Primary Care Doctors - Richmond, VA

"I have had a miserable time trying to find a good PCP. I eventually found Dr. Bridges, who is nearby. I have been seeing him since December 2018. He is very helpful, listens well and has a very good "bedside manner". I was over the moon to have found him and thought my search was at an end. My main health concern has been high blood pressure. He put me on new meds that had some awful side effects. I called in mid-August to ask him about it. His service was very curt with me and said, "He doesn't do telephone consultations." They wouldn't even take a message. They added that there was an open appointment that day and that I could come in. I said I didn't feel well enough to go out. They said, "Then you'll just have to go to the emergency room." I ended up calling the poison control hotline and spoke with a nurse who was very helpful. I tried to adjust my meds myself and did that until I finally made an appointment and saw him on 9/20/19. I was very upset about not being able to contact him by phone and told him what had happened. He said that shouldn't have happened and that he would have a word with the people at his service. I felt very relieved. He said that any time I had a question or needed to speak with him, to tell the people at his service that he said to take a message and give it to him and he would call me. I asked, "Really? You'd call me back?" He said, "Of course I will. I'll call you." This week (3 weeks later), my meds are again making me feel awful. I call the service on Thursday and tell them what he said. They said they would take the message. I never heard back. Friday, I call again and go through the same thing. They say they will give him a message. I get no call back. Saturday I called around 2:10 pm and again leave a message with a different person. By 4:30 I haven't heard back. I called again and asked if the message was, in fact, given to him. The woman I spoke with said, "Oh, yes. I put it on his desk. He's been very busy today, but let me go and check with him and see if he can talk to you." I thought, finally, some progress! She comes back and says, "He says to stop your medication and make an appointment for this week." And I said, "I'm looking for another doctor." You can't even ask a question unless they drag your butt into the office so they can charge your insurance and get your co-pay. Gotta get that fee! All he had to do is phone in a new prescription that I could pick up. So it turns out that under that marvelously kind facade is a soul of greed. HEARTBROKEN!!! "