Valenti John P, MD

I scheduled and had an annual physical a couple months ago with Dr. Valenti.
FAIL 1: Upon arriving to my appointment, they inquired if I had fasted for my physical. At no point in the scheduling process, or the reminder call a couple days prior, did they inform me I needed to fast. Since it had been several years since taking a physical, I forgot this was something I even needed to ask. Since I had to miss a couple hours of work for this appointment, it was extremely frustrating that I had to come back to their office again the next day after fasting for the blood work. This was a major inconvenience with my work and home schedule preventable by informing me in advance. Then, they charged me for two doctors visits because I had to come back the next day. I have not been able to get the additional charge removed.
FAIL 2: I only had to wait 10 – 15 minutes in the waiting room, so not a bad experience on that front… great actually! But then I waited between 15−25min between the initial nurse doing vitals and the doctor actually arriving to my room.
FAIL 3: Dr. Valenti arrives and is so nice. He actually spends a good deal of time with me and appears to be listening intently. He doesn’t ask many questions, but lets me go through a number of areas that I wanted to check out. I was pleasantly surprised how much time he gave me and listening. He informed me he wanted to take a number of blood work, vitamin, hormone, etc. samples for a few of the issues. Then, rather abruptly, and without addressing several major issues I brought up about my health, he leaves the room. It was so abrupt, I sat in the room for 20 minutes waiting for him to come back thinking the appointment wasn’t over. Eventually, I had to peak my head in the hallway and call out for a nurse, who asks what I need. She disappears for 5min then comes back and without apologizing for the delay, says my physical was done and I just needed to come back in and see a nurse the next day for my bloodwork after fasting. I was confused the appointment was over, but scratched my head thinking maybe there would be follow-​up at my blood work appointment.
FAIL 4: I show up the next day for my blood work appointment, and the nurses informed me I didn’t need to do a water fast for the past 12h. The front desk guy that read my the instructions for the fast told me, and I quote, «you need to fast from all food and liquids,» so I had just gone 12h without water. Apparently, water isn’t a liquid and didn’t count as «all food and liquids». So basically, I show up to my bloodwork and urine exam dehydrated, which apart from being uncomfortable, can also throw off the results of your work. In fact, I was supposed to be well hydrated on water. So now, I’ve spent a second morning out of the office, paid for two appointments, and have some of my levels with skewed results because I was dehydrated. I informed the nurse that I had unanswered questions from my physical the day before, to which she says not to worry, the doctor will debrief me on those after the blood work and urine analysis is back.
FAIL 5: A week later I got my results from the bloodwork in the form of a nurse calling me and letting me know that I had a MAJOR vitamin [omitted for privacy] deficiency, treatment was to take a supplement. I asked which form of the supplement, and she said she’d have to ask the doctor and call me back. Second, she said that I had below healthy hormone level [specific hormone omitted for privacy], but that Dr. Valenti didn’t think we needed to treat it right now. She didn’t know why it shouldn’t be treated though. I asked if there was a followup from Dr. Valenti as promised, to which she said no, just take the supplement, then hung up with many of my health questions unanswered, and no explanation for my prescribed (or lack thereof) treatment of either issue discovered from my bloodwork.
FAIL 6: I called the office back a couple times over the course of the next two weeks because the nurse didn’t call back as promised. At one point, I was at the pharmacy to pickup medicine for my 6 day old newborn, with my newborn in tow, and the office put me on hold for 35mins while trying to answer which form of supplement to take. After 35min hold at the pharmacy, nurse told me doc would call. Never did. But they quite prompt in sending me the bill for my TWO appointments (that should have been one). Now, I have to find another doctor to do a physical and actually address the concerns I had and give me a reason why a hormone deficiency shouldn’t be treated rather than just leaving me hanging with no explanation. Why spend all that time listening if you’re not going to provide any guidance or explanation for treatment? I’m so baffled at my experience but at this point, not willing to give them a second chance.

Dr. Valenti has been my primary care doctor for over 8 years and I wouldn’t go to anyone else — ever. I live in Leesburg so it is a long drive, but you will not find anyone who is more caring, focused and knowledgeable than Dr. Valenti. He explains everything thoroughly and never makes you feel he is in a rush. Dr. Valenti is professional, intelligent and surpasses any doctor I have ever been to.
His office staff are less than desirable, but don’t let that stop you from seeing him. I never have to wait long when I have an appointment to see him. His nurse does seem to change frequently so getting refills right has been a challenge, but worth it.

Dr. Valenti is caring and competent, but it can’t make up for his terrible office/​nursing staff. Snotty attitudes, long office waits, promises of refills that are only called into your pharmacy after repeated phone calls to his office, electronic messages into a black hole… just so much hassle, it’s not worth it.

Dr. Valenti has been my primary doctor for roughly 10 years now. Despite having to drive 30 minutes out of my way now that I live in Arlington, I continue to see Dr. Valenti mostly because I feel I have his undivided attention when he is in the room, he is very good at explaining anything I have questions about, he is friendly, and seems to be knowledgeable.
I like that their office seems to be early adopters of technology, and I have easy access to my lab results online, and am able to send messages to him or his staff online. He has been cooperative on excessive preventative screening for conditions that can be inherited from my ancestors.
So why not give him 5 stars? I think because I sometimes feel he isn’t a thorough as he could be. I recently had a full physical, and there were some examinations that were not made. I’m sure if I had requested them, he would either have complied willfully, or explained why he felt it wasn’t necessary. All the same, I think 4 stars is a great rating, especially in an era when doctors seem to be less and less engaged with their patients. I highly recommend him to anyone in the Reston area, but those as far away as me may try finding someone of similar quality closer to home.