Dr Patel is awesome. I have been going to him for years. He is pleasant, practical and attentive - and very responsive off hours. His staff is another story. I have never been seen on time. Ever. Normally the delay is about 30 minutes, but today, after making an appointment via Zoc Docs AND receiving confirmation emails and texts, I sat in the office for over an hour. I arrived at my appointment 15 minutes early and signed in. I was not asked how I made my appointment or told I was not on the schedule. 45 minutes go by and still nothing. After someone who came in after me with a later appointment was taken to the back for his appt, I asked what was going on. The receptionist then proceeded to tell me how I made my appointment wrong and that I was not on the schedule - loudly and repeatedly. She told me of the known problem with Zoc Doc scheduling but refused to take responsibility for putting protocols in place to minimize the issue while they figured out how to make the interface work (apparently this has happened to others before me). In the end, only a forced apology was rendered and I was not seen. Pretty close to being done with Dr. Patel's wonderful practice :-/ read more

Since my first post, I consider Dr. Patel my primary physician. I'll be honest--I'm the kind of girl that goes to the doctor a lot. It's important to note that he has prescribed me medicine over the phone when I'm in a bind (faxed a prescription to my pharmacy without seeing me). The front desk has been able to fit me in a few hours or a day's notice when necessary. Dr. Patel does have several medical students working at his clinic now. The young men and women generally come in to ask the usual questions (symptoms, meds, maybe take blood pressure) then fill in the doctor before he comes in to discuss and diagnose. I've never felt uncomfortable around them, but it's a tad annoying to have to go through your story once or twice. The walls are pretty thin in this place so I've been able to overhear the students tell the doctor what brought me in (presumably in front of other students). Although questionable, they were in no way unprofessional or revealed my identity. read more

If you care at all about your health and medical care, DO NOT go to Dr. Patel's office! I dislike giving negative reviews - and Dr. Patel is certainly a kind fellow - but this practice is inefficient, disorganized and, most critically, provides dubious patient care (at least in my experience). First of all, the office is decrepit. The computers literally date from the last century (probably early 1990s) and the office doesn't use email or seemingly any other modern technology that is standard in nearly all other medical practices. I mean, who really uses a fax anymore?? Medical records are stuffed seemingly haphazardly in plain site behind the receptionist and, on one occasion, I saw a storeroom full of medical medical folders thrown about on the floor in the downstairs area where a lab tech takes fluid samples. Beyond the atrocious administration and appearance of the office and examination rooms, I've had a number of instances where I was seeking specific follow up from Dr. Patel (on the results of blood work) and never got any feedback until I called back multiple times. Luckily, I've never had to consult with him on significantly serious medical issues. On the plus side, I will say that the office generally processes referrals quickly and there seems to often be availability for appointments (perhaps no surprise). Again, Dr. Patel is nice gentleman indeed. However, this is very far from a top of the line practice and the reviews on ZocDoc are outrageously misleading. read more

So I gave this place one last shot and they blew it. I'm switching doctors. I made an appointment on ZocDoc like the website says, and when I got to the office it was closed! I called and I got a busy tone. I called again and same thing. I got no notice from the office that it would be closed. I just showed up and the lights were off with no reason as to why it was closed. This is just ridiculous. I can't tell you how aggravated I am at this place. read more

It is now Feb 2..... A month ago in the first week of January I went to Dr. Patel's office and was put on medication and had blood work done. I was told I'd get results in 2-3 days. I called 4 times and was given multiple excuses as to why he hadn't called yet and assured that he would call. He hasn't called for a followup after the prescription ran out or to see how it's affecting me. Im still having symptoms from what I visited for and received no blood work results at all, so I've scheduled another blood test elsewhere. This office is ridiculous. The receptionist is rude and the service is horrible. read more

Just for context, I've been going to Dr. Patel for over a year now. Overall he's a good doctor (with a great nurse!). However, I completely agree with other posters about this horrible office staff. They have forgotten to call-in prescriptions for me, given me the wrong prescription (because Dr. Patel doesn't write the prescriptions for your routine medications, his staff does), argue with me on the dosage I take EVERYDAY, and even forgot to call me back when they say they will. Not to mention it's a struggle trying to deal with them on the phone. One time I called the front desk around 8:00am and the lady couldn't fit me in that day (which was understandable), but she said Dr. Patel would call me later that day. I waited until 3pm and no call from Dr. Patel. So, I called the front desk back and asked if Dr. Patel was actually going to call me before the office closes around 4/4:30pm and her reply was, "I'm not gonna tell you no lies." Wow. His practice would be so much better if he a) retrained his staff on interpersonal skills or b) hired new staff! By the way, I've complained to Dr. Patel in-person and his suggestion was to go around the staff and use the ZocDoc app online and on the iPhone to make appointments in the future. Are you kidding me? Instead of trying to find cures for patients, he needs to find a cure for his practice. read more

Let me start off by saying Dr. Patel and his assistants are amazing! Every time I go, I receive quality care. He is attentive, smart, thorough, understanding and explains what is happening with you and how to treat it very well. He is definitely a 5-start doctor. Now, the front office is 0 stars. I've been going to Dr. Patel for about two years now and have yet to have a positive relationship with the main front desk lady. Just called to make sure the doctors office received a request to refill a NECESSARY twice a day asthma medicine... After rudely jumping down my throat that a fax was never sent by the pharmacy (it's Walgreens, pretty sure they sent it) then telling me if they did send it over the weekend their fax is turned off, she requested that I contact the pharmacy again and tell them to resend it. I did, and called her back to let her know what the pharmacy said regarding how many times they've attempted to contact the office... her response? She said she doesn't have time to be getting up and down-- will not call the pharmacy and I need to do it on my own. So she is awful, and needs to be moved to a different position where she does not have to communicate with patients because it is clearly not her strong suit. That being said, Dr, Patel is amazing and I will continue seeing him. read more

I agree with other posters that Dr. Patel is soft-spoken and a bit awkward, but I have no problem with that. He is patient and attentive enough. Getting an appointment isn't too difficult, and I never wait too long when I am there. The biggest drawback (reception staff aside) is that I do not feel like he ever became "my" doctor. As background, I started going to Dr. Patel's partner almost 6 years ago, in 2005 when I moved to the neighborhood. Soon Dr. Patel took over the practice. He is ideally located, and was easy to get in to see when I had an acute condition for which I needed his attention. But over the years, he was never good for anything more than that. I passed my 30th birthday, and no comprehensive services were ever suggested. I never had a physical, or routine exam. I was not in the best position to ask for this, because I was not even sure what I was asking for. Finally, I switched doctors about two years ago. Only then did Dr. Patel's shortcomings become truly apparent. My new doctor gave me a complete physical, which I had never had in my life, and chatted about the whole scope of my life and health. The physical included, for example, an HPV test, something that is recommended for gay men, but I never would have known on my own. I got a referral to an ENT about possible sleep problems, and to a dermatologist based on my age and fair skin. My new doctor noted slightly high blood pressure, and rather than brushing it off, as Dr. Patel did, he noticed a pattern and pursued the matter. And each year I get a reminder to come back for another physical. I feel like my total health and well-being is taken care of by a doctor that is treating me in the context of my age, sexual orientation, and other distinguishing factors. All Dr. Patel did was prescribe a drug for whatever ailed me at the time. When I was 27, though, he was certainly adequate for that. I will, of course, add the obligatory comment on staff that is overwhelmingly gruff and unpleasant. Again, I shrugged this off until I joined a practice where every single person in the office was a true professional. And I never turned back. read more

Let me start out with the positives: I actually like this doctor, a lot. He's very quiet, but very nice, and he seems to be very knowledgeable. He spoke to me about my problem very well, gave me good advice, and scheduled me for the right tests. I would like to keep him as my primary doctor, but I will not, for the following reasons: 1) Horrific office staff. I have no idea why Dr. Patel keeps these clowns employed. I highly recommend firing all of them, immediately. Start with the older woman at the receptionist desk. She has absolutely no manners, is crass and rude to patients, and shouts out the tests they are receiving and the conditions they are suffering from to the entire waiting room. This is not acceptable. She also argues with patients. Again, not acceptable. Send her packing, immediately. Judging from the looks of the patients in the waiting room, I would estimate that Dr. Patel has lost anywhere from 25-50% of patients, just thanks to her. The lady who drew my blood has an attitude problem. For patients who are ill and not feeling well, this is not acceptable. Fire her. The rest of them fall under the category of rude and incompetent. This is a recession, and there are plenty of hard-working folks who have great job skills and excellent interpersonal skills. There really is no need to keep ill-mannered, uncouth, and unskilled personnel floating around your medical office. 2) Unclean office. The rooms where the doctor meets with you are acceptable, although the entire place has the feel of an oversized trailer. The walls are definitely flimsy, and I had no problem listening to the doctor's conversations with other patients. If you are seeking absolute confidentiality, this is not the place to go. But worst of all is the area where you get your blood drawn and urine taken. Yikes! It's filthy, and packed to the brim with file boxes and other kinds of junk. This is not a sanitary place to have your blood drawn, and it is downright unprofessional to have your patients in that area. I actually saw a baby roach in the bathroom when I was knocking out my urine sample. NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! 3) Advice to doctor: I think I said it all above, but let me summarize: Dr. Patel, you appear to be an excellent doctor. But you will not be able to retain your patients unless you do the following: a) fire your office staff, b) get a new office space, and/or c) get those files out of that basement and clean it up!! Get all those files digitzed, and then send the paper copies to a storage facility. Hire some cleaners to clean out the basement properly and get it sprayed to get rid of the pests. You cannot have roaches or any other bugs in your basement!! Then get it properly furnished, so that patients won't feel creeped out when they march downstairs to hand in their urine sample and get their blood drawn. read more

I haven't had an appointment with Dr. Patel in a bit, but I felt moved to update this after dealing with his staff today. When I submitted a prescription refill last week, the pharmacy told me I was out of refills but that they'd call my doctor's office. I checked yesterday to see if the prescription was ready; the pharmacy told me they'd left a message with Dr. Patel last week but had never heard back. So I called Dr. Patel's office first thing this morning, and after a long wait on hold someone took down my information. This afternoon, the pharmacy still hadn't received the prescription, so I called Dr. Patel's office not to complain but just to see whether they could get it out today, since I'm now out of my medication. The woman I spoke to was extremely defensive and hostile, telling me I should have asked earlier if it was urgent, denying the pharmacy had ever called them, and repeatedly telling me "I'm here by myself, I'm trying to get everything out!" when I asked for a simple yes, no, or maybe on whether I can expect my refill today or not. Bottom line is that getting a prescription refilled should be relatively simple, and the only reason it hasn't been is that Dr. Patel's staff really don't seem to consider helping patients to be part of their job. read more

I have always received quality care from Dr. Patel and his team. I moved away and was a patient of another provider, but I'm happy to report that I'm back and Dr. Patel is once again my primary physician! read more

I want to start out by saying that I felt Dr. Patel was a competent doctor. In fact, I think he's better than the doctor I have now. Unfortunately, Dr. Patel is completely inaccessible due to the fact that his office staff sucks donkey balls. Yep, right out in the open for the children to see. When I started my new job (in this new-to-me city), my workplace said it would take a month before our health insurer would have me in their system. Because I take medication that I MUST take daily (cannot skip a dose), I had to be seen by a physician quickly so that I wouldn't run out at the end of the month. I called Dr. Patel's office to make an appointment. The office staff insisted on finding out my insurance plan. I told them what my plan was, but I explained that I had no identification number yet since I had just started my new job. The staff member /insisted/ (over the phone) that I was trying to stick them by scheduling an appointment without an insurance card. I tried to assure her that I wasn't trying to "stick them", and I offered to pay cash (figuring I'd be reimbursed by my insurance company later). She refused to make the appointment. You know, this really should have been my first clue. I hung up, but I called again (hoping to get someone else) because a colleague raved about how much she liked Dr. Patel. The second time I called, the staff member (clearly a different woman) said of course they could see me, that they see patients without insurance /all the time/. That I really had insurance was lost on yet another Patel staffer. I was so glad to get an appointment that I didn't want to try to convince her of the insurance issue since I'd be paying out of pocket and getting reimbursement from my insurance company anyway. After a 45 minute wait (during which I noticed a gentleman (the office manager?) chit-chatting with a buddy in his office the entire time), my actual appointment with Dr. Patel was perfectly uneventful. I thought he was kind and knowledgeable. ...exactly what a doctor /should/ be. For the next few months, I called monthly for prescription renewals, and I got them mostly without hassle. A couple of times, my prescription renewals fell through the cracks, which I was mostly okay with. I chalked it up to Dr. Patel having a busy office. However, the last time I called for a prescription renewal, it was a disaster. I called, as usual, and the staff member on the other end of the phone said they'd take care of it. A few days later, my pharmacy still hadn't received the renewal. So, I called Dr. Patel's office again. (Again thinking: busy office; they need a reminder.) The person I spoke to the second time said that they never fill prescriptions over the phone. Hold up. I successfully renewed the prescription /over the phone/ THREE times. I asked if there was a policy change. Nope, no change. Now I was in a real bind. I would have to take time off of work to shlep into the doctor's office when I wasn't sick to get a prescription for a maintenance drug that I've successfully filled with them over the phone three times before. Further, I was calling about a medication that I take every day. It's the sort of drug where the withdrawal effects are unpleasant. I was /pissed/. I'd need to take time off from work to go down to the office. If I needed to get the prescription renewed in person, why couldn't they tell me over the phone when I called days before? It was like I called and my request went into the circular file. I asked to speak with the office manager. He called a day or two later, yelled at me for taking attitude with "his" staff, said that not only would I need to come in for the prescription but I'd also need to submit to blood tests before getting the prescription (so I had to make an appointment; I couldn't just walk in and pick up the scripts). I asked him which tests they were, and he said he wouldn't tell me. (WOULDN'T, not couldn't.) I explained that I had been taking my medications for years, and never, ever was I asked to submit to a blood test. I asked if he could understand why I felt leery about the whole thing. (All I could think was: RED ALERT! INSURANCE FRAUD!) He said I could take my business elsewhere and hung up on me. I scrambled to find another doctor so I didn't have withdrawal, which I did. I like my new doctor, and I like her office staff, and I never -- not in the 10 years before meeting Dr. Patel's staff or in the time since -- have been told to take my business elsewhere. So, even though Dr. Patel didn't directly screw me over, his office staff became a barrier to my receiving good health care. He might very well be a good doctor, but dealing with his office staff just isn't worth the impact to my health let alone my sanity. read more

Uch, enough is enough. I've been coming here for three years, primarily because of how close it is to my house. Dr. Patel is ok. He's nice enough, refers you to other doctors when needed, and is about, well, average so far as doctors in my experience go. Unfortunately, when you run a general practice, you've got to take account of the people you help run it. And his support staff is the absolute worst. The older woman who runs the front desk is rude, dismissive, and generally seems put upon for the fact that you are asking her anything, including checking in. Speaking to her on the phone for any reason generally results in a lecture about how you did something wrong. And she's about as nice as a junkyard dog. And I'm not giving Dr. Patel as pass either just because he's a nice little man. Like others on here, I've been waiting literally months to get a call about my most recent appointment and the results for it and the referral. I've been literally calling every week for 2 months in the morning. And I've gotten nothing. It's the surly woman who runs the front desk that's to blame, since its her job to pass messages, but at some point, Dr. Patel has to own up to the fact that his choices are responsible for all this. I'm done with this place and won't be coming back. read more

Unreachable. I've called for the results of a test eight times during business hours over several workdays, only to receive a voicemail: "This practice is closed." Perhaps they have closed unexpectedly. read more

Dr. Patel is great, very attentive and smart. He has been my primary doctor for about five years. It's easy to make an appointment using ZocDoc Sometimes there is a bit of a wait to be seen by him and the waiting room can be crowded. As mentioned by many, he does not always have the best staff, but the job gets done. He usually has a few interns assisting him. read more

Dr. Patel is so so so awkward and soft-spoken. He needs to improve his bedside manner big time. I had to stare at him and ask him to repeat himself a million times. He also used a lot of medical jargon that I had to ask for a lay translation. He seemed knowledgeable and answered my questions. I think I'll go back. BUT BUT BUT !!! His staff at the front desk are *horrible*. There was about 10 people in the waiting room and while I was waiting for my prescription to be written out, one woman called out my full name. I went up to the window and she proceeded to speak at a completely unreasonable volume about a personal procedure I need to have. The entire room and probably the patient's rooms could hear her. I asked her to lower her voice politely and she shoved the RX in an envelope and threw it at me. I couldn't *believe* the nerve and lack of manners. It was incredibly insensitive and unethical, in my opinion. She may have ruined my experience enough to try and find a new doctor. read more

My wife and I have been seeing Dr Patel for about a decade. Years ago he correctly diagnosed a disease my wife had which allowed her to get to a specialist early on. This minimized the permanent damage the disease could do. Lots of people aren't so lucky and spend years suffering without a proper diagnosis. I haven't had the negative experiences with staff that a lot of other reviews complain about. read more

After going to the ER a couple days ago, I called up Dr. Patel to have my issue resolved. He agreed to fit me in the very next day after I called him, obviously sensing panic in my voice. As soon as you meet Dr. Patel, you know this guy is intelligently awkward (come on doc..you gotta wear a belt if you tuck in your shirt!). He and his practice also seem to be young, but blossoming (they no longer accept walk-ins, probably because they have too many patients). If fancy pants offices impress you, this is probably not the practice for you. Dr. Patel and I discussed my issue, he told me his logic, and he was quick with his recommendation. I would certainly go back, especially because he was so understanding in seeing me after I had such issues elsewhere. If I die because I was misdiagnosed, someone please make sure this review is updated to one star. read more

I agree with some of the other reviews that Dr. Patel is a little awkward and soft-spoken but I find that to actually be a good thing. It makes him more accessible as a doctor and makes me feel more comfortable talking to him. A lot of times you can get doctors who are really full of themselves but Dr. Patel takes the time to explain his diagnosis and steps that you can do to help. On a recent visit I went in for a leg injury and I was impressed at how he took the time to thoroughly examine me and listen to my concerns. Afterward he even took time to review my chart about previous things I have seen him for as well as the records that the urgent care center had sent over. His staff is highly competent and professional. They aren't the friendliest but they get the job done. I was a little curious at how it seemed one of the staff members was writing the prescriptions for him and just having him sign them but it's an efficient process for drugs I had already consulted him about. I like that I don't have to make an appointment every time I need to get a new prescription refill. I can just stop in and they will give me a new script. Getting an appointment is about average for a DC doctor- about a week but you might be able to get in sooner depending on when you call. If you have anything that needs to be seen right away you should find a good urgent care place. I think the varied ratings for Dr. Patel show that he may not be for everyone. It all depends on what you're expecting from a doctor. If you want someone who will just bark orders to you about how to take care of yourself, then see someone else. If you want someone who is more down to earth and willing to hear you out, see Dr. Patel. read more

When I first met him, I was a little turned off because he speaks very very softly and pretty quickly. But I think he's just kind of shy. I've been to see him a few times now, as he's my GP, and I really like him. I would recommend him as a doc if you're looking and he takes your insurance. read more

He is good if you are in overall ok health but I'm not sure how we would be at diagnosing complicated symptoms. Dr Patel is a good doctor but could do with being less shy and he seems almost ready to run away if you ask him questions. I've been visiting him for the last 2 years and mainly because its so hard to find GPs in the city. His staff are something else! The elderly lady at the front desk is one of the rudest people I've ever encountered. Even if there is an urgency and I need a prescription to be refilled, she could care less and after several calls her level of rudeness remains the same even if you explain your emergency to her. Such staff shouldn't be employed for the front desk if they have a basic dislike for people. And I'm sure Dr Patel being timid doesn't help her improve! Dr Patel needs to take these reviews seriously or he will lose patients very fast. I for one am in the market for a new doctor. read more

Unbelievably, he still charged my insurance for this "appointment" in which I was never seen!!!!

Dr. Patel is kind of socially awkward, but otherwise seems to be a good doctor. However, it is his office that causes me to give such a low rating. His staff is terrible! They act like it's a chore to help you, even with the most basic things, like refilling a prescription. They will make you go and find the fax number of the pharmacy and then call them back rather than looking it up themselves (this is something I've never had to do at any other doctor's office). The office itself is dingy and the one time I had to give blood, the nurse in the basement shoved a dirty, brown stress ball into my hand without asking before sticking me with the needle (I'm pretty sure the stress ball used to be yellow long ago, but no longer). Never before have I left a doctor's office feeling dirtier than when I entered. Plus, the office has signs all over the place telling the patients all the things they DO NOT do (with lots of exclamation points), like last year "WE DO NOT TEST FOR H1N1!!!" or "WE DO NOT ACCEPT MEDICAID!!!" It's not a pleasant place to be. Though Dr. Patel himself is fine, I will be switching doctors because it should not be such a frustrating experience trying to get some basic service. Over the last two years, the cycle has repeated several times: I deal with them, someone is rude and unhelpful, I try not to deal with them for as long as possible, then I begrudgingly go back only to have someone be rude and unhelpful all over again. read more

I love Dr. Patel and his front desk staff. I know some of the more sensitive folks won't like the front desk staff approach, but she's nice as ever once you actually.....wait for it....talk to her. Dr. Patel has been very good to me, and I recommend him to my friends who move to DC as an option for a Primary Care Doctor. His bedside manner is very well (I'm a former Navy Hospital Corpsman), and he'll refer you to a specialist if it's beyond his care. He listens very well, and I'm always able to be seen within 24 hours. read more

I'm running out of patience with Dr. Patel and his staff! I've had positive experiences with him before but will not be visiting him again. My past appointment was on November 12th and went as expected, however, I still have not received a call back from him or his staff in regards to my blood test results. I've called his office on numerous occasions and the staff was very rude. The first time I called, I was told that Dr. Patel is very busy and only calls people if they're is an "emergency" on their reports. When I asked for my reports to be mailed to me, I was assured they would be sent out by the next business day. This cycle has continued every week and I'm still sitting here waiting for my results. I'll be looking for a new PCP in the DC area. read more

I had previously left this office a bad review due to scheduling issues via ZocDoc, however if you call to make an appointment, this can be avoided. After seeing Dr. Patel for over a year now, he is a good doctor and is very patient. I have health anxiety which I see a therapist for, and Dr. Patel works with me compassionately, as the doctor patient relationship is important in us folks with health anxiety. Would give 5 stars if not for scheduling issues, and some rudeness from staff. read more

I've been going to 1901 R St, NW for my general practitioner since 1997 when it was under Dr. Leslie Fenton. Dr. Fenton was an extraordinary doctor with over 50 years of experience and I was treated extremely well by him and his staff. Dr. Patel came in when Dr. Fenton was preparing to retire and it took some time for me to get used to Dr. Patel. I believe Dr. Fenton turned over his patients and practice to the best replacement. Not much has changed since Dr. Patel has taken over, the staff is pretty much the same. A lot here complain they are rude, rough, gruff, or other. But I've known these people for over 10 years. His office is really busy. Just be prepared with your questions or know what you want and the information you need and they will get it to you. I have a long standing list of medical conditions and find Dr. Patel's care exceptional and his advise right on the money. He listens and if you've been with him a long time he knows your history and what he needs to do to treat you. If you need advice on seeing a specialist, there is no one better at providing you the best in the area. Dr. Fenton had a long standing relationship with many doctors in the area all of which he turned over to Dr. Patel. There have been many cases where I needed to get a fast appointment with a specialist and all I needed to do was mention that Dr. Patel request that I see them as soon as possible and had an appointment that day. The main thing to remember is that Dr. Patel is very busy, but one of the most accessible and caring MDs in the district. read more

My husband and I just signed up to have Dr. Patel as our PCP and he's great. The front desk staff was friendly and professional. I saw the reviews about the front desk staff and maybe they've moved on because both ladies were very professional and helpful. My appointment was on time too. read more

I have finally found a doctor that I trust and like, after being in DC for 11 years! Dr. Patel is smart and thoughtful, a medical professional. He returned my call right away, something that is difficult to find. I haven't had bad experiences with his staff who I have dealt with several times. His office is in an older building which is atypical for most doctor's offices and his focus isn't on aesthetics, but that's not what I went to see him for. I would much rather have a great doctor that look at nice paintings on the wall. So far, so good. He's young and works hard for his patients, from what I can tell. I would strongly recommend him. read more

Easiest doctor's appointment ever. I called to make an appointment and they fit me in within three days. When I arrived in the office, I didn't have to wait for more than ten minutes to get to see the doctor. Dr. Patel was knowledgeable and patient. He answered all of my questions, gave me several good referrals, and gave me refills on my prescriptions. I found his staff to be very pleasant. His bloodwork nurse was especially good. I didn't even feel it when she put the needle in my arm to take my blood. Overall, a really good experience. read more

Dr. Patel is the best - he's basically like the Dr. from Little House on the Prairie except he doesn't carry that cool, leather bag, and he's never actually come to my place to diagnose/treat me. On the flipside, though, he's TOTALLY awesome in that this a.m. when I had trouble figuring out why my thumb felt like it had been in a fight (???) and was swollen and painful. I needed help. Like, do I need to wrap this up/go to the ER (PLEASE NO!), etc. I walked in at 8am and got to walk back and see him within minutes. I sat down, showed him my thumb, we talked and he had me calmed down (and ecstatic that I didn't need to go to any ER). He treated me and I left, minutes later. Followed his advice and my thumb feels almost like new again! In addition, I've seen him for several years and have always loved him. He's great at his job and has a genuine and sincere personality. And NO ARROGANCE (rare in Drs. . .at least the ones I've seen here in DC). His office staff seem to be very busy - constantly. And it isn't the smoothest running environment. BUT, I weigh the pros and cons and think to have a Dr. this reliable and accessible, I can handle that the staff is not 110% perfect all the time. I rate DR PATEL 5 STARS! :) read more

Just an update that I had to get my blood drawn again back in December (as I sort out my thyroid issues) and was super scared/worried about getting bruised again. This time the lady was much much better, and hope it stays that way! read more

I've been seeing Dr. Patel for 7 years now. He is wonderful, thourough and has a great bedside manner. I also really like his staff. They are good hearted and always helpful. read more

Mr. Patel has stolen the show he is the best doctor I have seen in the last 5 years. Very Patient and understanding. most docotors I have been too did not listen...TO ME AT ALL they just say eat 3 meals a day work out for 30 minutes blah blah blah. Dr.Patel is so different he listens he checks every area. Very understanding. I will highly recommend Dr. Patel. read more

My visit with Dr. Patel was pretty great. I arrived about 2 minutes before my scheduled appointment time; filled out paperwork; and saw Dr. Patel within 30 minutes which is pretty good considering other waits I've experienced. He was attentive and answered all my questions. He was proactive in discussing my health, instead of simply responding to issues I'd raised. He's only losing one star because I didn't think his front desk staff were as polished as they could have been, but they were overall okay. read more

I'll echo what many other reviewers are saying and say that my experiences with the staff over the phone while trying to get an appointment or a prescription refill have been increasingly difficult (and god forbid you want them to send the prescription to your insurance's mail-order prescription service...) Every time I see that I'm starting to run out of refills, I feel a sense of dread about needing to deal with it all again. read more

I have had very good experiences over the past three years with Dr. Patel. He's extremely thorough, knowledgeable and willing to assist you with reducing the cost of treatment, especially if you don't have insurance or if it doesn't cover routine examinations. He is a good listener and doesn't brush off your concerns or symptoms, which definitely is a plus for a GP. He does use the med student hub-and-spoke model where a student does your work-up and he confirms/reviews the findings, but for routine check-ups and blood work, it's no problem. Also, his office has so far been excellent with specialist referrals (in my case, a cardiologist, dermatologist, and gastroenterologist). My only gripe is his staff -- although ultimately resourceful, they can sometimes be gruff and have an attitude over the phone. read more

Dr. Patel is fine -- it's his office staff I can't stand. The receptionists are downright rude, and his student assistants are horrible. I've been going to Dr. Patel for two years and have never once been examined by him. Instead, I get incompetent students who ask me a million questions but do no real examinations. Then they spend 20 minutes repeating my symptoms back to me (So. your. cough. is. productive. sometimes....with mucus. other. times. it's. not.). The worst part is that the walls of this place are so thin that you can hear the students briefing the dr. on my examination (and I'm sure everyone else can hear this too..since I routinely hear other people's exams). After that dr. Patel comes in, hands you a few prescriptions and leaves. It's pill-pushing at its best. I've continued to go here only because it's so close to my house, but am really rethinking my decision. The hours are horrible and there have been multiple instances when I've trudged over in the snow for an appointment, only to find a sign on the door saying that the office is closed because of the weather, a random holiday, or some other ridiculous excuse. Don't even think about calling after-hours because it's useless. read more

If you want a slow pace with much conversation, go somewhere else. If you want to get your medical issues diagnosed and taken care of promptly, Dr. Patel is your man. Dr. Patel is quick and efficient. At first I thought he was just hasty, but I probed him on some of the conclusions he made and he explained them thoroughly. He knows his stuff and he can make decisions quickly; both are positives in my book, but if you want to talk with your doctor for 20 extra minutes, you should probably see someone else. His staff is frank and business like. They can come across as curt. However, they have made eye contact and spoken clearly and politely with me every time I've been. I attributed the brevity to business, but it can appear curt. This office is efficient, but you will give up some of the welcoming, hometown feel in exchange read more

FYI I went recently and there was a new woman taking blood who was super nice.