Whitaker Wellness Institute

Be careful about this place. I was told my insurance will be accepted (I have BlueSheild PPO Gold) by Darren before the appointment and once my visit was over I was told that since my plan is an individual plan and not a group plan I need to pay $ 320 cash! Also, my health issues have not been addressed and I am basically told that everything is fine!

I met with Dr. Windham for a blood test/​check up, and she was so sweet, attentive, and really took her time with me (something so rare in today’s offices). She asked plenty of questions, went over the questionnaire I filled out prior to my appointment (which they sent in the mail weeks before I went in — awesome), and thoroughly helped me understand what my test results meant. She did not seem to mind my millions of questions AT ALL, and had really great examples to use when I didn’t understand what certain things meant. Usually, the doctor is someone I dread seeing, but not here. The staff at Whitaker is very professional, kind and attentive. Patty at the front is the warmest smile to walk in and see, Leticia and Lupe were great, and everyone was just really wonderful here. Their vitamin sales office is also on site, and they are very speedy and knowledgeable. I had no problem getting my supplements, following the appointment, which I was very eager about! Great office and staff all around! See you soon, Whitaker!

First time here for anything and I decided to get a Myers cocktail drip after reading the positive reviews. Let me tell you, I feel amazing!
The drip lasts for about 45 minutes and contains a cocktail (hence the name) of essential vitamins for overall health and an immune boost. Who’s ready to go dance?

I have been seeing Dr Windahm here for many years. She deserves 5 stars. She is so wonderful. She has made such a huge difference in my illness and my overall health. She is the sole reason i give this place any stars. Their front office and billing department is absolutely horrendous. They are inconsistent with their billing practices, rude and borderline illegal with their dealings. I have spent thousands of dollars here and do not feel they give a rats ass. (Mind you, im a broke, sick, college student) I have great health insurance (private), that i can bately afford as it is. I’ve gone in and been told they would bill my insurance only to be billed later for the total amount and then sent to collections in a matter of a few months. Most recently, I had paid cash for many infusions out of my own pocket because they kept telling me my insurance wasn’t covering. Come to find out my insurance did cover and had paid them over 1000 dollars. They told me they would reimburse me. It’s been 5 weeks… nothing. I need this money to pay for medical tests Dr. Windahm ordered. They don’t care. By now I would be half way to collections if I owed them but they could care less about me. Meanwhile Dr. Windahm is just trying to help me. I may not be able to stay with her if this continues. I plan on reporting them for fraud to the medical board if I don’t get my money soon. At first they tried to keep it as a credit, it was only when I found out they had to legally reimburse me did they change their tune. The billing department is greedy, unorganized, rude and dishonest. Dr windahm deserves better company. This place does her no justice. My dealings with them just add to the stress on my body that is contributing to my illness to begin with. I would be better off without the stress of dealing with these crooks. If you go here, BEWARE of giving them $$$$. Keep track of everything and don’t expect to be treated fairly or with dignity by the billing department. I’m praying for the day they screw with someone who has the $$$ and time to sue the pants off of them. I would go out of my way. It’s horrible to be torn between a Dr. You love and being taken advantage of because your sick. SHAME ON YOU BILLING DEPARTMENT! KARMA’S A BITCH AND SHE’S COMING FOR YOU!
Update; Not only did I not get a check as I was promised, I received a BILL! UNBELIEVABLE! Funny, cause I kept all my paperwork. I guess I may need an attorney after all. Sadly it’s looking like I’ll be needing a new Dr as well.

Berry upset. I waited a month for an appointment. Was told to show up 30 min before. I got real bad traffic, I called about 30 min before my scheduled appointment (otherwise for called when they wanted me there) said traffic was bad, is be there on 20 minutes. They made me cancel (I was less than 8 miles away and had already driven an hour in traffic). So here I am a month later, I show up 1 hour before my appointment out of fear (traffic was good got here on 30 min). I waited 50 minutes and asked why I was forced to be here 30 minutes early? Receptionist said I was not required to be there since I had my paperwork filled out. My official doctors was suppose to start 30 minutes ago and I am still waiting!
Such bs

This is a longer Unilocal review, because Unilocal remove my previous review, even though it was legitimate.
I went to Whitaker Wellness Center because a friend of mine told me they did holistic medicine. I heard they did IVs of vitamins and other minerals that are beneficial.
I say I doctor there, who sent me to get a blood test. She also recommended I do their wellness drip (IVs).
I was very excited to do their wellness Dreps. I went into get one. The first guy was palpating my AC vein, and spending about 15 minutes doing it. It was obvious he was very inexperienced; even worse, he was very unsure of himself. It was obvious to me he did not know if he was doing. My fears were confirmed when, after he rubbed the alcohol to disinfect my vein, if you let it dry, and then started touching it again immediately before attempting to push the needle in. But it was too late to ask him to stop! He push the needle and, in the wrong place, and started fishing around with it. It hurt like hell. Then he stuck the IV on it, and turned it on, without seeing a flash and the needle. My flash started to infiltrate immediately. I have huge veins!!! They are like fire hoses! He could not even tell it was infiltrating, and I had to yell to him to turn off the IV. In all my experiences, I have never had anyone miss my AC vein!!!
Then, he want to try again. I told him no, and asked for someone else. An older lady came over, whom I later learned used to work at some kind of nursing home. She looked farther down my arm for a vein, after putting the Turniquet on!!! A HUGE no no !!! Once a veinn has been missed on the arm, you’re not allowed to try lower down the arm. She obviously isn’t competent, and did not know this. So I had to say no, and just left.
Now, after two office visits, and one bloodwork test, they are telling me I owe over $ 250 for the blood test. I have some of the best insurance there is. My co-​pay for PPO is 20%. But you see, they give you such a huge blood test with so many exotic parts to it, that the bill comes to over $ 1000.
From my experience, this is not a good place. It does not have positive vibes either, and my personal opinion. I am running like hell, never ever going back.

This place is awful. It started in the waiting room watching people (literally) get bussed in to «cure» their hopeless ailments. Then it was off to the room and then… waited 45 minutes. I got a little annoyed, peaked out to the front desk, asked where my doctor was, and then head back in and shut the door. Minutes later, a D.O., dressed down in (my opinion) inappropriate attire for someone in her position. Within minutes of meeting her, she started in on conventional medicine and how horrible it is on treating a «diseased state.»
Next came her talking up the onsite «research» team and recommended I read Susan Summer’s books to better understand hormone therapy. After sitting through lengthy biased opinion, she walked out of the room leaving me not knowing what diagnoses I was getting or course of action.
Then came a nurse to draw some labs. I wasn’t sold on needing the labs, as my doctor hadn’t done her job of informing me why I needed them in the first place. Anyways, before drawing my blood the nurse informed me of the costs being billed to my insurance company. Anything not covered, I would be billed for and there was no-​pre-​certifications offered.
Since, snake oil medicine generally goes uncovered, I picked-​up and walked out of the room. On my way out, I explained how mad I was about the services. A lady at the front responded saying, «oh, you don’t want the tests?» No attempts to apologize or seek clarification was made… Just a request for money. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I’ll NEVER go back. I get the creeps just thinking about that place.

The treatments and technicians are fantastic-​five star!
The primary care doctors and their assistants are good but not well organized. Doctor recommended treatments not scheduled, follow up doctor visits not scheduled and you have to constantly get an updated schedule to discover changes that have been made that you were not informed about.
Questions for the doctors and assistants are submitted through the front desk on forms but don’t get answered, reportedly the forms were not received by the doctors and assistants.
When I was here a few years ago the communication issues were an inconvenience, now they are effecting the quality of patient care and outcomes-​one star.

The Doctors here are better than most. They think outside the box and they try to solve problems not just treat the symptoms. That being said… The front office staff and billing is absolutely terrible. They don’t communicate with each other at all. I was told to come in to do IV therapy, so I schedule the time and come in… Once I get there they tell me I can’t do it because I haven’t had the proper blood work done. Nobody decided to tell me this BEFORE i went there and canceled half my day in order to receive treatment. They laughed it off and said «yeah that happens a lot». I was in disbelief. Not only did I NEED the treatment, but I had wasted my entire day. Don’t even get me started on their billing. Thats another paragraph in itself. Once again, I’d like to give credit to the Doctors for trying to help people, but at this point, the staff around them devalues their brilliance.
PS: Obviously not everyone there is terrible. Just a few bad apples.

Five stars only because there are not tens stars available! More to come…
We found Whitaker Wellness Institute to be all we remembered plus more. Since our last stay, October 2013, they have additional therapies that we took advantage of with great success. The attitude of the staff is part of the healing process. Every morning we were met with smiles and encouraging words. They will do whatever is necessary to enable you to get the most from your visit with the least amount of stress. After our first Back to Health week we were preparing to return home when my husband looked at me and said «I don’t want to leave yet». So I talked to our patient representative and arranged to extend our stay for an additional week at a VERY reasonable price. This experience in health is simply amazing! Beautiful meals served in a relaxed atmosphere, lectures that are delightfully informative brought to us by the individual doctors on staff, exercise sessions, nutritional counseling, and that’s just at the hotel.
The clinic is located approx ¾ of a mile from the Hilton and a beautiful walk in the Newport Beach weather. Although they do offer a shuttle between the clinic and the hotel every 30 minutes. The clinic is the backbone of all healing and therapies. The therapies available are the most amazing and they are all together in one location. I’m sure there are other places to find theses therapies but not all together and certainly not priced this reasonably.
Our doctor is Dr. Windham and she alone is worth the cost of the program! However, all doctors we have had exposure to are a wealth of knowledge. We learn things there that we never would know without their willingness to share.
Dr. Whitaker speaks from time to time and it is the highlight of the stay! He is brilliant and his vast experiences are shared willingly and with humor. I sit in awe of the man that has made it possible to change our lives so completely. I pray he lives a long healthy life and continues to «change the world one patient at a time»! Thank you Dr. Whitaker!!!

While on a business trip to LA a friend recommended Whitaker wellness. Office is in Newport Beach, little bit older 50s looking building. Seemed kind of dated. I met with a consultant and we talked about my health and diet. Now… this is a little bit personal but oh well Unilocal is inherently subjective.
I’m in good shape and have made leaps over the past year with my overall health/​well-​being by changing my diet. What I have still yet to crack is getting of ADD medication, so I was interested in consulting with Whatiker about some alternative ideas that I had and compare notes and hear their recommendations to help me move forward.
First off I was thrilled that when I told them I was on a Paleo diet that they 100% agreed with my philosophy on eating. I’m also taking fish oil, vitamin D and occasionally magnesium when I can’t sleep. They recommend the same course and our ideas aligned perfectly. Great first sign.
For the ADD we discussed neurofeedback at length. I think it makes sense to scan the brain as we do with every other body part. Everyone there was very nice and their service and answers to my questions were impressive and professional.

I came to Whitaker Wellness from a referral. I had been sick and was feeling really run down and tired. I was leaving on a business trip and needed to feel well to be on my game. They gave me an intravenous vitamin drip with their proprietary blend as well as a B vitamin supplement. I was a little skeptical about the potential benefit. Boy, was I wrong. Within about 12 hours I felt well again, back to my former energetic self. The staff were all very kind and caring during my visit as well. I recommend them.

I thought I should update my review.
I last said that the only downside I saw was that the center’s shuttle made it difficult to get into the parking lot. But I discovered there’s actually two entrances into the parking lot. The entrance that’s further south on Birch Street is free and clear, and very easy to access.
I was recently recommended a therapeutic massage from the center’s Reflexologist, Yelena Striganova for the strong tension I have in my IT bands and the right side of my neck. Yelena was outstanding — very professional and very good at what she does. I left feeling looser and lighter than I had felt in a long time.

Cancelled my appointment on me. Added me to their email list. Won’t take me off.
A marketing machine or a wellness institute?

I am a current patient at the Whitaker Wellness Institute. Dr. Whitaker has made great strides in wellness medicine. His center, «Whitaker Wellness» is a beautiful and well run medical establishment. He is knowledgeable and cares about his patients. He makes all visits personal, remembering all of his patients. He provides the tools and education to enable patients to better their situations and health adversities. With his counseling, medical treatment, and life changes, I believe his staff saved my life.

Dr. Chang is terrific. Combines extensive knowledge of conventional and holistic/​alternative medicine in designing treatment for an autoimmune disorder.
She has been terrific at helping me stretch my treatment budget through cost effective protocols and sources for supplements or special lab work.
The Front Office staff have been atrocious.
Department Phones not answered in the middle of the day.
Calls not returned.
Finance people cant be bothered to access my file and take my money.
They consistently shuufle me around endlessly as I try to pay my bill, none of them talk to each other– so I have to start all over at each in the same morning.
The «Patient Advocate» Anita is a joke and a FAILURE.
Because of consistently bad front office disservice, I decided to transfer most of treatment to another provider.
1. At my request, she said she would have Dr. W call me. Never happened.
2. She promised to have copy of my patient file waiting for me at the front desk when I went in this morning. Neither the file nor Anita were anywhere to be found.
Looks like I will need to call my attorney Monday.
Shame.
Good business model, at last one good Dr. — all being destroyed by a culture of arrogance, indifference and incompetence.

I went here about five years ago when I was having a severe reaction to medications. The treatments felt amazing. I could literally feel the brain fogginess exiting my body. Plus, it was nice to have such a soothing and supportive environment while I healed. The doctors had great knowledge of healing holistically and I knew they were actually listening to me and treated me as an individual with specific needs.
I was so much better when I left. I would definitely go back. It was helpful to have so many different natural treatment options available. Plus, they gave me a lot of advice for how to continue getting better on my own when I went home. It was huge healing and a great amount of hope when I left.
I really value this place.