I am truly shocked by the reviews of Chesapeake Women's Care.. I was recommended this practice by several neighbors in addition to my primary care physician. I wasn't sure who I wanted to go to, so I've seen several doctors for both OB and GYN. During my recent OB visits, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Dr. Penn and Dr. Shuja. They are so thorough, answering all of my (many) questions during my first pregnancy and are always friendly and taking their time. I have not felt rushed by either of them at any time. I also have had Dr. Keith who I like as well. I don't love the hours, as I wish there were some longer hours to accommodate appointments outside of typical working hours but this is usually hard to find. My biggest complaint is that during COVID, they need to better communicate when their policy changes for visitors (during pregnancy appointments) as there have been times that my husband was allowed and he missed appointments or he took off work to come with me and then ended up not being allowed. It is essential that Chesapeake Women's Care finds a way to communicate this- through text, email, etc in appointment reminders with the policies constantly changing. The office staff is always friendly and helpful. read more

The overall experience with this office has been mediocre, so I was going to wait and see how birth went before reviewing, but I am instead leaving this review to encourage much better training of their reception team. I called them today due to a concern around third trimester bleeding and was literally yelled at by the woman who answered because I talked too quickly. She began yelling extremely loudly repeatedly so that I could not continue talking, so I hung up in tears. My husband called back until we got someone else and could connect with a doctor, but this was disturbing treatment towards someone who is pregnant for the first time dealing with a legitimate concern, and very frightened. This was probably the worst service yet I have received from this office, but was still in line with an existing level of rudeness/rushed behavior that we have come to expect over the last 7 months. There are a number of providers in the Annapolis area - I would recommend shopping around, and wish we had. read more

As a patient at Chesapeake Womens Care for 30+ years, I was shocked and dismayed by the OM treatment of me this morning. The receptionist was lovely and I'm sure embarrassed by the callous treatment I received. Another patient was shocked. My appointment was cancelled as I stood at the reception desk, after driving 40 minutes to Annapolis, because I have Medicare (with a secondary). The OM smugly just said we can't see you. No option to even see if I would private pay. The owners need to do something with her. She is a terrible representative to the practice. Also by the time I got home - my portal access had no record of my appointment today nor did I have the ability to reach out to Crystal to express my dismay -- coincidence? I think not. I am also concerned that I was never contacted to let me know that I was no longer welcome as a patient - it's not as if they didn't know I was turning Medicare eligible. Never heard of email? Automatic phone messages? I have never had a problem with the practitioners, and I understand that insurance and financial issues aren't their thing - but they should be concerned that their patients are being treated so disrespectively - without cause - that they are coming to Yelp to let future patients know. And if you are turning 65 before your next appointment - you aren't welcome at Chesapeake Women's Care. Make sure you read Penelope B's April 2025 and MM's May 2025 review too! read more

DO NOT TRUST THEM - DOCTORS ARE GREAT OFFICE PERSONNEL IS A NIGHTMARE I have been a patient for over 8 years. It used to be great. I never had any issues and delivered 3 babies with them. In the last year or two - it has been AWFUL. The Doctors are nice and they care about their patients, but the office staff is TERRIBLE. The office manager Leslie is rude, incompetent, has tried to commit insurance fraud by charging me for services and lying about them, and refuses to allow me to speak with anyone else about my concerns. I also learned that the office doesn't put certain medications/procedures through insurance. This is not professional. The communication has been ridiculous. I can never get to my doctor - only nurses with my concerns. My doctor calls me in a week when I have been trying for days to get in touch. This is not OK. read more

EXTREMELY RUDE - I have been a patient at Chesapeake Women's Care for over 40 years and seen the same doctor for decades. Since this January 2025, I have made four appointments for my annual checkup only to have all four cancelled by Leslie, the office manager, also my Privia portal access has also been inactivated twice since January, coincident to the last two cancellations. I have both Medicare and Carefirst BC/BS and I have verified with both carriers that the appointment will be 100% coverage. I have provided this information to Leslie but she initially rudely insisted I need to pay $210 out of pocket on my voicemail and most recently has stated it is too difficult to bill Medicare so they will no longer be billing Medicare and she refuses to opt out to use my secondary insurance. She then hung up on me. read more

I was a big fan of Chesapeake Womens Care for 35 years. I have had some of the most wonderful doctors and nurse practitioners . But beware...once you turn 65 they will drop you in a heartbeat. As a federal employee I still have BC/BS as my secondary insurance, and medicare is now my primary. Despite being told by Blue Cross Blue Shield they could opt out and submit directly to Blue Cross, they "chose" not to accept me as a patient anymore. (Age Discrimination) Discussions with office manager Leslie went nowhere. She claimed this is their policy and what their doctors want. So much for loyalty. read more

I have been a patient here for several years now and have always had a great experience. I usually see Crystal Smith for my annuals and she has always been lovely, and very calming to see. I saw most of the doctors here during my pregnancy and have loved all of them. Dr Penn started my induction and helped keep it a calm, unstressful experience. When things didn't progress, Dr Wells ended up doing my C-section, and her explanation why I needed it was great, and she very competently handled all my complications. I am so grateful to be a patient here, and have told most of my friends to become patients already. The office staff has always been great, scheduling hasn't been a problem ever. Getting to the location in AAMC is easy. I highly recommend this provider. read more

They are terrible with answering their phones and getting prescriptions refilled. Staff is nice other than that.

I had an appt scheduled for 2 months..they asked me to clear through my insurance because I am on medicare which I did and confirmed with them and the day before my appt they called and cancelled my appt because I was on medicare. I explained I worked through this with them already and they said call the billing office to discuss. Terrible phone service..never get a person. I had been going to this office for 20 years. I have since found another practice that the office staff was very helpful. read more

Dr. Keith was recommended to me so I was hoping for something better and different than the office I was with. Someone that listens and comes up with solutions. But all I got was the same old, same old. A physician who is not interested in helping a woman with menopausal issues because it's not a cash cow unless we sign up for vaginal rejuvenation surgery which of course is not covered by insurance. When I brought my issues up I received a lame " unfortunately women's health is not important to the health care industry in this country". After doing my own research on what could maybe help me and suggesting a prescription she wrote it and said it wouldn't be covered anyway. It wasn't. I filed an appeal and needed good notes from the physician to back my claim up from my visit with her. Her notes were superficial at best and my appeal was denied as well. She did not lift a finger to try to help me to get this prescription covered. Defeated I moved on to the next physician thinking it would be the same but at least she was closer to home. I mentioned my issues more as a side note and to my surprise I was listen to and heard. She came up with a creative way (her suggestion not mine) to get me a form of the prescription I had initially requested from a pharmacy that makes it as a compound so not big Pharma at a whooping $52 for a 3 or 4 month supply. She added another prescription to it that went under my insurance and reassured me if we needed to tweak or change things we had options. I am now one week in with my medication and after two years of feeling broken I finally feel like a woman again. There are a few good ones left. But this office is not one of them. Shame on them! read more

I loveeee CWC. They were super amazing when I was admitted early with preeclampsia. Had a healthy baby girl in November 2019 was in the hospital for 9 days and they couldn't have been more caring. I am so excited to be pregnant again so I can see everyone (and also show them pictures of my child ) specifically Dr. Penn and Dr. Shuja, that did my Csection perfectly. read more

Office staff has been nice. My IUD was covered 100% but I'm not thrilled that the follow up was a $40 specialist co-pay. If I had known I wouldn't of gone to the follow up. read more

Really liked this practice back in 2010-ish when my daughter was born. Prenatal visits were wonderful and Dr Penn was my favorite doctor there. Always thorough and kind, excellent bed side manner, even with being a man and having no idea what we women go though...lol. Anyway, I called today to make an appointment, as we just got health insurance back this past year. I cannot make an appointment due to a balance from 2014 and they didn't even tell me what it was for. ??? What's up with that? It's not local for me anymore anyway, so I don't mind going elsewhere that is closer and more convenient, but you would think they would have better 'customer service' addressing such matters. I told them I have a new address and they didn't want to change it to my current address. read more

I had my first child with them and despised their practice. I felt like I was part of a baby mill - the office is cold and impersonal and I was treated like a number. I kept thinking as I went through the rotation, I would find a doctor who would treat me like a person, but it never happened. To me, it felt like they took a lot of the joy out of the experience of pregnancy. I'm not a doctor, but I felt like they didn't pay enough attention to me to catch some key issues with my pregnancy to negative effect. Also, when I left the practice, they gave me a whole run-around about getting my medical records. If I could only leave negative stars.... read more

I love CWC! I am greeted as soon as I walk in the door. The waiting room is nice and spacious and the wait is usually less than 20 minutes. I saw all the doctors during my pregnancy and they were very thorough and answered all of my questions. Dr. Wells delivered my baby and is my overall favorite. She is very passionate about the health of women. Her bedside manner is superb. CWC is the gold standard in women's care. read more

My final visit to CWC was my pregnancy confirmation 5 months ago (hooray!!). It was very hurried. Although I brought my nutritional supplements to see if they're safe to take, the doctor refused to look at them to give me the a-okay. Instead, she gave me a pre-packaged pregnancy informational packet, and said, "All of your answers will be in here." Annoying. But here's what pushed me to leave this review: A few days ago, I had to pick up my medical records from Chesapeake Women's Care (even though we had requested for them to be faxed to my current OB 4 months ago...). I read through the records, and they have me diagnosed as having endometriosis and a history of migraine headaches. Both completely untrue. I've never even presented with a symptom of either condition. I'm not mad or offended. Shocked, yes. I'm thankful to no longer be a patient of CWC. Be proactive, ladies! Your healthcare provider is your choice! read more

I had my initial visit with Dr. Herman whom I chose because of her "Philadelphia" training and was quite pleased. However now I've learned that they do not accept Medicare (a new insurance for me this year), and they won't see me even as a self-pay patient. Shame on them for turning their back on "seniors" (even though I am still working). I'm sure they see every Medicaid patient that comes down the pike! This system is BROKEN! Sue B read more

Horrible practice. No real on call care for pregnancy. Takes hours to get a call back and then they'll just recommend ER, if YOU think it's needed. I even had an on call doctor withhold medical advice from me stating he could tell me the answer, but not with that attitude (as I was upset it took so long to hear from someone with a pregnancy related problem). I started having bleeding while pregnant and they would not get me in for an appointment when the previous day's on call doc told me they reserve spots just for cases like that. This practice is failing it's patients- women and unborn children alike. If you value your own health and that of your baby, I'd stay far away. read more

Dr Penn has been phenomenal! Never an issue with making an appointment that fits my schedule and the office staff has been wonderful! Same people help me each time and when I hadn't been there in over 6 months they still remembered me!!! Highly recommend them!!! read more

I'm not sure why everyone raves about this place and its doctors because I have yet to experience all of this awesomeness. I am 36 weeks pregnant, and have now gotten to meet each doctor in the practice who may or may not be there on my delivery date. Out of the 6, there is exactly ONE I wouldn't mind delivering my child. 2 of the 6 ( and I am going to keep them nameless for privacy sake) have the worst bedside manner I have ever experienced. Again, I am 36 weeks pregnant and considering switching practices. Every appointment I have had has been mediocre at best, with a couple being downright terrible. It is your job to encourage and uplift a pregnant momma, not discourage them about weight gain and tell them they are "taking too long to make important, life changing decisions." It is your job to guide me, and allow me to take all the time I need. If you are that busy, maybe you need to reevaluate what your intentions are. Again, The bedside manner needs to be addressed. The only reason this place gets 2 stars is because of one good doc, and a very helpful front desk staff. read more

I am new to the area and couldn't be happier about finding Chesapeake Women's Care here in Annapolis! It's been an amazing experience all the way. Setting up the appointment was easy. When I arrived they were very friendly and I got called in right on time. Their process is pretty straight forward and they seem extremely well organized. Most importantly the doctor (in my case Doctor Keith) was absolutely amazing. She was professional, had great bedside manner and was incredibly patient and helpful in answering any questions I had, which I really appreciated. The exam was well done and the check-out process was quick as well. Looking forward to being a patient here for years to come! read more

Their billing department there is the actual worst. Pre-paid for delivery, switched insurances and was never refunded my original funds. They kept my original funds and continued to charge me as I went. Argued with the billing manager after months of lies, being given the run around, and hundreds of different answers, and no one could explain to me why my 600 was being kept.... INSANE. read more

Be prepared to want more than 10 minutes to speak with someone. After then you are transferred to an answering machine to leave a message. Good luck if you need to see someone right away. I'm 9 months pregnant and seriously considering switching to another practice.... read more

It's been 3 years since my first visit to Chesapeake Women's Care and I'm still quite happy with this office. I'm the kind of person that's loyal when I find a business I like, and I haven't strayed even though I no longer work close to the Annapolis office. I was scheduled with Dr. Margaret Keith the first time and I've continued to see only her for the past 3 years. The only time I had annoyance was when I was late for an appointment my 2nd year. I called ahead to say I would be about 15 minutes late, and was told that they reschedule appointments if you show up more than 15 minutes late. I ended up arriving 13 minutes late, was made to wait for a few minutes, and then was told that my appointment had to be rescheduled. I was annoyed that I had to wait a few minutes before they told me to reschedule vs. just telling me as soon as I got there, but it taught me to make sure that I just don't show up late for any other appointments. The rescheduled appointment took place a week after the original. I've never had a problem scheduling an appointment. When I call in for an appointment, it seems like I generally end up scheduling an appointment about 1 month away. Since I've only had to go in for annuals it has worked for me, but I would probably feel differently if I were pregnant and had to wait that long. Dr. Keith is like a ninja! Her hands are light, sure, and quick. The staff is courteous and I wish I could find a GP office that I liked this much! read more

The office staff is very rude. Was a little late to my appointment and the receptionist stated that the doctor had moved on and I would need to reschedule. When I approached the same receptionist about how to transfer my records to another practice she just handed me a form to change. I am sure the doctors are unaware of their front desk staff but for this reason I will not return. read more

I normally do not write negative reviews but all of the positive reviews for this practice was the reason I originally went to this practice. As a GYN patient it was fine. Nothing special and you do feel like just a number. The wait is always long to see the doctor, which I do understand things come up with pregnant patients so it didn't really bother me. Once I became pregnant this office was terrible!!! I had severe back pain from a herniated disk and was completely unable to walk. When I called the office they didn't even want to see me. It took two hours for them to call me back and they said sorry we can't help you but it really sounds like you need to see a doctor. That's who I thought I was calling?? This practice will send you anywhere else so they do not have to deal with a problem. I had an appointment coming up so I suffered until then. Once I was at my appointment, wheelchair and all, the doctor said sorry I will not help you. I'm not doing anything for you and this is just part of being pregnant. She was EXTREMELY rude and condescending. She told me to go to a neurologist or primary care doctor. FYI neurologist will not see pregnant patients. Primary, urgent care etc will all tell you to see your OB. Thank God I found a new OB practice that was willing to help me. I am thankful I left this office every day. Probably fine if you have a pregnancy with no issues what so ever but if you have a problem this office will not help you. read more

Do not use this practice. They gave me too many fluids after my daughter was born and I ended up back in the emergency room. I decided to give them another chance(not sure why) ..called them needing to come in and they don't have any appointments between two different offices.. Their nurse practitioner retired and they have no replacement. Stay away!! read more

It takes forever to get through someone on the phone to schedule a visit. The office and service upon my first visit was not a good experience that I will not be returning back. The nurse was very rude doing the pre-work that I did not feel welcome. read more

I recently had my second baby via c section. Dr Russell did my procedure. I had my first baby via c section in San Diego CA. Having 2 c section by 2 different drs in 2 different states gave me a great way to compare my experiences. I really thought my first c section went so well there was no way this one would be able to go any better. Well it did! Dr Russell was so kind to me throughout my procedure. Even tho I couldn't see or feel what was going on I felt supported by her the entire procedure and afterwards also. She asked me how I was doing multiple times. She was calm and took great care in what she was doing. My husband saw both procedures/ births and he was shocked at the difference. He was so happy with Dr Russell's care and concern for his wife and new child. The thing that sticks out most to me is she came back to see me 3 times after the procedure. Once in recovery, and twice once I was in my room 2 different days. She didn't have to do that. I was doing great my vitals were all great. Dr Russell came by just because she cares. I've never had a dr do that before. It took me a few visits to meet Dr Russell thru the rotation system. I am so glad we crossed paths. If I have another baby she will defiantly be the Dr I choose. My incision healed beautifully. Thanks Dr Russell!! read more

It's a mixed bag. Loved Dr. Wells, Dr. Seuss, Dr. Samoza, Dr. Penn. Jeannie and several of the other ladies who check your weight and bp were wonderful. The lady who used to check you out was a sweetie. However... One of the other doctors (one of the men, not Dr. Penn) tried to scare me into having a C-section I didn't need (my baby was enormous, and I would risk causing him permanent damage if he got stuck, and they had to pull him out...) , and told me I had to make the decision / appointment by 5 pm that day, or I would not 'get a slot'. It turned out I had been given incorrect information, the head of the practice, Dr. Penn said they would never force a baby out - if there was any such issue, i'd get a C-section at any time I needed, at the hospital. (I tried and had no problem giving birth to my average weight baby!) One of the other doctors, who was supposed to examine me (after delivery, before i went home) and make sure I was ok to go home, never showed to check me. As a result, I was sent home with a raging infection... that was caused by a botched catheterization. I called the office over the next several days, couldn't get anyone on the phone, and when i got a hold of the answering service after hours, they kept saying call during business hours. This happened for a couple days. Finally someone agreed to schedule me, but not for a week out. even though I told them I was worsening... until finally the third or fourth day I woke up one morning with a high fever and feeling like I was dying. I drove in there and waited for the doors to open to ensure I would get seen, and part of me wonders if they would even have taken me if i had not been crying my eyes out in the waiting room. The doctor took one look, and I remember the look of fear on her face. I had an emergency situation requiring re-admittance to the ER. Nearly passed out at the wheel driving there. If I hadn't forced my way in to see someone that morning, I could have ended up dead. And recently - one of the receptionists was rather short on the phone when I tried to ask questions about something that she was not conveying clearly, something that was worrying me. She kept cutting me off. I was polite, and just trying to understand and said thank you, after I said thank you, she hung up on me. Not another word... no thank you, no goodbye. Despite the positive experiences I've had, these negative experiences keep happening too. I am thinking it is time to move on. Its a shame, because some of the folks there have been awesome. read more

The absolute worst administrative staff ever. When calling the office, be prepared to be put on an immediate, lengthy hold - so long that you will eventually hang up. To schedule an appointment at the Annapolis office, call the Gambrills office - because at least they answer the phone there. When you do get an appointment, and arrive 15 minutes ahead of time, be prepared to wait a *very* long time before you're seen - bring a book, and TRIPLE the time you're telling your boss you're going to be at your appointment. This practice is so bad that I requested a copy of my records to be sent to me, so that I could bring them to my new gyn. I completed their "Medical Records Release/Request Form" accordingly. Despite THREE written communications with them (remember, they do not answer the phone), they sent the records directly to my new gyn, and then had the gall to send me a bill for $16.79. Go anywhere, ANYWHERE, other than this practice. read more