INova Alexandria v. INova Fairfax

[Anonymous]

P&M is a baby factory. Fairfax is a baby factory. choose your poison.

[Anonymous]

I delivered with P&M at IAH. It was a wonderful experience - the L&D nurse was great, as were the staff on the nursery floor. We had a midwife for the entire experience, and didn't see an OB at all.

If you want a natural birth, make sure to tell them that at one of your pre-natal visits and ask them to mark it on your chart. No one pushed me to have an epidural or even a heplock. That said, if you do want an epi., they will gladly do it too. Also, they won't compromise your safety or your baby's safety if you go the natural route and end up needing interventions. I think that that is true wherever you go though.

I had heard that IAH was moving to a triage type model like they have at FFX, but, we didn't see that at all.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Someone mentioned that they had to be vigilant about billing at INOVA Alexandria, and I CAN NOT AGREE MORE. I have chosen to have my L&D at Fairfax due to my awful experiences at Alexandria during a same-day surgery. I received an outrageous anesthesia bill (double the regular amount, so the extra $1,000 was not covered by my insurance), which took 2 months to clear up. Ultimately it was a clerical issue at the hospital, but they wouldn't even look into it! I had to have the anesthesiologist send his medical files to my insurance company to have it examined. The two people I most often spoke to in billing didn’t really seem to care that I was being charged $1,000 for care I did not receive.
So word to the wise, read those medical bills!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone mentioned that they had to be vigilant about billing at INOVA Alexandria, and I CAN NOT AGREE MORE. I have chosen to have my L&D at Fairfax due to my awful experiences at Alexandria during a same-day surgery. I received an outrageous anesthesia bill (double the regular amount, so the extra $1,000 was not covered by my insurance), which took 2 months to clear up. Ultimately it was a clerical issue at the hospital, but they wouldn't even look into it! I had to have the anesthesiologist send his medical files to my insurance company to have it examined. The two people I most often spoke to in billing didn’t really seem to care that I was being charged $1,000 for care I did not receive.
So word to the wise, read those medical bills!

I've delivered at Virginia hospital center and Inova Fair Oaks. Both hospitals I had to read through my bills clearly. I think hospital billing needs to be looked at no matter where you deliver.

[Anonymous]

I just saw Dr. Mary Cutting at P&M for a preconception consultation, and HATED her. She was so condescending. Seriously reconsidering going with P&M as my OB because of her.

[Anonymous]

I also left P&M b/c of an appt with Dr. Cutting. Very dismissive and condescending. Moved to Physicians for Women (same building) and have been happier.

[Anonymous]

I also had a very negative experience with Dr. Cutting. However, every other doctor I have met there (admittedly I have not met them all) and all of the midwives I have met (again, not all) have been great.