I've never had a primary care physician. I went to Les Kelley in Santa Monica for the past few years out of convenience, not preference, but I was always dissatisfied with the inconsistency of quality of care and the physicians I met with, since they have such a high turnover rate. Enough was enough. My coworker suggested One Medical to me, so I signed up online, reviewed the profiles of all the quality doctors they have, and made my appointment online. The whole process really is super easy, seamless, and user-friendly. I went to my first appointment today.
The location is pretty convenient, on Wilshire Blvd. near Santa Monica Blvd., and quite easy to find with its prominent location on the street level. The decor is very modern, with comfortable seating in the quiet waiting room. The reception area is pretty warm and welcoming, not sterile like the other doctor offices and hospital waiting rooms I've been in. It's also very well lit, with natural light coming in from the large floor-to-ceiling windows, as you watch the bustling mix of car and pedestrian traffic of Beverly Hills against the backdrop of the beautiful blue sky decorated with the iconic far-reaching skinny LA palm trees. They have a self-serve water station with an abundance of mini glass cups, and a "dirty cups" section for when you're done. This is definitely an idea I'd like to incorporate in my own office!
They boast about starting their appointments on time, and they really stay true to that goal. Although I arrived 7 minutes late for my appointment, I got up within minutes of arriving. My doctor, Dr. Michelle Grotz-Rhone, introduced herself to me as "Michelle," which I was totally impressed with. She really made me feel comfortable, and she was quite personable without being overwhelming. My visit was about 45 minutes, and she addressed every question I had with care and quality solutions. I was very impressed with her medical knowledge and experience, and felt at ease raising any of my concerns with her. When our appointment ended, I had a final question, which she quickly listened to, and advised me to send her a message so she could address it at a later time. Within hours of submitting my message to her, I already received a response from a nurse in her office, addressing my concern - I can't believe how responsive they are!
I went back to the waiting room after my appointment, waiting for my blood draw for about 15 minutes, but once I was in there, the nurse was super personable, friendly, and kept me at ease as she drew my blood. The whole process was super quick and painless, which I always appreciate.
My only qualms about this medical center is that when you call the number, you are directed to an automated system that directs you to a call center remote from the location you're trying to call. When I called ahead to ask about parking instructions, I was advised that there are two parking options - valet, or parking in the alley around back, for which they validate. I followed the instructions to park in the lot through the alley, and I was reprimanded by the valet attendant, who informed me that the medical plaza is valet-only, no self park option available. When I was waiting for my blood draw, I saw another patient walk in, inquiring if they validate parking, to which the receptionist said "yes." When I brought up my parking ticket, which had been marked for 1 hour and 17 minutes ago, she gave me validations for one hour, with a smile. When I asked how much they validate for, she said, "only one hour." I am quite disappointed that I was informed by their call center and the fact that the receptionists advise their patients that they validate for parking, leaving out the crucial detail that they ONLY VALIDATE FOR ONE HOUR. I wouldn't have been taken aback about this misinformation if they had told me ahead of time that they only validate for one hour. It really doesn't hurt your patients if they know ahead of time that they're going to have to pay $2/every 15 minutes thereafter - knowledge is power, people!
All in all, I am a fan of this place, and I do look forward to making Dr. Grotz-Rhone my primary care physician. Now that I have had my first experience here, I can be better prepared for the parking situation for my next visit. read more