed appointment. The next time they could work me in was in February, more than 2 months later. I had driven more than 2 hours each way from my home to the office. lost an entire day's time and energy and spent more than $35 for gasoline. For this I did not even receive an apology.The appointment before this one was nearly as bad: arriving for a 10 a.m. slot, I was informed that the practitioner was running an hour behind. It was closer to 1 1/2 hours that I sat, waiting. I'll be looking for a dermatologist who hires competent office and medical staff.

This office is very special! Everyone is very friendly and kind. They have really improved my skin.

This rating is for their appointment procedure and appointment staff. An authorization was sent to them on 9/9/22, which they claimed they never received, after many phone calls, none of which were answered by a person at their office, I was finally told via text to have an authorization faxed to them. They did not provide a number so I requested a number, and an authorization was faxed around 4:00 PM on the 22nd. I texted, because I knew that calling was a waste of time, and asked if they received the authorization. I got no response.I called Friday morning the 23rd, and, of course, got the recording to leave a message. I did and told them that an authorization had been sent, and that I had sent a text inquiring about whether they received it or not, and got no response.Sylvia called and said that there was no fax received and gave me a different number to send the fax to. She said to have the authorization addressed to her, and she would get back to me as soon as she got it. It is Friday at 4:56PM and I have heard nothing!! A phone call by me and my insurance company went to the recording. There is no way to reach anyone other than these people who don't seem to care.What a way to run a business!!??