The pic is my thumb. Dr K. - fit me in (double booked), saw the issue, and immediately made the…read moretime to do "surgery" on it in the office. No waiting, just an immediate solution to my painful problem. Doctor K (Tarik Kardestuncer, M.D.) is a remarkable individual, spectacular human, and truly embodies the Hippocratic Oath. He is hardworking and excellent at what he does. I can't say enough about him, both as a person and as a doctor. He surpasses any other doctor I've ever met. And at 67 years old, I've seen a BUNCH of doctors, he is by far the best! Dr K. - He is in this profession for all the right reasons.

I had a previous experience with this office that was rather unpleasant. I got in line to check in…read more When it was my turn , all of a sudden every receptionist (or whatever they are called these days) was "occupied". The fact that I was left standing there for over five minutes was ridiculous. Finally, a young lady returning from her break helped me check in. Miraculously the person right behind me was invited to check in immediately. Hmmmm. The wait to see the doctor was also lengthy. I was finally called to the back only to meet with the doctor I was referred to for five minutes and told he was referring me to his colleague. Horrible bedside manner. Condescending to be sure. I didn't ask why he was referring me to someone else. I was checked out by the same receptionist who walked over from her desk to do so. Hmmm. I went to the second appointment and not so bad this time. However, this doctor's bedside manner was as off-putting as the first. Just a bit too much arrogance. I decided not to return. Fast forward. I end up at the ER with a hand injury that is not healing properly and broke open and bled profusely. The ER contact a hand surgeon who knows immediately what it is without seeing it. Unfortunately they are affiliated with, you guessed it, Orthopedic Partners. Must be new I thought. So the OP was supposed to get me in ASAP according to the ER nurse. At least by Friday. No phone call. I call the following week and can't locate my insurance card so I'm told I need to provide the number before an appointment can be made. Understood. I find the card and try to call back several times that same day. No one picks up. Just on hold indefinitely. The next day I try again. No luck. The third day, after trying unsuccessfully to connect with scheduling I speak to an operator to ask if there is a better time to call. She tells me no, not really. High call volume. So, I say thank you and have a nice day. I contact a surgeon's office affiliated with Backus Hospital and surprise! they answered immediately and tell me what I should do for a referral. Pleasant, professional and efficient. Thank goodness for options.

My name is Theresa, age 31. My day started off ok. This is my first time at Dr. Santhanam…read moreLakshminarayanan's office and last. First of all I was excited to go. (Finally I am going to get help with all this pain I'm in. I was thinking.) Also at beginning of visit I was happy because I saw I lost 8 more pounds. So far so good! Nurses were friendly and great. They asked questions and examined me and then I was to wait for dr. Dr. Santhanam Lakshminarayanan then came in. Hot! First thing he says is The issue I have he wont help me with because I am over weight! Wait? Yes I am over weight but it isn't from being over weight! I have had pain in joints since I was a teen. I told him this. Then he feels he needs to assume things without even knowing me. He looks at me after I explained this and said well obviously you were a big child. Actually I was very small. I told him. Then he goes when did u start gaining weight. I told him22 and I was diagnosed with PCOS then. he then yells at me asking why I didnt tell nurses that. I then told him I DID! Not my fault they didn't tell u. He says oh well at your age women with PCOS are bigger than u. as if that was a complement. Then asks me do u eat bread. I say yes. he goes why. I say because it is cheap. He says "no because it is sweet. Obviously u eat cookies and bagels!" Actually I don't eat cookies liked that n don't eat bagels! he continues too make rude comments and assumptions about me. I'm ready to leave at this point because this lazy Dr. wont help anyone who is over weight. as well as insulting me anyway he can. Jus the Desides to insult my 4 yr old daughter in corner. Again not knowing us assuming she has a problem. She turned 4 in may. she is 3 foot 11. very tall but normal on her fathers side of family who are all including the women over 6 feet tall. Him saying " I am not her pediatrician but she needs to have her hormones or glands checked because look at her." I'm done and we left. I'm am mortified by this Drs behavior. He is disgusting in they way he talks and thinks about ppl.

My doctor referred me here for bloodwork related to a stomach issue (or possible ectopic…read morepregnancy). Upon arriving, they took my temperature, had me use hand sanitizer, and then asked me if I had had any Covid symptoms. I said no, but I mentioned that I had had a cold 2.5 - 3 weeks ago. BIG MISTAKE. The receptionist then said I could not have any lab work done there because she said it was **possible** I had Covid, and she wanted me to immediately leave the building. I reiterated that I had not had ANY related symptoms to Covid for nearly 3 weeks. She still refused me service. I asked her to call my doctor, and she also refused to do that. She said: You'll have to go to the hospital to have your bloodwork done, and she again insisted that I leave the building immediately. Yes, they literally turned a hurting person out into the cold with no evidence. I only gave two stars because at the end of all of this, she mentioned that she would go outside to speak further with me if I wanted. Okay... but what more was there to discuss? She was going to deny me healthcare regardless. Now, any person who can count can tell you that 2.5 - 3 weeks is approximately 17 to 21 days. You'll notice that both numbers are larger than the number 14. Wow. Amazing. Even *if* my normal sniffles-and-no-fever cold was somehow Covid -- and that is a big if -- I am past the quarantine window identified by the Centers for Disease Control. So... what gives? And don't forget, those dates are actually based on when I showed regular cold symptoms, which means the cold set in earlier. So really, it was probably like 3.5 weeks ago. Today taught me that one of the following is true. Either: A. Healthcare companies are now using covid as an excuse to make extra money. Consider how much more money L&M will make by referring someone to their E.R. in the hospital. If they can get many patients to go there instead of here, that's a lot of extra money that they can charge insurance companies. OR B. The public has reached a point of hysteria around Covid, to the point that every patient is considered guilty until proven innocent by a Covid test (Hey, there's that money component again... and who makes that money... does this lab process them? I do genuinely wonder that now.) . So if you haven't already taken a test that said you're clear, then you are denied healthcare. (This is also funny, though, because even if you did test clear four days ago, you could have caught it between then and now... right? So, unless you have a test that immediately tells you on the spot whether you're covid-free, then what??) Today I felt like I was treated like a leper. I literally stood in the parking lot and cried. I'm not kidding. I went outside and I cried because I was that stunned, and, you know, I have been in physical pain and needed answers, not fear mongering. At least I'm not elderly. Can you imagine someone treating your grandmother or grandfather in this same way? Can you imagine them stunned, standing out in the cold, while in pain? Good grief. If you are looking for a place that will treat you humanely and that will use facts, this is not it. I would not recommend this lab. I will insist that my doctor never refer me to this lab again. Quite frankly, my doctor was beyond flabbergasted when I contacted him about it, so I don't think I will have to request too hard for a different lab. I like Quest Diagnostics. I have had positive experiences with them in Niantic in the past. (If you use them, use their online scheduling system for the best experience, otherwise it will not be a good waiting room experience.)

The staff is great, Dr. Darout is friendly, and the whole place has a clean+welcoming atmosphere. I…read morewas in and out of there in 20 minutes.