Experiences with Dr. Michelle Barnes Marshall?

[Anonymous]

I'm considering using Michelle Barnes Marshall for our pediatrician when baby arrives - are there any recent experiences?

We live in town, I don't want to schlep to the 'burbs for care.

I called just now, someone picked up on the 2nd ring, which to me is pretty amazing for Dr's office...

any feedback of current/past patients welcomed!

thanks in advance, all

[Anonymous]

Current patient of 5 years (two, soon to be three kids). Dr Barnes Marshall is fantastic. She has great bedside manner and skill in treating children. Also, the right choice for first time parents (I was one, once!) because she will take her time with you. You can get her to call you back in an emergency and she will make time to see you when you need her. Unlike other doctors, mine included, I have never had a moment where I have thought to myself that she was not using her best judgment. The staff is friendly and kind. My kids look forward to seeing her - they don't fear the doctor at all. Definitely check her out!

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for the great feedback, PP!

A lot of the practices seem to nickle and time you ("$10 charge for the after hours number, $25 fee for using our morning sick call hours"). Is this how they function? Have you had difficulty getting appointments there?

[Anonymous]

I swtiched from another ped to Dr. Barnes Marshall. We've only had one appt so far, but the staff was professional and pleasant, the doctor was pleasant and thorough. We are pleased. Can't speak to the nickle & dime-ing, as we haven't had to call during off hours.

[Anonymous]

BTW, search for her on this board -- you'll find other threads with glowing reports.

[Anonymous]

She is AWESOME. I thought she also adopted the "$10 charge for school forms" thing but she just sent us forms and didn't charge us.

She is great. I can't say enough good things about her. Every single time a kid is sick she calls us right back or sees us the same day (and we have one with a chronic condition who is sick regularly). She is a solo practitioner so there are a couple of weeks per year when she is out and in that case, Dr. Wirt on Capitol Hill will see you.

We just love Dr. Barnes. We got her name from a friend and had not talked to her before DC1 was born. When we met her after the baby arrived, we fell in love. But don't let the secret out too much. I don't want all the great access to dimish! She is not quick to prescribe medicine so when she does, you know your kid needs it. Also, she is not afraid or too cocky to say "this is beyond what I can treat, you need a specialist." (again, we have a kid with a chronic condition that she helps us maintain but that she also recommended the specialist and got us in sooner than the 6-week wait). Love Dr. Barnes.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the great feedback!
I know about searching, but sometimes that stuff is older and I know practices change....so this is helpful.

thanks so much everyone!

[Anonymous]

A couple of complaints for what it's worth - we have had to wait - at times up to an hour to see her (this is for scheduled appointments). We have also waited more than an hour on occasion to hear back after a sick call - could be scary depending on what's going on with the kid.

She's nice enough and so is the staff but we've never been "wowed" by the care there. I've had friends at other peds tell me about all of the information they've received about various development related issues - Dr. Barnes typically will just respond to your concerns rather than give you the whole rundown of what's going on with your baby, development wise. For some moms, that might be ideal. Also, she has made some recommendations before based on faulty assumptions which we caught.

[Anonymous]

I left after about 6 months (earlier this year). She's probably fine for most, but I wasn't impressed. She seemed to give very stock answers when I was looking for more nuance in a couple of situations; she definitely didn't seem like she wanted to engage in much of a discussion. In one case, I was looking for CIO alternatives and was simply told "being a parent involves some crying..." Also, some of her advice seemed out of date to me - rice cereal at 4 months, etc.

[Anonymous]

So where did you change to after her, then?
-OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So where did you change to after her, then?
-OP

PP here: We actually ended up at the Family Health and Birth Center. I had been going there for my well woman care (post pregnancy) and asked if they do well child visits. They do (& sick visits too obviously), though they're with an NP, but it has worked out well for us. (And its nice to support their mission, if indirectly).

[Anonymous]

Op here....isn't here someone in the district good with the developmental side of things? Autism is my primary worry so if she isn't up on that, it might be difficult for us.

I'm not hard on the wait room thing simply because if you at the patient, you'd want the dr to take time with you, that causes back ups. It sucks, but happens. I care more about responsive and professional support staff than then the wait issue (generally!).

Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

I think she's lovely. She has asked me a load of milestone questions to gauge how my DS and DD are doing. She has been proactive with advice and questions. She's remembered my kids' issues from one visit to the next and followed up on them. Can't speak to autism concerns but she has been up-to-date on other topics (I can't remember what exactly but I remember reading her explanation on the research later online...I think it was maybe about fevers in children).

My only complaints would be the staff has been so-so...not unfriendly but not great. I was charged for our school forms. And parking can be a pain, naturally. But this is the third practice we've tried, and I'm very happy otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I left after about 6 months (earlier this year). She's probably fine for most, but I wasn't impressed. She seemed to give very stock answers when I was looking for more nuance in a couple of situations; she definitely didn't seem like she wanted to engage in much of a discussion. In one case, I was looking for CIO alternatives and was simply told "being a parent involves some crying..." Also, some of her advice seemed out of date to me - rice cereal at 4 months, etc.

I disagree with this. She has always given us the appropriate level of information and treatment. She has been way more forthcoming and spent way more time with us than other pediatricians explaining the important things. She always seems to have her eye on the baby's development too - one huge advantage of a solo practice is that she sees him every time. Give. If you are suuuper crunchy then there are probably other doctors for you - although she was quite open to a delayed vax schedule if that is important to you. (Not delayed actually , but splitting them up over a few weeks).

So I think she is fantastic. We had a scary medical emergency and she was really there for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here....isn't here someone in the district good with the developmental side of things? Autism is my primary worry so if she isn't up on that, it might be difficult for us.

I'm not hard on the wait room thing simply because if you at the patient, you'd want the dr to take time with you, that causes back ups. It sucks, but happens. I care more about responsive and professional support staff than then the wait issue (generally!).

Thanks in advance!

Do you have a reason to be concerned about autism or is dr google freaking you out? Dr Marshall does ask a lot of developmental questions. If you really have red flags for autism I have no doubt she would take you seriously.