Fm: Joseph L. Puente
P.O. Box 262
Mt. Pleasant, UT 84647

To: Patty Banks
Human Resources Director
Central Valley Medical Center
48 West 1500 North
Nephi, UT 84648

Dear Ms. Banks,

I am a V.A. patient being treated at the Fountain Green Medical Clinic. I want to tell you first that I am very happy with the treatment I have received from Physician Assistant Molly Brotherson. She is one of the most helpful physicians I have ever been associated with and also a genuinely nice person. She makes it very easy for me to confide in her my medical needs and she’s also very supportive about both my treatment and my personal efforts to improve my overall health.

However, I have repeatedly had some very negative experiences with one particular staff member at the Fountain Green Clinic. I only know her as Angie and have only seen her working at the reception desk. I am unaware of any other qualifications or duties she may have. All I do know is that she has a very hostile demeanor, at least toward me. Though I have talked to other FGMC patients who have had similar experiences.

I made an appointment with the Fountain Green Clinic toward the end of August and when I arrived for the appointment, Angie insisted that I didn’t have one even though my name was clearly in the schedule.

The misunderstanding was around my status as a V.A. patient. I had not been to the clinic in about a year and I forgot that I had to make my appointment through Debbie at the V.A. Clinic in Nephi.

Regardless of that error on my part, I still had an appointment with Ms. Brotherson and the details of who was going to pay for the visit was really none of Angie’s concern. However, Angie decided to make an issue of it and just kept saying I had no appointment. I was angered by this, I think justifiably so, and I told Angie that I wanted to speak with Ms. Brotherson about it. Angie then threatened to call the police.

Ms. Brotherson came out and spoke with me and resolved a concern I had over my prescription medication and I agreed to reschedule my appointment through the V.A. During this time, Angie and another staff member whose name escapes me, insisted on hovering around Ms. Brotherson and myself which made me very uncomfortable.

My new appointment was on September 2 and I arrived at the clinic around 8:15 AM (the clinic opens at 9:00). I am not currently driving so a friend dropped me off on his way to an appointment in Provo. I had my dog and a tote bag with me and I decided to take my dog for a walk to the nearby park since I had the time before my appointment. I decided to leave my tote bag by the door. It contained a magazine, some manuscripts and a camera. I placed a note on the bag that read “Back at 9:00 - Joe Puente.” Since I left a note with MY NAME and a my return time, I figured there would be no problem.

When I returned a few minutes before 9:00, I found the staff, including Ms. Brotherson and Angie, outside of the building. I was told the bag caused a bit of a scare and that the police were called. Ms. Brotherson asked if the bag was mine. I said that it was and gladly showed her the harmless contents. She and I agreed that this was a simple mistake. I then asked her if she had not read my note. She said she hadn’t but Angie HAD.

When I came out from my checkup, I saw two officers of the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Department waiting WITH Angie. They then took me into an examination room and started berating and browbeating me over post 9/11 etiquette. I told them it was a mistake and that it wouldn’t be repeated. The officers then started lecturing and accusing me about the unpleasantness I had with Angie almost two weeks previous. I was not charged with any crime, just generally harassed by the Sheriff’s Department, which is being addressed in a grievance I am filing with the proper law enforcement authorities.

It is my belief, and I have addressed this with Angie in a letter I wrote to her (copy enclosed), that Angie DELIBERATELY did not tell Ms. Brotherson that the note on my tote bag was from me and that she called the police to try and get me into some kind of trouble in retribution for the problem we had at the time of my last appointment. Angie did not call the police before, despite her threat, nor did she call the police or file a formal complaint after I had left. If she had, I would certainly have been notified.

I am not a psychologist but after years of therapy and reading up on mental health conditions, one tends to learn about things like “transference” and “Passive Aggressive” behavior. These are what I believe I have observed in Angie and I think they need to be seriously addressed.

I am very grateful to the Central Valley Medical Center for entering into their contract with the V.A. It is such a relief knowing I don’t have to make the expensive trip up to Salt Lake City only to be treated like so much human cattle with form DD-214s tagged onto their ears. But I don’t think the V.A. would have entered into this contract with CVMC if they knew that their veterans were going to be treated the way Angie has treated me and I believe that her behavior can potentially threaten renewal of that contract.

I hope you will address this matter with Angie and her immediate supervisor(s).



Sincerely,






Joseph L. Puente