Dr. John David Mcgurl, MD

I always tend to pause with skepticism whenever I would read or hear stories about veterans receiving incredibly poor service at VA hospitals. I actually work as an analyst for a large health insurance provider in Virginia and I analyze several cases of poor medical services performed by health care providers weekly in my role. Dr. John Mcgurl absolutely represents the worst of the worst and should be a case study for how providers SHOULD NOT treat a patient. I was appointed to see him because of a concerning urgent medical issue. I explained my symptoms the best that I could, which included sharp cardiovascular pain that feels to be in or near the heart muscle. He typed away at his keyboard and showed me pictures of what is causing the problem and literally read the symptoms and causes of why this may be hurting me directly from WebMD's short description! This would be so laughable if it weren't so highly unprofessional and dangerous! His solution to my medical issue: "Deal with the… pain". He didn't say that verbatim but basically told me that I would have to deal with this pain because "everyone has muscular pain as they age". That is an insane thing to tell a patient that is having sharp cardiovascular pain in or near the heart! He listened to my heart rate and breathing and that was it. I spent less than 10 minutes in his office and was only given the advice that I would have to just live with the pain. Completely unsatisfactory care for a veteran, or let alone, anyone for that matter. This sort of dismissive attitude towards a patient's concerns are what tarnishes the VA health care image and makes for a very dangerous outcome for veterans. This 1 star rating is actually entirely too high for his deserved rating.

I always tend to pause with skepticism whenever I would read or hear stories about veterans receiving incredibly poor service at VA hospitals. I actually work as an analyst for a large health insurance provider in Virginia and I analyze several cases of poor medical services performed by health care providers weekly in my role. Dr. John Mcgurl absolutely represents the worst of the worst and should be a case study for how providers SHOULD NOT treat a patient. I was appointed to see him because of a concerning urgent medical issue. I explained my symptoms the best that I could, which included sharp cardiovascular pain that feels to be in or near the heart muscle. He typed away at his keyboard and showed me pictures of what is causing the problem and literally read the symptoms and causes of why this may be hurting me directly from WebMD's short description! This would be so laughable if it weren't so highly unprofessional and dangerous! His solution to my medical issue: "Deal with the… pain". He didn't say that verbatim but basically told me that I would have to deal with this pain because "everyone has muscular pain as they age". That is an insane thing to tell a patient that is having sharp cardiovascular pain in or near the heart! He listened to my heart rate and breathing and that was it. I spent less than 10 minutes in his office and was only given the advice that I would have to just live with the pain. Completely unsatisfactory care for a veteran, or let alone, anyone for that matter. This sort of dismissive attitude towards a patient's concerns are what tarnishes the VA health care image and makes for a very dangerous outcome for veterans. This 1 star rating is actually entirely too high for his deserved rating.

My first appointment was disappointing and quite frustrating. He has a polite demeanor but did not perform even a basic exam of listening to my heart and lungs nor examined my diabetic feet. For a doctor who has over 20+ years of experience but is not familiar with widely-used medications because there are "too many to possibly know them all" does not garner my respect for continuing medical education nor confidence in this doctor's knowledge.

I met this doctor months ago, and on our first meeting he never offered to shake hands. He didn't on the second meeting either. I have never had that experience. At that time I went to patient advocate and requested a change in doctors, which was eventually granted. I was told this would take a minimum of 45 days. His manner is "my way or the highway" and he is not very polite or friendly. He took too much time to respond to secure messaging, often requiring multiple requests to get a question answered. His nurse is rude, and crude. She also does not respond to requests thru secure messaging, telling me that she has 3 days to respond. She took that and more to respond. He is an insult to the profession and a poor choice for the VA Hospital to have no their staff.

Not friendly or cooperative

This guy care's about nothing more than his tax payer funded paycheck and couldn't care less about a VET or their medical needs. He should actually be working as a Vet....on animals. He's not qualified to treat humans.

Dr. McGurl has forgotten that he works FOR US, the veterans. He is egotistical, a liar, and has cause me great personal harm. I am unfortunate to have been assigned to him by the V.A. as my doctor. I am doing everything in my power to get another one but as we all now know, the V.A. doesn't seem to be holding anyone responsible for their mistreatment of veterans.

I totally agree with the other post......Did NOT do an examination, outright LIED on my medical report, spent a grand total of 12 minutes doing an initial evaluation appointment, NEVER TOUCHED ME, listened to the top half of my lungs front and rear. That was the TOTAL exam. Shoved me out the door for a drug test. Most definitely the worst doctor I ever seen in 20 years and over 50 REAL physicians. Poster is right, ARROGANT! Obviously doesn't give a squat about veterans. I'm not done yet. He'll soon face MY REPORT to the OIG and my Senator, if I have to go that far.

If he even decides to grace you with his presence (you almost always see a clueless resident), this doctor is rude, arrogant, and is merely interested in referring you out for this and that; NOT examining you or finding the problem and treating you---pretty sure those things define practicing medicine, and he's not doing any of them.