Kiran Rao's Online Review Report Card

Best GI doctor.

I am a physically handicapped woman in a wheelchair, Dr. Rao has help me with my Gastro issues. I highly recommend him. His office staff is very friendly. Office is kept very tidy.

Dr. Rao is outstanding. He has performed several procedures on me and all went well.

Dr. Rao and his staff are extremely professional. Everything has been top notch. Dr. Rao is thorough in explaining any procedures. He and his team have a very kind bedside manner. Little to no wait in the office.

Amazing doctor one of the best I have ever been to. Would recommend him 100 percent. Amazing man.

Dr. Rao is an amazing doctor. He didn’t give up on finding out what was causing my stomach pain & weight loss. After he found a mass during my colonoscopy, he recommended an incredible surgeon to remove it. He even called me a few weeks after my surgery to see how I was recovering. I will definitely be going back to him for my future colonoscopies!

Excellent doctor, excellent bedside manner. I had a colonoscopy today (the 3rd Dr. Rao performed on me over the years). Everything went well. One thing that I really like is that I wanted it without anesthesia and that has NEVER been a problem with him. I'm sure it makes it harder because he has to be concerned about causing pain (which he didn't) but it was never an issue. Dr. Rao is gentle, kind and reassuring.

INEXCUSABLE mistake.I went to Dr. Rao after a couple weeks of an upset stomach and inexplicable weight loss as per my primary doctor's recommendation. He had me send in a stool sample and tested it for parasites, bacteria, and fecal calprotectin (an inflammation marker).I received a call from Dr. Rao letting me know that the parasite and bacteria tests came back negative, but my calprotectin was 289 and was supposed to be under 50. At this level of inflammation, he suspected Crohn's or ulcertaive colitis (both chronic, incurable, potentially debilitating and sometimes life-threatening) and told me I would need to come in for a colonoscopy, which was scheduled for nearly 2 months out because they were so overbooked.I panicked and called back and asked if I could some how be squeezed in sooner given the level of inflammation, and was moved up a month (still one month out).A week before my procedure, I ate nothing fibrous (beans, quinoa, veggies, etc.) as instructed, even though such things are basically my entire diet. So I lived off rice pasta and soups.THREE DAYS before my procedure, the office calls and tells me they need clearance from my doctor or cardiologist (I had heart surgery when I was 14) for the anesthesia, or they won't be able to do it.Thanks for the notice...My primary couldn't see me, so I went to a partner at my cardiologist's office, but had to take a day off work to grab the only open slot. I paid the more expensive specialist copay and sat in a waiting room 2.5 hours just to have him go, "You're fine," and hand me papers saying so.To prepare for my prep day, I stocked up on ClearFast (amazing by the way - but expensive) which helps with having to fast 24 hours before the procedure. I also picked up my Suprep prescription (bowel prep laxative) which cost a pretty penny. I took 2 additional days off of work - one for the prep, and one for the colonoscopy.The day of the prep... Probably one of my least favorite days ever. I starved myself all day, drank the first dose of Suprep (HORRIBLE tasting - almost puked it up), then crapped my brains out all night. Barely slept and got out of bed at 4AM to drink the second dose of Suprep and crapped my brains out again until 7AM.My dad took off of work to drive me to the appointment. I went in, stripped down, put on the gown, was hooked me up to an IV, and began my wait.After about an hour, I was brought into the operating room and spoke with Dr. Rao just before they put me under, and he let me know that because my stool tests came back normal, this was just going to be an exploratory procedure.... WHAT?! ..."My tests weren't normal, my calprotectin was 289."Dr. Rao said, "Oh, I thought I just looked and saw they were 71 (still slightly elevated)".He pulled up the fax from the lab and goes, "Hmm.. I don't know where I got 289 from, but I do I remember telling you that."I asked, "What do you mean? What is it?"He showed me the results.Not 289.Not 71.ONE. POINT. ONE.He goes, "Well, I don't think we'll find anything if we do the colonoscopy, and I'd hate for you to be charged for it, so I'm just going to cancel it. Sorry you had to do the prep."The whole reason for the colonoscopy was because he told me my inflammation was so high that I probably had Crohn's. I was super stressed and anxious leading up to finding out if I had this debilitating illness. I ate bland food for a week, bought a bunch of supplies (wipes, supplements, special foods, etc.), took THREE days off of work, paid an unnecessary specialist copay, starved myself for a day, drank that disgusting sludge -- twice, crapped my guts out -- twice, and had my dad take a day off work to drive me. All because, "OOPS! I must have read the wrong number!"ARE YOU @&#^ING KIDDING ME?! If anyone else in any other job made a mistake that put someone through that much discomfort and cost them as much time and money, they would be fired immediately, sued, and possibly prosecuted. But when it's a doctor, he just gets to go, "Oops! My bad!"NEVER AGAIN.

Wonderful doctorVery accommodating knowledgeableAnd wonderful bed side mannerNurses and staff were very sweet

Did a stool test and told me I probably had Crohn's based on the high inflammation in the results (289 - should be under 50). Scheduled me for a colonoscopy a month out. A month of pure anxiety. Went through the whole prep, took 3 days off of work (1 for last-minute clearance, 1 for prep, 1 for procedure), did the whole AWFUL prep. Spent HUNDREDS. Day of, literally in the OR, he realizes he misread the report and I didn't have inflammation (it was actually 1.1, not 289). Canceled colonoscopy.