James Blake's Online Review Report Card

Dr. Blake was extremely attentive engaging and knowledgeable. Definitely going back!!

I want to be fair in my assessment of this office. There are a lot of things they got right in my experience, although I can't wholeheartedly recommend them (I'll get to that later).What went well:-Scheduling is easy and the receptionist is pleasant-You can be seen with very little advanced notice-The facilities are impeccable; very clean, tastefully decorated, and efficient use of space. -For my first appointment, the receptionist who went over all of the things I'd need to know for my procedures was friendly, and super thorough. She really took her time making sure I understood all of the restrictions in order to be prepared for my visit-In addition, the handouts they give about your procedures are very helpful to ensure you remember everything you need to.- The best part of my experience would have to be the male anesthesiologist (I wish I could remember his name!)- He was phenomenal. I am on the younger side of gi patients, and so I don't have much experience being anesthesized. He made me feel super at ease, with both humor, and repeated assurances that I was in good hands. He made, what is often a daunting process, as bearable as possible. I can't say enough good things about him!Now on to my one and really my only issue with this place. To paint the picture, you need a bit of background. I am 34 years old, and I have anxiety issues and ibs. This has been a constant for my entire adult life, and something I sucked up and went about my life without really addressing. That said, my symptoms are very clear cut, to the point where I can pinpoint when my symptoms will occur and what are my triggers (hello stress!). I have never in my entire life experienced anything that would be a red flag to suggest anything more than ibs...never rectal bleeding, never weight loss (I wish!). Just your run of the mill constipation when experiencing stress, and very rarely, diarrhea. Upon going to my initial visit, the doctor (the female) asked that the intern ask me questions, which I was perfectly fine with (I was once an intern myself [graduate student], and I know they are well prepared by the time they reach the point of interacting with clients). He was super nice, friendly, and make an awkward subject not feel quite so, uh, awkward btw! The doctor later comes in and straight off the rip recommends a colonscopy and EGD. In the moment I accepted that info without comment and for the sake of honesty, I did feel as if she was talking down to me when I asked what these procedures are (again, I am only 34, colonscopies are not big in my set quite yet), but immediately after I left I started to question the decision for me to undergo such an invasive procedure for what is pretty clearly ibs. Then I did some research and according to many reputable sources, the old fashioned way of diagnosing ibs involves a colonscopy, and now they are not completely necessary when there are no "red flags." I called and tried to suggest this, and once the doctor was put on the phone, she was quite condescending and almost defensive (that I did my own research). Her response was only to suggest an over the counter product and to call back when I was ready to have a colonoscopy. Uh no. So with that said, I'm moving on. I'm not totally opposed to the procedure, but given its invasive nature (and risks involved!), I don't want it to be the first line of defense, particularly when it doesn't have to be. So here's my recommendation- if you have serious gi symptoms/conditions such as crohn's etc, this place is for you. They are well equipped to handle these types of conditions and that seems to be what they are most familiar with. Even if you don't necessarily have GI problems, but you are at an age where getting a colonscopy is recommended, this place will probably meet your needs. However, if you are like me, and your GI problems are not super severe, or if they are very clearly related to ibs, only go here if you don't mind your anus being probed when you may or may not really need that to diagnose and/or treat your condition. That said, while my experiences were mostly positive, the female doctor and I didn't really connect well and I felt as if she didn't really consider my request and tended to talk to me as if I am slow. The male doctor did my EGD procedure and he was super nice, and thorough when he went over my preliminary results, which I appreciated.

I recommend the DOCTOR. Not the office staff. I received several bills in the mail all with different totals so I called, and they gave me a totally different number! The doctor is great, he was very informative and gives you pictures same day. He's great, if you're unsure of your insurance and co-payments make sure you are aware when all these weird bills come in the mail =)

First, I am impressed with how this office is run.  They answer the phone and schedule appointments in a timely fashion.  (Try that at a major hospital gastroenterology department!)  When I set up an appointment for my colonoscopy, Dr. Sandridge met with me, performed a prescreening, and discussed the procedure with me.  Then, on the day of my procedure, the staff was very efficient and professional and put me at ease.  Dr. Blake had a wonderful bedside manner both before and after the procedure.  He went over the initial results with me and I did not feel rushed at any point.  He answered my questions kindly and carefully.  As much as everyone hates colonoscopies, this is the place to go to make it a very tolerable experience!  I recommend Dr. Blake and his staff very highly.

Dr Blake is extremely smart, caring and excellent in giving you a clear diagnosis. I have been seeing him for a few years now and I would not hesitate to recommend him as tops in his field.

Just called to schedule an appointment with the gastro and the woman who picked up the phone today at 7:30 am was rude and unprofessional. While attempting to schedule an appointment, she proceeded to converse with her colleagues while I was speaking to her; resulting in her asking the same question to me over and over again due to her poor listening and multitasking skills. She was very short and seemed irritated. Upon experiencing this I expressed my concern with her phone manners. She proceeded to yell at me stating, "You need to stop mumbling and speak up, I can't understand you." Meanwhile she's still talking to employees in the background. I asked her to forget about scheduling my appointment, I will take my business elsewhere. She slammed the phone down. No apologies, No I'm sorry, No good bye...nothing! Extremely unprofessional and unfortunate, as I was really looking forward to giving Dr. Blake my business and support. On to the next.

I would like to preface this review by expressing that as people we are all flawed, imperfect and have shortcomings and so I recognize that we are simply Human, but I hold those who practice in the Healthcare Profession to a higher standard because they have a responsibility to uphold an ethical and professional standard. From the day of my son's procedure to his follow up visit, Dr. Blake has lacked professionalism and ethics towards my son. My son never received his lab results; it's been a month since his procedure and we have yet to receive them. I called the office multiple times and still haven't received them. I should have known better than to use Dr. Blake's services when my father regarded his questioning as inappropriate during his visit, subsequently my father walked out.  The only pleasant experience through this nightmare was the kind staff. I wouldn't recommend Blake's Gastroenterology Associates LLC to my worst enemy. Think twice before using Dr. Blake's services, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Dr. Blake and his staff and warm and welcoming, and they always go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable. I have had several appointments and two procedures here and have been very pleased each time. They always take care to explain the process and everything that’s happening. The procedureswere done quickly, I was in and out in less than an hour and a half for each, which is fantastic.

I have just had my second procedure with Dr. Blake and I am very satisfied with my experience. The staff and wonderful and welcoming, they go above and beyond to ensure your comfort. They also take great care to explain the process and what they are doing so you feel in the know. Dr. Blake is a fantastic physician who treats his patients with care and respect. He performs the procedures and consultations quickly, I was in and out in under 1.5 hours each time.

My Husband went to Dr Blake for procedure on 9/8. There was a little snafu at check, however the staff was able to professionally handle it. I stayed in the waiting room for some hours for my husband to be complete the procedure and recovery time. Which was fine, I was prepared with a good book. But, what I did not expect was how friendly and kind the staff would be while I was waiting. Everyone seemed to be genuinely interested in my comfort (asking me multiple times how I was doing and giving me updates on the status of my hubby), which was very accommodated by Dr Blake's 2 very comfortable waiting areas. When my husband finished the procedure he was not in any pain, like other people have reported that have gone to different Drs. Dr Blake also did a post-op with us. Dr Blake is extremely professional, warm, competent... I could go on. I would recommend him to anyone.