Swithing to GW for my 2nd appointment - advise...

[Anonymous]

This is my first pregnancy and I had my first appointment at 8 weeks at Virginia Hospital Center where I have gotten my annual exams. I like it, however, I have planned to switch to a GW practice since it is closer and more convenient. I don't have friends with children, so I don't know too much about either. I made my appointment with Suzanne Bathgate since she was rated as a top doc in the Washingtonian and I didn't know anything about the others. Do you have any advise on whether this is a good practice (GW Medical Faculty Associates) and if GW is a good hospital for delivery. Also will VHC transfer my blood results to my new hospital? Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Anonymous]

I quit going there in 2004 because my doctor left town but I was happy with it before that. Unless it's changed, the office staff is not very helpful--it can take a very long time to check in, get records from them, get someone to call you back. But it's been 3.5 years, so give it a chance.
Be sure to ask about the likelihood that you'll have a doc you haven't met deliver your baby--they don't seem to rotate patients like other practices.

[Anonymous]

I go to GW MFA and delivered at GW in 2007. I saw Dr. Monthy for my first few months, until she went on maternity leave. While she was out, I saw Dr. Marfori, and then returned to Dr. Monthy for the last couple months. Both were wonderful. Dr. Bathgate happened to be on call when I delivered. She also seemed very good, but honestly the chief resident was clearly in charge (she was also great). Dr. Bathgate came in at the VERY last second and supervised the actual delivery and sewing up.

The practice won't rotate you through the doctors automatically, but Dr. Monthy did suggest around my 7th month that I could start scheduling an appointment with each doctor if I wanted so I could meet them all. It wasn't important to me, so I didn't. The office staff seems a little hit or miss but I didn't really have any problems. I had a good experience with MFA and GW overall.

[Anonymous]

I see Dr Gaba at GW and she is great. Her care during my pregnancy with my now 2 year old was wonderful and she never made me feel like my questions or worries were silly (which some of them were, i'm sure!). I saw Dr. Bathgate a few times and really liked her. Dr. Chahine, who is also delightful, ended up delivering my son. My only complaints about the practice are that it is RIDICULOUSLY busy and that it is hard to get an appt when you want it. If they're still just letting you book two appointments ahead, be sure to do it. And don't be afraid to speak up if the front desk is putting roadblocks in your way. (I ran into an issue with a scheduler who would only give me an appointment 12 days away when I was supposed to be seen in 3 and was already overdue. A quick conversation with the nurse straightened things out.) GW hospital is nice, too, tho my family definitely preferred the labor rooms to the smaller and strangely configured recovery rooms.

Enjoy!

[LRP]

I switched to GW in October for my 2nd appointment as well. I have been very happy so far. I've been seeing Dr. Monthy. I have had no problems with scheduling or responsiveness, which was the main reason for my switching from another practice. The check-in line is sometimes long, but it moves fast. For my OB appointments have not had to wait for more than a couple of minutes max to be called back by one of the nurses. Once all the prelims are taken care of, I've waited up to 10 minutes for Dr. Monthy. Also, when I had an emergency and had to call the office I got a call back almost immediately from the triage nurse. Dr. Monthy also replied to a non-emergency e-mail within a day. I did have a loooong wait for my Level II sono but that was because an emergency sono had to be done.

As far as transferring test results, I'd read so many things about the practice I left giving a hard time about this that I just had the tests redone at GW.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I have to chime in to this older thread to say that I am 17 weeks and have had 2 of my 4 appointments thus far canceled by MFA. Not only that, but they can't seem to keep straight that when one appointment is canceled/rescheduled, that means I do NOT need a call to confirm my presence at the now-defunct appointment. I could go on, but why? As a result of being wholly unimpressed with the office, I am now looking into a far less convenient midwife option - maybe WHC.

[Anonymous]

I had a great experience at GW MFA with Dr. Monthy. I also saw Dr. Keller a few times and found her to be equally great. In the beginning the appts were pretty efficient, but by the time I was going more frequently I would occasionally wait up to 30 minutes to leave the waiting room, which was indeed frustrating. But, all my interactions with Dr. Monthy and the nursing staff were great, Dr. Monthy was quite receptive to my requests (I took a fall in the 7th month and wanted a subsequent ultrasound). Though she felt all was well, she happily referred me along. Dr. Monthy was also on call when I delivered (2 days past due date) and was great, though like a pp said, the chief resident (who was quite capable and friendly - chatty even) handled most of it.