OB/GYN Partners for Health

Horrible service, ridiculous wait times, impossible to get through on the phone, and incompetent providers. Find another practice if you want quality healthcare.

Super disorganized and unprofessional. They are nice, and mean well, but man… go elsewhere.

Absolutely terrible. Probably could pursue legal action agains them. During a check-​up, the doctor ran a test, called me to tell me that the results were very troubling and I needed a biopsy. However, she was leaving the practice and the biopsy would have to be with another doctor. I was scheduled to come in for a biopsy procedure «as soon as they could fit me in», which was over a month later. Spent over a month completely terrified and fearing the worst (I had surgery to remove cancerous lesions a couple years prior and was now under the impression they had recurred). I arrived for my biopsy, they took my $ 40 copay before I saw anyone (nurse or doctor).
First the nurse called me back, weighed me, took my blood pressure, etc. She told me that it looked like my test results were NOT troubling and that I actually DID NOT need the biopsy. My test was actually normal. She said it would be completely unnecessary to do the biopsy and didn’t know why the previous doctor ordered it. She then sent the new doctor in who literally told me the exact same thing, and seemed very confused as to why I was there at all.
I was somewhat relieved but also furious I had been freaking out for a month for NOTHING and that I had taken off work for no reason. WORST OF ALL THEY KEPT MY COPAY BECAUSE I HAD TECHNICALLY SEEN THE DOCTOR. I spoke to the doctor for a total of 25 seconds and yet I paid the copay as though I had the entire procedure. They refused to refund my $ 40 copay.
AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL. Medically negligent. Do not, under any circumstance, go to Partners for Heatlh. Astoundingly bad.

I was referred to this site for my pregnancy. Being that this is was my first child I was both really excited and nervous at the same time. My first visit went ok but I was looking forward to meeting my doctor but as most I had to wait until I was 8 weeks pregnant. I made my appointment and allowed a nurse on the staff to pick and doctor for me. When I returned for my 8 week visit with Dr. Elizabeth S. it was one of the worst experiences of my life. The lobby staff was beyond and still remain to be amazing. However, Dr. Elizabeth is a women I never in my lifetime want to ever come across again. My appoint was for 4pm I arrived at 345pm. I was not seen until 6pm. The doctor did not introduce herself, slightly ignored me while fighting with here computer. Long story short she gave somewhat false information, rushed me because as she stated she had somewhere to be. Once I started to cry she attempted to be nice but by then I was highly upset, and Im leaving out details. It has been almost a whole year later and I am still upset about it…
However, I called and expressed how upset I was about the situation and expressed that I would be going to get care from somewhere else and the young lady on the phone (Jill) was super helpful and compassionate that I gave them another chance. She referred Dr. Carrie Duffy, on my next visit I made sure my husband was with me Dr. Duffy who I fell in love with immediately, is the sweetest person ever!!! She is thorough and so nice. When she preformed a Pap Smear I swear I felt no discomfort at all, I knew she was there but felt nothing, which is a plus in my books. Her staff nurse Sofie is also a sweetheart. Even they were running a little behind I had no problem waiting because how they treated me. From then on I was in great hands. There were times when Dr. Duffy was so popular that I had to be seen by someone else and I was fine with that as long as I never saw Dr. Elizabeth S. and I never did.
When it came time to have my little girl I was 2 weeks early and Dr. Duffy was out of town but Dr. Gross and her team to very good care if us. Dr. Duffy is such a God send. In addition, the ladies in the office that make the appointments and answer the phones are easy to talk to and make you feel right at home so to speak. Whenever I came in they knew who I was and we always made small chat. If I felt a bit nervous or blue they always knew what to say to pick me up and it was genuine.

The receptionists are the best part of this place. Unlike other people, I actually had an easy time making appointments and communicating with these ladies. Thank you, one star for them.
Once you pass the reception desk is where things get scary. This is my first prenatal visit and my first time being pregnant, so naturally I’m nervous and excited and overwhelmed. The nurse comes in and hands me a bunch of papers, and starts blurrting out a bunch of dates and deadlines for tests, at the same time she’s typing in the computer and asking me questions about my health. Fast forward a couple weeks and I did my blood tests as instructed. She didn’t tell me anything about a NT scan. I completely missed the window for the genetic testing. When i return for my second prenatal appointment the nurse asks if i got scanned and i was confused, what scan? She shrugs her shoulder like it’s my fault I missed the genetic testing, but I swear she was totally unclear about what I was supposed to do. Now I’m stressed out about it.
On to the doctor. I’m afraid to name her. so at the time of the appointment I was unemployed (not currently the case), she was questioning if I truly wanted to go through the pregnancy. She belittled me for not having a job, but truth be told I didn’t want to work at the time, I was traveling and enjoying my life. I asked her if she would be delivering my baby she said «yes, I’m a surgeon, it’s what I do».but i dont want surgery, then she starts talking about forceps and using a vacuum to take out the baby. At this point I’m terrified.
Prior to visiting this doctor I was feeling excited, ready, happy, empowered. Then she tells me labor is too painful and I will need an epidural when im 4 centimeters dilated. I told her I’ve been working out to prepare for labor and (I kid you not) my doctor and nurse both look at me confused and start cracking up, laughing in my face. She says you won’t have to do any work, that’s what we are for.
She also wanted to take a biopsy of my cervix because there were weird cells. I started crying and begged her not to. I read many articles online that said I can wait until after the birth of my child to do the biopsy and most cases it goes away after birth. Plus why even suggest messing with the body part that’s keeping the baby inside??? She even admitted after my freak out that it wasn’t necessary right now.
Plus!!! She never listened to the heart beat. I’m currently 18 weeks pregnant and haven’t heard my babies heart beat because of this witch.
These women are crazy! All this in the first two appointments. I went looking for a midwife after but they are so expensive… well Needless to say, I have since changed insurance (thanks to my new job) and doctors.
Avoid obgyn partners like the plague. They will experiment on you like a guinea pig.

do not go to this practice under any circumstances. the people who run it are morons. they can’t bill claims properly and in my opinion, they shouldn’t be practicing medicine at all. my wonderful doctor got so fed up with them that she left the practice of medicine and she is still young!
the people at this practice are incompetent and lack intelligence.

The most incompetent staff, nurses & doctors imaginable. If you decide to go here, do so at your own risk. I would highly advice if you are high risk to seek care elsewhere. I have been so stressed out that my blood pressure is high because of this place. They get everything wrong from paperwork to appointments to calling in prescriptions. And then they get mad at you and treat you like you are ignorant if you call to ask a question. I think one of their many problems is they overbook and just have too many patients. This place is like the fast food of ob/​gyn doctors. I am actually looking to find another doctor as I write this. We stayed so long because we thought the doctor was nice enough but we just cant take this many mistakes when it comes to the care of our child. Absolutely unacceptable.
The only thing positive is the valet parking in the basement and the office are clean. That is it.

I’ve had two appointments so far and both went very well. Dr. Carrie Duffy was great. On my first visit, she talked to me extensively about some concerns that I had about my health status. When I looked at my watch, I realized 40 minutes had passed! I’ve never had a doctor take so much time out of their day to talk to me. But she answered all my questions, explained all her reasoning, and just generally was great to talk to.
I’ve also appreciated little things about the office. The receptionist is also really nice and has always followed up with me when I asked her to. I called one day with a not-​urgent question about a medication and received an answer the very next day. My next appointment there is next week, and it’s somewhat short notice — but even though Dr. Duffy was booked, another physician made time in their schedule to see me so that I could get in quickly.
Negatives: You do have to be careful about scheduling in the Oakland office vs. Berkeley. I’ve only ever been to the Oakland office, and parking there is kind of a nightmare. (This doesn’t apply to me because I bike.)

Couldn’t get and appointment until I was over 4 months pregnant, then when I finally did they kept canceling all of them the day before because of «meetings» I’m 6 months pregnant and have only seen the doctor 3 times. The second time I went, the doctor which I’ll remain un named just left me in the room, then scolded me about riding a bike frequently. Then they wouldn’t request blood work results from a previous hospital I had went to, and are instead making me take them over. I’ve called 3 times and the front desk keeps saying they have them, then when I get there they don’t. Not to mention I’ve been on the phone with them almost 3 hours this morning. 2 times I was on hold for over 30 min then they hang up. I finally made an appointment and the woman was really nice. However I’m sure those appointments will probably get cancelled as well.

I did my well women exam here. During the exam everything was ok, except they seemed to be behind the schedule and I waited for extra 40 minutes before the exam started. When the PA did the pep smear test for me, she asked «do you know you have hemorrhoids?» I’m not a native English speaker and I’m not familiar with the medical terms so I asked what that is. That’s it, nothing more. But when the bill came, they were charging me extra $ 280+ dollars only because I asked what is hemorrhoids. I tried call the office saying I was only there for a well women exam, which is 100% covered by my insurance. But the lady answering the phone was very rude and ask me «so do you have hemorrhoid or not?!» and refuse to further review my bill.
I definitely not recommend this place.

My insurance provider is changing so I’ll be leaving OB-​GYN Partners soon anyway but I’m kind of relieved because I was so upset last time I was there, I was giving them my next appointment to make it up or I was finding a new practice.
My first visit with them was fine. This is my first pregnancy so I listened well, I did my intake and medical history, took my weight, all that good stuff. The only thing I remember really bothering me was that I felt like the nurse practitioner (Pascale Coucy, in this case) was kind of put off by my dates not being right. My cycle has never been normal so I was doing the best I could to be accurate and felt uncomfortable with her kind of exasperated reaction to me not being correct. We couldn’t see the embryo as I was a week off. She adjusted everything and I made an appointment for a few weeks out.
My LAST visit, 5/​14, was just awful. The practice lost my entire medical record and instead of just owning up to it, tried to insist multiple times I hadn’t filled it out– when I absolutely had. The nurse kept running around like a chicken with its head off, making me feel anxious and distrustful, and when Pascale showed up her head wasn’t really in the game either. Unfortunately, her daughter had suffered a non-​lethal car accident no more than 15 mins before she came in to see me and I felt like I had zero percent of her attention. I completely understand wanting to hear news, but then can I see someone else who has the mental space to give me time and attention? I thought it was irresponsible of her to attempt to care for me and address my needs when she was so CLEARLY elsewhere. The ultrasound went well– saw the heartbeat, got a bunch of photos (quite a few I also didn’t want to be honest), and then we moved into her office to discuss the next few weeks of appointments. This is where it got unbearable.
Pascale has a very heavy French accent. No biggie. But when a thick accent is paired with incredibly rushed speech, it’s impossible for me to understand what is being said. She rushed through every lab order she was giving me, gave me a flippant answer when I asked her how necessary the NT scan would be for someone my age, didn’t even explain what the heck the NT scan WAS or what it entailed, and the entire time I’m trying to keep up with the details of these incredibly time sensitive appointments– the nurse is coming in and out of the room to ask me questions off my in-​take form, «are you diabetic?» You know, the form they LOST in two weeks’ time. Sticking forms under my nose to sign and initial while I was only half-​following what was being said to me. Then, all at once, it was, «okay! You got it? See you at your next appointment!» My head was LITERALLY swimming. As soon as I got to the car I started crying because I was so frustrated and upset that I was paying, no matter how much or little, for a service that seemed to care so little about me and my understanding of this process.
I was planning on giving them until my next appointment to shape up– when I would start seeing Dr. Hambrick– but luckily, this change in insurance has forced my hand earlier than expected. Thank goodness. I was thoroughly not satisfied with the services here.

This review is in regards to Dr. Blumenstock. I had my laparoscopic surgery done by him on ³⁄₃₁ and on ⁴⁄₁₃ I went in to find out the details of how it went. He spent 45 minutes telling me about the surgery of a different (and much worse off) patient!!! Then he gave me part of her medical files. All the while I was thinking these were the horrid details of my own surgery. It wasnt until several cries and a day later that I looked more closely at the pictures and realized they had someone elses name on them. He had operated on me AND had my file and yet somehow still mistook me for someone else. It is now 3 weeks since my $ 43,000 surgery and I have no idea what they found due to his carelessness and lack of note-​taking. I have reported this to the surgery staff and medical board of california but am now searching for a new gynecologist. I have yet to receive an apology from the doctor.
For expecting mothers: His mistake is the equivalent of looking at the wrong sonogram and telling you that your child has a deformity when its in fact relatively healthy. We rarely question what our doctors say and it influences our future choices. What if you hadnt been as lucky as me to realize his error before actions were taken?

The Doctors are awesome! I LOVE Dr. Girgis, and hate to associate this negative review with him. I have gone to this practice since 1999, and all their doctors are terrific. And actually, really needed to speak with someone at the office today, to give him some news about a doctor he referred me to, and would want to know.
I waited on hold today for 14 minutes on the option 1 («make an appointment») and never got an answer. So I called back, and it has been another 16 minutes of waiting on hold in the «if you are a calling from another doctor’s office» option — but it is just as bad. I have been on hold for over 16 minutes, without any human acknowledgement.

There is no e-​mail to contact them. «All of their representatives are still busy helping other callers» is all I have heard for over 30 minutes now. this is insane! What if I was in labor?! This is wildly unacceptable.
The practice management has gone down the tubes since they got bought out. Sutter health wasn’t as bad, but now that they are part of Stanford, it is unforgivable.
So now, I am reduced to this. Maybe someone from the office will call me. I guess I will have to mail a paper letter, or drop one off, to let Dr. Girgis know the sudden sad news of an old friend. This sucks.
18:35 I am still getting the same prompt! 20:33 my SECOND phone call!
How many people just give up?
THIS IS INSANE!
I am hanging up.

Dr. Blumenstock is an exceptonal MD. I tend to find any possible excuse to not see a doctor and knowing how paranoid I am Dr. Blumenstock performs his procedures so seemless that it takes a person with true talent to impress me. I am simply amazed at his process and the expertise he brings to his patients. Hats off to this amazng doctor.
I love how the office has an a reminder call for my appointsments two days prior. The staff customer service is very good, as soon as I walked in the assistant came looking for me. I was made very comfortable and felt like I was arround old friends A very compassionate crew .
The MD was advised that I was a bit uncomfortable and he immediately walked in and helped me understand everything I needed to know.
From the time I entered the office to the time I left, staff were very nice and helpul.

One of the rudest receptionists I have ever spoken to in my life. And apparently there are no appointments for serious problems. I was informed the doctors were booked solid for 3 months and I couldn’t get an appt even if I had a problem. Gee thanks. I really feel like you care about my well-​being.

This practice represents everything I hate about going to the doctor.
Aside from the organizational and logistical issues with paperwork and scheduling (and there were a lot), I did not find the medical care to be adequate. It took four separate visits to resolve a couple of VERY commonplace issues, due to their inability to diagnose and treat properly (providing in some cases medical opinions that even seemed ridiculous to me). With a newborn infant it is not at all trivial to go to the doctor so many times, especially given the insanely long wait times, not to mention the fact that I was in a lot of discomfort for a month (needlessly, I might add), and was billed for a number of visits.
Also, doctors should not accept new patients if they have no time to schedule appointments with them and will end up passing them off to everyone else in their practice (ahem, Dr. Lee). It is ANNOYING to have this kind of discontinuity in treatment.

It was one of the worst medical experiences in my life. I will never comeback to this clinic.
Advice: Please don’t say a bunch of sexist and gender normative stuff to your clients, please don’t keep the appointment when you know that the clinic that the person was refereed from you lost there all of there associated paper work from. you wasted my time and were super dismissive to pain.
The clinic would benefit from a lgbt training.

Dr Christine is an excellent doctor. She is helpful in explaining my options, and very through in her follow through. She always calls me back to explain a test result and I appreciate the personal service. She did a surgery for me and everything went great.

This place is SSLLLLLOOOOW. Most OB offices are. But this is the worst I’ve EVER been to.
My first prenatal appointment they did an internal ultrasound, which is the only reason they get 2 stars. But from the beginning there were so many issues: I had to wait for ~25 minutes for my first appointment, then I had to wait another 15 once I got in the room. Then I wasn’t even able to SEE a doctor, just a nurse practitioner.
For my second, it was even worse. I had to fill out all the paperwork OVER AGAIN because they had just changed systems (why make me fill out all of it in the first place or at least WARN me you are changing systems?).
Then I waited 1.5 hours to see Dr. Duffy. It took me an hour to get there. I work in SF and had to BART, bus, then drive to the appointment. Got there early to fill out the paper work at their request (what’s the point if you make me wait another hour?!). Then waited. and waited. People who were waiting after me were called and came back out. Finally I went to the receptionist and asked how long it would be. She told me she’d call and let me know.
15 minutes later I asked again and she called and said it would be at least another 15 minutes, just to be called back! Plus however long it took to get into the room. I said I needed to leave and that I did not need another appointment. I’m going to get prenatal care elsewhere. I can’t afford to take 3+ hours out of my work schedule every month or more just to be waiting for a doctor who might get around to seeing me. No thanks.
Terrible experience. DO NOT GO HERE unless you have nothing else happening in your life and can afford to wait hours.

I saw one of their nurse practitioners after I found out that I was pregnant. I was so disturbed by my experience and I will not be coming back.
The nurse was nice enough although she didn’t know how to use the sonogram equipment and I had to come back so that they could scan me again — an appointment that they charged my insurance for. In my opinion, it should have been free given that she was the one that made the mistake, requiring a second visit! Aside from that, the office was dingy and dirty. There were blood stains on the floor and not even a biohazard bin in the room! They just threw everything in the same open trash bin (no lid). When I walked by it, I could see blood and used instruments just thrown in there! GROSS and unsanitary!
To put the nail in the coffin, the front office staff is SO RUDE. I asked what I should do if I had an emergency. The lady at the front rolled her eyes and answered me in the most sarcastic, rude manner I have ever seen from medical staff. It’s incredible that they are able to retain any patients at all.