Dr. Judith Mcconnell Sondheimer, MD

She is currently the chief of pediatrics gastrointestine dept at georgetown univ hopsital. We took our son to see her because our pediatrician referred her. We went to see her for celiac. She appears to have good manners, very informative, looked at my son's mouth and ab area. She gave us an hour, which is more than you will ever get in any doctor's office. Asked about our family history, my son's behavior and eating habits. Told us to ask our relatives about their health history. Even asked us to email or call her with we have any questions-call her, not a nurse. Making the appointment is through a central scheduler-I don't like that. The front desk staff--eh, ok and a friendly but not entirely. Maybe because there were a couple of demanding parents who just won't move out of the way, linger around and waited in the hallway when there are 2 non-sick waiting rooms-so annoying.

This doctor has a very poor bedside manner. She is old, bitter, and way past time for her time to retire. She did not examine my child nor did she look at the medical records I brought with me before she jumped to conclusions and told me there was nothing wrong with my son. She made me feel that my sons problem was in his head and made me feel I was crazy for tolerating him to throw up. She said my son was habit throwing up and had no medical problem. However, my son only throws up after fatty meals and it becomes violent. If he eats a benign meal such as bananas and applesauce, he is fine. So, how is that a habit I ask? She hurt my and my sons feelings with her curt harsh tongue. It slices thru you like a sharp knife. On a positive note, her office staff was the polar opposite of her, very kind, empathetic, and helpful.

It has been 11 years since I was a patient of Dr. Sondheimer's. She diagnosed me with ulcerative colitis in 2000. She put me on high doses of a medication I didn't know I couldn't handle and within two months of my diagnosis my colon ruptured in three places. Throughout the two months, she kept insisting that my pain was "in my head" and refused to believe that my disease was as bad as it was. My father literally had to beg her nurse to admit me into the hospital, and eight days after I was finally in the hospital my colon ruptured and I had to have an emergency colectomy leaving me with an open abdominal wound for six months and an ostomy bag for over a year. After it ruptured, she came to my hospital room once. Care was not within her emotional capacity. No apologies, no next steps...nothing. It was her fault for giving me such high doses of a drug I later found out causes inflammation and intestinal bleeding in me. It was her fault my colon ruptured. It was her fault I lost 25… pounds in two months and spent six weeks in the hospital recovering with abdominal drains, an open wound, and no strength even to walk. I would never tell anyone to see her for medical care.

Was my doctor at Upstate Medical in Syracuse back in 1975 to 1980 and she was extremely nice and caring, she was always available when I needed care. When I was at the age where I needed to have a Prime Care MD I was extremely sad to not have her as my MD anymore.