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Bruce H Bern, MD
Category: Health and Medical Doctors Ophthalmologists Ophthalmologists [Edit]
50 S San Mateo DrSte 200
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 342-4595
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
About This Business:
Our goal is to meet your eye care needs fully in a professional, courteous and caring manner. We offer medical eye care and routine/healthy eye care for… read more »
6 reviews for Bruce H Bern, MD
6 reviews in English
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Review from W L.
San Leandro, CA
3/3/2012
My husband and I are professionals who work on the peninsula; you might say we're middle-aged if we're in a good mood. So we appreciate professionalism, we value our time, and we want to cut to the chase. Dr. Bern is the best ophthalmologist I've had the privilege to know, and we have been his patients for over 10 years. He is on time, but he is thorough, and I don't feel rushed through as I have at other doctors' offices. He is the real deal, and I like the way he's not just checking our eyes, but asks detailed questions about our general health. I don't feel like he's just trying to sell glasses, but he really looks at the big picture: family history, and occupational history. Over the years, I've seen health care change a LOT, where patients get less and less time with the doctor, where the squeaky wheel gets the oil, how you have to be your own health care advocate to get what you need. In Dr. Bern's office, however, it's what health care should be, where the wheels are always turning in his head, I'm not just another number, he's looking out for my husband and me.
Also, the staff is terrific. They have a really nice selection of glasses, and I love mine and have gotten lots of compliments on them. Everybody there is professional and pleasant. The office nice and modern, too, open and airy.
I've referred many people to Dr. Bern and that's what I'm doing now! You should go there! -
Review from Monica G.
San Francisco, CA
12/6/2011
I made an appointment with Dr. Bern, because he was highly reviewed on yelp. I arrived 5 minutes late only because their parking lot is a nightmare and very difficult to find parking in. They said he cannot see me because of me being late (really 5 minutes?!?!) and offered to put me with another doctor, which I accepted since I was already in the office.
I got horrible service with the other doctor, Filer, which I will review separately. Also, my original appointment with Dr. Bern was at 10:30 am. They rescheduled me to get me in at 11:10. I wasn't completely done with my appointment until 12:30pm, (so I was there for a total of 2 hours), and I spent only 20 minutes total with any doctor at all.
They trick it to look like patients are being taken in. This is a down right dirty trick. Right at 11:10 am I was called from the front waiting room, but instead of being taken into a room to see a doctor, I was taken to a second hidden waiting room in the back, where I was told to wait again. I waited for about 20 min before I was called in, and an assistant doctor did some routine tests on me. Then I was taken back to the back waiting room where I waited again for another 30 min at least, then I finally got to see a doctor, who's bedside manner was AWFUL, and now I need to see another doctor to get a second opinion, BUT their policy is I cannot see another doctor in the same practice. So now I can't ever see Dr. Bern, who I originally wanted to see.
They did not inform me of this policy upfront when the rescheduled me with the other doctor.
To make things worse, they don't validate parking and I had to pay $5 for my parking on top of all the other horrible experience there.
Even if everything had gone well, it was inexcusable that I was there for 2 hours.
I left in tears.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE.
IN RESPONSE TO DR BERNS COMMENT:
Although I appreciate Dr. Bern's apology to my bad experience, I cannot recommend this place to anyone.
IN RESPONSE TO DR BERN TRYING TO MAKE ME LOOK LIKE I'm NOT CREDIBLE:
When I scheduled my appointment NO ONE mentioned to me to arrive 20 min. early.
I was indeed there at 10:35 am.
I was NOT asked to return in 24 hours to confirm the diagnosis, I was asked to come back for a follow up 4 days later. I scheduled a Thursday follow up appointment, (it was Monday).
I did not "Refuse" at all. I actually cancelled the follow up appointment on Wed. after I saw my primary care physician who recommended I see a neurologist instead of going back to an ophthalmologist.
To Review Dr. Filer, as promised in my original review:
I woke up that morning with one dilated left pupil. I was examined and tested by an assistant. Then when I saw Dr. Filer, he did some tests, he didn't tell me what he was looking for as he squeezed my upper arm. Then he tells me:
"you have Adie's pupil, we don't know what causes it and we don't know how to cure it. It could resolve in weeks or never, it could be permanent." Then he writes down the name of the condition and told me to google it!!! What kind of doctor tells a patient next to nothing and then says to google a condition?!?!
So I went home and googled it and found it was a diagnosis of exclusion. Meaning it should only be diagnosed if every other possible thing has been ruled out. They don't have the tools (like MRI machines) to do that in an ophthalmologists office, and certainly not in a short visit.
When I went to the physician and subsequently the neurologist, I found out I could have a tumor or an aneurism. I also learned that Dr. Filer was checking the reflexes in my arm, but he didn't tell me that when he was squeezing my arm, demonstrating his poor bedside manner.
I was rushed to have MRIs. Luckily nothing dangerous was found, and my pupils returned to normal a couple days after I saw Dr. Filer.
Dr. Filer not only misdiagnosed me, but did not even mention the possible scary things (like tumor or aneurism) that could be causing the dilation. Had I really had an aneurism and listened to Dr. Filer that it's "Adies" and nothing can be done, and just come back for the follow up appointment, it could have cost me my life.
After going through this whole experience, I believe that Dr. Filer, had he been a good doctor, would have told me to go see a neurologist asap, instead of scheduling a follow up with himself. Basically it all comes back to money is what it seems like to me, and his bedside manner was awful.
I cannot recommend this place. Maybe Dr. Bern is a great doctor who's helped a lot of people, but I would not recommend Dr. Filer.Comment from Bruce B. of Bruce H Bern, MD 12/17/2011
I am truly sorry that your experience in our office was not… More » -
Review from lynnie l.
San Mateo, CA
4/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
After what they did to me last year, I am not thirlled with this place at all. I will not say what they did, but they all know. I like Dr. Bern, but am I am sorry still does not make it go away, I thought I was over this, but I am still pissed.
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Review from Juliana C.
Pacifica, CA
3/6/2011
I'm new to Dr. Bern and already a fan. This is an expert physican at the top of his game - a good man to have on your team.
Here's why I'm so happy...
I chose him based on several different web review sites that featured patients and family members, praising his diagnostic powers. Some patients were getting scary and complex diseases spotted early enough to save lives (vascular, coronary, cancer/tumor etc.). That impressed me.
A small number of reviewers remarked, crankily, that Dr. Bern wasn't great with bedside manner, or seemed terse. I think I can shed some light on that. Here's what I saw:
1. Diagnostic: 5 STARS. He correctly identified a form of dermatitis that irritates eyelashes and lids. I'd been walking around assuming I'd caught some conjunctivitis somewhere. Nope - turns out my sticky, watery eyes are related to other annoying skin issues I've been having (and not treating) - what other docs (3) called "adult acne" and treated with Doxycyclin (twice, two docs), Dr. Bern said "Probably it's this... but let's send you to my colleague Dr. Webb to make sure." I got Cadillac entree to the also expert Dr. Webb, Dr. Bern's staff made the appt for me (next day!), and Dr. Bern wrote extensive notes for me to give Dr. Webb.
2. Length of appt./thoroughness: 5 STARS. See below.
2. Bedside Manner: For Me, and PTs like me - 5 STARS.
Dr. Bern has an initially directive style. I'm ok with that when the clinician in question is actually expert - and he is.
When you begin, he might correct you perhaps with "Let me diagnose, I want to hear symptoms" (I'm paraphrasing). That might sound brusque, but he DID need to hear a pure symptom list first - and I said "I figured conjunctivitis." He was correct to stop me and redirect me.
Once he had the information he needed, he went to work ruling out many things - and he looked me over, CAREFULLY and slowly, commenting extensively on my skin type (N. European, prone to a bit of rosacia, some acne here and there..). He spotted a healing scab behind my ear (rare for me but still), and explained that he suspected this was likely a form of dermatitis... He explained how this happens, how I get it (genetic), and why not to worry, and how we treat it - assuming he's right. (News flash: He's a modest expert - wow).
Bruce Bern is an intellectual fellow with a strong desire to educate his patients (I saw an MPH-type degree on his wall, so that explains a lot).
I could see that he might express frustration if a patient demonstrated either lack of interest or pig headedness about taking advice and reporting results.
While waiting, I heard him address two patients (very elderly) with care and genuine kindness, and a colleague with respect and a gentle tone.
This is not a tough doc. But he will respond most enthusiastically to patients who demonstrate a capacity to be active participants in their own care - allowing him to be the expert, but actively taking responsibility for ourselves.
He went to some length to make sure I saw his preferred expert - quickly. Then he provided the name of an Internist. I told him I was shopping for a new one.
To any Yelpers worried about "older" physicians. Dr. Bern isn't particularly old first of all (late 50s? typical of an expert doc). He enthusiastically recommended a young female internist (part of a husband/wife team) to me - saying she's read up on everything, still taking new patients, smart and well connected.
I think Dr. Bern is a class act. He's gentle enough for me. Because I didn't come to him for hand-holding primarily, but to get my eyes sorted out. I'm delighted and relieved that he was able to diagnose me correctly when 3 other physicians (internist and 2 dermatologists) missed my dermatitis.
Call me impressed. And call Dr. Bern if you want an expert. :) -
Review from Adam B.
Incline Village, NV
11/29/2010
Dr. Bern is a great doc. He fixed my cataracts in both eyes. He's one of those docs that really seems to enjoy his profession and is up to date on the latest science. He takes time to explain things and is genuinely concerned with the patient's well being.
Dr. Bern is very detail oriented and compulsive in a good way.
His office is efficiently run and it was rare that I was kept waiting.
My only complaint is that I had to pay for a refraction multiple times with a year. This is probably just an artifact of how insurance works, but perhaps they could give a discount if you have to have a refraction done more than once per year. I think I'll end up paying for a refraction three times this year. -
Review from Moon D.
Santa Rosa, CA
10/29/2011
Despite negative comments here and elsewhere about Dr. Bern's beside manner I decided to see him because his diagnostic skills were highly praised and because I was able to get an appointment at his office sooner than with my regular medical group. I have medical conditions that make it difficult to sit for a long length of time so I called his office to make sure he was running on time and was assured he would see me at the appointed time.
Imagine my surprise when I arrived to my appointment when I was told that they strongly suggested I first have "refraction" by one of their optometrists and that it needed to be paid for up front and not billed to my insurance. I decided to continue with it but then had to wait for the procedure. During this time they dilated my eyes and told me I had to wait a half hour. An hour later I still hadn't been seen--it was now 1.5 hours since my original appointment and when I inquired I was told "Dr. Bern had patients ahead of me!" I started feeling ill and told the staff I needed to be seen. By the time I finally got to see Dr. Bern it was almost 2 hours past my original appointment time.
I started describing my symptoms to Dr. Bern and he almost immediately started talking over me. He did not let me complete a description of my symptoms and started making statements about my medications, my other conditions--suggesting one wasn't "real" and he gave totally erroneous information in a very rude way. He talked about everything but my ocular symptoms. He made disparaging remarks about my medical group, younger physicians and the way medicine is practiced today, and in general was not professional. He continued to interrupt and talk over me, apparently to let me know how much he knew and in the end made a diagnosis that was not ophthalmology related and was not correct. He then recommended I go see one of his colleagues and when I suggested I continue with my own medical group he said he didn't know those doctors and wanted me to see someone he knew.
This practice is very aggressive about follow up appointments and suggested I make one for a year from now. I will NOT return; even if things had gone well with Dr. Bern, it's inexcusable to have to wait nearly 2 hours beyond one's appointment time. I have notr experienced such a rude and arrogant doctor in my entire life.Comment from Bruce B. of Bruce H Bern, MD 12/17/2011
It's clear I did a terrible job in communicating with this… More »
