Juva Medispa

Dr. katz a true disappointment

by lolittanyc

Bruce Katz is a highly regarded cosmetic dermatologist - there's no disagreement there. Walk into his office (the Juva Skin Spa) and you'll see him plastered on magazine covers and a TV monitor that shows him on The View. Of course, you can't hear anything (the content) but the important thing there is to show patients he's so good he gets on TV.

I'm sure he's good with the fillers, injections, any anything else that's related to pure cosmetics. But in my experience, if you have a regular skin condition like acne, he's NOT the doctor for you. A few things bothered me about my appointment with him:

-Barely spent any time with me. I timed it out to about 4 1/2 minutes.

-All he did was jot notes down a folder (probably work from another patient). I proceeded to tell him that I just got some cortisone injections last week (from another doctor) for some blemishes. Ten seconds later, he pops his head up and tells his assistant to put X number of cc's in a syringe. He was about to inject my face w/ cortisone when I say "are you sure it's safe to get multiple injections in a given week'? He puts the syringe down and says "NO - your skin will get depressions (sink in). When did you get a cortisone injection?" He would have known had he listened to what I was telling him SECONDS before. He should be thankful that I wasn't talking about any allergic reactions to certain meds or something serious that could have been life threatening.

He gave me a topical Rx which I told him I had at home. So what did he do next? Told me to buy a face wash at the front desk (I stupidly agreed given I went through so much trouble just to get an appt with him) and he said to come back in 3 weeks. No thanks, doc.

His being rated a top dermatologist by New York magazine makes me doubtful of the validity of that entire list. What criteria do they use?

The only good thing about this appointment was the wait - I only had to wait about 20 minutes (and I was expecting to wait much longer).

Avoid at all costs

by mlp247

I absolutely despise this place. Don't go here!! ever!! I've had two horrible experiences - guess I should've learned my lesson the first time. On two separate occasions I was charged for services I didn't even know were considered additional to a patient visit (ie having my skin injected with some sort of medicine to treat acne) for which I received a bill several weeks later. I tried to contest the charges since they weren't actually offered services, the doctor just did them without asking, but to no avail. The billing department is rude. The front desk is curt. And if you're not going in there for lipo or some other uber-expensive service, they treat you like dirt. To top it all off, my skin only cleared up after I went somewhere else! Please save yourself the frustration, and skip this office!

I Admit I Was Scared

by dabigchicken

I never liked going to doctors. When I saw this asymmetrical, very mottled-colored, large raised spot on my chest, I was just hoping the thing would go away. It didn?t. Obviously, there was something wrong. A friend told me about Dr. Katz. I called and explained to the receptionist what the situation was and she put me through to one of the nurses. The nurse explained that the spot was potentially cancerous and she recommended that I come in the same day. When I walked into the Juva center, the staff was smiling, helpful and friendly. The waiting room was large and comfortable, but what was so remarkable to me was that no sooner did I sit down than I was greeted by a nurse and she asked me to follow her to one of the examination rooms. In less than five minutes, Dr. Katz came in to see me. He asked a lot of questions, was very thorough and discussed my family history. We talked for nearly 30 minutes before he actually looked at the spot on my chest. I was really impressed by how diligent and meticulous he was about all this. After examining the spot, he didn?t think it was anything to be concerned about, but wanted to be absolutely sure so a biopsy was ordered. Thank goodness it turned out to be growing, but completely benign. Naturally, the entire cost was covered by my HMO, but even if it wasn?t, it would have been worth every penny just for the peace of mind. Most of all, Dr. Katz and his staff handled my scary situation in a very caring and conscientious manner. They were more than just professional. They cared about me as a person. That?s not something I?ve experienced with many medical facilities, but I would recommend the Juva center to anyone who was looking for great medical care.

• Pros: Extremely thorough, took his time, very caring physician; Staff was friendly and professional; Ambience was pleasant and attractive, lots of pamphlets and magazines in the large waiting area.
• Cons: None at all.

Easier than getting a cab in NYC during rush hour.

by icemaven

Being a New Yorker, I often find that nothing happens as quickly or as easily as one may think, but we chalk it up as part of life in a big city. However, I must say that my experience at Juva Medispa was one of the most painless experiences I have ever had-both figuratively and literally. I had noticed some spots on my skin due to many years of lifeguarding, and was becoming concerned-especially those spots I had noticed on my face. Dr. Michele Pauporte was highly recommended to me by more than one person and even my internist recommended that I see her. I was able to receive an appointment rather quickly, and when I arrived to their office, I was greated by a friendly staff who not only had great skin, but actually looked like they enjoyed their place of work, which relieved my anxiety and concern. I was seated in one of their waiting rooms and was brought into an examination room not too long afterwards. Dr. Pauporte came in soon after that and immediately calmed my nerves by her geniune smile, her calm professionalism and her ability to explain the procedure and cause of spots in layman terms. I sometimes feel uncomfortable asking doctors many questions, but Dr. Pauporte's confidence and vast knowledge in dermatological surgery and procedures made me feel like I was in safe hands and that I could ask her anything. I did not feel rushed or that I was taking up too much of her time, even though I had seen how busy that place can get. In the end, my face was left unmarked, it was one of the least painful experiences I have ever had from start to finish, and I have recommended her to family members and close friends. And bye the way, Dr. Pauporte also has great skin.

• Pros: The wait is not as long as other doctor offices
• Cons: They need better magazines

JUVA Medispa

by SpaHappy7

I've been to JUVA several times over the past couple of years and while I haven't taken advantage of all they offer, the procedures i have had and the doctors and staff that have attended me have been superb from start to finish.

It starts from the moment the elevator door opens into the check-in area. The staff are mostly very attractive and always smiling - maybe this is a guy thing, but it's nice to feel immediately welcome. My first experience was of the Spa, where i had one of the finest massages ever.

More importantly, i have had a chance to be treated by one of their doctors, Dr. Michele Pauporte, who treated me for several pre-cancerous moles on my face and body. Make no mistake - JUVA is a busy place - and like any medical practice one sometimes does have to wait after all, if a patient comes in for something like Mohs surgery, you never know how big the cancer is until you start removing it - and this process can take time. But that said, I can tell you that Dr. Pauporte was careful to explain the procedures I was having done in terms I could understand before I went through with them. She even helped me understand how these things come about, who gets them and why it's critical to get them removed before they become serious problems.

I don't like doctors by and large, and don't care to spend any more time at a medical office than absolutely necessary, but Dr Pauporte's professionalism and bedside manner were only exceeded by her immense skill in dermatological surgery. It's nice to find superior capability, confidence and caring in the same package. If you want the best, you can't do better than Dr. Pauporte at JUVA. Just have a look at her skin and you'll have one more compelling reason to choose her.

• Pros: Dr. Pauporte and friendly, skilled staff in general
• Cons: lack of good magazines for men.