Dr. Ben Maeck has been my primary care physician for over 15 years - and, in my opinion, he is a really great doctor. Not only is he a super diagnostician - he is also a truly caring person who makes sure to "get it right" and be there when you need him to see you. I, myself, have had several health care challenges, and he has helped me with all of them - referring me out to specialists, when needed - but also handling matters expertly himself, when needed. There is no way I can recommend him more highly - he is a terrific physician and a wonderful person, to boot. If you are looking for a PCP - look no further. He is a San Francisco treasure - "old school" in every good way - but he's also very, very smart and he will take excellent care of you. Call his able assistant Nick and make an appointment. (You can thank me later.) read more

I recently, as a new patient, had my 1st appointment with Dr. Maech. I went over my medical history and my early upbringing. Dr. Maech spoke of his East Coast upbringing and how he, like his father, decide to become a physician. He also spoke of his medical schooling and training. What impressed me the most, among other things, was his concern and personal involvement with those without medical coverage and/or access to prescription meds and/or a warm bed for the night Dr. Benjamin H. Maech lll is a Tier 1 caring physician and I feel blessed to refer to him as my Doctor. read more

Very upfront and down to earth doctor. Rare to find someone like him these days. Strongly recommend him. He can be a little rough around the edges for some, but if you look past that you'll find someone who really cares and gives you no-BS advice about your health. read more

Dr. Maeck just became my new primary care doctor. He examined me for presurgery clearance and sent the clearance to the doctor who was to do the surgery. Dr. Maeck is professional and friendly and has a good staff. I strongly recommend him. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Maeck for a few years, he is my outside of Kaiser saving grace! I can always get an appointment, he helps with all of the medical issues I have had in the past 5 years! He has a wide knowledge base, and can always resolve or give a referral. He is our family go to doc read more

Dr. Maeck is pretty darned awesome! :)! My husband has been going to him for a few years now. His one staff member I've met, an efficient, intelligent, professional Virgoan gent, is always courteous. I love the vintage chairs in his office! They're just a comforting touch. So, I went into Dr. Maeck's office because my regular GP, was unavailable and his assistant, though surface-level nice, is inefficient with getting my prescriptions refilled. Prescriptions that I need to keep my body alive. I also had a recent issue health-wise. When I explained my recent experiences with my other GP, Dr. Maeck didn't just listen he took action. He literally walked me over to his referral source so I could be seen ASAP. I'm incredibly grateful to Dr. Maeck for taking charge of my situation given what's occurred with my health to bring me to his office has happened two times too many. I need to sort out what's going on. I'm also in the medical field and care for people throughout my work day. It's so nice to genuinely feel taken care of. Dr. Maeck is kind, professional who has a comfy, homey yet functional medical practice. A native Californian like myself, he's just the absolute best! Thanks again Dr. Maeck for your help with both my husband and now myself. We will definitely refer our friends to you. read more

I never felt so uncomfortable before. Our PCP is retiring and I was searching online for a new PCP for my husband and myself. I found Dr. Maeck and made sure that he is accepting new patients. I called his office and asked receptionist again if Doctor is accepting new patients. Receptionist confirmed that Doctor is accepting new patients. Then he asked my name, I gave him my name and my husband's name. Next question was, "How old are you?" I felt weird but provided him with our age. Next he asked about insurance information, which I feel supposed to be the only question if MD is accepting new patients. After all information was provided, receptionist said that he will ask MD if he will accept us. And if he will accept us, he will give me a call back. I never received a call back. We are immigrants from Ukraine, came to US almost 30 years ago but still have an accent. We are 2 working adults, in our mid 50s. I don't like to be accusatory but felt Doctor doesn't like immigrants and people after 50. read more

I took my parents to Dr Maeck's office for their USCIS I-693 paperwork. I can't say enough good things about the experience. First, Dr Maeck is extremely personable. Really feels like the old days where you have a relationship with your doctor which was really nice. Second, his office is like walking into a vintage doctors office with historical mementos from his late fathers office as well furniture from his mother. In terms of the paperwork, Dr Maeck was extremely considerate in finding the least cost option for the labs. After checking if my parents had insurance, he immediately offered up a cheaper lab option via quest that saved us close to 8-900 dollars per parent. Every office I called before never even brought this up as an option. The whole process was seamless. Nick, who works the front desk was very diligent in following up after the labs were in, scheduling the appointment and making sure I had the power work in order. If you got this far and are looking to get your uscis paperwork done, it would be silly to go anywhere else. read more

Upon the recommendation of my dearest best friend I decided to give Dr. Maeck a bash. So grateful I did. The moment you meet Dr. Maeck you realize that you have found the doc of your dreams. 1. Bright 2. Brilliant 3. Personable 4. Excellent connection / bedside manner 5. An all round fantastic man. I wish I could give 6 stars read more

Over the last 15 years Dr. Maeck has cared for my health and my well being. First appointment he hooked me with his thorough explanations of how things work, written on the bed paper lol! He knew exactly what I needed in a doc and he has not failed me since. Always there, responsive and a perfect balance of taking things seriously but never dramatic. Always flexible and thinking big picture which is refreshing for me. He is a stellar human being with your best interests at heart. He is real and down to earth and knows his stuff, so.... 5 star 5 diamond for me and my family. read more

Dr. Maeck is by far my favorite doctor ever! After moving out of San Francisco, changing insurance a few times through work, I've always made sure that whatever I did, I was still able to keep Dr. Maeck as my primary doctor, even if it meant driving 45 minutes to an hour to be seen for a sore throat or paying hundreds of dollars extra in insurance costs each year. Dr. Maeck is 100% there for his patients. Where most doctors now look to move the appointment along quickly, so they can be on to the next billable, you never feel that way with Dr. Maeck. Even for the most simple of things, he will provide you with a thorough explanation of what is going on, why it is happening, and the options you have for treatment, as well as his recommended path forward and why. This takes time for him to do with each and every patient, but it is one of the many things that makes him so special. I've called the office even when he's been on vacation, or on weekends, and either his office or Dr. Maeck himself has gotten back to me very quickly. An impressive feat for an individual practitioner! He's a genuine person who cares for your overall well-being, and top notch doctor, and if I could give him more than 5 stars, I would in a heartbeat! read more

Mind blown, I have only been to Dr. Maeck once so far. I'm most impressed by his deep knowledge of our fascinating human bodies. I'm thoroughly pleased with his bedside manner and the way he conveys his thought process is not only entertaining but fascinating. I'm definitely calling him my new primary MD. My criteria for a great doctor is pretty simple. I want a relatable genius. I happy to announce that I have found him. read more

It's April and my immigration lawyer is saying "Get a medical checkup so we can start your Green Card process!" Holy crap! As weeks go by I'm kinda nervous because I know there's a huge list of grim-reaper doctors on the USCIS shortlist. I put it off for the longest time (this is one of my character flaws) and I finally bit the biccie and make a search for "USCIS physicians". Dr. Benjamin H. Maeck III pops up on Yelp and he's the only one on a foreseeable radius with a 5 star review. This is a no-brainier; I HAVE to meet this guy! I call up his office, his assistant is very kind and made me an appointment with him two days later! I get there, the staff in his office are very friendly, very well air-conditioned and I'm waiting maybe 10 minutes. Even though I'm sure the guy is nice, I'm still semi-expecting Dr Death to walk in. But finally I do meet him; spiked haired dude whizzes around the corner looks at his notes through his thick framed glasses (trust me he's got style!!) and calls my name. Within the first few seconds I know this guy is super cool! He has a radiant charisma about him that you know everything is going to be ok. He sat me down and went through my blood tests etc. (I gotten a checkup a few months before so it sped up the whole process for us.) We had a fun conversation throughout. Put my results in a sealed envelope and his receptionist gave it to me. I got everything done on-time thanks to his office making a quick appointment, understanding my urgency and making the whole experience so enjoyable. I've moved away from San Francisco since, but If you do live in San Francisco I'm envious that you have such an incredible doctor in your community. It's important that your doctor is a 'people person' and Dr. Benjamin certainly has that charisma. This checkup was 5 years ago and I'll never forget how kind and genuinely interested he was in me. Thank God for doctors like Dr. Benjamin H. Maeck III !! read more

THE VERY BEST. CONTACT HIM. HE WILL HELP YOU. HE IS CONSTANTLY HELPING ME. Dr Maeck (rhymes with "Trek") is an EXTREMELY ASTUTE internal medicine doctor, an ACTUAL PHYSICIAN. About 12 or 15 years ago I found Dr Maeck on Yelp. I was age 40 unfortunately five years later I was age 45 and grievously injured by a drunk driver who smashed my right neck and pulverized/dissected my right carotid artery and at at 45 I had a MASSIVE Crippling Stroke. Dr Maeck was at my side all the way during my recovery process. He introduced me to his WONDERFUL expert colleagues at St Marys Med Center. I was truly suffering and Dr Maeck introduced me to an incredibly astute neurologist for my constant Grand Mal Seizures. And I was suffering from a longtime mysterious hyper-painful gall bladder that TWO hospitals could not figure out -- and Dr Maeck led me to a super smart and adept surgeon that took my gall bladder OUT. A miracle of assessment and modern surgery, all due to Dr Maecks keen help. surgery Recently he was EXTRA helpful introducing to his expert Occupational Therapist for a much needed hand splint. EARWAX REMOVAL LIKKITY SPLIT Since age 5 in 1971 for over 50 years now, I have had lots and lots of earwax. I call up Dr Maeck for an appointment and arrive early and he cleans the wax out of my ears pronto. my medi-cal insurance does not cover Dr Maecks help. He does his astute for me Pro Bono -- wonderful generosity. I AM SUPER GRATEFUL My grandfather died from Diabetes. A . few months ago Dr Maeck keenly ordered a set of blood tests from his hospital lab and my A1C was 17.7, shockingly frightening. Dr Maeck IMMEDIATELY ascertained I have Diabetes 2 and IMMEDIATELY wrote me two prescriptions for helpful twice daily medications. And IMMEDIATELY directed me to come back in 6 weeks and he PERSONALLY took my blood for a second A1C. My A1C was about 12, What a RELIEF. He said I should have an epidemiologist/diabetes doctor. FREESTYLE LIBRE 2 CONTINUOUS GLUCOSE MONITOR. A good friend of mine is a pharmacist. he recommended an incredible device for me to constantly Dr Maeck filled out the pharmacy paperwork for Abbott Labs Freestyle Libre 2 Continuous Glucose Monitor System, my constant companion these days He is a WONDERFUL internist doctor/PCPand a TRUE PHYSICIAN. I hope he helps me about the paperwork for my Glucose Monitor Sensors so my insurance can cover the $2,000 annual cost. I hope he helps me find an astute Diabetes 2 epidemiologist. I hope yDr Maeck I hope Dr Maeck helps me find an astute cardiologist. In the meantime, Dr Maeck has me on two high blood pressure medications. I hope Dr Maeck helps me with my second colonoscopy this year at age 55. ‍‍ Every Word Is True. Dr Benjamin Maeck, MD is an extremely important person to me, Lee. If you are seeking a terrific true physician contact his office and leave a message. He will get back to you and help you in an expert personable fashion! Extremely Grateful For Everything Positive!!! Lee read more

By far the most incredible doctor on the face of this planet. I have had the pleasure of being with Dr. Maeck for over 10 years. Special, intelligent, diligent, thoughtful, kind and by far the most brilliant doc on earth. Seriously. No bullshit, this man is a freak of nature. Lucky are you if you get to call him your Doc. read more

With COVID-19 conditions right now, my husband and I were very concerned about our health, so a family member of ours recommended their long time doc, Dr. Maeck. Our family spoke very highly of him and now I know why! He was so helpful, honest, and easy to talk to. We are so grateful he was available to see us right so quickly and will absolutely be back! read more

Rare to come by such a personable and knowledgeable doctor these days. We are lucky to have him around. What you want in a doctor is someone who is highly skilled and competent (and confident in telling you what's what) and, at the same time, boasting of an enviable bedside manner. That's what I have observed in Dr. Maeck. read more

Dr. Maeck ROCKS. I didn't realize how good I had it till I saw how accommodating he was in squeezing me in for an appt so I wouldn't have to take time off work--even if it meant seeing me on a day the office was closed. And he's caring enough to return calls when he's supposed to be gone for the week. While he and his receptionist make a great team, often times, it seems he can (and does) do everything himself without needing the obligatory assistants. Funny and intelligent, he's all you can want in a doc, and then some. I almost want something to be wrong with me because I know I'll be in good hands. read more

My company finally wised up and started offering Blue Cross PPO and after my first visit with Dr. Maeck today, I am really glad I switched over and got out of the Brown & Toland HMO game. Dr. Maeck doesn't take HMOs and due to this, he doesn't have to overload his schedule and he can spend a lot of time talking with you instead of just referring you out. He's got some great anatomy books and will actually explain your diagnosis to you. I really appreciate having a doctor actually educate me on my diagnosis as opposed to someone who just writes prescriptions. And, to top it off, there weren't 800 forms to fill out and he takes his own vital stats! Fanfuckingtastic. Edit: Dr. Maeck rules! He has a fantastic sense of humor, clearly cares about his patients and always returns phone calls. He is Primary care doc GOLD and if your insurance accepts him, I highly recommend seeing him. I work at a competing hospital and still prefer coming to St. Mary's to see him because he is just that good. read more

What a great doctor and a great doctors office. I was referred to Dr. Maeck by some friends and after reading the Yelp reviews, decided to go. Even from the moment I called, things were perfect. The receptionist was warm and friendly. I showed up, she was still nice. I met the doc, he was nice too. His anatomy book is fantastic. He actually got me to understand what was wrong with me. When I went to the Bodies exhibit a few weeks after, I got all excited because I could show others which muscle was all screwed up! Not only did the doc listen, but he went into preventative things as well and scheduled me for something in for a general check up to make sure that some things that I was experiencing weren't coming from other things. It wasn't the in and out that you usually have in doctors offices. He talks to you and wants to hear the things that you aren't telling him. I would be happy recommend him to anyone! read more

I've never really had a primary care physician. Instead, I have gone to specialists. I really underestimated what an INCREDIBLE primary care doc can do for you. Dr. Maeck has made me feel comfortable living in the city, that if anything were ever to happen to me, he could help. His receptionist is awesome, and they will always try to accommodate your schedule. Dr. Maeck was in school to be an anesthesiologist, but decided he wanted to really help people instead and went in to internal medicine. I know he has helped me. He's by far the best doctor I've ever had. read more

I haven't seen him yet, but I just got off the phone with him. When I called, his message said he would be out of the office until late afternoon today. He called me at 5:52, apologized for calling so late, then asked how soon I needed to be seen. I laughed and answered, "Oh, probably last week". "Okay, how about 3 pm tomorrow?" Are you kidding me? Most of the other docs I called today had appointments weeks, if not months out. I am already super impressed! read more

To say that I am pleased with Dr. Maeck is an understatement. Dr. Maeck actually took a surprising amount of time to sit down with me and talk about my injury with references to his library and props in his office that explained my issue. He's also a cyclist of sorts so we talked bike stuff. A Dr. with an interest in helping and knowing his patients. Nice work Dr. Maeck. read more

As you can see I usually only give reviews for really amazing or really terrible places... mostly amazing although I second guess sharing my favorite finds. Benjamin Maeck is one of my most favoritest finds of 2008. I put off finding a new doctor for awhile. It's so painful...how do you pick a good doctor? Then you call and they aren't accepting new patients or something. Well, I searched YELP and it led me to BMIII MD. He is even better than my old Dr. Don't bitch if you have to wait 15 - 30 minutes to get into see him. I find that super annoying considering: most people are late probably throwing off most dr's schedules in the first place and do you really want him to watch the seconds tick and tock and kick you out when your 20 minutes are up? This is typical of all dr appointments in my experience including dentists. Now...to the bizness. He is very knowledgeable, attentive, caring and actually has a genuine interest in his patients. For my first visit I started fresh since I had put off appt. for 2 years (bad!). He called me personally with my results even though they were all normal and he is actually committed and cares about his patients. Now I don't want everyone to go calling him! read more

Starting close to 40 years ago, I began a journey though the world of Western Medicine. Because of a chronic illness, my life wound around many doctors and medical facilities. Medicine has saved my life and I am most appreciative of that fact. I have experienced a very wider cadre of what makes a good and sometimes, great doctor. Benjamin Maeck has been my primary physician for about five or six years. To feel comfortable with a doctor, I need to feel he or she is honestly taking personal interst in me. Over the years, I have witnessed Dr Maeck 's style of my treatment very personal and comprehensive. He takes an honest interest in my life. Dr Maeck's practice is successful because he is a careful and caring physician. He obviously keeps up on all the most up-to-date medical technology and pharmaceutical information. I trust my life with my physicians - Dr Benjamin Maeck is my lead doctor and I feel extremely cofident and comfortable having him in that place in my life. read more

Couldn't be happier that I found Dr. Maeck and Alexander. His Yelp reviews got me to call, and nothing I can say hasn't already been said in these reviews. Dr. Maeck is available, personable, and tells it how it is. If he senses there's an problem, he puts the steps in place to provide a solution. I've never had trouble getting in to see him for a visit, even on short notice. Alexander runs the office with precision; my hat is off to him. Dr. Maeck if you're reading this, give Alexander another raise. He deserves every bit of it. The best thing Dr. Maeck has done for me so far is followed-up with a phone call. Simple. Folks that experience moderate to severe medical problems will see the doctor for diagnosis, get treated, feel better, pay out the ass when the bills come in, and never hear from the doctor again. A couple weeks after a health scare that was initially diagnosed by Dr. Maeck and later resolved by several visits to specialists at St. Mary's Hospital, Dr. Maeck called me to see how I was feeling. None of the other doctors I had seen during this scare called, but Dr. Maeck did. He wanted to make sure that I was not only feeling better, but that we were taking the steps necessary to prevent the illness from ever coming back. It feels really good to know that your medical practitioner genuinely cares about your health and well being. Thanks Dr. Maeck. As long as you are practicing, I will be your patient. read more

Dr Maeck has been my primary care doctor for over ten years now. And as that time has pasted I couldn't be more confident in a physician watching over me. His office manager Nick is always available and I never seem to be compromised with any sort of in office hold up's. Most importantly Dr Maeck gives you his time and attention, and never once have I gotten the sense that he is watching the clock to move on to the next thing. I would recommend him to anyone of my close friends. read more

Yes, a good approachable doctor. Called back right away for appointments. BUT... he's only useful if you're healthy. He doesn't deal with workman's comp forms or disability forms. So if you're got a problem that renders you unable to work , even for a short amount of time, he won't provide the necessary letter. It's too bad. But good to know before you bother going to see him. read more

Dr. Maeck is one of the greatest doctors of all time. He is a young, energetic guy with a zest for helping people understand medicine and how the body functions. He has a multitude of opinions - not discussed sparingly - about HMO's and the quality of health care in this great country. This guy rocks: he returns phone calls instantly, will get you in quickly, makes accurate diagnoses, and, out of the pure goodness of his heart, will give occasional free medical services to the odd filthy, stinky homeless guy that may happen to stumble out of GG Park and into his office with a cut or wound. A true hero of the San Francisco medical services community. read more

I found Dr. Maeck on the USCIS website as he is a civil surgeon authorized to perform the medical exam required in the green card application process. I called and had an appointment within days. After the check-up he directed me to a lab near my work to have the required blood tests done, and I just had to come back a few days later to pick up the form I-693 he had completed. Because I had received the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis when I was younger and it is typically not used in the US there was a slight difference in the testing process and he clearly explained the multiple options available to me. The price did seem high ($300) but I didn't mind much as my company was covering the costs of the entire green card process. A few days ago I received confirmation that my green card was approved, so evidently there were no issues with the paperwork he had completed! read more

Dr Maeck is the best doctor I have ever had the pleasure/displeasure of going to! I cannot recommend him more. (In fact, I wish I could give him 6 stars) He is extremely knowledgeable, great bed-side manner, and brilliant at diagnosing, treating, and most importantly educating patents on what they are taking and what they need to be doing. He consistently monitors medications he prescribes, tests and adjusts at in my opinion reasonable rates. He even councils on drug interactions and recommends additives to make you more comfortable. For example, he has me on Niacin, in high doses it causes flushing and itching. He recommended taking an aspirin with it and viola! no flushing/itching!! Big win! On a side note, he is the first doctor I've ever seen that can take blood better than a phlebotomist.. He really is a one-stop-shop... read more

I called to make an appointment and was surprised to receive a returned phone call within about 20 minutes. He fit me in the next day! He has patients within the hospital, so I guess he is zipping around all day. But, when he came in, he sat down and talked with me without seeming like he was trying to rush me. I had a lot of questions. He was very knowledgeable. I am training for a marathon and wanted to get his opinion on my heart and so on. He had me listen to my heart and then his heart to compare. It was great. I had never listened to my heart. I finally feel like I've found a doctor to go and see on a regular basis that looks at me like an individual. read more

When my husband and I moved out of San Francisco to Walnut Creek one of our biggest regrets is that we no longer have Dr Maeck as our doctor. My husband and I both had him as our GP for 7 years and thought he was wonderful. He is genuinely interested in his patients and takes the time to really get to know you. He is also very experienced at his job and good at explaining things. We actually looked forward to our annual check up. (Who can say that!). Even when we moved abroad for a few years and returned he was equally excited to catch up on our news us as we were with his. He is a rare find. Can't recommend him enough. read more

Dr. Maeck is completely awesome. He listened to my concerns with a genuine care and even opened his handy medical book to show me some pictures. His receptionist was lovely and helpful, and he called me in person to explain my blood results. I am used to waiting forever and then being passed off to a nurse practitioner, and that was far from the case with Dr. Maeck. I highly recommend him and am grateful that I found him after doing my own research on yelp. read more

I've only seen this dude once, based on these other rave reviews, but he is really nice and knowledgeable and will explain whatever it is you're worried about, in-depth. If you are a hypochondriac like me, you will really appreciate that. However, if you are a fan of Heroes, beware: he looks exactly like Claire Bennet's dad ("Horn-Rimmed Glasses"). So if you have a superpower you might want to keep it under wraps in his office. read more

As a followup to my review back in 2006, Dr Maeck is still as awesome as he was since day one (which was in 2005). I recently had a nasty knife cut. He saw me that very morning after I called, stitched me up himself and has been super attentive in following up with me and having me drop in on two occasion since (being prone to infection as a diabetic this is much appreciative). My friends are always in awe and want to know who my Dr. is and I have never hesitated to recommend him. read more

Truly the best doctor I've ever come across. He cares about his patients, and really takes the time to know you as a person. I could go on and on about this MD. I'm very picky and he's very, very, very good. read more

Dr. Meack is OK. Still, I did not have complete confidence in him, and hence, off to another doctor. I don't want to diss him, because he is good in a number of ways most doctors are not. He is quite smart and down to earth. I think he will become a really great doctor when he is older. read more

Rick is right on, Dr. Maeck is way cool (jr.) And he's been to all the good bars in the mission. He's never heard of Yelp though.

Just had one visit, but so far, so good. He returned my first call very quickly. He made me feel comfortable, and hooked me up with some free samples. The office was quiet and clean. Paperwork was unburdensome. As we chatted, I could tell he was a smart guy. Most doctors are, but he clearly new some shiznet. He does look a bit like Claire Bennet's dad from heros (per another review) but not so much I would have come up with it on my own. read more