Associates In Medicine

This practice is no longer Associates in Medicine but Virginia Hospital Physicians Group. It has gone steadily downhill since Dr. Byer retired. I finally gave up on them after years of frustration. The doctor we saw was completely incompetent and terrified of touching her patients. Every office visit left us frustrated and looking for a new doctor. We have found a practice that we are very happy with and the entire family has switched.
Do not waste your time with these people.

I have been going to AIM over seven years. There were major good changes 2 or 3 years ago after the only male physician in the group retired, and in the past few months Virginia Hospital Center took over administrative operations. Dr. Audrey Kim Lenze is amazingly competent and caring. Don’t have enough info to rate other physicians. Medical support staff seem good. The only drawback is trying to get an appointment when sick, but they have now added Monday evenings just for that. It is also important to be aware of the times the office and/​or lab are closed, and to know a prescription for lab work can be filled anywhere, not just at the on-​premise lab.
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I am shocked at the negative Unilocal reviews (most of them are very outdated). I went to my first appointment today and Dr Laura Riggins was superb. The lady at the front desk was helpful and speedy. I sat in the waiting room for 10 minutes before being sent to a room (for a doctors office that is pretty fast) but I arrived a little early and I’m sure that helped. The waiting room appeared clean with modern furniture.
I asked for some referrals to specialists and Associates in Medicine gave me organized worksheets with many doctors listed. I asked Dr Riggins to contact my insurance for a mail-​order prescription, she placed the order within minutes and promised to follow up on the order to make sure everything went through since I’m a new patient. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy that was, other primary care offices in the past had difficulty contacting my insurance for mail orders.
I am definitely returning here for future needs. For preventative care (which is the only service here I’ve used so far) I highly recommend this place and Dr Riggins.

I have been with Dr. Lenze now for about 3 – 4 years and have always enjoyed visits with her. i will attest that the front desk and other service not related to doctors or nurses has been subpar but i am happy to say that was not the case today. They were recently purchased or management assumed by Virginia HOspital Center so the service will go up and i noticed it today. Front desk was nice, smiling and helpful. It wasnt just «co-​pay is $ 20, give me your credit card». there was genuine service and they were cordial. keep it up AIM.

If you’re looking for a new doctor, avoid this place at ALL COSTS. The doctors are fine but the office managers/​office staff are terrible and the office is run so inefficiently. Whenever I call in I’m either put on hold for 10 minutes (no exaggeration), or I’m put on hold and disconnected. Requesting a prescription refill always takes at least two weeks and it either involved sending forms in by fax or dropping off a form at the office only to have to return days later to pick up the prescription. They simply refuse to email a prescription request form. Additionally — shouldn’t they know I have a recurring, monthly prescription? Do I really have to fill out the same information every month? I faxed in a prescription request on Monday (yes, FAXED) and they still haven’t written it. Once they do I will have to miss work and drive 45 minutes to pick it up during their limited business hours. I completely regret ever changing to this office and am up for any suggestions for other offices. Apparently they’re changing their name — probably due to their terrible Unilocal reviews.

Two days ago I went in to get medicine for a sinus infection. After having to explain my symptoms THREE times (nurse/​greeter, student nurse practitioner and then nurse practitioner), I was told I MIGHT have a viral infection and that they do not prescribe antibiotics until I try OTC and homeopathic means. WISH THEY TOLD ME THAT WHEN I CALLED FOR THE APPT. After another two full days in bed (now i’m up to 4 days in bed), feeling terrible and coughing up green stuff, I called at 10 am to tell them how sick I was and that I needed a prescription. After leaving a second follow up call I received a call back at 4:15 (on a Friday evening) to say they told me a viral infection could last 7 to 10 days and to keep doing what they told me (OTC meds/​irrigate sinus). @#!#!!! I’m a 60 year old woman who knows when I’m sick! I’m not a serial antibiotic addict. I haven’t taken an antibiotic in 18 months. Now I must find another doctor for a Friday night or Saturday. My husband and I have been patients for a decade. The practice was much better when Dr. Byer was there. We won’t go back again.

They are pretty bad at getting back with results. I went in for a diagnosis and they ran some tests and told me «you don’t have xxxx». I tried calling them for a whole day to get my blood test results, and I kept getting their impenetrable voicemail, even during their «office hours»! I liked the doctor who saw me and the nurse who ran tests on me, but I don’t think I can deal with their system issues.

Waiting in the office is miserable. Website says lab available starting at 7am. Show up at 12:50 and told, ‘lab closed until 1:30. Now 1:50 and my crying infant and I finally get called back. I like my doctor, but I honestly don’t know how much longer I can deal with the truly poor customer service philosophy of this place. Seriously, is it that hard to stagger lunches so that there is always someone available to help customers? It certainly can’t make office staff morale any worse.

I have been seeing Dr. Kim for a couple of years. Now my daughters (20s) also see her. We all think she is wonderful. She looks at your whole health and takes the time to explain (and diagram!) why things are happening and what options are available. As, another reviewer commented she is also very considerate of the cost of medications and balancing everything together. You absolutely feel you can tell her everything that concerns you and don’t feel rushed and that she’s taking everything seriously and into consideration. She is a great doctor. And she’s also interested in you and your family and I enjoy and have confidence in seeing her.

I’ve had very good experiences with Dr. Kim. She’s extremely knowledgeable about all sorts of medical issues, and she’s very good at explaining both the science behind conditions and the day-​to-​day management of them. She’ll also write down instructions, which is fantastic because it saves me from having to scribble away while listening. I haven’t had any trouble getting appointments either, and I’m often able to go before work because their office opens for blood work at 7:00 AM and for appointments at 7:30 AM.
Calling their clinical line is a crap shoot, though. A couple months ago I called with an allergy question and a very nice woman called me back the same day with a helpful answer. I’ve called a few times in the last week about a separate issue and the voice mails I’ve gotten in return have been decidedly unhelpful — not answering my question, not calling back for several days, mumbling (which presents a special challenge when three of the medications in question all start with the letter «P»), etc.

Terrible service/​practice convenient location: Dr. Byer rushed through my appointment, i had stomach issues and all he did is perscribe me Nexum… still have stomach issues and now because of the medicine I’m no longer regular. Convinient location falls church but awful service. Also got a letter saying i was going to be charge for not showing up to my appointment, letter had wrong date and actually it was a follow up appointment i no longer needed which i told the receptionist last time i was there. Nurse practicionar also terrible, she recommended a inpatient syst removal once i waited for one month to have it removed the doctor saw the size he told me to go to a specialist instead because he could not remove it in his office. It gets worste but i’ll stop here.

I have been going to AIM for several years but have given up on them. Their office hours are so limited that several times i have had to make two trips in the same day just to get there when they’re open. The nurse practitioner has frustrated me to death — she always wants to do a million tests and return visits when I’ve only gone in to be treated for one thing. It took me 6 weeks, 3 visits, an EKG and an X-​ray to finally get her to give me the B12 shot that my endocrinologist had recommended, and then I was told to come back twice more for shots and then get labs before a followup visit. Their short office hours has made getting the shots — which can be done by walk-​in visit — a huge pain. I’m going on Angie’s List to find a new GP.

I have been seeing Dr. Kim at AIM for over a year now.
The location is conveniently located with ample parking. The building itself may not be the most modern or well-​kept, but the office itself is kept up to the standards needed for medical care. I have not had a problem with the front desk staff like some of the other reviewers; most of the staff aren’t particularly friendly, though.
I think Dr. Kim is a great choice if you are planning to try this doctor’s office. Every time I have gone to see her, she has been more than helpful and patient. I have never felt rushed, and when she discusses a medical issue with me she is very thorough, which I definitely appreciate. When I first started seeing her, she also had me do a blood test to make sure everything looked all right; I never would have known about my vitamin D deficiency otherwise. I also appreciate that she does think about the cost of medication, as that has been a topic she has made a point to discuss when she writes me a prescription.

I’m hate giving 3 stars to Associates in Medicine. I’ve been a patient here at this location off/​on for 11 years.
Good Stuff first.
Dr. Byer is always thorough and precise. His documentation is phenomenal and I like that he expects you to be an active participant in your own healthcare. He seems a little more rushed these days and seems to be in and out of the room in less than 5 mins.
Dr. Byer has been voted Top 100 PCP MDs by the Washingtonian and a few other awards have been displayed on the walls. He’s also been so kind as to devote some of his free time to Doctors Without Borders.
Beth, the nurse practitioner has been excellent and has always been able to spend ample time with me. I’ve seen her 2 or 3 times when Dr. Byer was booked. She never left the room until all my questions were answered.
The lady at the front desk aways remembers me when I pick up my prescription every month. She’s always pleasant, professional and has the perfect demeanor for any profession.
The Lab Techs have usually been funny and chatty with me. I’ve never been scared of needles, but if I were, they would be the folks I’d have take my blood.
Here are all of my gripes:
*Takes too long to get an appointment.
*Left two messages for the nurse regarding possible drug interactions. Neither were returned.
*Received a «warning» for a «no-​show» appointment with a threat to charge me with future occurrence. The appointment was not the same date that the staff provided me on a appt card.
*Faxed refill requests are not always received on their end despite having fax confirmation on my machine.
*Was denied a refill request once because I needed a 6 month follow-​up scheduled. I’m usually notified in advance. The first available appointment was nearly 2+ months away.
*After coming into the office for 3 consecutive weeks of tests, the NP wanted me to schedule another appointment to get the results of a Vitamin D deficiency test. Co-​pay=$ 30/​visit. I can think of better ways to spend my $
*Automated appointment reminders no longer exist. (for everything else there’s iPhone.)
I’ve already aired my grievances with the office manager and the staff. Everything listed above should come as no surprise.
It’s hard to find someone you trust with your health. I trust these people, but I’d like to see a better team effort to make the experience a little more effortless.

I recently moved to the area and had been looking for a family practice group. After interviewing several other groups in the Falls Church area, I chose Dr. Kim and Associates in Medicine. I would like to give Dr. Kim and the office staff the highest compliments. My initial appointment was for a physical, and when I arrived a few minutes early, the office staff was friendly and professional. I find it quite rare in today’s busy office settings to find both a qualified doctor with a great support staff. I want to go further to say the Dr. Kim took more than the average time to talk to me and gather information about my past health history, as well as address current issues. She is a very good listener and I felt extremely comfortable with her, and that she was «spot on» with her suggestions and comments. I would easily give this practice and Dr. Kim 5 stars for my entire visit, including blood work, lab results phoned in to me, and prescriptions.

For a life or death situation, customer service can take a seat in the trunk. For a general practitioner, I think maybe a teeny bit of service orientation would help. Not Nordstroms but let’s say along the lines of a better Home Depot…
The receptionists are 1) unreachable-​even during business hours and 2) rude — as in «do I really have to type in your info…» if you do actually get them.
Took a day off of work to have a physical so all fasted with no coffee. There is a wreck on 66 WB in the AM. Try to call twice to say I will be late, but oh, um, they don’t answer the phone.
So an hour in traffic, 20 minutes in the waiting room to «see if the doctor can fit you in», nope sorry-can’t…, nope can’t at least take your blood … but a snotty «would you like to schedule another appointment?»
NO.
Lots of sickly folk in the waiting room. Not sure if that is good or bad, but it is certainly not worth my time.

I was a patient for several years, but am READY to find another doctor.
dr. B is too busy to get as many patients as possible and have no time to explain. Just prescribe a med and it will solve a problem. Just another money doctor.

While Dr. Byer may be competent, dealing with Associates in Medicine has been an incredibly frustrating experience for me. I was a patient for almost three years before I learned my final lesson that I needed to find a new doctor. However, here are the lessons I would share with anyone who is considering this practice:
It is incredibly difficult to get to speak to a live person at this office, and it is even difficult to leave a message (you cannot leave a message or talk to a live human between 12:30 and 2 pm, after 4:30 pm, or on a weekend unless it is an emergency – which they interpret strictly)…
When you do get through during a window in which you can leave a message, calls are not returned until the next day…
When calls are returned, it is from an automated system that tells you to call a 1.800 number to get your message. If you don’t have a pen when you get the automated call, you need to wait another day to get a second automated call (and hope you have a pen that time)…

When you follow the instructions on the message (e.g., tell your pharmacy to fax in the refill authorization request and we’ll approve it and bill you $ 20 for doing so), they don’t do what they said they will do (e.g., they reject the refill request without telling you that they have done so – requiring the cycle to start all over after you learn from your pharmacy that the request was rejected)…
When you do get to have an appointment with a doctor (e.g., Dr. Byer), he is rushed and doesn’t want to answer questions.
If you try to anticipate that you will need a refill on a prescription and request it when you are in the office for another reason before your prescription has run out, the answer is no.
If you don’t want to have a doctor’s appointment just to get a refill and try to combine it with your annual physical, you must plan ahead by at least two months because you can’t schedule a physical with less than this much notice.

Switched to this practice last week and from the beginning they have been pleasant, accommodating and attentive.
During the initial phone call they took the time to ask me questions, get all of my insurance information and set me up with an appointment within the next week. They weren’t upset when I couldn’t give them all of the information on my insurance and just said that they would find out for me. Although their appointments were only on the weekdays, it seems like the doctors work a full schedule and have a range of appointment times during the day.
I pulled up to the building, parking is in the back, which is actually where their entrance is. Conveniently, it’s located on the intersection of Rt 7 and 29 next to the applebees. It’s straight through the front doors into a quiet lobby with a large saltwater fish tank.
I was greeted right away and told to have a seat. The check-​in process was quick and hassle free. I waited a bit in the lobby (10 mins?)but once they took me inside, the tech took my temp and blood pressure and the doctor came right in.
I saw Dr. Kim and was please by the entire experience. She was attentive and addressed all of my questions, giving me answers to questions I had forgotten to ask and didn’t mind when I remembered one issue at the last minute as she was about to leave. I didn’t feel rushed and she gave me thorough explanations. She didn’t refer me to specialists but gave me options for treatment that she could perform, even when I asked a dermatological question. This saved me a lot of time and money.
The other nice thing about this facility is that they have a lab on site and the technicians are wonderful. I barely felt the prick and was done quickly. I usually have difficulty giving blood, passing out and getting stuck 4 – 5 times because my veins roll or collapse so this was great.
Overall everyone was extremely pleasant and it was a good experience.
I used their telephone message system today to get my lab results. You can call in anytime at your convenience and it’s there waiting for you in a private mailbox. So you don’t have to wait for the doctor to be available to get them. Very Convenient!

My doctor is really sweet, and I like her a lot. Great place.