Susan M Hopkins, MD

Dr. Hopkins was my md for a good number of years, enjoyed her but left due to covered ca. Horrid experience with all things covered ca. I got to return to dr Hopkins recently with new insurance. She was as I remembered, through and took the time and pleasant. I had a long list of concerns and issues that have happened over the last 1 ½ years I needed to walk her through. She considered everything and we jointly discussed and are perusing a treatment plan, I am very happy with. Glad to be back with dr Hopkins. She had some staff changes in the last couple of years I’ve been away. All very nice and helpful staff.

Dr Hopkins has been my family’s doctor for several years. At one time, she was thorough, caring and compassionate. There were 2 other excellent doctors in her office and the office staff was professional.
Within the last 2 years, there has been a steady deterioration in the entire operation. The other 2 doctors are no longer with her, the office staff is dysfunctional, and Dr Hopkins has become a shadow of her former self. Her involvement appears to be superficial.
Each of my family members has left (or is in the process of leaving) Dr Hopkins, with regret.

Dr. Hopkins is pleasant, has wonderful bedside manner, is funny, understanding, informative, doesn’t rush you (big plus), and just wants what’s best for you.
Reading the reviews here, seems like a majority of the Unilocalers complained about the staff. Maybe I was fortunate, but the staff was extremely helpful and kind. They answered any questions I had, would walk up to me in the waiting room to hand me papers I needed, and always had a smile on their face.
I’m so excited to have found a primary doctor (whom, by the way, was recommend by 2 other doctors and an RN) who I really like!!!

My review is for the office staff. Dealing with them is a nightmare. If it is a simple prescription that you can get a copy of and walk out of the office with, you are OK, but if you need then to submit paperwork for the insurance company or do a referral. Forget it. they simply won’t do it and will tell you they did it. Need them to call in a prescription to the pharmacy? Good luck. They will not do it and blame the pharmacy. It takes multiple calls to get them to do anything.

I just changed my daughter’s doctor since her previous moved. My daughter’s first visit was her annual checkup. We had an appointment and we were able to see the doctor on time. The visit was what I expected and the my daughter likes her (which is very important). The only «hiccup» is, I did not get a copy of the blood work result which I automatically get from her previous doctor. Maybe I need to request a copy.

I really like Dr. Hopkins and agree with Samantha T., I don’t understand the hate here.
I don’t visit many doctors, but whenever I do I tend to feel like they don’t trust what I’m saying (I had a doctor diagnose a kidney stone once by punching me in the kidney). Like, I couldn’t possibly be experiencing what I am or I am not telling them the truth about what I eat, drink, do with my body. I take care of myself the best I can! While a healthy dose of skepticism is nice, I prefer it not coming from someone writing out my prescriptions.
Dr. Hopkins is very friendly, and seems very knowledgeable, and she listens. Not 5 minutes ago I finally realized I needed to call her about my current prescription, and she got back to me very quickly on a Sunday and told me what I needed to do. Quick, and efficient. I’m really happy! I highly recommend her to anyone.

DO NOT GO TO THIS DOCTOR! My dad saw her approximately 4 – 6 times during the one year he had her (changed back to a doctor with UCLA) and every visit was a joke.
Dr. Hopkins — On a personal level, she seems to be an okay person. The way she runs her office is a nightmare! Her staff does what they want and treats patients however they wish too.
#1 — Called in to ask for a refill prescription. She didn’t return call for several days and then did refill prescription with a note faxed saying we needed to find a new doctor during open enrollment, she didn’t want to treat my dad anymore. HAVE NEVER EVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. My dad had his doctor for 16 years, the reason we switched, he is located in San Fernando Valley and his doctor was in Beverly HIlls, 405 fwy is a nightmare and the drive was becoming too difficult. We never had one single problem with the other office.
#2 — Her staff member told me if I chose to switch to another doctor, it was our choice, but not to forget he was the one who made copies of the records! I couldn’t believe he said that to me. Advised Dr. Hopkins and she did NOTHING!
#3 — Her staff screwed up his prescriptions over and over and over again! It was frustrating, to the point the pharmacy commented on how they had never dealt with such an unprofessional screwed up office before. Thank God my sister is a nurse and she was the one who was able to always catch their mistakes (or were they?). She basically had to call and tell them how to do their job! Once again, Dr. Hopkins did nothing when we complained to her. Always took the side of her staff.
#4 — FINAL STRAW…
My dad suffers from high blood pressure, runs very high many times. Took him in to see doctor (she was out), so he saw the so called NURSE PRACTIONER… What a nightmare she was!
I told the nurse assistant, who was the first person we saw, his blood pressure was running high (which happens often) and his meds needed to be adjusted. She took his vitals and left room. My dad was in a perfect mood, chatting with the nurse asst. and just a happy camper, which is his normal persona. Nurse Asst came back in and said the Nurse Practioner wanted to run an EKG, so they did. She took report out with her and then NP came into office (KEEP IN MIND WE HAVE NEVER EVEN SEEN THIS WOMAN BEFORE).
She didn’t say hello or anything, just sat down next to me, in meantime, my 81 year old father whose BP is at 197 – 200 is laying on the bed in room aside of me. She said she wanted me to take my dad to the Emergency Room ASAP. I asked her why, what was going on, and she said «I just want you to take him now!» She alarmed me, thinking she’s not giving me any answers but clearly there is a problem with his heart. So I asked her again, on a scale of 1 – 3, how bad is it? I explained to her my sister was a nurse and I wanted to call her and let her know what was going on. My dad cannot make out our conversation and he’s perfectly fine humming a song. Then she yells at me and says ‘I WANT YOU TO TAKE YOUR FATHER TO THE ER ACROSS THE STREET RIGHT NOW, HE’S HAVING A HEART ATTACK!” At this point my dad who walks with a walker, jumps up in a sitting position and say’s «DID SHE SAY I’M HAVING A HEART ATTACK?» Well now his blood pressure has really hit the roof and I couldn’t believe she did that. She walked out of the room and within minutes the paramedics were there. She called them claiming I was REFUSING to take my dad to the ER!
They ran an EKG thinking he was having a heart attack, that was the call they received. They asked me a ton of questions and I advied them I wasn’t refusing anything, I couldn’t get a clear answer from this NP and I had no idea she was calling them. They looked at their report and all looked at each other and said «YOUR FATHER IS NOT HAVING A HEART ATTACK, WE DON’T KNOW WHY WE WERE CALLED HERE.» He has an abnormal heart beat, and at his age of 81 can be a very normal thing, probably something old. The paramedic referred to the staff as «Clowns.» I couldn’t believe what I was dealing with at that point! Because she startled my dad, we ended up taking to ER for a piece of mind. After a two hour wait at the ER (clearly he wasn’t having a heart attack) two ER doctors came over and both look at reports and said they didn’t understand why my dad was even there. The only problem was he was dehydrated! This is what I had told the staff when I booked the appointment! This is what causes his BP to go up! The ER doctor said he is perfectly fine and can go home.
I called Doctor Hopkins the following week to let her know what her staff had put my dad through, in particular her NP. She took her side and once again DID NOTHING! This is why she told us she would no longer treat him.
Changing my dad back to UCLA, where he will get better care and treatment and we will deal with a TRUE MEDICAL STAFF.
DO NOT GO TO THIS DOCTOR! CLEARLY OTHER REVIEWS WERE NOT EXAGGERATIONS

Dr. Hopkins and the PA Jenna were very helpful and very professional. I was referred to a specialist for my hand. Even though I just wanted the Dr. to give me something, it turns out the specialist was needed.
I have since scheduled a full physical with this office.
I will say the waiting room was warm as well, but certainly not a reason to leave a bad review.

Dr. Susan Hopkins is very thorough. She is the one who discovered my discogenic disease. My former doctor did not bother to find out what was causing my pain on my left leg and feet. Dr. Hopkins set me up for an X-​ray and MRI and that is when everything came to light why I was having this pain. She is a compassionate professional. I admire her good work.

I don’t get the bad reviews. She was friendly took what I said into account and sent me to get blood drawn to check. She have me some other ideas to help with my migraines and hopefully they work when the next one hits. So why the 4 stars? The patient room was burning HOT I mean really hot.
Oh the staff is really really nice too!

This is a great doctor. I had a swollen gland and rather then messing around, she sent me to an ENT. Good thing it was cancer. I am doing great now thanks to her sending me to a wonderful ENT. I have nothing but respect for this doctor and I have no idea why she would get the bad reviews I have read.

Do NOT go to her if you have anything serious! My 80 year old mother saw her 3 times complaining of no appetite, no energy, wheezing in the lungs. Hopkins NEVER ordered any tests in the 3 visits. No blood, no urine, no xrays, no scans.
I went with her for the last visit. My mom was SO weak, she had difficulty even getting up on the exam table. Hopkins only listened to her breathing with a stethoscope. My mom asked her «how come I can’t eat and I feel terrible?» Hopkins shrugged and said «There’s a lot of that going around.» And was done with her.
2 days later, we took my mom to ER — where she had tons of tests and was quickly diagnosed with LUNG CANCER… and a collapsed lung, and fluid and lesions on her liver and both lungs. She had all the classic symptoms of cancer and Hopkins NEVER noticed!
My mother could have died under her care. Maybe the cancer would not have spread if we’d gone to a competent doctor. We are FURIOUS! This woman should be put out of business.
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Updated March 2, 2012.
My mother passed away in July of 2010. She smoked for 20 years, then after trying many times, finally quit smoking. She went 25 years as a non-​smoker but only got simple chest xrays — which do not see through enough of the dense lung tissue to screen out lung cancer at an early phase. Please don’t smoke.

Never request this doctor. I had her examine my sprained ankle when my assigned doctor was available. She left a bad taste in my mouth. Apparently since she won’t make money by letting me know the status of my ankle, it’s not worth it to let me know. I had to go through other avenues to find out about my ankle.
Granted this is not a life-​death situation, but what the HELL, I deserve to be diagnosed and informed about the best way to recover.