Martha Cole, MD

I picked up my files from Dr. Cole’s office today and I will never step foot there again. Reason — –a yearly mammogram. I scheduled with hospital after receiving their notice in September. Called doctor Cole’s office and asked them to fax the order to hospital. I emphasized that they needed to do it that day and they assured me they would. Today (December) I went to the hospital and sat waiting while they tried to reach Dr. Cole’s office by phone to ask that an order be faxed. There was no answer, and I could not have the procedure without the order. I went to Dr. Cole’s office to see what the problem was. Dr. Cole was there and said that the phone was out and that I should have scheduled an appointment with her at the time I originally asked that the order be faxed. She said it was their mistake that this was not communicated to me. I have been her patient for nearly 15 years and this is the latest in a long string of mistakes, omissions, just plain forgetfulness that I’ve encountered there. They lose files, don’t return calls, and are only in some days. I don’t understand how someone this disorganized can continue to practice. Good by Dr. Cole

Dr. Cole is truly one of the most thorough, intelligent, genuinely interested and caring doctors I’ve ever seen. I’ve been going to here for yearly checkups for at least 10 years. If you mention symptoms outside the ob/​gyn field, she will question and probe and seems to truly enjoy the diagnostic part of the job — but in no way will she do this unless you encourage it or ask. I think she was able to get me in on time at least twice in that time, but I definitely schedule plenty of time from work when heading there for an appointment. Time with her patients is a priority over promptness, and it’s a conscious choice on my part to accept those terms. Like others, I find the office a little too cramped for all the interesting things she has, I wish she could find a larger office. But, it’s clean and the bedside manner can’t be beat.

i’ve been seeing dr. cole for over 4 years now, you’ll love her as long as you keep the following things in mind:
1) she is ALWAYS late and
2) her office is cluttered (but clean)
she will always sit down with each and every patient to ask them questions and really listen to their answers. she actually cares about her patients and their well-​being. i suspect that this is one of the reasons she’s always running late — because she’s actually being a doctor.
i’m moving in a few months and i’m heartbroken that i’ll have to find a new doctor.

I walked into the office and could have sworn that I was on the set of the reality show «Hoarders» aside from the mess, one got the distinct impression of uncleanliness.
The bathroom was a total gross out experience. The chaos made one believe that your test results may not belong to you. After all, in the mess, who can keep track of a name? Next to the cups in the bathroom there were little pieces of cut up paper. I suppose they were to pin on your cup or something. I didn’t take any chances, I wrote my name in bold letters. Good lot that would do as the receptionist could not get my name right. She called me by the incorrect name 3 times, and even after I corrected her, she wrote the wrong name on the prescription for a test.
Although Dr. Cole obviously knows what she is talking about the way she runs her office invalidates her years of training and experience. I know why she is always late. She tries to give you a diagnoses for every part of your body. Then she really likes to do biographies of other peoples ailments and what worked for them. An hour or two later, you are still sitting there, shredded robe and all (I do not believe paper is meant to be worn for more than 45 minutes).
Now what really worried me is that Dr. Cole does not use recyclable speculums. That would be fine if her house is in order. But, if, her receptionist cannot remember a name 2 seconds after she was told, do you really think that she could remember what color was was the disinfected bucket? I pictured her in my mind saying «ok, red is clean, yellow is not, or it it yellow is clean, red is not?» Yes gross out to the max not to mention unsafe. And, can I add YUCK!
Furthermore, Dr. Cole must be a pharmaceutical reps wet dream. I had so many samples and pills pushed on me, I felt it was Halloween. All I can say is that I walked out of there feeling very very uneasy about the entire experience and had to make another appointment for the same thing elsewhere.

Unfortunately, I have gone to Dr. Cole for 4 years. I should have switched much earlier than now. She is always extremely late, disorganized and unapologetic. Her office is old fashioned, very old, messy and cluttered. Her staff is terrible too. What made me finally leave her is the fact tha she was so late all the time. It would take close to three hours from the tiime I got there to when I could leave. I would wait in the waiting room and then the examination room and then to pay. Don’t make my mistake. Don’t go to Dr. Cole!

I also picked Dr. Cole from my insurance list. She’s mediocre. The biggest thing that bothers me is that her office is a MESS. And honestly, I am not sure how clean it really is. Not only is it cluttered, but she and her staff are disorganized. Of the 4 appointments I have had, she has been VERY late or cancelled all of them at one point.
Go to a bigger practice and save yourself the headache. She’s a nice lady and seems to know her stuff, but it’s not worth it.

I went to Dr. Cole for two years. I chose her from a list when I moved to Washington based on the fact that her office is near the Red line.
The first experience was marginal. She was running very late, but took time to discuss nutrition with me and give me the names of some (decent) gastrointestinal specialists in the DC area. She encouraged me to switch from the brand of pill I used at the time to a «new» version. Actually, she prescribed me the brand name version… nothing new about it other than the price. She also took the liberty of running a panel of tests that I did not request and that are not standard for a woman of my age, health, and relationship status. I only figured out what happened when my insurance company billed me $ 400 for «extra» lab work.
The next time my annual came due, I seriously considered going elsewhere, but caved and made another appointment with Dr. Cole. She was running late again. I mentioned the little issue with the lab tests from last year, and explicitly discussed with her what kind of tests to run and those not to run based on my own health and history.
I left the office with a sneaking suspicion that I had a huge lab bill in my future. Sure enough, she had ordered an even larger slew of tests this time, including the same expensive one from last year. I have better insurance now, so they covered all $ 1600 of the tests that Dr. Cole deemed «necessary.»
I smell something suspicious. And I will never be going back.