VCU Health Short Pump Pavilion

"The third floor concussion patient intake office has an open floor plan that, while aesthetically beautiful, is entirely dysfunctional and offers zero privacy and I couldn't hear the intake receptionist sitting three feet away from me because people standing around the lobby waiting to be processed in or out were talking over each other and over the translation service tablet. The volume of the tablet was extremely loud and that service could have been handled over the phone not over a loudspeaker attached to a tablet. The intake area was extremely overwhelming for myself with a Traumatic brain injury. I spoke to the floor director who said they have received numerous complaints echoing the same issues. Why does this go unresolved?!?!?! This is BROKEN!!! 12 out of 10 would NOT recommend!!!!!!!"

"I had to visit the Short Pump location to have labs done for an appt. I didn’t have any wait and Shirley, one of the techs, was absolutely amazing. My order was for 18 vials of blood and she knew it was going to be a lot, so she prepared me and was so quick and painless throughout. She has such a great attitude. Kudos to your team!"

"I have seen multiple providers at the VCU Health Short Pump Pavilion and I was always treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. I was getting some second opinions regarding my MS and FND diagnosis and was so relieved to find the help I needed-- even if it just affirmed what other doctors already told me. I felt I was in trusted hands. If I lived closer I would probably see these providers as my primary neurologists!"

"Dr Vap reeked of condescension nearly the moment he opened his mouth; possibly the moment he walked through the door. I explained to him that I had already seen my general care provider about this issue (knee swelling, discomfort, etc) and that she offered to treat it symptomatically. As I wanted to know the root of the issue, I decided to go straight to a specialist instead. Dr Vap told me nothing I didn’t already know. I know the issue was not caused by any damages to my bones or issues involving the joint lining up incorrectly as I don’t experience pain in this manor. It is likely caused by a cartilage issue, as those symptoms line up best with my own and what my general care provider told me. Upon explaining this to him he nearly rolled his eyes but hid it with a quick smirk. He pushed that the X-ray showed no signs of cartilage damage. I said I wasn’t aware cartilage was visible in X-rays. (It’s not. a thirty second google search will show you that all reputable sources say so, although I thought this was common sense). He then backtracked and said the X-ray could show joint/bone issues that could catalyze cartilage issues. Not what he originally said. It seemed as though he got caught in a lie. Then, when trying to explain my concern that the hip exercises he assigned me wouldn’t be effective by themselves because something internally was wrong with my knee, he cut me off before I had reached the point of my sentence with “well your hips are still weak.” Thanks doc. Not what I was getting at. Ultimately, he suggested I wait another 6 weeks, “cut our factors”, take steroids and do the exercises despite the fact that it had already been 6 weeks since my injury. Five weeks since my visit to my general care provider. I have already cut out factors that could strain my knee with improvement in the intensity in the swelling but the initial problem remaining. His demeanor was extremely undermining, condescending, generally unpleasant and unprofessional. His advice was not new and not helpful. Thank god my insurance was excepted and I didn’t have to pay an arm and a leg out of pocket for someone to sit in a room and patronize me for 8 minutes; I would be even more livid. Dr Vap is exactly whats wrong in the medical diaspora in terms of interaction with the black community, especially black women. Treatment similar to the treatment I received and worse are the precise reason there is such a medical stigma in the black community, why black women still hesitate to seek treatment in contemporary western society. It is a necessity that VCU hospitals, especially considering their dark history with mistreating the black community, teach their staff how to interact with patients of color in an understanding professional and sensitive manor. It’s a disappointment just like my visit. If you are a person of color, specifically a woman of color, I unfortunately cannot recommend you see Dr Vap. With luck I too will find another orthopedist before my follow up appointment. The rest of the staff from the desk, the nurses, and the woman that performed the X-ray were great."

"The Neurologist who conducted our Assessment demonstrated that he was very knowledgeable in the Neurosciences. His mannerism was sincerely pleasant and will be our primary choice for future appointments in that area of medicine. The service provided by support staff was excellent! This location is great because there are many restaurants nearby."