I CANNOT recommend Dr. Montesharrei enough to anyone. 12/10 stars, if possible!…read more
As you know, finding a medical provider, especially a specialty provider like an OB, can be uncomfortable and quite nerve-wracking. (For context, I am someone who lives in San Francisco year round for the past 12 years and has little to no ties with anyone besides family in the DMV).
As a new patient, client, etc, you want to feel welcomed into the practice. As the provider/office of the provider, from the first call, you want to start building that trust and relationship ASAP (which is great human kindness AND business development practice). I had been emailing and calling around due to some severed side effects due to a hormonal IUD insertion (it's not for everyone, and that's okay), and felt very panicked and disheartened that I couldn't schedule anything for the week with any other provider I had called. When Dr. Montesharrei's receptionist picked up, she was warm and told me the doctor does have openings for new patients even the day of!! This was mentally and physically life-saving to me, I near cried after having called into offices where they were less warm and told me that things were different and would take longer because I am a new patient.
I happily booked an appointment for the next day through coordination with the receptionist on the phone and with their online system via ZocDoc. The friendly receptionist got the appointment confirmed in the duration of 10 minutes and guided me to their new patient form on their website to fill out prior to arrival.
The office was very clean and chic, not too busy on a Tuesday afternoon. Check in and arrival went smoothly, and I was greeted by yet another friend staff member (different from the receptionist I had spoken to on the phone the prior day). I had forgotten to fill out the medical history page on the back side of my print out and was gently reminded to do that as the receptionist took down my insurance information. Despite being an Out of Network office, I appreciate that the staff there file a courtesy claim with your insurance anyways.
In terms of COVID protocols, hand sanitizers everywhere, and a medical assistant takes your temperature before you are taken to an examination room in the back. Cathy my medical assistant was also very kind and showed sympathy for my terrible side effects with my IUD as she took down my vitals and triaged me. Cathy gave me an ibuprofen to take for the quick IUD removal procedure I wanted to get the day of.
After Cathy came and went with my comprehensive triage, Dr. Montesharrei herself came in a minute later, warmly introduced herself and we chatted about casual things for about 5-10 minutes to wait for what I suspect was for the ibuprofen to kick in. I won't lie, I had not had an MD give me the time of day to hear about where I've come from like an old friend, talk deeply about my concerns with the hormonal changes and pain from the IUD from the doctor herself. Dr. Montesharrei didn't just review triage notes a minute before coming in, she came in and listened to everything else I had said to Cathy and more, as the provider at this gyn office. Most providers take down the important notes and rush you in and out, but you were actually a human to Dr. Montesharrei, just a human who happened to need her help medically.
Everything moved very quickly from then, though there were nice little minute breaks in between visits, overall the appointment upon arrival for registering as a new patient, triaging, urine sample, consultation with Dr. Montesharrei, the actual IUD removal (mine was probably just a few seconds, very quick and painless, speculum was uncomfortable per usual), blood workup took about an hour.
Again, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Dr. Montesharrei to anyone who is new or old to the DMV, she is by far one of the only MD providers I've ever come across who expresses such concern, care, and is not biased against taking new patients! The doctor and entire staff are so sympathetic and friendly, I had a great experience even though I went in worried and low-key terrified.