Terrible experience at Foxhall pediatrics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No excuse for you showing up 10 minutes late to a doctor appointment and expecting zero consequences.

This is just bogus to say considering they don’t even schedule you to see the doctor til at least 15 or 20 mins after your appointment time.

[Anonymous]

We go to CP&A’s foggy bottom office and haven’t experienced rude staff there. But I will say that nearly every other doctor’s office I’ve been to in DC has rude staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No excuse for you showing up 10 minutes late to a doctor appointment and expecting zero consequences.

This is just bogus to say considering they don’t even schedule you to see the doctor til at least 15 or 20 mins after your appointment time.

Is it really that weird? I think every doctor’s office I go to has a policy that if you’re more than 10 minutes late, they will charge a late fee and may reschedule you. Obviously getting places on time with small children is difficult, but what else are they supposed to do? People would complain if they had to wait too long for their appointments because doctor is running behind, and they would complain about not being seen for a full-length visit.

[Anonymous]

I love the doctors there, which is why we stay, but agree the admin staff is really not great to deal with (and, no, I don’t show up late, so that isn’t my issue personally). I considered switching because of it early on, but Dr Daniel really is so sweet and caring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No excuse for you showing up 10 minutes late to a doctor appointment and expecting zero consequences.

This is just bogus to say considering they don’t even schedule you to see the doctor til at least 15 or 20 mins after your appointment time.

Is it really that weird? I think every doctor’s office I go to has a policy that if you’re more than 10 minutes late, they will charge a late fee and may reschedule you. Obviously getting places on time with small children is difficult, but what else are they supposed to do? People would complain if they had to wait too long for their appointments because doctor is running behind, and they would complain about not being seen for a full-length visit.

I’m one of the PPs who goes to CPNA Foggy Bottom — they have never charged me a late fee or given me a hard time if I run late. Sometimes *they* run very late (especially at the foggy bottom office) but they’re all always super nice about it and generally really apologetic when unexpected things happen (last time I was there for a sick visit the doctor I was supposed to see had to deal with a medical emergency with another patient so I got seen by someone else and had a bit of a wait). The Capitol Hill office tends to run very efficiently; they almost always see me in five minutes or so even when I arrive early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No excuse for you showing up 10 minutes late to a doctor appointment and expecting zero consequences.

This is just bogus to say considering they don’t even schedule you to see the doctor til at least 15 or 20 mins after your appointment time.

Is it really that weird? I think every doctor’s office I go to has a policy that if you’re more than 10 minutes late, they will charge a late fee and may reschedule you. Obviously getting places on time with small children is difficult, but what else are they supposed to do? People would complain if they had to wait too long for their appointments because doctor is running behind, and they would complain about not being seen for a full-length visit.

+1 I appreciate offices that charge late fees because otherwise the patients with appointments later in the day may have to wait longer due to other people's tardiness. And yes, I have small kids and still manage to be on time!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like the problem is you actually.

From your answer, I assume you don’t have young children.

Single parent with young kids AND a pediatrician actually. Expecting to be seen when you are late is selfish and entitled. Expecting sympathy that you didn't get special treatment for your sick kid (we all drive in rush hour traffic, we all have sick kids...if they are "very sick" don't take them to the peds office) is entitled and selfish. I deal with parents like this every day. OP is the nuisance here, people are rude to her because she is likely rude at the onset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recently moved to the DC area and was recommended Foxhall pediatrics. The doctors are great but the staff is absolutely horrendous. I have been there on multiple occasions where they have canceled appointments. One occasion, a sick appointment was canceled after I had already shown up to the office. I took my very sick 2 year old to be seen in the middle of rush hour traffic only to be turned away without so much as phone call. The office manager, who has the worst customer service, basically said she didn’t care and that the doctor had a personal event to attend and was running behind. I ended up having to go to urgent care where my child was diagnosed with an ear infection and hand foot mouth. On another occasion, they wanted to charge me a late fee for being 10 minutes late to the appointment. Again, I dealt with the office manager, who was not accommodating at all. I find the office staff to be unfriendly, and generally disinterested. I have been there three times and the receptionists have never even said hello to my child. It’s a pediatric office so I find the behavior unbelievable. This is sort of a rant but very interested in recommendations for a new pediatrician in NW. also curious if anyone has had similar experiences with the staff?

I’m sorry you’ve had bad experiences. I’ve been taking my son there for a few years and have never had any problems. Dr Sweeney is his main doctor and I find her to be warm and wonderful. She’s helped us navigate a few complex health situations, including advocating for us when we needed to see a specialist and the wait for an appointment was long. I’ve never had an issue with the staff. I haven’t noticed whether they say hello to my son or not, so maybe I’m a bad mom. Dr Daniel has also seen him on a couple of occasions, and last time we came in, she was in the lobby and said hello and greeted him by name.

It’s appalling that they canceled on you when you arrived. Have you reached out to the doctors directly? It’s a small practice and I think they would be responsive to your concerns.

I will say that late fees are common and you did say you showed up late, so don’t expect a different experience on that front at a different pediatrician’s office.

Thanks for your comment. We have been seeing Dr. Daniel and she has been great. I will definitely reach out to the doctors directly. But I do know that I am not the only one that has had an issue with the front desk staff. My issues were not only in regard to the late charge so even if I had to deal with that elsewhere, I'd rather do it at a practice with a pleasant staff. The office visits are not a free service so I don't think they are exempt from any customer service.

Thanks again for all the recommendations. I'm looking forward to seeing another practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like the problem is you actually.

From your answer, I assume you don’t have young children.

Single parent with young kids AND a pediatrician actually. Expecting to be seen when you are late is selfish and entitled. Expecting sympathy that you didn't get special treatment for your sick kid (we all drive in rush hour traffic, we all have sick kids...if they are "very sick" don't take them to the peds office) is entitled and selfish. I deal with parents like this every day. OP is the nuisance here, people are rude to her because she is likely rude at the onset.

You obviously work at the office and instead of getting defensive, you should relay our concerns to the Doctors. I am not alone, and you are no-ones' pediatrician the way you are acting on this forum with us right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like the problem is you actually.

From your answer, I assume you don’t have young children.

Single parent with young kids AND a pediatrician actually. Expecting to be seen when you are late is selfish and entitled. Expecting sympathy that you didn't get special treatment for your sick kid (we all drive in rush hour traffic, we all have sick kids...if they are "very sick" don't take them to the peds office) is entitled and selfish. I deal with parents like this every day. OP is the nuisance here, people are rude to her because she is likely rude at the onset.

You obviously work at the office and instead of getting defensive, you should relay our concerns to the Doctors. I am not alone, and you are no-ones' pediatrician the way you are acting on this forum with us right now.

Feeling like you deserve fees because someone had trouble getting to an appointment sounds like entitlement to me. This forum is for parents and not for pediatricians and/or their staff to spy on parents. You are a guest here. Act accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like the problem is you actually.

From your answer, I assume you don’t have young children.

Single parent with young kids AND a pediatrician actually. Expecting to be seen when you are late is selfish and entitled. Expecting sympathy that you didn't get special treatment for your sick kid (we all drive in rush hour traffic, we all have sick kids...if they are "very sick" don't take them to the peds office) is entitled and selfish. I deal with parents like this every day. OP is the nuisance here, people are rude to her because she is likely rude at the onset.

OP here. Your comments have been rude, judgmental and entitled. I am sorry that parents would have to deal with you based on the personality you have shown on this forum. I am also in a demanding field with clients who may need me when they are in times of distress. I would not imagine charging them an additional fee or scolding them because they are having a bad day because of circumstances out of their control. Good luck to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No excuse for you showing up 10 minutes late to a doctor appointment and expecting zero consequences.

This is a ridiculous post when literally every doctor's appointment I've ever had runs 10 to 30 minutes late. The doctors can be excused for being late for appointments you can be excused once for being late. I've left 30 minutes before I need to sometimes and because of an accident closing down a road or rain or whatever it's not enough time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No excuse for you showing up 10 minutes late to a doctor appointment and expecting zero consequences.

This is a ridiculous post when literally every doctor's appointment I've ever had runs 10 to 30 minutes late. The doctors can be excused for being late for appointments you can be excused once for being late. I've left 30 minutes before I need to sometimes and because of an accident closing down a road or rain or whatever it's not enough time.

Definitely agree! We're all busy. A little grace for a parent that is late once should be standard. I do understand if you have people who are chronically late that it would make it difficult for everyone but assessing late fees for a first time offense is absolutely ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

We had a great experience with Chevy Chase pediatrics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No excuse for you showing up 10 minutes late to a doctor appointment and expecting zero consequences.

This is a ridiculous post when literally every doctor's appointment I've ever had runs 10 to 30 minutes late. The doctors can be excused for being late for appointments you can be excused once for being late. I've left 30 minutes before I need to sometimes and because of an accident closing down a road or rain or whatever it's not enough time.

Definitely agree! We're all busy. A little grace for a parent that is late once should be standard. I do understand if you have people who are chronically late that it would make it difficult for everyone but assessing late fees for a first time offense is absolutely ridiculous.

+1 Doctors are ALWAYS late and we're expected to roll with the punches. Absolutely fine but I think expecting a little grace in return (especially if it's not a regularly occurring problem) is only fair