Kaiser Permanente Falls Church Medical Center — Attraction in Falls Church

Ick, I would zero stars the Falls Church location if I could. Now I typically don’t write reviews that are negative unless it’s truly concerning.

I normally schedule optometry and ophthalmology In Springfield and only use this location for the wonderful experiences I have had in Alternative medicine.

I want to point out that this is only for Optometry department staff, (not docs or techs .. receptionists ONLY).

I will not come here again because the staff is not very friendly. When you work in a hospital, I don’t care what your role is. . Patient care is always first. Don’t be rude, grumpy, and unhelpful.

That’s what I experienced here. I got into my appointment and had to check in with optometry for my ophthalmology appointment (field test only)… waited a bit to check in.. annoying but not a huge deal. The optometrist told me to check with the receptionist about getting an opthamology appointment (today if possible) to have my eyes dilated and checked after the field test. Usually all of this is scheduled at the same time so I am not sure what went wrong there.. but anyway.. the receptionist that was off in a room somewhere, finally came out to assist after being tracked down and said “you already have an appointment” I tried to explain that I was looking to see the opthamologist for additional issues at any location on my hour long ride home if available .. BIG ask for her to check… to the point that I don’t think she bothered to look and simply told me there was nothing until April and told me to go sit in their waiting room.

So I did. While sitting I called the appointment line, since an opportunity to actually make an appointment was not provided. While waiting, I called and was able to get an appointment on March 13th….. imagine that.

I had struggles with a customer service rep on the appointment line who also was very rude and spoke to me like I had half a brain when she really didn’t understand what was going on…

I don’t know what the deal is buuuut, Kaiser is heading down hill quickly…. If it was not for the Fredericksburg & Springfield locations and the Surgery center up north I would change my insurance.

As I am still sitting here AFTER my scheduled appointment time I am beginning to wonder if she even bothered to check me in for my appointment…

Don’t use this facility for anything eye related… or the Stafford location, made that mistake once as well …

I am not posting this to get gratification from giving a negative review.. I only hope others will read this review and make the choice to use another facility to avoid the frustration.

Update: she didn’t check me In I left...

I unfortunately did not have a good experience at the laboratory today. When my number was called, I went to Station 2 (Chvon) and was asked to verify my name and date of birth in the open bay, where every other patient could hear. Against my comfort, the technician then proceeded to state aloud what testing I was there for—including sensitive procedures—making me feel extremely uncomfortable and exposed. This, in my view, was a violation of HIPAA and patient privacy.

When I expressed that the entire lab did not need to hear my medical testing details, the technician became combative and dismissive, doubling down instead of showing professionalism. She was also on her personal phone during the encounter, which further demonstrated a lack of professionalism.

During the throat swab, she was aggressive both verbally and physically, repeatedly telling me to stick out my tongue further even though I was trying my best. She ultimately discarded the swab and then asked multiple colleagues, out loud, if they wanted to “do” me. Raquel at station 3 even responded, “No, I do not,” which was humiliating and deeply unprofessional.

Additionally, while I went into Room 6 to complete my blood draw with Tomeka, Chvon continued speaking aloud indirectly about the situation in front of other patients and Kaiser employees. The entire open bay could hear her. I informed her that I was still present and if she needed to speak with me directly, she could do so. Instead, she replied, “Oh, I need my job, I have to keep my job.” I interpreted this as a threat, which added to the hostility of the situation. I would strongly encourage that if there are cameras with audio, they be reviewed for validity, and used as a training example of what not to do in patient care.

Finally, Tomeka in Room 6 assisted me. She was professional, respectful, and provided the kind of patient care I expect. The difference between the two interactions was night and day.

As someone who also works in the medical field, I understand the importance of professionalism, patient comfort, and confidentiality. I have never—and would never—make a patient feel uncomfortable or disrespected in this way. HIPAA is not optional, and neither is basic respect.

I strongly urge that this employee be addressed and disciplined appropriately. Patients should never feel anxious or disrespected when coming to a facility for care. This interaction left me extremely uncomfortable, and I sincerely hope this issue is...

I am pretty disappointed to be leaving three stars rather than five here, because I thought that the Falls Church Medical Center did a great job overall. My issue is with the sedation, which I describe in more detail below.

The nursing staff were (for the most part) knowledgeable, kind, and caring. The doctor was communicative and thorough. The facility was well-managed and organized -- Endoscopy is a a smoothly run operation there. However, I let the sedation nurse know that for some reason, for any surgery I have had in the past, I required larger doses of sedative or anesthesia than the average patient. The sedation nurse took note and relayed that I might be groggy but still aware enough to follow basic instructions. She did not mention that this would be painful.

I felt EVERYTHING and remember everything. I have had two other upper endoscopies in a post-soviet country with no anesthesia, and this was worse. I did feel sedated, but I remember seeing all of the nursing staff and doctor, all of whom were yelling at me to breathe through my nose. In the meantime, I was gagging, choking, and just trying not to suffocate. So, I was sedated enough to not have control of my actions, but not nearly enough to block the pain and discomfort (both at about a level 10). My hair was soaked in my own vomit and saliva and nobody bothered to clean it. In fact, a nurse laughed as she tired to pat it away sheepishly in the recovery area unsuccessfully. My hair was literally drenched. I don't know if this is normal or standard, but I feel like the sedation actually kicked in properly hours after I got home. I was knocked out so heavily that my husband was worried when I was became completely unresponsive.

Be your own advocate folks, and demand what you know is right for you and your own body. I feel it is my duty to post this review, because I did not feel heard, nor did anyone express real concern during procedure follow-up when I explained that the sedation was mishandled. At the very least, I should have been better-prepared for the pain and warned that the sedation is minimal at best. I'll take the no anesthesia post-soviet version next time, thanks. At least that way I know what I'm getting...