Dr. Ikbal is shockingly misinformed about nutrition, pushing urban legends that were disproved decades ago. This is all the more astounding because nutrition was her undergraduate degree. She also doesn't appear to practice evidence-based medicine. After her asking me what I eat in a typical day, she asked, "Where do you get your protein?" (Ugh. The idea that protein is hard to come by is flatly wrong and severely outdated. As Dr. Nestle, chair of the NY University nutrition dept. said, *26* years ago "We never talk about protein anymore, because it's absolutely not an issue, even among children. If anything, we talk about the dangers of high-protein diets. Getting enough is simply a matter of getting enough calories." The DV/RDA is ~8% of calories from protein, while grains are ~13% protein, vegetables 23%, etc.) She then tried to tell me that I had to combine plants foods to get a complete protein. (That was an urban legend promoted by a popular 1971 book, whose author recanted ten years later. The USDA nutrient database shows that individual vegetables, grains, and beans have all essential amino acids, in higher amounts than what we need.) Finally, she said I should eat more fat. I asked if there were science to support the idea that an addition of fat to an otherwise healthy diet improves health outcomes. Her reply was like, "I've been a doctor for 20 years...." Meaning, no science. By the way, she asked why I chose her, and I said that one of her patients wrote in a review about how he was able to get off all his meds for Crohn's Disease. Dr. Ikbal replied that the patient took himself off the meds, it wasn't her doing. Anyway, after hearing so much misinformation in just a brief, limited interaction, I have to wonder what other misinformation Dr. Ikbal is operating on. If you want a physician who practices evidence-based medicine, you'll probably want to look elsewhere. UPDATE: After I left the above review, suddenly DOZENS of glowing 5-star reviews appeared within a few days, about 1/3 of which are from people not even in the Austin area, many not even in the same state, and many of whom have zero other reviews on Yelp. Yelp has understandably moved most of these to the "Reviews Not Recommended" section. Is Dr. Ikbal buying fake reviews? Draw your own conclusions. read more

Our whole family has been seeing Dr. Katriny Ikbal for what I guess is about four years now. Dr. Ikbal is one of the nicest and most informed doctors we've seen in years. She's made numerous referrals to specialists as needed and has always expressed her utmost concern for our health and well-being. Don't let a negative review dissuade you from using her. In an age where healthcare costs $1,000s a month with high deductibles her medical practice model is the future of healthcare. She's reasonably priced, we've rarely had to wait more than a day to see her and in a crunch she'll make herself available by phone. One of the sweetest people you will ever meet. She's well versed in both conventional medicine and alternative approaches. Yes, she'll nag me about getting my annual bloodwork which is included in her fee but she does it politely and because she cares. Fred M. and Family read more

Doctor Ikbal is our family doctor. She's one of the best doctors I've met since I moved to the US. She's very experienced and professional, she listens to you and pays attention to every single detail. She was the first who detected my son's heart murmur. She also suggested that we change his diet. The results were amazing, my son has so much more energy, he's never tired now! My husband and I would definitely recommend Dr Ikbal to our friends and family! read more

Dr. Ikbal has been our family doctor for several years. She's very knowledgeable, caring, and professional. The insurances companies force most primary care doctors to make you visit their office for everything, and the more you visit, the more they make. I love the fact Dr. Ikbal does not bill insurance companies. She is motivated to keep you healthy. The healthier you are, the better it is for both of us. Don't hesitate if you are considering a change or just looking for a new primary care doctor. I highly recommend Direct Med. read more

Dr. Lessing was wonderful. Always provided me with useful, understandable advice. She also made sure I wasn't overdoing it, which is common for me. Thank you. read more

Dr. Ikbal does a great job in caring for families here in Lake Travis. Always willing to spend necessary time and she makes herself available with short leadtime. Is available for in-person and tele calls. Highly recommend. read more

My son (8) and I see Dr. Ikbal and Dr. Keller. Having moved here 1 year ago when we did, one of the biggest fears I had was finding East meets West doctor. There was a lot of anxiety leaving ours back in CA. Both doctors were warm, welcoming, transparent and lead with education + open conversation upon first visit. Since then we've had some random worries pop up with health to which they've gotten to the bottom of and put us at ease. These doctors are definitely whole body healers and lean toward getting to the root of any issues vs. slapping a bandAID on them. Also, they aren't pill pushers to big Pharma. I very much appreciate their TLC and modern approach to medicine. We feel blessed to have discovered these two! read more

My family have been patients of Dr Katriny Ikbal for several years. Her approach to whole body functional health has helped my son transition away from prescription medication and lead a more balanced life. She is very quick to respond to questions and concerns or see us last minute in the office. I am so glad we decided to switch to her for our whole family health. read more

We've been going to Dr. Ikbal for about three years now, after our insurance premiums became more than our mortgage payment. She was recommended by a friend, and from my very first hour-long consultation, I could see she was interested a "whole person" approach to her patients' health. I had a lot of stress in my life...my appointment wasn't just about the physical well-being, but she wanted to know about my family, relationships, and really trying to get to the root of what was causing my anxiety. She was also able to provide an ECG in her office, something that had cost me $600 extra with Austin Regional Clinic. I've also had an extreme distrust of the medical system and fear of medical costs that can cause me to avoid going to the doctor. Dr. Ikbal has been kind, and goes out of her way to help me navigate the system in a way that works. She's responsive, and I have quick access when I need help. She also takes the time...appointments are much longer than what you get with other doctors. Having her own practice means she can visit as long as needed with patients...it's refreshing. And I might add that my husband and I are recovering from covid. We are both vaccinated, but when I started feeling like I was having a sinus infection (not covid), I was able to tag along to my husband's annual exam appointment to get checked out. The next morning, Dr. Ikbal performed a PCR test, and the following day she called me to deliver the news and talk about next steps. We are usually pretty quiet patients, but the past two weeks have been a constant stream of medication requests and questions. She has been communicative and concerned, and I'm happy to see we're both close to a full recovery. It was scary, but Dr. Ikbal went out of her way to make sure we were well cared for, safe, and comfortable. One last thing...when I ended up with extreme shoulder pain a couple years ago, Dr. Ikbal's knowledge of the direct-care medical model helped us connect with Texas Free Market Surgery. I had bone spurs in my shoulder, and we were able to have it taken care of quickly, and at an extremely reasonable out-of-pocket price ($7,000 for arthroscopic surgery instead of $50,000 with Seton). Dr. Ikbal has become a trusted partner and friend. I recommend her highly. Be sure to check the other "Not recommended" reviews at the bottom. Yelp has a stupid mechanism that has filtered out a number of five-star reviews that are not reflected in the overall rating. They deserve your attention. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Ikbal for a few years now. I started seeing her after I saw how thorough she was with my daughter when my daughter was going through some tough health issues at a young age. I love how she really listens and does all the appropriate bloodwork to get to the root of the problem! She is so kind and easy to talk to which is very important in a Dr. I have insurance but I still pay for her concierge medicine. I like having a Dr. Who does both conventional and alternative medicine. She takes the whole person approach to her practice which I love! read more

After years of specialists (GI and rheumatologists) I visited Dr. Ikbal. I have Crohn's and Akylosing Spondylitis. I was on humeria, steroids, tramadol. I won't get into specific treatments but I have been seeing Dr. Ikbal for a few months and I am off all off these drugs. It's amazing. I'm not in the bathroom all day and I am not suffering from chronic pain as I once was. My Wife even says I am much more pleasant to be around. Thank you Dr. Ikbal! You've helped me more than a decade with other doctors. read more

Dr.Ikbal is practicing medicine the way it should be done. Dr.Ikbal will take the time to know and understand YOU. She considers the patient as a whole. She is extremely knowledgeable about nutrition and gut health. There is plenty of research showing that what we eat and bioavailability of the nutrients has an impact on our health. When or if the time comes that you need a specialist she has a network of highly skilled physicians to recommend. I have seen three of them this year and all were professional and knowledgeable. Her business works on a cash pay/membership model. This is how she can provide attentive, personalized care to each of her patients. The cost is very reasonable (even low) when you consider the cost of medical insurance/copays etc. The model cuts out all the administrative costs that a physician working the insurance model has to incur. My family has had great results working with her and I would recommend her to anyone tired of the traditional insurance model and who is willing to work on their health. read more

Dr. Ikbal is amazing!! She helped me so much when I was really sick and no one knew what was wrong with me.

This is the first time I've left a review of a doctor's office on Yelp, but felt compelled to do so for Dr. Katriny Ikbal. She's very kind, very smart, and extremely easy to work with. She uses a messaging app that makes it really easy to share information with her and schedule appointments. If you're looking for a PCP look no further. read more

Transitioning me and my husband's care to Dr. Ikbal has been the best decision I have made on the healthcare front. For the first time, I feel that I have a trusted partnership with my GP, who truly has my best interests at heart. Katriny is dependable, accessible, knowledgable, and most important, she really listens to the concerns of her patients. During the intake process, I was amazed at how many questions she asked, how thorough her notes were, and how interested she was in my health history. She also keeps abreast of the best cash options if there is an additional test or procedure I need. I never realized what peace of mind having an amazing GP would bring, and wish I had found her years earlier, as it would have saved me a lot of trouble! If you're wondering whether direct primary care is the right option for you, I was hesitant about trying it, and I'm so glad I did! read more

Dr Ikbal has been our family physician for over 5 years, and we have since referred her to several family friends. She always reminds us when it's time to get our bloodwork done, and will go over the results with us in detail. She is engaging and thoughtful in her approach to health and wellness, and we never feel rushed during our visits. We highly recommend her! read more

Dr. Ikbal is approachable, friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely responsive. She's the only doctor I ever had who would communicate usefully by text or email as well as take phone calls. As family doctor - for myself, my wife, and my young child - we've really appreciated her support and the peace of mind that comes with being able to actually reach your doctor if you need to. No sitting in waiting rooms with sick people either! Thank you Dr. Ikbal! read more

I am a relatively new patient of Dr. Keller's and have been BLOWN AWAY by the level of service and care that I have received from her since joining the practice. We are new to the area and signed up without ever having met her in person. Before our first appointment, I had the unfortunate experience of coming down with COVID and she treated me remotely and had me back in fighting shape within a matter of days. She is beyond attentive and caring and is a wonderful doctor. I am blown away by the entire practice. Neer, who runs the business side of things, is incredible as well. It is truly like family over there and I cannot recommend their practice more highly. This is what medical care should be like! read more

Dr. Ikbal and her husband Neer are both exceptionally professional and warm. This was my first experience as an in-person direct primary care patient, and it could not have been better. I'm proud to be working with them at my company Decent too. read more

Hey Dr Ikbal, I just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you and your husband for helping me so quickly with my recent health scare, my family sincerely thanks you. It's people like you that make the world a better place. read more

Dr. Katriny Ikbal is among the very best Primary Care Physicians in Austin and I would recommend her to anyone! Her knowledge in the field of medicine, attention to detail and very kind demeanor are make us as patients and as close friends excited for the opportunity to visit the Doctor! read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Ikbal for quite sometime now. She's very professional and makes me feels comfortable every time I see her. She has background in nutrition and that was plus when I was looking for a Doctor. I highly recommend her! read more

Dr Ikbal has been our family physician for over five years and she is always so caring and takes the time to listen and in doing so, provides the best medical care. It's easy to schedule an appointment and she is always on time. We are so grateful for all her help and medical expertise! read more

Dr. Ikbal genuinely cares about her patients, and works very hard at getting to the root causes of different issues. She always takes her time to explain things to me and is so quick to respond and listen to me any time I ever have any question or problem I need to talk to her about. I have never felt more comfortable with a Doctor, she makes me feel like she really cares and I can't explain how rare that is. She is the only Dr. who has helped me make real changes in my blood work! You won't regret trusting dr Ikbal with you and your families care! read more

Our family had the good fortune of being introduced to Dr. Ikbal two years ago. Prior to establishing care with her, we had decent experiences with family practitioners and pediatricians in Austin. What we have now is something I wish every family could experience- a close connection with a doctor who has taken the time to get to know each of us really well. She has helped my husband immensely with his gut and sleep issues, responds thoughtfully to every message and question I send her (and I send her a LOT of messages!) and really takes the time to get to the root of each problem. Our whole family loves her! read more

As a physician myself, I chose Dr. Ikbal for her whole body approach and would chose her again 10 times out of 10. I've been a patient of hers for several years now and she actually correctly diagnosed me with a congenital condition that doesn't present until 40-60 years of age. Thanks to her diagnosis and preventative care I will hopefully be able to avoid diabetes and a possible liver transplant. She has always been attentive to any of my needs, is always available 24/7 and always compassionate. I've learned in my medical career that medicine doesn't always follow the textbook and so despite practicing strong EBM (Evidenced based medicine, its the standard of care we're all taught in med school nowadays), I always appreciate her thinking outside the box, even if its just lending an ear to listen about my current life stressors. I could not recommend Dr. Ikbal enough! read more

The level of service and care we've been receiving from Dr. Keller has been stellar! For your doctor to know you by name, and take copious notes during every visit while never rushing through an exam, etc. is so refreshing. Also, to be able to text your doctor directly and get a timely response has been a game changer for us. We've also seen Dr. Ikbal, when Dr. Keller was out, and she too is great! read more

I have always been a big fan of the subscription-based primary care service. As a self-employed person, I don't have time to get sick and I don't have time to sit around a doctor's office reading 3-month old People magazines. I tried working many of the doctors that are part of my current insurance plan. Unfortunately, when I tried to schedule an appointment with many of these doctors, it would take them over a week to see me. If I did have an appointment, many of these doctors would make me wait over 30 minutes to finally see them. This is after they make me show up 15 minutes before my scheduled time to fill out their paperwork! Enough with this B.S! Katriny is a breath of fresh air for people that understand time is money. I can get in to see her usually in 24 hours if not that very day. This is important when you can feel a cold coming on and you need to nip it in the bud. If I have any medical questions, I can reach her anytime during the day on her cell phone. Her personality is always warm and friendly, which is also a nice change compared to how I was treated by some of the staff at other physician offices. The $87 a month is a bargain for this kind of hands-on care. If you're cheap and don't really care about your long-term health, then keep going to one of the doctors that your insurance plan approves - I'm sure you won't die from the experience. However, if you're fed up with the awful service provided by the vast majority of primary care physicians, then you really should give Katriny Ikbal a try. You'll never switch back. read more

Dr. Ikbal is wonderful! I love her practice and how extremely comfortable it is. I have never had a doctor that spent an hour with me and listened to all of my concerns. She is attentive and quick to respond. Highly recommend her! read more

I have been seeing Dr. Ikbal for the past 4 years and can tell you without hesitation she is an amazing doctor. She will take the time to make sure that you have all your questions answered and understand what to expect. She has never failed to answer my calls and really has no off hours when it comes to her patients. If you are looking for a great family doctor Dr. Ikbal is what you are looking for. read more

Katriny Ikbal and Directmed provide the best medical care that my family has ever received. She has been our doctor since the kids were in elementary school and now they are both heading off to college. Having her available any time we have questions or need help has been amazing. She knows our family and can see us in person when necessary or provide help over phone or internet. Just knowing she is there provided a feeling of comfort before and during covid. So glad to have her around. read more

Dr. Katriny is so wonderful! I haven't had a primary care physician that I felt cared about me, my needs and KNOWING me more than Dr. Katriny. She always addresses my concerns, answers questions and makes me feel comfortable at each appointment. You are in great hands at DirectMed! read more

DirectMed is great! I highly recommend! Very responsive, direct contact with Dr. easy to make appointments & very friendly. Dr. Keller is my Doctor & she's fantastic! Thanks DirectMed! read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Ikbal for several years. As we all know, there are a plethora of choices when it comes to medical care and we have to make those choices based on our own needs and beliefs. I knew immediately that Dr. Ikbal's approach to treatment and care aligned directly with mine. Her intention is to get and keep her patients healthy with a natural protocol as the first line of defense. Prescriptions may be necessary but she expertly blends Eastern and Western medicine to provide a balanced plan. She has always been respectful and careful to listen. She makes plenty of time and never rushes an appointment. Her medical skill and knowledge is evident, her bedside manner beyond compare. I can honestly say now on the back side of a time of absolute desperation, I would not be in this place of whole health, both body and mind, if it were not for my serendipitous introduction to Dr. Ikbal! read more

We had been looking for a long time to really take care of our staff by providing them with not only health insurance but an emphatic doctor that they had access to at any time and could get treatment right away if they weren't feeling well or were concerned about a long term health issue. Dr. Ikbal has been that doctor and the answer we were looking for and more in regards to taking care of our work and immediate family members' medical needs. She is incredibly compassionate and goes above and beyond to really listen to your whole health story without making you feeling rushed or that you are taking up too much time. This is truly medical care and attention unlike you have ever experienced before. Her connection, patience, and genuine concern has led to discussions and treatment about health issues I had never discussed, felt comfortable asking, or had the time to really explore with other PCPs before. Her insight and recommendations have led to new treatments and improvements in not only my health but overall quality of life. It has been a couple of years now and she still continues to raise the bar for medical primary care. I think this is the way medicine and your relationship with your doctor should be. After working with Dr. Ikbal, I truly cannot imagine going to anyone else! read more

I came across Direct Primary Care in my research of health shares as alternatives to traditional health insurance when I had tired of paying high premiums & high deductibles with individual health insurance policies. I strongly support this positive disruption in the racket that is traditional health insurance. Especially for families such as mine, who really only need primary care with the occasional visit to urgent care for an injury. I really appreciate Dr. Ikbal's practice as I can message her & avoid unnecessary trips & expenses, but when we need to see her in the flesh, we can. She has a very good bedside manner & my children & I always feel comfortable with her. If you're looking for a doc who will just write prescriptions for issues that may be addressed through other remedies, I don't think she's it. The Osteopath in her comes out. She'll want to dive deeper & find alternative remedies & therapies. If you need antibiotics for swimmer's ear, yes of course! Bottom line - unless you have major medical issues that require specialists, I wholeheartedly support Direct Primary Care & Dr. Ikbal, in particular. read more

I moved from Dallas to Austin a few months back and after a bad experience with another doctor, I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Ikbal. I could not be more pleased and have added my teenage son to the plan as well! So far I have had the flu, hurt my back and then my son had an asthma attack all within the same couple of months, and Trust Me, she was a life saver! Being able to text or call your doctor and get an immediate response is beyond awesome. I tell my friends about her practice every chance I get and I cannot recommend her enough! I grew up having a family doctor who was a close friend of the family and would take care of our needs just like Dr. Ikbal does, and I thought those days were long gone. They aren't - and I highly suggest that you get set up with her services before this well kept secret is out. read more

First Dr. Katriny Ikbal is so sweet. I think the sweetest Doc I have EVER been to. Why pay for insurance plan where you go to a hospital and wait for hours when you can get her undivided attention as soon as you walk through her office door. You can call her cell phone, email her whatever you need she is there for you! She answered all my questions. Was very professional and personal. Totally worth the time and money. She scheduled me as soon as I needed! I didn't have to wait for weeks to get in and get my physical. I give you 5 out of 5 stars ! read more