Newport Heart Medical Group

Dr Bruss and his back office assistants are always courteous and professional. On the other hand, the front office staff at his North building, especially the female check-​out employee, was cold and condescending (with a heavy dose of superiority complex) today; a true definition of «cold reception.» Overall, Newport Health is as good as it gets in today’s health care environment.

I am a patient at Newport Heart and have left multiple messages about the receipt of faxed medical history. No one has returned my phone call. I am 23yrs old with moderate to severe leakage in one of my valves and it doesn’t seem to be a concern, as no one has returned my call.
At first, I was very excited to go to an office full of cardiologists as I am used to having a cardiologist in a large hospital. This makes me question whether or not I should change cardiologists due to the lack of customer service that they give their patients. In addition, one of the young ladies at the front desk has never smiled at me and I have heard her request documents in a rude manor from elderly people who simply need more clarification.
Extremely discouraging, as I would like to get an answer on whether or not I need additional surgeries.

I have seen Dr. Hunter two times because I have had to deal with a fib and a flutter. I have had one ablation. My cardiologist was in Santa Monica. I really like him but when I moved to Orange County it was a hassle to go all the way to Santa Monica when I had a problem, yet I was reluctant to leave a doctor who had helped me for many years. A friend recommended that I try Dr. Hunter. I LOVE her. She is empathetic, professional, patient and very knowledgeable. She listens and treats her patients according to their individual needs. I am an anxious patient. Dr. Hunter is reassuring, yet she motivates me to do what needs to be done, which gives me the courage to follow her recommendations. I am SO happy and grateful that she is my cardiologist. I highly recommend her.

I saw them for persistent AFIB, and they failed to consider that it was a symptom of severe sleep apnea. I now go to Stanford medical hospital, they have much better cardiologists. I have been in regular rythm for 5 months now.

Doctors are busy, so for urgent new problems, you get new associates. Doctors are good, but it is impossible to reach anyone on the phone, never return calls because new doctors aren’t on the phone tree. Have been very satisfied with Dr Castellanos, but may have to change doctors simply because of the inability to reach him or staff, even returning their calls.

Great staff they actually see you at the scheduled time, very efficient and the good news my pulse and heart are like a 25 year old.

I would recommend this place to anyone. the staff was wonderful and Dr. Bruss was very personable. Thanks for the great experience.

Let me first say — I think the staff is really nice — maybe just understaffed for the amount of Doctor’s this place has. (7 or more).
OMG — Just call and try to get a live person (without pushing secret #8), it is literally impossible. Review only based on attempting to get someone on the phone.
If you live close, probably just go there to make an appointment, it MUST be faster than calling.
If calling there — pick option #8 — that is the only way to get a live person IMO —
everything else is just voice mail. That person (#8) can’t actually do anything for you,
but if you can sweet talk them, they can put you in touch with a LIVE person, and NOT that person’s voice mail.

We love
Dr.Bruss hope he takes our new insurance Blue Cross Hmo! He is patient, caring & a great doctor :)

I wanted to share my great experience with Newport heart. I had a heart problem that sent me to the ER. I got an appointment the very next day for an echo cardiogram, the tech was very nice and professional. I had an appointment 2 days later with Dr. Panutich. I was taken to the exam room 5 minutes before my appointment time and Dr. Panutich followed in less than 5 minutes. He was patient, caring, warm and took the time to answer all my questions. He reviewed my test results with me. I would highly recommend him.
The only other person in the office I have had experience with is Dr. Bruss. He did an emergency heart cath on my friends husband. He was great, reassuring and came to the waiting room to update us as soon as he was done. The front desk people are even nice! And if you go to the doctor a lot you know how rare that is!

I cannot believe how unprofessional and wretched this business is.
Recently I was having some strange issues with my heart, and wanted to get everything checked up on. I was referred to Dr. Bruss, and was given a gambit of tests, with the results to be given to me 4 days later over the phone. I was to call and would be given the results.
DAY 4: Cue 4 days of restless waiting. Call the practice and leave message. No return call.
DAY 5: Call again and cannot get human. I explore other phone options until I reach a human, explain the nature and expediency of getting my results, and am told I will be called. No call. I am not happy.
DAY 6: Call and ask why I have not been called back. Am told calls don’t come until after 5 pm, and the message was already put in yesterday and there is nothing more to do. I am now stressed and very irritated, the perfect condition to be in pending heart results.
DAY 7: I try to complain to office manager. I am told I can talk to her, and them am put straight to voice mail. Fantastic.
I FINALLY receive a call in the evening and am told everything is fine, and when I explain the hideous service I received, Dr. Bruss plays dumb and pretends he didn’t know anything about it.
Completely unprofessional service, and a lack of respect for people. This is exactly the type of practice that does not treat the person, it treats the chart and the computer; no feelings involved or respected.
DO NOT USE THIS BUSINESS.