Washingtonian To Doctors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend of mine who is a doctor said he wouldn't go to half the doctors on the Washingtonian's best doctor's list. In my opinion, their list is not very selective -- it has so many doctors on it. That would be fine if this was Boston or NYC, but DC is not a great (or even very good) medical town -- it does not have any top hospitals like Cleveland Clinic or Mass General (some may be good in one particular area but none are real stand-outs overall) or any top-ranked medical schools. Alas...

I don't know about no "top ranked" medical schools ... but I do believe that Georgetown is the second most competitive medical school in the country for admissions.

Huh? Don't know how hard it is to get in, but Georgetown is ranked 39th for research and unranked for primary care by US News & Workld Report.

Know for a fact: Georgetown Medical is not what you know, but who you know. And, they all refer to each other. Have found the quality of care out of GU School Grads to be shotty. My experience has been they think they are better than their skills reflect. Got a botched plastic surgery from one of their golden boys. I'm am reminded every day when I look in the mirror.

[Anonymous]

39th for research (Georgetown) is not that great when you think that is the "best" hospital in the area...

[Anonymous]

Let me guess, OP....the Dr. you consulted was Vivian Fraga????

[Anonymous]

The list was made by doctors, so certainly there are a lot of different factors going into the selection that don't necessarily mirror your own requirements -- a doctor will most likely look at skill level of an OB (surgical, medical, etc.) more than whether they support natural birth or allow doulas. You also have to be wary of the ratings you read online, because most people won't provide an online review unless they are angry.

I went with a relatively young OB in a well-established practice (the OB is not on the last, but one of her colleagues is). People on message boards questioned her youth (i.e. experience), but I figured she'd be more up to date on the episiotomy issue, etc. (and she was). She was lovely and I had a wonderful birth experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me guess, OP....the Dr. you consulted was Vivian Fraga????

Or her ex-partner!

[Anonymous]

I was looking for a new doc and went down the list of WTD. They were all terrible and mostly arrogant. I went to a straight out of medical school doc. I could not be happier. We discussed some options and she said she wanted to do more research and get back to me. She got back to me with a treatment plan that has worked with less downside than any others I have tried in the last ten years. I think ego gets in the way of many WTD. They also do not know the latest and the current research. They are too busy making $$$ and status to keep current. This is my experience. I just think many people use this list as gospel. I did for many years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:39th for research (Georgetown) is not that great when you think that is the "best" hospital in the area...

I'm the post you quoted and that was my point. The PP before me said Georgetown was one of the most competitive med schools,m suggesting it was one of the best. My point was, um, no, not really. That being said, my OB went to Georgetown and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her! And she was in Washingtonian. Point is, there are horrible and great docs on the list and horrible and great docs from all sorts of schools.

[Anonymous]

OP, did you ever tell the nasty Dr. what you think of her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This may be more of a complaint than question but this list just doesn't seem to be honest. I understand the ratings come from fellow doctors and it is more of a social circle list than who is actually good.

I picked someone off this list who is still there and she was absolutely awful. She was upfront in the initial consult that she would refer and any high risk cases over to GU and they would treat you. OK, she could not have been that brilliant if she punts all difficult cases. She told us she does not allow doulas. We hadn't even thought through whether we would want one or not but her prohibition was inappropriate. I asked her how many natural births she had attended in the past year or what her c-section rate was and she became angry and defensive. I asked her about how she avoids an episiotomy and she said it was her decision to do what is necessary. She said it is easier to stitch up an episiotomy so that is what all ob/gyns do. This is so untrue. My new ob/gyn told me it is not standard procedure anymore, only done in certain circumstances and new residents are now trained not to do it.

I switched providers because she seemed so arrogant and I wasn't even very into the idea of natural birth, more than happy to get an epidural if I felt I couldn't do it. Later on I heard from posters on this board with similar experiences that she always does c-sections, inductions, and episiotomies as routine. She bothered me so much that I mentioned her to my doula and nurse who confimed what other people were saying about her. They seemed to know who I was talking about before I even mentioned her name.

I saw her name on this list again this year. The list is full of other ob/gyns that get high amounts of complaints here and seems to omit all the high risk doctors that actually are leaders in their field.

A true professional does not become angry and defensive when a patient has a valid question. Do they screen for personality traits as part of entry to medical school? That might be a good way to screen out those who lack effective interpersonal, communication and management skills and good business judgment. Or maybe they could go into research where they do not have to deal with the public. But I have heard that most doctors, while smart enough to become a doctor, would not be able to cut it in research.

[Anonymous]

My goodness, I am so relieved to have recently switched from Capital Women's Care to the midwife practice at MCA!

I naively choose CWC because they had that Top Doctors cover from a few years ago framed on their waiting room wall... and kept being disappointed with how needlessly interventionist they were during my pregnancy, and how they brushed aside my questions about natural childbirth.

DH, who has an MD but works in research, was SO put off by all these doctors. What a sad thing that Top Doctors list is.

[Anonymous]

You guys should write to Washingtonian.

[Anonymous]

Agree PP. But doesn't EVERYONE read DCUM?

[Anonymous]

"Let me guess, OP....the Dr. you consulted was Vivian Fraga???? "

OMG, yes! OP here, WTH is with this woman? You are the third person who has pegged her. When I described my experience to my doula and nurse, I only said Chevy Chase doctor and they responded let me guess did you see Vivian Fraga?

It was not just an issue of a poor bedside manner but she seemed like an absolute control freak and more old school in her decisions than the standard of ob/gyns in the area. I would have no problem with an ob/gyn doing an episiotomy if there was a reason like a vaccuum or whatever but just because it was easier for her to stitch up?? We asked about which hospital she recommended and didn't realize that only GU doctors deliver at GU because she had both hospitals GU and Sibley listed next to her name. She went on and on about how she never delivers at GU anymore because the residents get in her way and its a distraction for her if they question what she is doing. This made us wonder whether what she was doing was legitimate. I could see someone saying Sibley is better because YOU will have to deal with fewer doctors but that clearly was not her concern. After one of our visits on the way home, DH asked me whether she will require us to run the baby names by her for her approval. I was nervous about switching ob/gyns but was so glad we did.

I had a high level of trust and respect for doctors before running into this woman. This is the first doctor that really opened my eyes to the fact you need to be very careful, be your own advocate, do your own research, and switch if you see red flags.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree PP. But doesn't EVERYONE read DCUM?

No, I know many moms who don't. But they read Washingtonian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree PP. But doesn't EVERYONE read DCUM?

No, I know many moms who don't. But they read Washingtonian.

Or they won't admit they do. LOL