Arekapudi Vijay MD

If I could give these doctors ZERO stars I would.
This practice is run by both mother and daughter combo. I was stuck with them because of the type of insurance I had that only let me see doctors within a certain group (BCBS HMO).
I was never really comfortable with these doctors and every single visit made me hate every experience all the more.
She was always in a rush, barely spent time answering my questions and whenever I had a question all she would do was say I will give you paperwork answering your question. Then she would go google some source and print out some sheets hand them to me and send me on my way. When it came close to my due date to have my baby she did an ultra sound and told me my baby would be 12+ pounds at birth and that she would schedule a cesarean. I said that was not fair and that I wanted to chance to try and birth my child and she refused. Saying that my baby would be too big and that a vaginal delivery would harm the baby «And I didn’t want a baby like that» I was outraged. If she would have just felt my baby around while I laid on my back and measured me she would have known that the baby was NOT going to be THAT big. She just wanted an easy way out that paid more for her job! So i stopped showing up and hired a midwife last minute 3 weeks before I had my son… I had a successful VAGINAL birth with NO COMPLICATIONS and he was 9 lbs 12 oz (yes a big baby, but not impossible). Save yourself a huge headache and go to another doctor or better yet a midwife! And yes, her staff is unprofessional and messed up paperwork/​scheduling quite often.

This «doctor» should not be practicing medicine. She does not answer questions or explain anything. She does not know the words «I don’t know and I believe you need to see a specialist.» Doctor orders tests without any research on possible cost to patient nor any help limiting those costs. Her office staff is not trained and unprofessional — multiple errors with billing and insurance.

Terrible! Terrible! Terrible!!!
Since we recently moved to the Chicago area, we selected this Office as a recommendation from our health insurance office. They are listed as Tier One preferred provider. We made the appointment through this doctor’s website for Friday morning at 9am. On their website they offer their clients the chance to fill out the forms, which we did, and gave them our insurance information. On Thursday, the day before the appointment, the receptionist from their office called us to confirm the appointment and take the insurance information, again, over the Phone. We arrived at the office at 8:30am for our 9:00am appointment. The security guard in the lobby guided us to the waiting area, but no one showed up at the office until exactly 9:00am. When they finally arrived, it took them a while to get settled and asked us to fill out the forms again. We told the receptionist that we already filled them out online on their website and we have electronic confirmation as well as PDF proof of them. She had to search for it on her computer and was able to find it after all. She directed us to wait. After a while she told us that she was not able to get in touch with our insurance company and that we either had to wait until she could get verification, which could take hours, or if we wanted to be seen then, we had to pay for the visit with cash out of pocket. I asked her why she waited until the last minute to contact the insurance company, although she had the information for days. She said that she did not know the information was on their website, and that, when she got the information over the phone from us the day before, she didn’t get to it as she only works until 4pm and she had to leave before she could call and get verification. I requested to speak to the doctor. The doctor (Swathi Arekapudi) promptly jumped to defend her receptionist and say that it is always time consuming to get verification from insurance companies and that we can’t expect the receptionist to sit on the phone all day as it takes up to an hour waiting on hold to get one verification and for her to do 8 patients that would be an 8 hour day just waiting on the phone. She too suggested that we either had to wait, which could take hours or pay out of pocket. At that point we were so disappointed in the lack of compassion and poor customer service that we decided to leave and find another doctor. The receptionist proceeded to say that we had to pay for the appointment out of pocket after all, even if we were not going to see the doctor.
When I contacted our insurance company later, they confirmed that this doctor is still listed as «IN NETWORK.» as well as one of the Tier-​1 preferred providers — Not sure, however, if that is going to be the case for much longer, given their poor customer service ethics. We found another Doctor and they were glad to contact our insurance company right away and call us back, within minutes, that they do accept our insurance and provided us with an expedient appointment.

Terrible. The administration side is disorganized and unprofessional. There are no nurses to liason between the receptionists/​assistants and doctors. In a year I experienced scheduling issues, insurance/​billing problems, uninformed on cost of tests, and ineptness at delivering test results. One receptionist tried to have an in depth conversation about my health insurance in the main office.
I had appointments with both Vijay and Swathi. Both were not able to communicate and explain medical problems and information with me and instead treated me like I was in high school. They were unable to explain why certain medical tests should be done and not others. My medical questions remain unanswered or were dismissed as silly. Obvious e-​mails are read too quickly and are not answered in a thorough manner nor is a secure email service offered.
Not impressed. Would not recommend. Only went here b/​c my health insurance has a poor selection of in network doctors and this seemed the best option at the time.

Rude and incompetent. Do not go to this doctor ever. When I first came to Chicago and was struggling to find a new obgyn that was actually taking new patients, this doctor had almost immediate availability. I should have known better when the doctor herself returned my call and left me a voicemail to make an appt. When I came in to have a basic, regular «woman’s wellness» exam, I felt like she wasn’t listening to me at all. Dr. Arakepudi then pushed me to come back within two weeks or additional tests that I didn’t need (I did not come back.) Then despite this being a regular, preventative exam that is covered entirely by insurance every year, I got a bill in the mail for $ 300+. I had to of course call and dispute the bill, and every time I called the «billing specialist» wasn’t there, could I call back. Finally one day I called in and when i first tried to talk to the receptionist about my bill she started citing treatments evidently in my file that I had never received, namely birth control, which I was not and am not on and did not receive from this doctor, and I was stunned that they don’t even have a handle on their own patients’ records. When i told them their error, lo and behold, I was connected to the «billing specialist», who was… Surprise, Dr. arakepudi herself. Proceeded to have a long argument about what actually went on during my exam (this woman remembers nothing accurately and does not seem to have accurate records). I told her to resubmit the claim. She did, coding it correctly this time, and my insurance paid it. I would never go here again, and you shouldn’t either!

DO NOT LISTEN TO ZOC DOC
Worst doctor’s office I have EVER been to
Her staff is the most incompetent and sent my lab tests to the wrong lab costing me $ 200 after I warned her and her entire staff that I need to use the lab on my insurance. I only found out they used the wrong lab when I called the to get the results myself. I threw a fit until the Dr. Arekapudi assured me I won’t be billed… until I received a bill a week later. I tried calling to confirm they are taking care of it and each receptionist referred me to another receptionist and even asked me to call back on a day which happens to be a day when they are closed.
Save yourself the headache and go elsewhere, this place is horrific.

Avoid this doctor if you can please. She seemed less concerned about my visit for pregnancy. She seems careless about my health and more concerned if i make a copay and if my insurance pays for the charges. I visited her office at division st four times. She spent very little time during office visits. She asked no questions beside «Everything is fine» and «do you have any questions?» She did not discuss my lab test results. She did not even know what was the last time I visited her office even looking at my file. My husband and I just did not feel right about her service. Also she collects copay which should not have been in case of pregnancy visits in many insurance. Dr office should know insurance like Blue Cross Blue Shields PPO does not need any copay for pregnancy visits once pregnancy is declared at the first visit. She collects copay that is unnecessary. She and her staff should know which insurance has copay for the type of visit. Also, she is rude when you call and talk to her on the phone about any concern. I changed my doctor after four visits. I am very happy with my new doctor Dr. Irma Sodini, much better service than Dr. Arekapudi. PLEASE AVOID DR AREKAPUDI.

I really wish I had read these reviews before I allowed my doctor to refer me to Dr. Arekapudi. I saw her in her Division Street office. I was referred to her for pelvic adhesions. I had two appointments with her, both of which required time off work and paying for parking and a co-​pay. I had the feeling during both of my visits that she wasn’t actually listening to me. At the end of the second visit, after she left the room, I started to cry.
I paid $ 60 to get my medical records from a prior surgery forwarded to her. When she received them after my second appointment, she told me she didn’t think endometriosis was my problem. I agreed, since that is not what I went to see her for. The conversation went on like that until I finally said, «I was referred to you for adhesions!» At which point she said, «Oh. Then I can’t help you. You need to see a surgeon.»
An all around horrible experience. Avoid her if you can.

I just went to this doctor for my first pregnancy. The receptionist was very rude to me on the phone and then again in the office. The office is filthy and they were watching Maury’s Who’s the father in the waiting room which just seemed a little less then maternity friendly… The doctor seems nice enough but the exam rooms were also very dirty and unsanitary. Not one person said congratulations or was a little bit friendly. Eventually a second receptionist stepped in and was much nicer but the decision had already been made to go elsewhere. Very unpleasant for a maternity office.

I use to see Dr. Arikapudi at her office on Division. She is truly a terrible doctor; I consistently had to wait 45 minutes for an appointment, and she has a very rude secretary. Her office is messy and loud. I switched to a new doctor last week, and I’m much happier.

If I could give this business zero stars, I would. I should have looked on Unilocal to see if there were any reviews before stepping foot in this horrible place. Rosie is not lying when she says that the doctor doesn’t remember you and has NO ETHICS. She has horrible bedside manner and instead of properly looking at my medical history, she made random statements without even reviewing my last lab results! Very scary, very stressful, especially for a first time pregnancy. DO NOT SEE THIS DOCTOR. She told us she had an emergency c-​section to go to, fine, she asked us to wait 40 mins, I’m even ok w/​that, but then she walks back in to the room says she’s got a few minutes, then had her nurse walk back in and tell her they would be ready in 3 – 5 minutes. She rushed through the ultrasound and didn’t even talk about what would be next. WTF! She asked if I wanted my ultrasound pictures… never got’em.
I called later to request my records, was given a run around again. One person says you have to pay a fee, we’ll call you back later today. No call that day, so I called again and the doctor gets on the phone with me and gets testy about how it could take up to 2 weeks! I brought in 3 sheets of paper! Seriously? I work in the health care field and this is just unacceptable. Boo on this doctor!