GW is a mess. Suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I just got home from seeing my OB. It took so long to get an appointment scheduled that I essentially missed a visit. My Dr was shocked looking through all my unanswered WTF messages that hadn't been routed to her. And then told me she is leaving the practice. It's impossible to get appointments- she says that she is basically scheduling all her patients herself because the new system is useless and the burnt out admins have been quitting in record numbers. She said they have shortages in L&D too because of burn out. I.. don't know what to do. I'm a FTM and while I don't need a ton of handholding, I'd like to not be fighting for an appointment and to maybe feel like my healthcare provider takes some responsibility for my care. And now I need a new OB anyway, at 23 weeks. I like that GW has a good record for low medical intervention and a strong NICU if I need it (and I love my OB!). Should I change practices and commit to delivering elsewhere? Should I change OBs and stay at GW/ just see whoever I can get an appointment with? I know GW isn't always popular on the forum, but I'm feeling freaked about leaving, finding a private practice that would take me, etc.

[Anonymous]

I had my 2nd at GW and it was great. I would stick it out if you can. We ended up needing the NICU and it was truly amazing to be able to stay with the baby for as long as I did. Yes GW scheduling is a nightmare but the care is fantastic. For my first pregnancy when I wasn't living in DC, I switched OBs at 25 weeks and it was a mess and required additional scans which I would want to avoid during the COVID surge. I would stay.

[Anonymous]

Where is the OB who is leaving going? You might be able to follow her.

[Anonymous]

OP can you follow the OB to her new practice?

[Anonymous]

If you do decide to switch, I love Inova OBGYN and Inova Fairfax

[Anonymous]

OP here- my OB is moving to Richmond and taking time off! She's that burnt out. I always hear great things about INOVA Fairfax, but I live in the District so it's just too far.

[Anonymous]

As someone who had an emergency induction...Don't get attached to any one individual OB, regardless of what you do. You need to be comfortable with any doctor in the practice group who is on call. The practice I went to (out of state) specifically had patients rotate between providers for this reason (and in fact, my "primary" OB broke her leg when I got induced so she couldn't deliver my baby...it worked out fine.)

[Anonymous]

I went to GW MFA for both my kids (primarily seeing midwives but also so OBs regularly) the admin has always been a bit of a mess. Appointments are hard to make and it’s hard to get anyone on the line. They also went through a lot of changes (new patient portal! New checkin procedure!). It was annoying but not worth leaving for me.

And please don’t tell me it’s Dr. Lesko leaving - she’s the best!

[Anonymous]

Private practice will be much easier. I went to Foxhall. Sibley delivery and I also used the MFM doctors on site, including a visit to the Hopkins main hospital when I had complications. Everything worked out great. Easy to get in. Leave GW - this is a ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Depending where you are in the district— is VHC an option?

[Anonymous]

I was happy with my care with the WHC OBs as well as my NICU experience there.

[Anonymous]

I really liked Foxhall Ob/Gyn.

I have been to GW for other things, and it was just much of a sh!tshow for other specialties as you describe for OB. And this was pre-covid! It's always been a mess.

[Anonymous]

For what it’s worth, I lived in petworth but delivered both kids in Virginia. I made sure to monitor any signs of labor closely and had multiple routes mapped out. I had one at VHC and one at Inova Fairfax. Much preferred VHC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to GW MFA for both my kids (primarily seeing midwives but also so OBs regularly) the admin has always been a bit of a mess. Appointments are hard to make and it’s hard to get anyone on the line. They also went through a lot of changes (new patient portal! New checkin procedure!). It was annoying but not worth leaving for me.

And please don’t tell me it’s Dr. Lesko leaving - she’s the best!

Yup. Dr. Lesko's last appointments are "probably in March"

Admin was an issue before, but now it's off the charts.

[Anonymous]

OP, I feel for you. I am way past having babies but was recommended an Obgyn for my daughter at GW. Twice I called simultaneously on two different phones and gave up after being on hold, on both lines, for 45 minutes. This was after spending a good 10 minutes going through the phone tree.
We are in no hurry but my first thought was thank God I am not a pregnant patient of the practice!

FYI for all of you. I had my first kid through Georgetown, thinking a bigger practice was better. Everything about it was a pain in the neck and my doctor didn’t even deliver my baby.
For child number 2, I went to a solo practitioner and it was 1000x better.