Gynecology and Obstetrics of Dekalb PC

I am perplexed by a doctor’s office that doesn’t treat their patients as valued customers and human beings. I was scheduled for surgery with Dr. Brown and went in for my pre-​op consult today. I never got to see the doctor because I was told I had to pay her entire surgery fee not covered by insurance up front before she would see me — over $ 1000. I explained I was unable to pay it but could do four payments of $ 300. Apparently, this was unacceptable. I was never allowed to see Dr. Brown and they were unwilling to do any kind of payment plan. As if this wasn’t bad enough (I mean, what Doctor’s office won’t allow payments?) the whole interaction took place publicly, in their waiting room, where I felt completely humiliated and embarrassed, explaining multiple times to an irate receptionist that I didn’t have the money to pay $ 1,000 up front. I plan to go in tomorrow to get all my records and go to another doctor.

I switched doctors at 40 weeks. Yes! 40 weeks is gestational point when babies are due. I had no signs of labor and after the maternal fetal medicine doctor told these idiots about the two fibroids on my cervix, they completely ignored it. To that end, I went in to get an ultrasound from them and was told to come back because their technician is the only one who conducts ultrasounds. With 5 doctors and an at-​risk pregnant patient, you would think they would take this serious enough to have at least one of their doctors do the ultrasound. Furthermore, I’d like to know what doctor’s can’t perform ultrasound these days? It was a risk to switch, but it was worth it and I thank God for the ability to discern. My case was so serious that the new doctor had to hook me up to a blood transfusion machine. Due to the positioning of the fibroids, I had to get a C-​section, which caused massive bleeding. It is without a doubt that I would have died had I stayed with Gynecology and Obstetrics of Dekalb. I would steer clear of these people. They didn’t listen to the specialist. They told me not to go back to the specialist and the specialist ended up being right.

I still say Dr. Bowen is great, but wouldn’t you know she was on vacation when I delivered. The doctor on-​call was the one I didn’t want to have to deliver with, but then the ultimate happened. His on-​call shift ended and the doctor who came on-​call is the only one in the practice that I NEVER MET! Not only that, he is apparently the only doc in that practice that performs episiotomies and guess how lucky I got? Yep. Not pleased. So, I say find another practice. This one is not worth it.

Dr. Gibbs is nice, but the other doctors and nurses are hit and miss. It’s really inconsistent.

When I was done having children I sought a doctor that practiced gyn only, which Dr. Pam Brown does and I have been seeing her for 13 or 14 years. My experiences with the practice overall have been consistently positive, although without any complicated medical problems I have not pushed the system. Dr. Brown is not especially warm but she seems very smart based on her thorough answers to questions I bring to most appointments. She can seem rushed, but again that stops when I ask questions. Her business-​like demeanor is okay with me becasue in the event of a serious or complicated medical problem, smart is more important than warm.

I am currently working on my first child’s baby book and reliving the absolutely horrible experience I had with Dr. Geltz at this practice. I will be writing him a personal letter explaining my great displeasure. I was pregnant with my first child and went to my appointment with Dr. Geltz on the due date they had based on the date of my last period (not based on measurements from the one ultrasound that they did that showed the baby was due the week before). So in reality the baby is already one week late. I told the «good» doctor that I did not want a 10 pound baby. The man had the nerve to feel my stomach and say, «He’s not more than 8 pounds.» Remember I am already 1 week late. He never offered to induce labor or check the position of the baby or anything that would have confirmed the size of my baby. 1 week later with absolutely no help from Dr. Geltz my water broke and we went to Dekalb Medical Center. Unfortunately Dr. Geltz was on call. I was in labor for 17 hours. I would not dilate even though they were running pitocin. Finally at around 16 hours I got to 4 cm and they gave me the epidural. Dr. Geltz has at no time checked to see what position my baby is in. At around 17 hours my son’s heart rate starts dropping with each contraction and not recovering so they end up doing an emergency c-​section. My son came out weighing 10 lbs 14.6 oz!!! It turns out my son was face up and didn’t drop into the birth canal. At no time did they do an ultrasound to figure this out or even feel my stomach to figure this out.
The dangers of letting a pregnancy go for 2 weeks too long can be horrifying. At no time did they know how much amniotic fluid I had left. At no time did they know if he had swallowed meconium (thank God he didn’t). They knew absolutely nothing. Are we living in the dark ages?
I thought this was a horrible experience, but when I had my second child with a different and well, well, well respected practice, I realized just how horrible and horrifying the experience was.
I strongly suggest you use another practice. Any other practice would be better than this antiquated experience.

I used this office as my primary ob office and I really do not give them the greatest recommendation. The best two doctors in this practice in my opinion are Dr. Carter and Dr. Bowen, the rest need to work on their bedside manner. The front office is sometimes helpful and sometimes rude, it depends on who is behind the desk. I’ve definitely been to better, but they were close to my house.