Illinois Dermatology Institute – The Chicago Loop

Misleading and dishonest experience. I went in for a very small, purely cosmetic issue that took literally 10 minutes to address from the time the doctor walked in the room to the time I walked out. During that time I was administered a small injection to address a problem area. Before the injection I asked if it was covered by my insurance to which i was told ‘Yes, and if not it is very inexpensive’ — shame on me for trusting a doctor I guess
Smash-​cut to a few weeks later when I receive a $xxx bill for the yes-​it-​should-​be-​covered-​but-​if-​not-​its-​cheap procedure, followed by an additional charge for a missed follow-​up appointment which I had called in to re-​schedule.
Clearly this practice is worried about getting patients in and out quickly to get the most $$ out of them in the shortest amount of time, lacking the honesty and transparency you should expect from any medical professional. Very disappointed.

I had a great first experience here today! The staff and Dr. Lewitt were so friendly and they were able to address my issues immediately. They even had all of the skincare products I needed there at the office. Will definitely be coming back!

I was extremely impressed with Dr. Lewitt, his office staff, and the office premises. My expectations were greatly exceeded by a factor of 10 (maximum). From the first person I spoke with on the phone to make an appointment to the woman who checked me in, his very sensitive and kind nurse, to the woman who checked me out… everyone was as nice and professional as can be. On Dr. Lewitt specifically… he was brilliant, knowledgable, quick as can be… and very important to me… extremely kind, sensitive, an excellent communicator, optimistic, very caring and results oriented. So, in short… everything…most especially the doctor himself… was just beyond my wildest expectations positive. I am glad to have found him and enthusiastically recommend him to everyone.

I saw Dr. Lewitt based on ZocDoc ratings. His honesty, efficiency and expertise won me over in the first session. So far, I’ve visited him for 4 different issues — and each issue has been/​is currently being resolved due to his treatments. During the appointment, he does speak very quickly, but I feel comfortable asking him to slow down and asking questions.
The receptionists and assistants are just as professional, efficient and welcoming.

Dr. Lewitt and staff are awesome! From the moment I checked in til when I walked out of the office they were all kind, courteous and professional I truly appreciated it. First visit, Dr. Lewitt gave me samples to save me the expense of a RX, who does not like saving a little here and there! I will definitely refer this office to friends and family. Thrilled to have found a dermatologist that I can go to during lunch or after work.

Dr. Lewitt and his office staff are awesome! Not only were they all friendly as soon as I arrived, but they were quick and efficient throughout the visit. Even though I was a new patient, I was seen promptly at my appointment time and was able to be back at my office within my lunch hour. It is obvious Dr. Lewitt is extremely knowledgeable, as well as, genuinely cares about his patients well being and results. Following my procedure he followed up with me to check in on how I was healing and has been accessible to me in answering additional questions. Dr. Lewitt and his team have gone above and beyond of what I have experienced at other doctors’ offices. Finally, I have found a dermatologist that I can trust. Dr. Lewitt and his team are the best. I highly recommend!

Dr. Lewitt is not only easy to talk to but he’s understanding and compassionate. He is a complete expert and explains everything he’s doing and why. My experience was perfect, it was my first time getting Botox and it couldn’t have been smoother. I HIGHLY recommend you see him for all of your dermatology needs, he’s a wonderful person and an excellent Doctor!

I finally found a GREAT dermatologist! I had a burn on my chin as s result of a poorly performed chemical peel at Chicago Medspa. I visited Dr. Lewitt because of the great reviews on Unilocal and ZocDoc. The receptionist was pleasant and squeezed me on the same day that I called. I met with Dr. Lewitt, who was really patient with my long story and endless questions. He had a very simple and gentle approach to treating my burn, a refreshing change from the other dermatologists who prescribe pills and creams that only make things worse. He recommended that I soak the area with a vinegar solution a few times a day, apply an Aveeno healing ointment on it, and keep it covered and/​or moist to prevent scaring. He did a swab test to see if the burn was infected before prescribing any antibiotics. I really appreciated this since most other doctors OVER prescribe antibiotics which creates antibiotic resistance, but I digress. He personally called me 3 days later to tell me that there was no infection, and I will not need antibiotics. To top it off, he gave me a lot of samples of cleansers and healing ointments, so I didn’t have to pay a dime to treat my burn! 3 days later, my open wound has completely healed! I am so grateful that I found a dermatologist who is knowledgeable and takes the time to listen and answer questions in an understandable way. As if it weren’t obvious enough, I HIGHLY recommend him for any skin needs! :)

Dr. Lewitt was as advertised and more! Seriously, he’s amazing. I saw his ratings on ZocDoc and seeing as he was heads and shoulders (rating wise) above the rest, I figured he’d be the man to see.
Being a bit of hypchondriac myself, Dr. Lewitt was a Godsend who put all my fears to rest. His examination was quick, comfortable, thorough, and Dr. Lewitt is just cool guy.
If I ever have to make another trip to the Dermo, Dr. Lewitt is for sure my guy and I highly recommend him to anyone else looking for skin care needs.
Thank you again to Dr. Lewitt and your staff for being so great!
And seriously, even if you don’t need a skin checkup, just go see him anyway cause he’s a real solid gent.

Yes, I am one of those that depend on Unilocal reviews but rarely write one, however, folks in the Loop need to know this is a great dermatologist! My husband and I had to change Drs due to insurance. I read the reviews, good and bad (more about those later) and chose to see Dr Lewitt.
I highly recommend Dr Lewitt. He was exceptionally knowledgable, thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly) examined us, found areas of concern and explained treatment with options. Of course I went home and researched everything he found/​treatments (I always do this) and he was spot on… no pun intended. My husband and I were quite impressed with Dr Lewitt. Additionally, his assistant and staff were attentive, courteous and very helpful.
To the reviewer that has the wrong Dr and office, if you are taking the time to review at least take the same amount of time to ensure you have the right Dr and location… shame on you and Unilocal for not correcting.
To the prescription issue reviewer, I wish all my Drs would help me reduce the cost of my scripts, or at least try. Clearly he is not in bed with the big pharm companies which makes me respect Dr Lewitt even more.

Dr Lewitt is fantastic. He is very interested in your needs, is honest about results and is overall, a very compassionate doctor. Both the female medical personnel there as well were fantastic and compassionate. I gave a high review for the medical service because the doctor and medical staff deserve a great rating; *********however I contemplated a 1 or possibly even 2 star review due to the poor attitude of his receptionist –the reason I will not return.********
I tried to explain that I did not need to pay a copay because of my insurance situation. Her formerly calm demeanor turned to nasty and rude. She claimed she had to bill me regardless (as I’m repeatedly trying to explain) because «in case we are audited.» This was a very odd response to get from a medical professional. I knew for a fact my insurance did not require me to pay this copay, but since she was so bothered, I offered her to bill my insurance, to which she responded «I don’t know how to do that.» Interesting, last time I checked this was a medical office, after all.
Once she completely began to ignore eye contact all together, I offered to triple check with my insurance as a courtesy TO THEM even though I was certain of my situation. She basically shrugged and I saw myself out.
I got to my car, called my insurance and they verified that I did NOT need to pay a copay. I decided to courtesy call back to tell her, so I dial the number. It rings, and rings, and rings, and rings. Eventually she picks up and goes «hello?» In an annoyed tone. I literally have to ASK, «um, is this Dr. Lewitts office?» Her response, «yeah.» This whole exchange was so bizarre as I’ve never heard a professional medical office answer the phone like this.
My insurance ended up calling later and clearing this up. I was right. I owed nothing.
Overall, it was such a negative interaction that I came home and recounted it with those around me. I was really hurt by the exchange because as a customer there for medical, not cosmetic needs, I felt totally judged and unfairly berated. It was just so unprofessional and unkind, I decided that even though I really like Dr. lewitt and his expertise, I simply would not endure another encounter with his receptionist,

Dr. Lewitt by far is the best dermatologist I have been to. He answered every question or concern. Explained thoroughly his diagnosis disease and symptoms and made sure I have no questions or concerns before I left. If you have an issue with your skin you must see him. Oh yeah staff was friendly and accommodating.

I would recommend Dr. Lewitt to someone looking for a great derm downtown. It was my first experience seeing him, and he impressed me with his genuine bedside manner and all the time he took to explain everything to me.
He also advised me to fill my prescriptions at a mail order pharmacy in order to ensure the cheapest price for me to get the brand name. I’m so glad he did this for me because my Walgreens quoted me at 100 dollars for my product and he sent it to this pharmacy called CarePoint and I got it for $ 25.00! He looks out for his patient’s best interest.
I’m impressed overall with him, his staff and the way he runs his practice. I’ll be seeing him again.

I saw Dr. Lewitt. I would not recommend him. I decided to write a review after my experience with the prescription process. The prescriptions he wrote were sent to a mail-​order pharmacy, Carepoint, without notifying me or asking me for my preference. I asked if I could just fill them at my regular pharmacy which is around the corner, and the staff told me I would pay more. I looked up the pharmacy afterwards and found terrible reviews (1.5 stars on Unilocal and stories of the pharmacy claiming that no generics exist for drugs that have generics). I’m disgusted that a medical office would push their patients in this way — it shows no respect for patients and no ethics.
Additionally, during the appointment the doctor emphasized that he would put me on the brand name drug, not a generic, as though the generic is ineffective. This is not even remotely medically accurate. He also quickly told me that my previous dermatologist’s treatment plan was «bad medicine» which struck me as a presumptuous comment. My previous dermatologist is reputable but always booked, which is why I tried this one out. I’ve learned my lesson — it was much more of a waste of time to go to this easy-​to-​schedule appointment than it is to wait to see a good doctor.

Dr. Lewitt was very professional, passionate and knowledgable. The waiting time was very short. They accommodated my 2 requests to reschedule the appointment due to my busy day with ease. He diagnosed my issues with a glance. Very smart and confident, that’s why he was qualified to be the chief resident in his training. He also answered my wife’s questions during my visit about her own skin issues without asking her to book an appointment to charge her as a patient, which was very generous of him. He gave both of us free samples. He asked me 10 times if I have more questions. I’m glad I found a trustworthy dermatologist, and will follow with him without hesitation. I absolutely recommend him for everybody who wants to solve their problem by getting the right diagnosis and the right treatment.

Dr. Lewitt is knowledgeable, friendly and approachable. It is convenient to get appointments with him (I use ZocDoc) and the wait time is always short. I use him for skin and hair issues and his treatment plan is working well for me. Dr. Lewitt has called me up personally to discuss matters relating my treatment. This shows that he finds time for his patients even outside his office!

Everyone here was nice but the price was pretty out of hand for a 15 minute procedure. Having some experience with this sort of thing I called them expecting a billing error. However, they claimed my bill was correct and that they are forced to bill a particular price for specific procedures. Seems to me that a bunch of people are getting ripped off. I would have gone elsewhere if they had notified me of the $ 400 ‘in network’ price tag.

I was in Chicago on business and developed what I suppose I would classify as (and previously scoffed at) a «dermatologic emergency». Not only was I able to see him the next morning, but his assistant talked to him and played messenger back and forth so I would know whether to go see him or another specialist since I only had time to go see one.
At the appointment, he consciously or unconsciously matched my stressed, talking-​a-​mile-​a-​minute state, but was very thorough and diligent in a way that only young doctors seem to be these days.
I was in and out in less than 30 minutes, armed with a bunch of samples (less than 3 oz :) to save me trip to the pharmacy-​and I was not late for my work appointment as I had assumed I would be. Nonetheless, somehow we managed to talk about medical history, skin care regimens, explained everything well, answered all my questions, and he looked at something else and gave some 2^nd opinions on other derm treatments.
He even checked for drug interactions, god bless him (honestly, who does that anymore?), and tried to show me the error of my ways in my Whole-​foods, organic-​but-​has-​1000-​ingredients skin care habits without being condescending or making me feel like the weirdo that I am.
He is very personable, engaging, and easy to connect with, and seems to enjoy his job. Yes, he’s young and still building his practice, but I work in the medical field and in my experience the best and worst doctors are always young. The worst are arrogant and have not been humbled by mistakes, thinking they have to exude confidence in all things and never admit they might not know something and spend more time trying to prove they were right than answering a question.
The best ones are still interested in and energized by medicine, aren’t jaded about people, and don’t dismiss possibilities out of sheer probability, but take the time to investigate (probably out of curiosity, but who cares)
He’s one of the good ones. If I lived in Chicago I would definitely have him be my regular dermatologist.

Dr. Michael Lewitt and his team accommodated my early arrival to their office. The staff greeted me warmly and I was seen by Dr. Lewitt’s nurse right away. I am not used to being seen so promptly upon arriving at a physicians office – nice change of pace! Dr. Lewitt provided me a great consultation and I felt very comfortable with him and his team. He spent time with me and I never felt rushed. I also liked that he is a teaching office and that he takes time to work not only with me but with the medical students he is mentoring… I would highly recommend Dr. Lewitt to my friends and family.
Side note-​the office is impeccable and the views are great too :)

I am reviewing Dr. Keith Lopatka at the Park Ridge location.
Lesson: Ask procedure costs before letting them do anything. BCBS paid the minimum (we’ve got a high deductible) and I was stuck with an outrageous bill.
New patient consultation exam: $ 217. I asked for a complete body exam yet Dr. Lopatka never checked my scalp (which gets the most sun) and stood several feet away, naming the spots I pointed to. I loved being stared at like a zoo animal by the female aide in the room (to avoid sexual harassment claims). Another aide took my photo, ostensibly for their «records» but actually to prevent insurance fraud. Yet another did prep for the lesion biopsy. It was a revolving door of different people in and out of the room.
Removal of a mutating lesion on my hand: $ 180 for prep, $ 289 to shave off.
Dr. Lopatka didn’t explain anything he was doing nor that the cauterizing would cause searing pain.
During the consult, I pointed out a skin tag inside my elbow. Dr. (in happy voice): «Want me to remove that for you?» Me: «Umm, yes, I guess so.» Lopatka zapped it ONE second with a hot laser. Surprise, not included in the exam cost of $ 217. One second cost $ 226. A prime example of gouging. No wonder insurance costs keep rising.
I wanted blemishes on my nose looked at and mentioned several times I was menopausal. (The link between cystic acne and hormonal changes is well-​established.) Lopatka prescribed Soolantra, a new 1% invermectin cream. When I Googled Soolantra (which contains dimethicone, known to CAUSE skin breakouts), I found it was only approved by the FDA in Dec. 2014 and is used to treat Rosacea. I don’t have rosacea, I had menopause-​caused zits. How about prescribing an appropriate proven drug? Doctors prescribing unnecessary treatments is common. (My normally intelligent regular doctor gave me a sample of Flonase to «help» reduce my nasal polyps. «FLONASE® is indicated for the management of nasal symptoms of perennial nonallergic rhinitis in adult and pediatric patients aged 4 years and older.» BTW, side effects of Flonase are horrible.) «Doctoring» is big business and pharmaceutical reps hand out RX drugs like Halloween candy to get people addicted. Do due diligence and research. After 2 hours online, I learned far more how to treat acne cysts than by «consulting» with a ridiculously expensive dermatologist. I ordered a $ 4 bar of Sulphur Soap and the blemishes cleared up in a few days. Wow.
Before I received the bill, office staff phoned (a day AFTER I called them for the lesion results) to give me the results and to cheerily say I should see them once per year. Like that’s going to happen.
Other impressions:
The office is overstaffed. You will see a new person for every step of your visit.
New patient form asks for social security number. Don’t give it to them, they store all your personal info online, which is unsafe.
On the initial visit, instead of schmoozing me with fake friendliness, how about explaining nothing is included in the $ 217 charge for the doc to open the door to my exam room?
Lopatka was more interested in chastising me for not using sunscreen than in listening to my concerns about my facial breakouts. I don’t use facial sunscreen because it causes more breakouts! He claimed just walking from my car to the office door was enough exposure to get cancer. Nice scare tactics.
When I called to dispute the charge for the one second of zapping, billing staff was pleasant but unable to remove the charge. If it was my business, I’d have waived that line charge to keep the client happy. As they didn’t, I am no longer a client.