Virginia Heart - Vienna

As always, my visit with Dr. Scheifer and staff was a pleasant experience. His team of doctors, nurses and support staff have always been great. They have given me a new lease on life.

I came in today for my echo cardio appointment with lots of anxiety. Johan was exemplary in his way he put me at ease with the test and was even able to get me to relax. What an amazing person and facility!

I missed my appointment in Reston and Virginia Heart did everything in their power to set me up with the office in Vienna. As I was waiting, an older woman came in with the most negative demeanor possible. She complained about the color of the building, the location, arriving late, etc. And the beauty of all was to see the professionalism of the front desk. They took the criticism like champions. And that is a testament of the amazing customer service I have noticed from Virginia Heart. So thank you for your support to the community.

Very disappointed in the care I received from Dr. Busu. When I shared the symptoms I was concerned with she said "that is very normal for women your age" and offered compression socks as a solution. No additional testing or labs. I left feeling unheard and still concerned about my health. I would not recommend her as a doctor.

There is a sign at the front of the office that masks are optional (2024). No one in the waiting room is donning one, and one can presume these are patients with cardiac issues. I'm here for an echo to rule out a genetic condition and have no previous cardiac history. Just before I'm brought back to the room, in a room full of people, I'm told the *technician* requires that patients wear a mask. I was not told this ahead of time prior to my appointment, despite the 5 emails, text messages, and check-in notifications received and responded to. I'm told not all the technicians require it, but this one does. This may be not a big deal to some, but for someone with anxiety or claustrophobia or sensory needs/spectrum disorder, it is not a simple compliance. I ask if there is another technician available, and there is not. I am offered to schedule another appointment, but I already made arrangements for paid daycare and coverage from work to make this appointment, so I was reluctant to reschedule. The previous appt at their Fair Oaks location did not require this, so I had no precedent to go by. It was humiliating to have to openly explain personal health issues to reception desk staff and it felt like such a violation of privacy to do so openly in a waiting room of strangers. If this one technician feels it necessary to have her patients wear a mask when it is not mandated and they are not ill, this needs to be disclosed prior to the appointment. I'm all for "live and let live" with personal health choices, for and against masking; I pass no judgement. But for ADA and patient privacy, patrons have a right to know IN ADVANCE if a practice or an individual health care practitioner requires it and that preference supersedes the current health code law.