Lynette Tsai & Nurse Practitioner Kristen Howard

I’ve been seeing Dr. Lynette Tsai for 5… almost 6 years now.
I never had any real issues with the office, making appointments, getting refills on my medication, or anything like that.
However, I received a call from the office this morning, reminding me that I had an upcoming appointment. I hadn’t been seen since last year, and I told the receptionist that my insurance changed to military.
She said «oh, we don’t take Tricare»
…really?
That’s it?
So, after being a patient of Dr. Tsai’s office for almost 6 years, I won’t be seen because my insurance changed? No exceptions? I just told the receptionist to cancel my appointment. She didn’t even care to see if there were any exceptions to be made for a long-​term patient, which, to my understanding, can be made when patients change their insurance. I guess this doesn’t apply to military families.
I was going to this OBGYN office since before it was even run by Dr. Lynette Tsai. I used to be seen by an older white woman, who looked to be passed her 50’s…
I’m just thankful my refill of medication hadn’t expired in the pharmacy yet and was recently filled before I ran out.
I’ll just be going on base or something. Really disappointed after being a patient for a few years, though.
Not even at least a «sorry» or anything. Just awkward silence over the phone following the «oh, we don’t take Tricare»…
Okay…thanks???

I first started going to Dr. Nikita’s office a while back and when she left Dr. Tsai was very nice to take over, even though she is mainly located in town. Honestly it can be hard to get ahold of them for an appointment because her main office the lady has a strong Chinese accent. But we finally got through and set up an annual check up.
Her waiting area inside is very small, but had a nice tv and while I waited played a great movie. Reception ladies are very friendly. My waiting time was about 45 minutes and my time with the Dr. Was less than 15. It was a really long wait but usually totally it is only 30 minutes so could have been that kind of day.
Overall I really like Dr. Tsai she is kind and quick and her office is convenient to where I work and love.

NOTE: This posting is meant for Dr Tsai’s downtown office and not her Mililani location as I have not been there and don’t plan to see her there at all. Her downtown office is located in a bleak and dreary building — not inviting and conducive for patient care.
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Dr Tsai has a very unusual way of doing business. First, she asks patients to remove their footwear and expects them to go barefooted on her cheap laminated floor. Yuk! Best way to catch fungus, athlete’s foot, etc. Of course you have a choice of wearing those used house sleepers that are piled along with patients footwear. How odd! Granted we live in Hawaii where it’s customary to remove one’s footwear before entering someone’s house but extending such custom to a physician’s office borders on the bizarre. For one, house slippers are personal belongings not be shared with others just as one’s toothbrush is not to be loaned to others, to prevent spreading germs. So to protect my health and preserve my sanity, I made a conscious decision to wear my sandals all the way to the bathroom which was likewise not appealing as the cramped office space itself. The reception area was not well lit and the walls were cluttered with an assortment of people’s picture which added to the office’s lack of personal appeal. Consequently, if one has to collect lab samples of human danders, etc.,. etc. in this rather uninviting environment, I would not be surprised with how grim the results would be.
If Dr Tsai’s intent is to set a precedent among his peers by asking patients to remove their shoes, the least she could do is to provide disposable socks or new slippers — to protect her rather cheap laminated floor and her patients’ health. Granted she is not a podiatrist, this is a common sense issue and as an MD, she is likewise expected to know better. And by the way, how hard is it for her to put her used instruments out of patients’ sight and not at bedside? She told me that they were used on previous patients and that she would not use them on me (!!!). She then showed me her stash of supposedly sanitized good-​to-​go instruments under the exam table! But how would I know? And would I even believe her after I was already turned off right from the start of this visit. This is beyond me
I could have overlooked the fact that I had to wait for an unusual amount of time to be seen by her after she left her office in the middle of my appointed time and was therefore late seeing me, however — for all these misgivings— I am now actively looking for nuther GYN doc who can serve my best interest as a patient.
I really miss Dr Gardner, my GYN doc for 20+years. I wish she had not retired. More power to her tho’ for a well-​deserved retirement. She was the most caring, passionate and professional GYN doctor ever. It’s day and night comparison as on top of all these aggravations, Dr Tsai’s bedside manner to me, is not convincingly and genuinely caring. Sorry Dr Tsai but I value my GYN health n mental well-​being. Thumbs down!

I started using Dr. Tsai after finding her on Unilocal,since my precious provider switched networks. Dr. Tsai is very very attentive and willing to talk you through any procedure or check up explaining everything going on. Kristen is also very warm and really attentive as well! The reception staff in downtown office have heavy foreign accents and can be alittle rough around the edges at times but Mililani staff are much much better!