“Solid”

I have been treated by Dr. Ivkov and his partners at times when he was out of town since 1998. I am one happy patient and feel fortunate I stumbled upon such a solid practice. Over the years Dr. Ivkov diagnosed me twice with serious conditions, one required hospitalization at Lenox Hill Hospital that he personally oversaw, the other, a cardiac catheterization, he referred me to Dr. Moses, at Columbia, as he taught that to be the optimal center for my particular problem. He was right, as he always is when it comes to serious issues. His approach to me as a patient has always been very precise and it all made sense once I learned about his background in the military. On one occasion we had our disagreement over a minor issue, unlike my previous doctors he wasn't stubborn nor vane and was open to understand my point of view. Dr. Ivkov and his partners run a busy practice, and sometimes the visits with him require a longer wait than I would like them to be, but each and every time there was a serious issue at hand I felt he and, in his absence, his partner Dr. Galluccio speared no effort to diagnose and treat me regardless of their time constraints. My criticism, a minor one, is that over the years Dr. Ivkov tended to stand behind his staff members even on occasions where they were not quite efficient. His explanation has always been that although imperfect, his secretaries were under daily pressure from intense patient's personalities and that he was willing to cut them slack due to circumstances.

“Dr. Ivkov saved my life”

I've known Dr.Ivkov for over five years. He is attentive, listens to my problems, explains the problems in layman's terms , speaks several languages and is a true european gentleman. He is very straight forward in his instructions, a no nonsense physician.
Dr.Ivkov is also a humble person with a dry self effacing sense of humor (willing to admit when he is not sure regarding a particular clinical problem and explaining alternative options) considering he trained at prestigious institutions like Lenox Hill Hospital and at Harvard.
I admit to be heavily biased in his favor as my former doctor treated my shortness of breath with asthma pumps for two years until Dr Ivkov diagnosed me with heart failure, literally threw the pump into the garbage can and initiated pills for heart therapy. He saved my life and I still have a reasonable and active lifestyle, as he found the right combination of medicine to arrest the progression of the heart failure.

“My Open Heart Surgery”

Dr. Ivkov is an excellent and caring physician. He and his partner Dr. Galluccio followed my chronic condition meticulously for six years and sent me for heart valve replacement in a timely manner so that I am back in the gym two months after the surgery in full force. It is not easy and it is nerve wracking to live for years with the knowledge of having a heart defect and knowing that at some time it will deteriorate to the point of damaging the heart muscle. Dr. Ivkov was willing to answer all my questions and address my concerns in a professional and caring manner both before and after my surgery.

“5 stars”

I passed out at a party and bumped my head, no big deal, but my Mom insisted that I see her doctor because there was a small bruise around my eye. I visited Dr. Ivkov, first time ever, he looked at my eye and inside my nose and said I had to go to the hospital for surgery right away. I protested, I mean you just met me one minute ago and are telling me surgery??? All of a sudden the doctor become a buddy, put his arm around my shoulder, talked about his youth and drinking days and I really liked him and believed him. He also told me that I am the best doctor as I know my body better than anyone else. Then he asked me, in a very kind voice would I mind if we spoke with Mom on a conference call, "just to put her mind at ease". I foolishly agreed, and once on the phone he become his real self again, dropped the jokes and friendlieness ( it was all an act) and told Mom the same story how I broke my scull bone and that my brain was hanging out in the nasal cavity waiting to get infected and turn into pus and mush and that I could end up being a veggie. I protested as I felt fine, but than my Mom starting yelling at me over the phone, and I agreed. Two big male nurses came shortly with an ambulance van and drove me to the hospital, where they did X-Rays and operated on my head. Currently I am back in school with a large scar across the top of my head, fortunatelly the hair is growing back. I resent the doctor as he treated me as a child, but my parents oredered me to write this 5 star review.

“outstanding”

I am 69 years old and working full time. Dr. Ivkov has been my physician since 1998 and in part thanks to his outstanding care I am able to keep doing so.