Mt Airy Family Practice

I recently moved to Philadelphia from a great distance and was in search of a new family doctor. After a negative experience closer to home, I expanded my search, and just a few miles from my house I discovered Mt. Airy Family Practice. I used a combination of search methods, including my healthcare provider site, Unilocal!and other online review sites. Many of the doctors were highly rated at this practice, so I ended up calling to explain my own needs and was matched with Dr. Deborah Clarke.
My first visit (sort of orientation if you will) was in early September. Because Dr. Clarke and the practice are quite popular, the initial new patient (non-​urgent) appointment was scheduled about 6 weeks from my initial contact (this is normal for a good provider). After a positive first time experience, I arranged my annual check-​up /​physical for a few weeks later and returned. Now, as a current patient, same day and next day appointments are available.
On both visits, I was welcomed promptly at my scheduled appointment time with almost NO WAIT at all from the time of arrival, to check-​in to my actual visit with Dr. Clarke. The staff and assistants are friendly and function to get their tasks done. Dr. Clarke herself was exactly as the staff person described — great bedside manner, listens well and looks at all forms of care before considering any prescription drugs. I was very pleased (obviously, since I immediately booked my 2^nd visit). I believe all the doctors would be a positive experience, so don’t be afraid to call ahead (if you’ve never been there before) and explain what kind of doctor would best meet your needs.
One of the most noticeable differences is this office is still INDEPENDENT of the major healthcare «systems». It’s the way healthcare was and needs to be again — focused on the patient and doctor, not the profit goals of the «system» which makes money by ordering up services and drugs above and beyond what you need. While my visits were not for a specific medical condition, I would trust that if care was needed it would be in my best interest.
For this reason and my experience with Dr. Clarke, I would recommend you run not walk to this office for your care if you are not satisfied with your current provider (or if you need a doctor as I did moving to the area).
This is an old office (in an old Philadelphia home); not a modern (i.e. expensive) building with costly spaces, chairs or HDTV’s hanging around the waiting room. However, the tools used for service are UP-​TO-​DATE (such as use of laptops for recording your visit notes). From my two visits, the patients are a mix of younger (20 something folks) right up to senior citizens, and a mix of working class people.
Truly if there is such a thing as an Independent Small Business doctor office, this is it. If you want to pay the cost for all the fancy glam and glitter in the office space /​waiting room, than this may not be a fit for you. But if you want a caring staff focused on your actual healthcare that communicates with you, this is the place for you. And for an added bonus, they take your blood on location and ship it to the testing center in your healthcare plan (unlike other offices that require you go to another site for blood draw).

Have been going here since 1998 and have always had Dr. Good — sweetest woman and all my brothers, parents, and grandmother see her. Always professional yet easy to talk to and wants to hear how things are going. Love this place. :)
They now have walk-​ins available M-​F for a couple hours in the afternoon/​evening.

Went into this office for first time and everything was pretty standard nobody went out on a limb or anything but it took a turn once in the review area with the NP Vincent. His bedside manner was nasty and rude this was my first and last visit EVER. Everyone I told about my experience was shocked that a supposed professional establishment would treat a patient this way. Before choosing another doctors office reviews and research will be done beforehand. Shame on Mt. Airy Family Practice for not addressing this accordingly but I guess thats what to expect from a Mom and Pop shop! (They don’t deserve the 1 star)
First time reviewer!

I’ve been a patient of Dr. Lyon for almost 20 years and my son sees Dr. Lewis. I am quite satisfied with both doctors treatment of my family, their caring attitude, and medical expertise. I’ve even noticed that the doctors deliberately park their cars a block away so that patients can find parking close to the office. Even though it’s a little thing, to me it says a lot about their character. On a negative side I have seen the office become more assembly line-​like in the past ten years or so and often feel rushed to get in, have my exam and get out. This, however, is NOT the doctor’s fault. It is the fault of the insurance industry that continues to demand more and more output for less reimbursement. The doctors literally only have about 15 minutes to see a patient; any time spent over that they do not get paid for. I truly feel for them as they are being held hostage by the insurance companies. I will continue to go to MAFP as I feel I have a good relationship with my doctor there. I go there with the understanding that my doctor is doing the best he can under an increasingly limiting insurance system that dictates how much time he can spend with each parent. Please remember that doctors are human beings too.

Dr. Lewis is super. Not only is he cute he knows medicine. He makes you feel comfortable and he is very attentive to his patients. I’ve been coming to this practice for at least twelve-​years and I don’t have any serious complaints. The practice is clean and the front desk assistants are friendly and organized. They make it convenient and easy to obtain your test results and fill out medical history forms online. You can make appointments and view your past medical history at your convenience, all online. My only complaint is, the lady that draws the blood, the older of the two, should stop. She has a nice enough personality but she sucks at drawing blood… phlebotomy 101. Other than that, this is a great medical practice. When you visit the practice, be sure to say hello to Marcus, he’s a sweetheart.