Hector L. Santiesteban's Online Review Report Card

U was extremely happy having been referred to Dr. Santiesteban after having seen two other providers who clearly missed a very serious diagnosis that very much could have been life threatening! This Dr is very intelligent and very well trained! He seems to truly know medicine and was able to catch and correct my medicines and get me appropriate treatments. I am fortunate and blessed to have been referred to him. While the front line office staff is nice to find happy and efficient but we all know that is a gamble as such help changes and is always shifting, but if you are more interested in strong medical advice and expertise, I would highly recommend Dr. Hector Santiesteban. His demeanor is kind and he is very attentive. Yes, busy because he is well sought after but once you get into his office, he dies make you feel as though you are top priority. I was also surprised to find out that he double board certified in internal Medicine and the speciality of Nephrology where he has practiced for over 20 years and trained other MD at UCSF Medical School. Overall, I was very happy with his care!

I saw Dr Santiesteban for approximately six months before giving up and going somewhere else. For every aspect, from getting an appointment to insurance mixups to lack of responses for non-urgent questions for the doctor regarding medications, test results, etc., this office is a nightmare. Simply awful.

Have to echo the other reviews. I saw Dr Santiesteban for six months and at every step of the way, I was amazed by the abject lack of professionalism from his front office staff. Dr Santiesteban himself wasn't bad, but the overall experience was so unpleasant that I switched to another practice and haven't looked back.For every aspect, from getting an appointment to insurance mixups to lack of responses for non-urgent questions for the doctor regarding medications, test results, etc., this office is a nightmare.Simply awful.

I went to see Doctor Santiesteban and was very surprised at his presentation, his white uniform was dirty and when I say dirty: It Was! his pants where full of spots, Dr. Santiesteban did not cut his hair for at least a year, he was overweight, puffing and bluffing going in and out looking for forms. I called to change doctors, Secretary was NASTY! Last week I received a letter with an invoice for $330 , I called and talked to a very nice person and told her that the first thing the secretary did was copying my ID. My impression of him and the RECEPTIONIST IS SO NEGATIVE ! I have already changed doctors.

One of the pluses, but also the difficulties, with sites like this one is that they give disgruntled people an outlet. Satisfied people are much less likely to take the time to write a review. I ran across these reviews and they are so off the wall that I felt that a balancing view is needed.I started seeing Dr. Santiesteban about six years ago. I have a rare form of chronic kidney disease that requires frequent monitoring. Initially I consulted him solely for the kidney condition but when my regular internist retired some three years back, I started seeing him as my primary care doctor. I am not a young guy and have seen plenty of doctors over the years, both fee-for-service and HMO. Let us be frank. Good doctors are busy, and a highly trained, specialized practitioner like Dr. Santiesteban will always be in demand and often unable to control his schedule. Hospital emergencies always take precedence over office visits, and I daresay that if the other revviewers of Dr. Santiesteban had emergencies, they would eat their words. While I too have sometimes had difficulty getting past the nurses in the office, I don't judge the doctor's abilities by the staff in the front office of a group practice whom he may not be able to control.When I go to any doctor I always bring a book or magazine because I never expect to get called on time -- and I rarely am. These reviewers who complain about a 30-minute wait just have not spent enough time seeing top doctors in the real world. The medical system is not perfect and is often invonvenient for patients but for the time being that is just how it is.By the same token, my own schedule is often hectic and unpredictable. It is rare indeed that I am able to be early for an appointment. It is as important to me, I believe, that the doctor be willing to accommodate my schedule as it is to the doctor and his or her other patients that I accommodate theirs. Dr, Santiesteban has never had a problem with my showing up 15 or even 20 minutes late. Also, I do try to call before I leave or if I am enroute to make sure there is not a timing problem that indicates a rebooking would be prudent.But moving past the process, which I consider to be by far the less critical issue, to the quality of care, I would point out that these reviewers have nothing at all to say. Dr. Santiesteban has been a gem. I have lots of questions and he answers them. He knows the CPMC and UC systems well and he has an encyclopedic mind for pharmacology. His questions are often unexpected but they always tie back to the issue of the day. He exudes a quiet confidence and has a self-effacing sense of humor -- none of even my most aggressive questions has ever thrown him off balance. And he has a warm, comforting personality -- the kind of "bedside manner" that once was (I hear) typical of the medical profession but is rare in my experience..

Actually, giving a one star is way too high for this office. After calling the office to schedule an appointment, being treated VERY rudely by the person who answered the phone, I went on-line to read the reviews. I, too, was a long-time patient of Dr. Goodman and was appalled at the treatment by this Doctors receptionist! I immediately located another internist, who happens to be in the same building, BUT his reviews are almost all FIVE star. I called his office and his receptions was warm, informative and extremely pleasant to work with. I of course, will pick up my records from Dr. Santiesteban's office and now I have a new physician!When I called to cancel with Dr. S, the receptionist was again rude, or shall I say "bored" with my call. I have not used Yelp to date, but I feel compelled to let others know, if they are searching for a Doctor, that this office at 2300 Sutter #301 is NOT one that should be considered, unless you prefer to be treated badly!!!