Dr. Laura Ann Brown Black, MD

I am very surprised at the negative reviews. Maybe your experience depends on your expectations? I did not find Dr. Black to be anything but attentive, concerned, informative, helpful, and genuine. I understood a good bit about Fibromyalgia but didn't know anything about Myalgic Encephalomyalitis. She spent a considerable amount of time with me and was always very respectful and listened to my questions and concerns. Our follow-up phone consultation was on time and well prepared. To be honest, this is how all doctor appointments should be; not rushed, the doctor familiar with my history, a complete explanation with follow-up questions, and a sense of teamwork versus being an assembly line widget.

The majority of Doctors are not trained to diagnose Fibromyalgia or ME/CFS. I can't say enough about Dr. Black & Dr. Lapp. They provided much relief to help me through these diseases. They go above and beyond to say the least.

I had scheduled a phone conference with Dr. Black, and she was 55 minutes late in calling me. I feel that her staff should have called me to alert me that she was running late. I get that doctors are busy people, but my time is valuable too. I called the office to cancel the appointment, because I had a work emergency and could no longer wait. The staff agreed to waive a missed appointment fee. In my mind, I didn't feel as if I had "missed" the appointment. However, rules are rules and I was thankful for the waiver. Later the staff called me and informed me that Dr. Black refused to approve the waiver of the missed appointment fee. Needless to say, I was very upset, and I did verbalize this to the staff. Months later, when I called to reschedule an appointment, I learned that Dr. Black had dismissed me from the office and all of my appointments had been canceled. I was dismayed! I initially had a very positive experience with Hunter-Hopkins Center and was very pleased with my first… encounter with Dr. Lapp. However, I can't recommend Dr. Black.

Dr. Black was arrogant and dismissive and when I asked about new research studies I have read on the web, she said I should not believe 'stories' that people post. I was referring to studies at several Universities, not 'stories' that I read. She has a VERY negative outlook on Chronic Fatigue, saying there is no cure and not even any medicine to treat it. My daughter has CFS and that is NOT what a teenager needs to hear. She is rude, insensivite and unpleasant and I would NOT recommend her. We will NEVER go back.

I first began to see Dr. Black about two and a half years ago. She started with the standard questions and tests that I expected, but then looked beyond the usual causes of my condition. She looked into areas that, up until that point, were unexplored. With her guidance, I have begun to feel better than I have in a very long while. Thank you Dr. Black!

Ive been going to Dr Black now for over a year. It took me a long time to find a good Dr., one that I felt comfortable with, that was friendly and wasn't rushing.She listens intently when I am talking about different problems Im having and is always willing to work with me. The staff are all delightful .Professional but friendly. When you find a doctor that you click with,you stay.

I am sick with CFS and I can honestly say I felt worse after seeing Dr. Black. She was condescending and after spending thousands of dollars (they don't accept insurance), I left the office with information you can get on the internet. Nothing new.

Dr. Black is very personable on the phone, but as a self-admitted "long-term sufferer of CFS", her bedside manner exhibits many of CFS's emotional lability. While I am certain she is a good doctor, her compassion for my condition was negligible. If you're having a bad CFS day, don't expect help from Dr. Black; instead, expect her to yell a lot and dismiss you from the practics (Hunter-Hopkins Center).

Dr. Black has been invaluable in helping me transition from an active professional to life restricted by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia.