Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation's Online Review Report Card

I'm sharing the most horrific experience with Sutter Health/Sutter East Bay, a medical practice in Orinda that I've been seeing for over 10 years. I had been suffering from a cough and a fever for almost a week so I called Sutter East Bay in Orinda to see a doctor. My usual doctor was not available so I requested to see a different doctor. This doctor ordered 2 chest x-rays and later emailed me saying that I did not have pneumonia and did not need antibiotics. Three days later after continuing to battle a fever with my cough getting worse, I went to the same Sutter Easy Bay Orinda Urgent care facility. A different doctor who "helped" me reviewed the same previously taken set of x-rays and said that I did, in fact, have pneumonia and that I needed to go to the ER. I went to the ER, where I spent 90 minutes being asked by multiple nurses and doctors why my doctor just didn't give me antibtiotics for my pneumonia. What should have been a routine diagnosis has now turned into an over $16,000 ER visit which confirmed that I, indeed, had pneumonia and resulted in a prescription for antibiotics. Over the last 2 weeks, my husband and I have called #sutterhealth, #suttereastbay numerous times to speak with anyone in a leadership position to tell our story. We have only been able to reach message takers who promised to pass our grievance along to the right people. Absolutely NO ONE has bothered to call us back. #sutterhealth, #suttereastbay does not care about their patients' well-being. That misdiagnosis resulted in my enduring 13 days of battling a fever, 4 weeks of dealing with pneumonia, and now a $16,000 bill. Does this seem right to you? Utterly disgusted and disappointed!

I want to ste 400 Cardiology and asked how to schedule with a doctor and Echocardiogram. They are so nice, they told me that I need my PCP to change to their office then I can setup an appointment. After the referral sent to them, end up it took 2 weeks for triage which they didn't told me when I asked. Totally waste my time and effort, end up I found another non SutterHealth cardiologist can setup an appointment immediately with PPO insurance. It speeds up all the exam and diagnosis.

Sutter are a bunch of crooks. I have no complaint with the doctors who are by and large very very good. The billing department are liars, thieves, and crooks. Follow my lead and file complaints with California insurance commissioner's office, your state representative, and the California medical board.

I have been coming to this location for around 10 years. During that time, doctors have come and gone quite frequently. Because I do not have any health issues I did not care who was assigned to me after a Doctors departure. Recently I scheduled my insurer mandated yearly preventative maintenance which is always free of charge. The Doctor assigned to me Dr. Wedderburn classified my appointment as a new patient office visit to establish care with a new physician. I clarified several times it was for my PM. But I still got a bill for $280. Seems like this establishment/ doctors are more interested in making money than preventative care. Needless to say, that was my last visit to that facility.

The lab guy was uptight very edgy and over worked with no support. I joked about numbing cream and he snapped at me and said that's not covered in school. He minimized me. I told him do not poke this vein... he goes for it. He stuck me twice. After he scolded me about the cream and his education he did not manually pull out needle. The jerk pressed the SnapBack button while the needle was still inside my vein. The proper way is to push needle close button after the needle is outside of vein it's to prevent a unwanted stick. Not to make his life quicker. It hurt, he was closed off to any helpful input. I wanted to tell him to use a small needle to tighten turnicut but he was stubborn n was not in a good mental space to interact with patients or draw blood. He told me to go to another clinic and called the labs he did useless. How rude to say useless, like he was not mindful. I thought he was negative and had no passion for his job. I expected better service.

Stay away. Sutter is completely opaque with their billing. Unfortunately, this is the nearest clinic to me that accepts Aetna insurance. Between the insurer and Sutter, you will have no idea what you will pay each time you are seen. I have tried to ask both Sutter and Aetna if visits and tests are covered, but each time, the resulting bill is unexpected. Even if the doctors are good, the staff at the front desk make zero effort to help you find out whether something is covered. They won't ask the doctor in advance how a visit or test will be billed. That means you can't ask Aetna until it's too late. Also, very long waits for appointments.

Went to the lab on Hawthorne ave. Full of the must incompetent humans I've ever met. They lost a few of my tests, and didn't share the results with me or my doctor.

This is my review of the my epic morning at the laboratory for a blood draw. I have lots of past and present physicians here in this building who are all great. This review is not about them. One of my doctors wanted me to get a special test that only the lab downstairs on the first floor could administer for me. Since I had to fast later for the blood test, I walked right past the lab in the lobby and noted that they open at 7:00am. Days later, I showed up before 7:30a to see a sign telling me that the lab was closed and to go to Summit Hospital's lab for lab work. Because street parking is easy at that time of the day and I was in a hurry, I drove the long block to the hospital and found street parking. I went in and the security guard at the information desk told me to go in the exact opposite direction to find their lab. I finally found the lab and their employee was nice enough to tell me that I needed to go back to the building I just came from because the lab I was looking for was not in the lobby, but on the first floor! The lab in the lobby was closed! So I made my way back to the first building and went from the lobby floor up the elevator to the first floor. I got there only to find out that the special test my doctor wanted could not be done on Fridays and guess what day it was? I do have standing orders for other blood work and the phlebotomist took care of me in a hurry, so that was fine, which is why I give this lab three stars. What can we learn here? The lab at 350 30th Street is on the first floor, one floor up from the lobby where everyone enters the building. You walk into the building from the street and enter the lobby level, but you must take the elevator one story up to go to the first floor. In other words, the lobby is on the first floor and the first floor is on the second floor. And the Summit lab in the lobby is closed, but the Sutter lab hidden away on the first floor is open. Got that? Who's on first? Three stars for the nice job by the lab. Zero stars for the location and lack of clear signage. Heavy sigh.

My hopefully final visit with my GI surgeon. His office moved from Berkeley to Pill Hill. There is no street parking except a nearby lot which is pretty full. The valet parking is just a stacked mess. The directory is not up to date. There is no receptionist on the first floor to assist you. The Blood Clinic which is on the first floor lobby can't really help you find your doctor. It's really not their fault or their job. Two older elevators crawl up to the medical offices. If you are sick, this location makes you feel even sicker.

I've been going to Sutter East Bay Medical Clinic for SEVERAL years. My primary doctor was WONDERFUL. She left and moved on to another health facility. In the meantime I had been suffering from a prolapsed bladder and supposedly a prolapsed rectum as well without knowing until I was referred to a uro gyn doctor by the name of Dr. Anna Frick. So I went for the visit. She fitted me for a pessary and I was fitted twice because the first one was too small to hold my bladder in place. Also I was having ovarian pain. After using the pessary it was suggested that I have surgery on the bladder and rectum to replaced them to their original positions since they continued to prolapse. Also, I was told that a total hysterectomy would be helpful also since I would not be having any more children regarding with the ovarian pain. I was trusting her because she was the professional. Found out later that a total hysterectomy wasn't necessary. Pre-surgery I was given a bladder test and was given BV ( bacterial vaginosis) by a medical assistant for doing an improper procedure and needed Flagyl to cure it. Then surgery was scheduled. I was given the wrong address and eventually went the correct place. She was late coming and I saw her all of 1 minute before surgery began, the whole team was waiting as well and I was not even introduced to the surgical team. I woke up later and was in horrible pain. I would just like say that I was referred to Dr. Anna Frick for the issues I was experiencing with my bladder etc. I dont wish to go in dept with ALL THE ISSUES I had to experience at the office visits and the hospital stay, but its all on record with Alta Bates (with letters of apologies regarding my experiences) with Dr, Frick and the hospital staff. Additionally, It was not clear to me that there was another Dr.(Angelyn Thomas), who performed my hysterectomy until I read it in my medical record that I had to beg for including pictures. In my own opinion this doctors (Dr. Frickl) bed side manner doesn't exist. The worse experience in my life. I have never been treated less than in all my days. She was not caring to me and showed no serious interest in my well being. I had tried to be understanding and trust her judgments with her falling short along the way, again in my opinion. They have mailed me two letter one by regular mail and the other by certified mail stating that she and Dr. Thomas were no longer going to see me because I said that I didn't trust them and I was afraid to see them. At the time I was very frustrated because she didn't show the warmth a doctor should have. So yes I did say I didn't want to see her because I was afraid I would go through the same experience. She said she emailed me and referred me to another Dr. that she thought he/she would better help me. I never got that because it was never sent. A letter came in regular mail stating that. Why would I go see another one when she performed my surgery. Doesn't / didn't make sense to me so I went to see Lisa Ding her PA the week of the October 15th, 2018 I believe and apologized to her for my frustration and she was, at that time. very understanding. I had no issue with Dr. Angelyn Thomas other than the fact that I wanted an answer to why certain things were not explained to me regarding my umbilical hernia and a lap hysterectomy. By the way Dr. Frick told me that I didn't have one because it wasn't in my chart. I have proof. When I did ask I was referred to a surgeon instead of a gastro Dr. which I had to make an appointment for myself to check my hernia. To end all this, I would just like to say I suggest that you really do your homework and research on any doctor before making any visits or major decision/s. An unhappy ex-patient.