I have been seeing Dr. Birnbaum since 2015. This man is a life saver! I was in extreme pain for just over a year and went to countless doctors who couldn't figure out what was going on. As soon as I walked into Dr. Birnbaums office, he diagnosed me immediately and sent me off with a blood test to make sure he was correct. Sure enough, he was correct and diagnosed me with psoriatic arthritis. He's incredibly smart and knows what he's doing. He wanted me to start with just taking aleve 3xs a day, which I did and it didn't help with the pain. Now, I am on Humira, taking that every other week. OMG was that a game changer! I haven't had any pain since my first dose of humira and I couldn't be more thankful for Dr. Birnbaum and diagnosing me. I was very nervous to start taking a biologic and him and his staff reassured me that it was safe and answered the million questions I had about it. My only gripe with his office is that they don't call to confirm or remind you of appointments (that you scheduled 6 months out) and the online portal they use is super out dated and not user friendly at all. I accidentally no showed an appointment because I was never reminded of it (which I should know about, but hey we get busy) I didn't get charged, but I felt bad for wasting Dr. Birnbaums time. My biggest piece of feedback for the office is just to call 48 hours before appointments to remind your patients! We get busy :) read more

Dr. Birnbaum worked with me to find the best medication for my RA. He is kind and thoughtful.

I LOVE Dr Birnbaum! While listening to and hearing me is at the top of my wish list for doctors, Dr Birnbaum delivers that and much more. He is a natural communicator and teacher, patiently explaining conditions, causes, diagnoses, and treatments--in a patient (not the human kind) and understandable way. No condescension, impatient question answering, or lecturing from this wise and kind man. I wish the 80% of doctors I've encountered over the past seven decades could somehow Zoom into his exam rooms to see how patient (the human kind) interaction should and can be done. I've been lucky to find many wonderful doctors in my life, but it often took lots of time, effort and pain to find them. Dr Birnbaum is at the top of that list of wonderful doctors. read more

The other bad reviewers are right. I've never been dismissed so fast by any DR. Know it all attitude and not listening or taking me seriously. I visited him regarding full body aches and if I possibly had RA. He told me mostly women get it, flexed my hand a few different directions and visually inspected my hands and sent me on my way. It was beyond pathetic with zero effort to actually help me since I wasn't a cookie cutter case for him. Seriously, save your time and money and go else where. read more

Dr Birnbaum had my severely ill wife drive from Fairfax to San Francisco to tell her he couldn't treat her. He said because she missed her last appt 3 years ago. She was hesitant because his bedside manner is one of a know it all arrogant p***k. Seems he could have done this on the phone. It's easy to be a great doctors when you don't take the hard cases. Weak update! She died last May '18. I pulled the plug 4 days after my sons 12th birthday. These self-righteous doctors and evil healthcare system have a rude awakening coming. Thanks shithead Birnbaum. Hope I don't run into to you. Like EVER! WidowDad@46 read more

What a wonderful find ! Great bedside manner, very knowledgeable and right on with his diagnosis. If you want a terrific rheumatologis, go to him ! Frank Strom read more

I ended up seeing him when another amazing provider who I had been seeing in the practice sadly passed away. I expected the same level of care and concern from Dr. Birnbaum only to leave feeling completely shocked and disappointed and literally went to my car and cried. He's very arrogant, doesn't listen and was straight up rude in what he said and how he said it. He totally blasted the provider that passed away claiming I may have improperly diagnosed years prior. But offered no nee answers or explanations nor a plan for moving forward to treat me. I never returned and started seeking a new specialist as soon as I left that day. read more

I went to see Dr. Birnbaum the other day at the recommendation of another one of my doctors to find out the cause of what is making me ill. Unfortunately, I took a 6 mile walk and handed over $35 (my copay) to have the following dialog (two sections of my conversation with the doctor), almost word for word... Dr - "Until you figure out what is wrong with you, no one can help you." Me - "But I am not a doctor, so maybe you could recommend another doctor or brainstorm..." Dr - "There is nothing I can do for you." Me - "So you are basically throwing me to the corner and are telling me to take care of myself." Dr -"yes" I am glad I did not see Dr Birnbaum in 2000 when I went to the doctor's because I lost 5# and felt tired. That doctor didn't blow me off. I was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had surgery within weeks. So I paid Dr. Birnbaum $35 to belittle me. I think I should be refunded my money for terrible service. read more

This review is long overdue. In 2005 my feet, ankles and knees started swelling up and being painful out of nowhere. At one point it was painful for me to walk across the room. They thought I might have Rheumatoid arthritis and was referred to Dr. Birnbaum, who was out of town for a month. During that time I went and saw another doctor who said that: - I had RA even though my bloodwork didn't show it - I'd have to do on several drugs immediately which had side effects such as leukemia, hair loss and losing the ability to see color - the symptoms may lessen, but it'd be because of the medication so I'd be on these drugs for the rest of my life - the RA was going to move to my hands; I would lose the ability to work and most likely would become an invalid I was stunned. A few weeks later I saw Dr. Birnbaum who told me that I had arthritis caused by a common virus. He said he sees this all the time and I should just take Advil for pain and the symptoms would slowly go away. He was right! I've never felt relief like this. I shudder to think what my life would be like if I had never seen him and started taking all of those medications. I actually do feel that the course of my life was changed as a result of seeing Dr. Birnbaum. The phrase "highly recommended" doesn't begin to express how thankful I am to him. read more

Dont go to him if you think you have or had Lyme disease. He doesnt know what hes talking about and is using the old system that doesnt search for coinfections. He told me I 'had' Lyme in the past but no longer have it. I asked him what I should do about my symptoms and he replied, 'take ibuprofen'. When I told him it had no effect he said, 'thats my professional opinion' and would give no further advice. Hes a tradesmen who looks in his book from 1989 and makes a diagnosis based on that but he doesnt search for the root of the problem like specialists who keep up with the modern science from the last 15 years and a ton has been learned about the disease since. SEE AN LLMD. There are fantastic ones in the Bay Area if you do your research. I did and found out not only do I still have Lyme, I also have Babesia and an underactive thyroid. 18 years I've had it and doctors who ignore symptoms are the reason. Maybe hes a fine doctor when it comes to arthritis but I would recommend not going to him if you have symptoms of Lyme or have been bitten by a tick recently but specially dont go to him if you've been diagnosed with Lyme in the past and continue to have symptoms. read more

I have gone to Dr. Birnbaum for 5 years. My comments: 1. The most knowledgeable doctor in his field in the Bay Area 2. Respected nationally among the rheumatology community 3. The doctor that other doctors go to when they need guidance and advice 4. He has a wonderful bedside manner -- friendly, gentle, and very, very caring. 5. He knows all treatments' benefits and side effects and always lets you have a say in what you put into your own body. 6. Downside: He is in very high demand, so you usually have to wait a bit to see him. He is the best doctor i have probably ever been under the care of, and anyone who can get onto his patient roster is very lucky to have him. read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Birnbaum's for nearly three years now. He's a very nice man and I really appreciate the way he explains and pros and cons of the treatments I've been undergoing. He does things very gradually and with full disclosure at all times. I will say that at one point when I first saw him I was very discouraged and had stopped taking everything that he had prescribed for me. We discussed my actions at length, and I finally decided to start participating in my regime again. He is a wise man, and I highly recommend him. read more

useless front desk. treat you like they are volunteering for a position they hate. if you don't like you're job, get a different one

There are no words for what an awful, uncaring, "know-it-all" (when he actually doesn't), condescending physician this man is. He has no compassion, curiosity or concern even if you have been his patient for a while. He hates being asked questions or thinking outside the box. If you have options on your health plan, please DO NOT see him. I have unfortunately seen many doctors in my life and he is by far one of the absolute worst. Just pushes medications and it clearly "owned" by the pharma companies. Plus - he is just "milking it"before he retires and works 3 days a week, does not share calls with the other doctors in his office. When you call after hours, you will not hear back. He's a disgrace to the medical profession and seems to be in it just for the money. Does not even deserve the 1 star. Read my other reviews of doctors - they are all positive, so giving a review like this is not something I like doing, but I feel people need to know so they can make informed choices. read more

Been seeing Dr. B for 19 years and I am SO grateful for his care and treatment over that time period. The one physician I've seen the longest in my life. I'm a proactive patient when it comes to my health and he's always answered all of my questions. Dr. B is a leader in the field of rheumatology and has proactively kept me informed of new treatments and options that may be available. I also appreciate that I never feel rushed in the exam room and know that he is listening to my concerns. Lastly, when I've been between jobs or had to change insurance both Dr. B and his staff have been incredibly helpful with paperwork, etc. to ensure that I can maintain my treatment regimen. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! read more

Neal Birnbaum is so knowledgeable and so helpful it made me want to cry out of happiness. Seriously. I was "diagnosed" with "some form of rheumatoid arthritis" when I was 16. No doctor has ever given a clear diagnosis for the swelling I have in my joints (mostly swollen right knee). I am 25 tomorrow, and for those past 9 years of my life, I've been taking pretty much every single arthritis medicine out there: Prednisone, methatrexate, vioxx, azulfadine, sulindac, celebrex, over the counter drugs, you name it. I've had a few good doctors in the past (Dr. Elaine Lambert at SOAR in Redwood City, Dr. Richard Crane in New York on Park ave) but Dr. Brinbaum is the first person who has been able to listen thoroughly to my medical history, make an accurate assessment of my condition (he said "oh, so you got tested for the HLA B27 gene" before I even brought it up; he is just one step ahead always), and accurately diagnose me with a specific condition. He was even telling me the history of how this condition was discovered, the story of why it changed names, etc, which was interesting to me too. Further proof that he rocks: He drained my knee at the appointment yesterday, which can be a somewhat traumatic experience. Dr. Birnbaum is a star for a couple more reasons. 1. My knee looked a little swollen, not quite as bad as it has been in the past, but he was still able to get out 50cc's of fluid (HUGE amount) so that my knee is now fluid-free. 2. He explained that we can tell by the look of the fluid what it means as far as how far I am in remission with this condition (I had no idea this was the case, and it was encouraging news to hear) 3. He got out 50ccs of fluid and got in a cortisone shot in under a minute and with very little pain--always a plus. For these reasons, I give Dr. Birnbaum an enthusiastic 5 star review. read more

I like this guy. Dr. Birnbaum is the second rheumatologist I've seen. I have been searching for the cause of what I call "traveling tendonitis" that flares up and doesn't seem to correspond with any particular activity. When I made the appointment, I really didn't expect him to have an answer for me. And he didn't. So why do I give him 5 stars? Because he: 1) actually read my medical record before I came in. For example, he mentioned my recent graduation from law school, though I'd said nothing to him regarding my education; 2) was not dismissive of my pain and symptoms; 3) was not patronizing or condescending; 4) was very direct and plain spoken; 5) treated me with respect; 6) did not pretend to have an answer. I have, unfortunately, been to many doctors, and I'm sad to say that many of them have not displayed the aforementioned positive qualities. Most would rather purport to know what's going on even if they don't, rather than admit they don't know everything. Dr. Birnbaum conveyed his personal and professional experience/knowledge of similar cases to mine, provided some helpful feedback and generally made me feel like I'd been heard and wasn't making up the pain I've been experiencing. I left the appointment appreciative of not having my pain dismissed as "overuse" injuries and a good idea of the direction I should take in finding an answer to my chronic tendon issues. I would recommend this guy. read more

He's the best... In this day and age, to get a doctor with both the time AND experience is a godsend. I saw him this morning as a new patient: he listened carefully even while taking careful notes and really got to the heart of the matter. Another plus: he's on an electronic records platform so is able to coordinate with other docs of mine also on same platform. read more

Excellent Doc...top of his field...And what I really like is that he is not overly cautious and negative, but thorough, relaxed and observant. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Birnbaum's for over eight years, shortly after my diagnosis with RA. I am not the easiest patient in the world, as I am a health care provider, and am outspoken about my own medical care. Dr. Birnbaum is, perhaps, the best rheumatologist I've encountered in my own 30+ years of practice. (If you knew me, you'd realize that this is not something I'd say lightly.) He is thorough, up-to-date, and willing to take the time to explore treatment alternatives and options. Decisions are made with the full participation of the patient, and he is willing to listen and discuss your concerns and opinions. In my experience, he returns all phone calls on the same day! His office staff is friendly and responsive, both in person and over the telephone. For a physician to receive a 5-star rating from this VERY difficult patient is a feat, indeed, and Dr. Birnbaum deserves every one of them! read more

Birnbaum is superb. I see Dr. Birnbaum for bad knees and other autoimmune issues. During my first visit a year ago, he pulled out a color rendition of knees and explained what's going on and what to expect from a knee replacement. No one in 10 years of doctor visits has done that. During today's visit he showed me exercises and other natural considerations to help me stay in as good condition as possible to avoid surgery. He discussed the latest treatments and the outcomes. Our appt time together was at least 15 whole minutes. HE IS THE BEST. read more

Years ago I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease by Dr. Birnbaum. Over the subsequent 6 months we tried 3 different treatments until finally it seemed to be gone. I have not experienced any symptoms since. When I read now about the suffering others have as a result of Lyme Disease, I am that much more grateful for Dr. Birnbaum's diagnosis and treatment. read more

He is the best - and yes everybody knows it that's why you have to put up with a very busy office which is still completely effective.

I saw Doctor Birnbaum for the first time yesterday. He was helpful, informative and and had a terrific bedside manner. I found him to be a knowledgable physician and a very nice human being. read more

Why the heck do they make you wait.. . .? Despite it, found the Dr to be very approchable and took time to look into my complaints. Good bed side manners and had my treatment plan toghether quickly and. . . .IT WORKED. Good sense of humor and the staff is helpful as well. My regular DR, who had been treating my complaints for months (yes, I am that stupid) did not recognize the problem as quickly nor, or course, resolve it either the way Dr. Birnbaum did it in such a short period of time. Most recommeded in my book. read more

I saw Dr. Birnbaum for same day appt when I had serious pain and swelling in my left metacarpals that was worse than anything I had ever had. He was the only doctor of 4 or 5 who accepted an urgent call to be seen the same day. The only other alternative was a doc in the box at an urgent center. Dr. Birnbaum's were good and professional and did me an ice pack when I asked. Dr. Birnbaum was efficient and got the core of what us a likely worsening gout problem. Seeing I was in pain, he opted to use his clinical judgment and start my treatment right there followed by scripts. The dose titration and management of the disease was well described and he clearly set up the best standard for starting a new drug with the risk for side effects. I was feeling better with an hour or two because he treated me on his clinical skills immediately rather than waiting a few days for labs and leaving me to suffer. As a physician from a family of physicians dedicated to high quality care, I think Dr Birnbaum is the attentive, experienced and responsive physician that we are losing now in the US. read more