Sutter HealthReviews of sutterhealth.org

Words do not exist in the English language that properly capture the anguish that Sutter's incompetence and dereliction of duty has caused me. I truly believe that I would be in a much better situation had Sutter acted sooner. I moved to the West Coast in 2021 and began seeing Sutter Health doctors to establish care for previously diagnosed conditions and for help with severe fatigue and endocrine related issues. I followed every recommendation from the Sutter group, but my symptoms only worsened. Between October 2021 and November 2022, I sought help from multiple OB/GYNs, therapists, and psychiatrists. Despite various medications and lifestyle changes, nothing improved. My psychiatrist, concerned about my lack of progress and evident endocrine symptoms, urged me to see an endocrinologist. However, Sutter Health refused to refer me. In September 2022, my psychiatrist even wrote a letter advocating for this referral. On November 2, 2022, I met with Dr. Allison Freeman after my scheduled doctor was unavailable. Despite presenting my worsening symptoms and the psychiatrist's letter, she refused to refer me to endocrinology, claiming they couldn't help me. Spoiler alert: She was wrong, and I was right. It was unfortunate, as this negligence led to my condition worsening for another 1.5 years. From November 2022 to April 2024, my health deteriorated further despite me meticulously following doctors' orders. I continued to experienced severe mood symptoms, night sweats, heat intolerance, digestive issues, hair loss, fatigue, brain fog, eye pain/blurriness, unquenchable thirst, and more. I spent a significant amount of money on ineffective doctors, useless therapy appointments, supplements, healthy food, etc. I missed numerous workdays and had to step down from my consulting business as a result. By April 2024, my symptoms were unbearable. Only then did my primary care doctor decide to retest my thyroid and check for diabetes. Tests revealed hyperthyroidism, and an ultrasound in June 2024 showed thyroid nodules, one of which was a hyperfunctioning hot nodule causing most of my symptoms. This confirmed my suspicions and proved Dr. Freeman's assessment was wrong. Due to this negligence, I have suffered immensely in terms of my physical health, mental health, finances, and social life. I am now at risk for future metabolic issues, cardiovascular problems, and currently face infertility. I filied a grievance on June 12, 2024, clearly explaining the negligence, failure to refer, and delayed diagnosis. I laid out the timeline from 2021-2024. Sutter Health supposedly investigated the matter and wrote a "resolution letter" in July 2024. However, the letter ignored my most major complaints (i.e., the 11/2/2022 appointment where Dr. Freeman misdiagnosed me, ignored my concerns, refused to run further tests and reufsed to refer me to endocrinology). The greivance "resolution letter" did not even mention these things. They mentioned a few events that occurred in 2024 and completely ignored the fact that I was suffering for years longer than necessary, DUE TO DR. FREEMAN'S NEGLIGENCE AND INCOMPETENCE. This oversight is unacceptable, and I will be appealing this decision to the state medical board. Sutter Health's negligent care and failure to address my complaints have severely impacted my life. Their doctors must be held accountable for such substandard care. Avoid Sutter Health if you value your well-being.

I've been going to Sutter Health for a while. Specifically, going to the San Carlos facility. I also take my kids there. Knock on wood, I haven't had any major health issues to deal with for the most part. Recently had some severe stomach ailments and they were able to do a bunch of tests and get to the heart of the problem.

really bad experience, no transparent communication

Started receiving invoices for medical services not rendered from an out of state location back in November. (mind you I'm not a patient) I made a few courtesy calls to customer service to let them know of the issue. Continued receiving bills over the following 5 months ultimately receiving a call from a collections company. I called sutter health again with the customer service agent telling me there was nothing she could do. I insisted on speaking with a manager who I did speak to and took the matter more seriously to resolve it. No process in place to mitigate their own billing errors. Finally received an apology letter in June '24 admitting fault and dismissing the case. Causes speculation how they're managing their medical practice information and admin. Provider name on invoice: Christopher Adamo Russo DO Hospitalist Osteopathic Physician and Surgeon california license: 20A12554

My visit with Dr. Budati was not what I was wishing it would be. I waited months to get this appointment since I had switched insurance plans, and was excited to finally come in today. The appointment was rushed, I was told I could only address two concerns outside of the appointment and what it involves itself, and I was made to feel ashamed about my weight. I am currently in graduate school to become a marriage and family therapist, and have always cared deeply about mental health and wellness. It is clear that she does not think about how her words can affect people’s mental health or even trigger their traumas. Dr. Budati rushed through my appointment, and then swiveled in her chair, adjusting the computer monitor for me to see, saying “now I am going to discuss your weight. I am going to put you on a low carb diet, okay?” She had not asked me one thing about my body yet involving exercise, diet, or anything. This was a total whiplash and unexpected change in topic which I gave no consent to discussing. She just assumed that because I have more body fat, I am unhealthy. I eat a healthy diet now and lift heavy weights at a gym for two hours at a time at least four days a week. I also work an active job and garden regularly. I am the healthiest I have been in years. But she saw my body, and made assumptions. She, without asking, told me she was putting me on a low carb diet, and proceeded to tell me to intermittently fast, never eat past 5PM, stop eating pasta and potatoes (I rarely do) and to stop drinking juice (I cannot remember the last time I drank juice within the last year). She told me that in a few months if I haven’t lost weight there are “medications to help with that.” All the while, she never stopped to ask if I had concerns or questions…she just dumped this all on me without any room for me to speak. That is so terribly unhealthy and toxic for the mind. I did not ask her for advice, or about how to shrink myself. All I wanted was a normal checkup and referral to an OBGYN. It is rude to tell someone who has extra weight to shrink themselves with medications without them asking for it. After all of this when she was about to leave, she said that she should’ve asked if I ever had an eating disorder or if I currently do…well a little too late. It turns out I do struggle with disordered eating reminiscent of a binge eating disorder I’ve struggled with for over a decade. I have trauma around diet culture and body shaming, and she completely reignited those awful thoughts about myself. She, though maybe not intentionally, was very fatphobic towards me today and it caused me to cry on my way home. Her lack of awareness can easily send people in a downward spiral or even cause a relapse in eating disorders for some. She needs to educate herself on how to deal with clients of all different diverse body types. In this appointment, she also told me she signed me up for HIV testing because I have tattoos (they were done in professional studios using medical grade equipment that was freshly opened when I got them done, as every single legitimate shop does). I did not appreciate her making this assumption especially because I am gay and indicated so on my chart. I cannot help but wonder if she assumed I have HIV because I am gay. She made many assumptions about me based on my weight, sexuality, and the way I present myself, all of which are false. I usually do not like to complain, but this is all beyond unacceptable.

Sutter Health is a large bureaucracy that is using technology to reduce its costs. Unfortunately this causes its services to be impersonal and risks patient health. I would recommend choosing another health care provide who allows contact with staff outside of a cell-phone/laptop application.

This hospital needs to shut down. They have very poor hospitality very poor service all from out of town not from California and I ran out of phone charge and nobody at the hospital wouldn’t help me none of the staff not even the police at the hospital they sent me off the property to another place to see if I can get my phone charged at night time. I could have gotten hurt in the street at night being a woman, I’m walking bone on bone on a walker With knee pain under doctors care, but this hospital Sutter didn’t care at all. I wouldn’t take my dog to Sutter or a baby. Very poor hospital 👎

Many of us spend fortunes paying for medical care, even when our needs are relatively minor. I expected more today when during a call to investigate a billing issue, at 5 , I was simply sent to an after hours voice mail without warning as to the fact they were finished helping me, with zero courtesy, manners, ethics or respect. Must be nice to be in your business. Some of us have to earn our business. Enjoy the free ride rude medical employees.