Sentara Blue Ridge Internal Medicine's Online Review Report Card

Surprised by the low reviews. Dr Friesen is the BEST as well as her nurse, as are some of the other medical staff I’ve seen at this practice. One of the newer nurses here did give me the most pain with a blood draw ever! But that’s not my usual experience here.

It took 6 months to see a doctor as a new patient but it's ok because it was my choice. However, what's not ok is that the front office staff had attitudes of unwelcoming, uninviting, and unfriendly, and created a careless atmosphere. I first said hello to them and had to ask which person to talk to because neither of them said anything as I walked in. You go to the doctor's office because you are not doing well and can't help but be more nervous by the time you arrive in the office. If you're greeted with friendliness and a caring attitude you can manage the waiting a lot better with ease of mind. Isn't that what people do for others especially people who hold jobs as receptionists? I called twice since the first appointment for other issues and the ladies who answered the phone were also as unfriendly, uninviting, and careless as the actual people out front. There's no manager to teach and handle this type of training? Or the manager has that attitude and they are learning from it. I read other negative reviews just now and it's the same type of complaint. Just too bad because the doctors and nursing staff behind the door were all awesome. Two stars for that reason.

BEWARE!! This facility engages in ILLEGAL balance billing practices. I had an appointment with a nurse at this facility in 11/27/2021. I found them on my insurance providers portal AND called so they were clearly in-network. Everything went fine until about a year later when they started sending me bills for what they think I owe them. On the bill they wrote that I “self-payed” half the bill, even though I had insurance. They did this so they can balance bill me for the remainder. I will be sure to file a complaint with the Virginia SCC.

My doctor moved here from an older building on a different street. This building is a lot bigger with ample parking. It is a much better location for my doctor and I'm really happy they made the move.

My first appointment was cancelled by the doctor due to her personal emergency. Understandable. Second appointment a week later, Address took my to the old location. So I arrived 15 minutes late. Then was told I couldn't be seen. And to schedule a third appointment. I was flexible for them and the were not for me. Poor customer service.

It took over a week to get an appointment here. I arrive to my first apt and wait for 25 minutes only to be told the practitioner I was supposed to see had a family emergency. Without any apology, the woman at the desk just kept repeating that they called me this morning. I said ok no problem, but how I could sit in their waiting room for 25 minutes without being told this.. she again repeated that they called. NO APOLOGY whatsoever. No remorse. Nothing even close to it. In fact she was annoyed. She literally kept repeating that they called and asking if I wanted to reschedule. I was blown away by how rude she was being. Perhaps in anticipation that I would be upset or rude about the situation, which I would not have been except for the utter lack of a simple apology and any sense of remorse for the issue at hand. I asked to speak with the manager. They claimed one wasn’t available and asked me again if I wanted to schedule an appointment. It was almost comical as it was unbelievable. Later I checked my phone, no call. I received no such call at all from them. Also. While I was there waiting. An older gentleman went to the desk and was complaining, calmly and respectfully, about how the ball got dropped with his care. Something about paperwork and phone calls not being made when they should have. Several times I heard the man say it was unacceptable. The young girls behind the counter nodded and said nothing. Since when is a total refusal to apologize AND treating people with open annoyance acceptable behavior in the wake of utter screw ups from office workers?! I told them quietly a little apology and apologetic behavior goes a long way and they just looked at me.

Been a patient for years. Dr. Sharon Meth is great!

I like my doctor but the office functions very poorly. Communication poor, failed repeatedly to send requested info from pharmacy causing higher cost...not happy!

Dr. Hann is spectacular.

I saw Dr. Alexander for rash on my back that was agonizingly itchy. He misdiagnosed and prescribed steroids. (Note: this was when he had no idea what it was and had consulted other resources for a bit of time). The next day, it was worse. I took some antihistamines which helped, but scheduled a follow-up for later in the day. I explained to him it had gotten worse and the steroids didn't help, but the antihistamines did. As a matter of fact, I even told him that they were wearing off and my rash was starting to itch worse, again. He insisted on his misdiagnosis and said the fact the itching was better for a while, it indicated the steroids were helping. I told him no, the itching didn't subside at all until I took the antihistamines around 5 hours earlier and that was substiative of the antihistamines being what helped, as that was consistent with when they'd be wearing off. He persisted. I was in such misery and knew nothing would be done there; I went to Martha Jefferson E.R. Saw a wonderful doctor. He quickly looked at my back - He literally looked at so briefly he patiently waited for me to finish telling about onset, etc.. Before telling me EXACTLY what was wrong. He said it was pityrasis rosea. Textbook case; classical Christmas tree shape, traveling along a nerve path around one side, entirely upper-body. Not at all rare. And, that's why the steroids were totally useless. He prescribed prescription strength antihistamines. The kicker? Stress is known to intensify the itching (I was going through a very difficult time) and as I had it for months, God knows how long I would have suffered, had I not gone to the ER. You should also know that for years my PCP has prescribed 3% lidocaine 1% hydrocortisone cream because I have exaggerated histamine and itch response to stuff like normal bug bites. ...this "agonizingly" itchy for most people, you can imagine what it was like, for me. Worse, my expressions of great frustration over the matter with him caused friction between my and my normal PCP (Same office.) Horrible experience.