Dr. Gil Ascunce, MD

Wonderful kind doctor, not over zealous with medications. Listens to the patients.

A very informative doctor who explains things in laymen's terms.

I made an appointment to see Dr. Ascunce and got there at 4:15 pm. My appointment was at 4:30 pm. After I completed all the forms I read a sign that said that they do not take credit or debit cards. When I made the appointment I was not informed about this, and I was planning to pay with my flexfund card. I didnâ??t have cash or checks with me, so the front desk lady told me to go all the way to the lobby, by the Starbucks and get cash at the hospital ATM. It took me about 20 min to go from the office to the ATM and back. I was back at the office at 5:15 pm and waited until 5:30 pm (an hour after my appointment). I asked the front desk lady where the doctor was, and she said he was still at the hospital performing a procedure. At that point I decided to just leave. I had to go and pick up my daughter from daycare. I found the situation very disrespectful and inconsiderate. I left work early to see the doctor and didnâ??t get anything accomplished. I am making an appointment with a… different doctor.

I have a family history of colon cancer. A friend recommended I see Dr. Ascunce. When I met him, he was very thorough in the types of questions he asked. He spent a considerable amount of time with me, inquiring not only about the superficial symptoms but also about my lifestyle, family, etc. He didn't hesitate in ordering a colonoscopy right away and we scheduled it for the following week. He found 2 polyps. One of them was 15mm. He acted really fast and I am glad he didn't wait to do the colonoscopy at the normal age (more than 40, when you have family history) because who knows what size that polyp would have been by then. I am thankful with Dr. Ascunce and will keep seeing him.

I had to wait a long time and felt that he was condescending and unhelpful. On my return visit, he barely asked if my symptoms had improved then told me a lab result was positive and gave me a prescription. My problems were the following: 1) he had the results for a good 3-4 weeks but did not bother to call me and give me the treatment by phone so I could have finished it by the time I returned. 2) He did not give any explanation of what the positive lab test was. I had to google and self-educate when I got home. I left his office completely unable to articulate what was wrong with me. 3) I asked about a supplement that I'd read about on an online forum. I've been using it and it's been helpful. He rolled his eyes, looked at it, and said he'd never heard of it in his life. It is a supplement used to help the body produce stomach acid, made from one of the main components of natural stomach acid. How could he not have heard of it. Dr. Asunce may be good for routine issues or very old… common problems like ulcers or colonoscopies. I do not recommend him if you're dealing with anything for which you want a doctor who is up on current research.

This doctor is not good with explanations or at providing clarity to his patients. He ran tests on me for having stomach problems. A couple days later, he called and left a voicemail saying I had elevated potassium levels and should avoid potassium containing foods, and that he would call me by the following Wednesday with the rest of the test results. I called back and spoke to the office manager because elevated potassium levels are potentially very serious, and the office manager was not able to provide more clarity or to contextualize the test, like how elevated the level was. I called again on Monday because I was worried and asked that question of his wife the office manager, but this person's English is not very clear and she couldn't provide any meaningful answers. On Wednesday, when the doctor had not called back, I called again and spoke to the doctor. He chastised me, saying the issue "did not warrant the number of phone calls she was making," (3 including that one), and… that he "was doing me a courtesy by notifying me of the high potassium levels." He offered no further advice. He either doesn't understand his role in the process of maintaining patient health, or is simply old, cranky, and no longer fit to be a doctor. Also, if you can't speak English clearly, don't try to explain medical advice.