Ketan Bharatkumar Patel's Online Review Report Card

Appt at 8:30am today, 2 calls regarding my prescription not being sent, 2 promises of a callback and I received Zero call back or explanation! They are not closed and zero prescription was sent after 2 calls and messages to the Dr regarding it. Awful business practice at a second visit!

He listened my problem then he explained what to do so when I came out of the office I was feeling relax

I have been a patient of the Fair Lakes location Dr. Protopapas for over 3 years. I have RA. I recently had the onset of acute lower back pain(not upper as before). I can not walk in an upright position. I have home treated and am getting worse. I have missed two days of work and can not miss more. I went online and saw that National Pain and Spine has a new location 5 minutes away. Given my back situation- this is so much better than an hours drive(which I couldn’t do now if I tried). I set up an appointment online (wasn’t sure about new or existing), so made a new for 8:30am tomorrow morning. Tried calling this morning at 8:30 to clarify and verify insurance- never could get through. Waited on hold for 30mins. Thought I would try back at noon (lunchtime). Received a call at 9:36am and was told I was an existing customer so my appt was canceled. Apparently my old dr. (Protopapas) needed to transfer me to a new Doctor (Dr. Patel). Dr. Patel wasn’t in today Monday Feb 3rd(he is in Haymarket). But had appts Tuesday Feb. 4th in Aldie. (Caveat those appts are for new patients apparently Or follow ups, not existing acute pain patients). Dr. Protoppas transferred my account(?)To Dr. Patel at 11:36 am. I waited in immense pain for hours for a return phone call. The office closes at 4:00pm (and my previous 8:30am appt was cancelled due to practice procedures). I called at 3:10 and the automated or the receptionist kept hanging up on me once I got through the phone tree to speak to the office. It happened 3 times for a total of 36 minutes. I was in pain and desperate to hear back from the doctors office about an appointment for the next day. ER is too expensive right now and would have been unnecessary with a physicians appointment-I can’t seem to get as an existing not new but new to the location patient. I finally got through and spoke to a receptionist that told me she was alone in the office and did not hang up on me three times before. My iPhone record shows otherwise. She finally transferred me to the office manager after saying the doctor had not reviewed my file. The record they had since 11:30 am for a patient in severe pain (they are a pain management practice. It is there specialty- they should not be leaving patients in pain for hours over process). So for over 4 hours the dr was unable(too busy I was told) to accept a patient transfer from another office location. My file is unremarkable- 43 year old with minor herniation of a disc in my neck causing pinched nerve(which Dr. Protoppas managed as a consummate professional). No issues since. I finally got transferred over to office manager Cassidy. She looked for excuses at to how the system(their office system phones may have hung up on me- not their receptionist’s fault). I cared more about why I didn’t have a new appt to see the doctor the next day. Not why their system didn’t work(human error or otherwise). She was looking to displace blame and justify why I didn’t have an appointment yet after waiting all day. I have never had a medical practice show such blatant disregard for a patients pain over their protocol before- especially since it was the same practice. They prefer I go to the ER and spend thousands instead of getting the treatment they(the practice) as my pain management specialist could provide. I received a call at 5:18 pm from Cassidy to let me know that Dr. Patel has reviewed my chart and based on her conversation with him, Dr Patel would be unable (rather) unwilling to take me on. I guess expecting help after waiting hours while in pain makes me a difficult patient. I think they saved me long term pain because I am off to the ER instead. A physician and office that treats their patients that way would not have made my pain a priority. Word of caution to anyone transferring or going as a new patient. To existing patients- you deserve better, best of luck. There are more doctors out there. Perhaps they will learn from this experience, I certainly have. Thanks for listening.

Unprofessional: staff, office, doctor Process and their office policy matters more than patients pain. This is part of what is wrong with medicine today.

From Dr. Patel, to Colleen, to the nurses and front office staff -- an excellent practice and caring people!

Favi and Dr. Patel are godsends! I actually look forward to my visits to this clinic because I know I will be well taken care of by a compassionate and caring staff.

Dr. Patel takes time to listen and is intent on offering the best plan for treatment of pain. He cares and is caring. Generally, I’ve gotten good relief from my pain. When it returns, he is always willing to re-assess and do further treatment without delay. In a word, Dr. Patel is exceptional. I highly recommend him!

A+ doc that continually strives to find the source and treat the problem, and not the symptom.

Dr Patel had full knowledge of what I was dealing with after I had complications from my fibula bone Not healing after a orif surgery of my right ankle. He was able to answer questions I had about the serious pain I was having explaining the difference between nerve damage and pain from the nonunion. He understood that I would need relief until I went back to my surgeon to find out if I would need another surgery and assured me that he would manage my pain throughout my ordeal. I am thankful

Doc Patel is amazing, he takes his time with you, explains everything & does a fantastic job for & with your pain. His assistant, Mindy is great too. Thanks!