Thoughts on Capital Women's Care?

[Anonymous]

I want to deliver at Shady Grove and do not have an OB/GYN. Does anyone have experiences with Capital Women's Care? Is there a particular office that is better?

[Anonymous]

Capital Women's Care is okay. Their Rockville office which is right next to the Shady Grove Hospital is always very busy and you can never get any answers back. Shady Grove is a very nice place to deliver your baby. The maternity wing is brand new. I have a friend who delivered there and loved the experience. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I thought about going to Capital Women's Care as well because I too wanted Shady Grove and I saw that quite a few of their doctors are on the Washingtonian Top Doctors List. I was interested in the Bethesda or Rockville office and wanted to go see Dr. Tobie Beckerman, but then I read really bad reviews about her and her practice and decided against it (at least for now). Here are some of the reviews I read:
http://www.ratemds.com/social/?q=node/28873&did=151466

[Anonymous]

I went to Capital womens' in Silver Spring (Lockwood drive) and delivered at Holy Cross. IT was a wonderful hospital and I loved my drs! Berger-weiss, Travers, Levitt, etc!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Capital womens' in Silver Spring (Lockwood drive) and delivered at Holy Cross. IT was a wonderful hospital and I loved my drs! Berger-weiss, Travers, Levitt, etc!

Do they do a good job at returning your calls? If you have some kind of scary symptom, do they have a nurse you could talk to or someone who will take a message for you and have a doctor call you back? Are they good at getting back to you with test results? and do they schedule last minute appointments in case of an emergency easily? Thanks for all of your help!

[Anonymous]

It really depends on what you want and need. I switched from CWC on Lockwood Drive to the midwives because I wanted more support for a natural childbirth and I wanted to deliver at Shady Grove because they have tubs. However, the CWC doctors were excellent at returning calls and careful screening for pregnancy complications. I think CWC is best for a higher-risk pregnancy or for someone who is not focused on natural childbirth. My main complaint with CWC is that I felt rushed during some of the office visits.

[Anonymous]

There have been SO MANY posts about CWC, you should check the archives on this. But no, I wasnt a fan.

[Aqua]

I go to Captial Women's Care on K Street, DC. I have read the reviews on this forum but I have had no problems so far.

I have met with 3 doctors from the practice. I agree with many posters re: Dr. Picco. I did not like her manner at all and I hope that I don't have to deal with her too much. I went to her for my routine annual smear before I got pregnant. Also, two friends of mine had similar expriences with her and they didn't like her either.

I have also met with Dr. Blank who confirmed my pregnancy. (I am expecting my first baby) I found him to be patient and came across as very caring towards his patients. I really liked him but unfortunately, he is not an OB anymore so I was transfered to Dr. Bajaj. I have had no problems with her whatsoever. She is very nice, takes time with me, listens to my concerns and always reassures me with informative advice. She also returned my calls re: a worrying test result. Also, the vast majority of my appointments were kept on time.

I have never had a problem with the front of house staff, but once, I was on hold for approx 15 mins to speak to a doctor and I was cut off a couple of times. I was very frustrated but is was lunch time and Dr. Bajaj called me later that day when things calmed down in the practice.

Well, that is my experience......

[Anonymous]

I also wanted to deliver at SGH and I am with Gurdian, Spector, and Ryan (with CWC). I switched to them after using Simmonds and Simmonds as my GYN (I had some office scheduling problems - and heard some not positive things). I could not be happier with Spector et. al. for each of my visits since my first appointment!

[Anonymous]

Be very careful at Capital Women's Care. I heard from a friend who used to work there that some practices are using Mirenas and Paragards imported from other countries. This means they are not FDA approved. This puts patients at risk because coming from other countries, the product's identity, purity, source, handling, and storage cannot be verified. Using these overseas pharmacies can risk receiving unsafe and ineffective counterfeits, even if they appear the same. And the physician can save hundreds of dollars on the non-FDA approved product, but charges you and your insurance the same price as a US FDA-approved product. Please be careful and ask to see the box and insert with ENGLISH language only. If you think you had an unapproved IUD inserted in the past five years, go back and talk to your doctor about a fda-approved replacement at no charge. Click here to read the FDA warning: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm219837.htm

[Anonymous]

There is another CWC group in the building next door to the hospital. Apgar, Renzi and Tran. I have been seen very quickly every time and have had a good experience. There are reviews on previous posts which is how I found them.

[Anonymous]

Dr. Edward Wolfgram delivered my second daughter and he is the best OB/GYN I have ever had -- patient, understanding, competent, open, direct, never condescending. He will listen to you and take your concerns seriously and get answers to any questions you may have.

The planned C at Shady Grove was like a dream. The nursing staff was friendly, well-experienced, and just great. Lovely new facility, liberal guest visitation policy. One of the best days of my life. Just see Dr. Wolfgram one time and then make up your mind.

[Anonymous]

I saw Gurdian et al. and just switched. I felt like the front desk was a roadblock and not a service provider. I like Dr. Gurdian and I liked Dr. Ryan but she moved away. I was not as fond of Dr. Spector, she was a little too casual for my liking. I have heard good things about Jacqueline Apgar.

[Anonymous]

I am also a patient of CWC with Dr. Gurdian and associates. After a miscarriage I saw all of the doctor's for follow-ups when my hormone levels wouldn't go down. Spector delivered the news and was not as sensitive as I would have hoped a doctor would be in that circumstance. Dr. Gurdian was no nonsense but has been nice at subsequent visits (I am 30 weeks pregnant now).

I had the best experience with Dr. Jude who they brought in after Dr. Ryan left. She was very kind, patient, and listened to my questions/concerns. I try to see her as often as possible for my appointments now. I hope to have her deliver me but I know that may not be possible with several doctors in the practice. I have requested it several times and can only cross my fingers.

They also have 2 RN's/midwife who seem to take more time to discuss issues, concerns, whatever at appointments.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I go to the CWC office on Shady Grove Road with Drs. Ladd, Dickman, Maggid, et al... I have seen Dr. Ladd as by GYN for over 10 years. I am now pregnant with my first child and I can say that I am very satisfied with my care. Dr. Maggid did my amnio in the office and he was a true gem, great sense of humor and put me at ease ( I was scared out of my mind before the procedure - with no complications thereafter). Dr. Ladd is a very to the point doctor, she always answers my questions thoroughly and has never made me feel rushed. The nursing assistants are wonderful. The majority of the front office staff are very pleasant. It is a very busy office, so the front office staff are sometimes rushed. I haven't met with the other doctors in the practice just yet, but will in the next 4 months before I deliver. I hope to deliver at Shady Grove hospital, but they also deliver at Holy Cross - it just depends. Good luck and hope this helps.