Mark A Lepsch's Online Review Report Card

The following is my opinion only. Mark almost cost me my life. Without test or exam, he decided I was having mental issues. I actually had cardiac issues and almost died because it was only diagnosed when I went into AFib at an emergency room rather than eight months earlier when I saw Mark in an outpatient setting. If he had done his job, I never would have needed to go to the ER nor would I have almost died or had to live with the PTSD I now have. Saw Dr. Lepsch and among my chief complaints were: ~ elevated white blood cell count ~ recent onset of severe shortness of breath family history of: ~ maternal grandmother having her first heart attack around my age, atrial fibrillation, a pacemaker, sixteen stents. ~ maternal grandfather dying of a heart attack at age 60. Dr. Lepsch ran no lab test, no imaging, and no test whatsoever. Did not refer me to any specialist. He instead labeled me as having psychiatric issues, after having spoken to me for only a few minutes, ever. He contributed all my symptoms to a mental health issue and refused to consider any alternative even when I requested we rule out a physical cause because the shortness of breath had increased with a hospitalization approximately 8 weeks earlier. He proceeded to tell me how irritating I was because I reminded him of one of his other patients he'd told for five years to leave her husband (I have a very happy marriage and had not mentioned any marital issues) and how frustrating it was that she wouldn't listen. He also told me I needed to move, go home and put up a for sale sign because "fascism wasn't getting any better". When I said it wasn't possible for me to just up and move, he became even more irritated with me. This caused me to feel as if I was living in an episode of The Twilight Zone. It seemed insane that a doctor at a respected facility such as UVA would speak to a patient in such a manner. When I left, I immediately called a close friend who is a nurse at UVA and told her about my experience (through tears) and she too felt as if it was surreal. He briefly looked at the test results I had brought with me for him to review. I had been in the hospital twice in the past year, first to have my gallbladder removed in an emergency and then to have a blockage in common bile duct cleared. My GI doctor had asked me to see him because I was short of breath and my white blood cell count was elevated. All of these test were related to the gastrointestinal system. Dr. Lepsch ran no test and therefor had no information related to any other system of my body. I believe he violated my rights by refusing to prescribe any anti-depressant other than Lexapro. He took me off all my GI medications without consulting with my GI doctor. He humiliated me so much that I became scared of seeing another provider and terrified of having to see him again. I began seeing a therapist and from our first appointment, one of the main things we've discussed is me trying to muster the courage to see/trust another doctor. This left me with no primary care provider other than Mark, during a pandemic, and with ongoing health issues. I had initially waited nine months for my first appointment with him. Eight months after seeing Mark, I went into atrial fibrillation and almost died. He'd dismissed my symptoms as mental without doing a single test or exam to rule out a physical cause, even though I asked that he rule out a physical cause. It's my opinion that he almost cost me my life, caused me to incur a huge and unnecessary hospital bill for the emergency room and inpatient care after almost dying, and made me go through the most traumatic event I've ever experienced. He made me question my sanity and caused huge issues in my personal relationships because my symptoms were incorrectly labeled as mental rather than physical. I'm now concerned that I may lose my home due to unnecessary medical cost. Just the stress one needs when coping with a cardiac issue.

Dismissed symptoms of heart disorder as psych. Ran no labs or test. No diagnostic test whatsoever. Did not review family history of significant heart disease. Insisted on SSRI. Spoke with me a few minutes and decided I needed mental health care ignoring abnormal lab values and patient complaint of severe shortness of breath with recent onset after a hospitalization and medical procedure under anesthesia. Almost died eight months later of an un-diagnosed heart disorder. Never even checked in on me after I almost died. Very cruel, abrasive, angry, elitist, misogynistic snob. Unprofessional and inappropriate.

The following is my opinion only. Saw Dr. Lepsch and among my chief complaints were: ~ elevated white blood cell count ~ recent onset of severe shortness of breath family history of: ~ maternal grandmother having her first heart attack around my age, atrial fibrillation, a pacemaker, sixteen stents. ~ maternal grandfather dying of a heart attack at age 60. Dr. Lepsch ran no lab test, no imaging, and no test whatsoever. Did not refer me to any specialist. He instead labeled me as having psychiatric issues, after having spoken to me for only a few minutes, ever. He contributed all my symptoms to a mental health issue and refused to consider any alternative even when I requested we rule out a physical cause because the shortness of breath had increased with a hospitalization approximately 8 weeks earlier. He proceeded to tell me how irritating I was because I reminded him of one of his other patients he'd told for five years to leave her husband (I have a very happy marriage and had not mentioned any marital issues) and how frustrating it was that she wouldn't listen. He also told me I needed to move, go home and put up a for sale sign because "fascism wasn't getting any better". When I said it wasn't possible for me to just up and move, he became even more irritated with me. This caused me to feel as if I was living in an episode of The Twilight Zone. It seemed insane that a doctor at a respected facility such as UVA would speak to a patient in such a manner. When I left, I immediately called a close friend who is a nurse at UVA and told her about my experience (through tears) and she too felt as if it was surreal. He briefly looked at the test results I had brought with me for him to review. I had been in the hospital twice in the past year, first to have my gallbladder removed in an emergency and then to have a blockage in common bile duct cleared. My GI doctor had asked me to see him because I was short of breath and my white blood cell count was elevated. All of these test were related to the gastrointestinal system. Dr. Lepsch ran no test and therefor had no information related to any other system of my body. I believe he violated my rights by refusing to prescribe any anti-depressant other than Lexapro. He took me off all my GI medications without consulting with my GI doctor. He humiliated me so much that I became scared of seeing another provider and terrified of having to see him again. I began seeing a therapist and from our first appointment, one of the main things we've discussed is me trying to muster the courage to see/trust another doctor. This left me with no primary care provider other than Mark, during a pandemic, and with ongoing health issues. I had initially waited nine months for my first appointment with him. Eight months after seeing Mark, I went into atrial fibrillation and almost died. He'd dismissed my symptoms as mental without doing a single test or exam to rule out a physical cause, even though I asked that he rule out a physical cause. It's my opinion that he almost cost me my life, caused me to incur a huge and unnecessary hospital bill for the emergency room and inpatient care after almost dying, and made me go through the most traumatic event I've ever experienced. He made me question my sanity and caused huge issues in my personal relationships because my symptoms were incorrectly labeled as mental rather than physical. I'm now concerned that I may lose my home due to unnecessary medical cost. Just the stress one needs when coping with a cardiac issue.

The following is my opinion only. Saw Dr. Lepsch and among my chief complaints were:~ elevated white blood cell count~ recent onset of severe shortness of breath family history of:~ maternal grandmother having her first heart attack around my age, atrial fibrillation, a pacemaker, sixteen stents. ~ maternal grandfather dying of a heart attack at age 60. Dr. Lepsch ran no lab test, no imaging, and no test whatsoever. Did not refer me to any specialist. He instead labeled me as having psychiatric issues, after having spoken to me for only a few minutes, ever. He contributed all my symptoms to a mental health issue and refused to consider any alternative even when I requested we rule out a physical cause because the shortness of breath had increased with a hospitalization approximately 8 weeks earlier. He proceeded to tell me how irritating I was because I reminded him of one of his other patients he'd told for five years to leave her husband (I have a very happy marriage and had not mentioned any marital issues) and how frustrating it was that she wouldn't listen. He also told me I needed to move, go home and put up a for sale sign because "fascism wasn't getting any better". When I said it wasn't possible for me to just up and move, he became even more irritated with me. This caused me to feel as if I was living in an episode of The Twilight Zone. It seemed insane that a doctor at a respected facility such as UVA would speak to a patient in such a manner. When I left, I immediately called a close friend who is a nurse at UVA and told her about my experience (through tears) and she too felt as if it was surreal. He briefly looked at the test results I had brought with me for him to review. I had been in the hospital twice in the past year, first to have my gallbladder removed in an emergency and then to have a blockage in common bile duct cleared. My GI doctor had asked me to see him because I was short of breath and my white blood cell count was elevated. All of these test were related to the gastrointestinal system. Dr. Lepsch ran no test and therefor had no information related to any other system of my body.I believe he violated my rights by refusing to prescribe any anti-depressant other than Lexapro. He took me off all my GI medications without consulting with my GI doctor. He humiliated me so much that I became scared of seeing another provider and terrified of having to see him again. I began seeing a therapist and from our first appointment, one of the main things we've discussed is me trying to muster the courage to see/trust another doctor. This left me with no primary care provider other than Mark, during a pandemic, and with ongoing health issues. I had initially waited nine months for my first appointment with him. Eight months after seeing Mark, I went into atrial fibrillation and almost died. He'd dismissed my symptoms as mental without doing a single test or exam to rule out a physical cause, even though I asked that he rule out a physical cause. It's my opinion that he almost cost me my life, caused me to incur a huge and unnecessary hospital bill for the emergency room and inpatient care after almost dying, and made me go through the most traumatic event I've ever experienced. He made me question my sanity and caused huge issues in my personal relationships because my symptoms were incorrectly labeled as mental rather than physical. I'm now concerned that I may lose my home due to unnecessary medical cost. Just the stress one needs when coping with a cardiac issue.In my opinion he's a misogynistic, egotistical, dangerous, cruel, incompetent human being unworthy of holding a medical license. I've now learned that (it seems) cardiac issues in women are, sadly, often misdiagnosed as psychiatric. Google Scholar it for yourself, there are peer reviewed studies regarding the general topic. The symptoms of cardiac disease and disorders are often different for women than men.In this case, I don't believe I was just innocently misdiagnosed, it feels much more like malice. Of course this is my opinion only and you should, as always, seek expert advice and make an informed decision for yourself. This was my unfortunate experience, from my point of view, and I hope it helps some of my sisters out there avoid a similar extremely traumatic experience or even death.Your life matters and you are worthy of care. Your doctor doesn't have to like you but they do have to treat you with respect and provide you with adequate care. No one, including a doctor, has a right to emotionally abuse you. If you feel you have been mistreated by a medical provider, you can report them to your state board of medicine.

Dr. Lepsch has been my doctor for more than a decade, and he is fabulous. He cares about his patients, and his bedside manner is excellent. He also is as smart as can be, yet he has an approachable, easygoing manner about him. He also does a great job of explaining complicated medical issues in understandable terms. Just as one example, I recently went through a health scare over the holidays. He was very reassuring and very thorough. He explained to me the situation in terms I could understand. Then, in addition to giving me great care himself, he went out of his way to get me in front of the best specialist for my problem as quickly as could be. He really went to bat for me. Without a doubt, he is one of the very best primary care doctors in central Virginia. I would strongly recommend him to anyone.

I have been with Dr. Lepsch for well over a decade. He is SO GOOD that, while I lived abroad, I flew in to get my annual physical from him. I have left Virginia but he will remain my primary care physician. He listens, a quality many doctors either lack or no longer have time for. He takes the time to explain why he chooses one course of action instead of alternatives anddiscusses side effects all in laymen's terms. The only negative is that like so many good doctors, he is overloaded with patients.

He is very combative; seems disillusioned by UVA's expectations. Not happy to have YET another new patient added to his pile. Said he thought he could read my husband's file at 10:30 at night when he FFFFFINALLY got home ... and rolled his eyes. Yep, my husband is a complicated case file. But this doctor was rude & demeaning. We left & will never go back.He's totally fried to a CRISP. Too bad cuz I had heard many good things about him and from several people and waited MONTHS to see him. But the demands of the job take a toll on MANY good docs. Time for this one to open the next chapter.

If you like a combative, impatient, and egotistical primary care physician who thinks he can read you in five minutes before doing any background history, then this guy is for you.

I've lived in several places, so I've experienced the care of many physicians. I can say that Mark Lepsch is the best physician I've experienced. Really knowledgeable, friendly and just an overall great guy. Wholeheartedly recommend!

I scheduled my yearly physical with this doctor. I arrived for my physical, the doctor came in after the nurse had taken my vitals and talked to me for maybe 20 min. I was never examined, he just talked to me. When I tried to get him to look at me, I was told he was 30 min late for his next appt and he had no time. I went back to the Practice a week later as I was in the building for another doctor and spoke to the Office Mgr explaining what happened. I was told I would not be billed, but I was.