I am here today to pick up all my medical records. Unfortunately, Geo, who took amazing care of me, left to go to Kaiser. I have had four doctors recently leave to go to Kaiser not sure why. I just want to say that Geo will be so missed. Thank you for the wonderful care I received. 7/20/26 read more

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I absolutely love the providers at this office. I have seen the PA, Matthew I think is his name. He was attentive & listened to all of my concerns. One thing had lead to another & now I see Dr. Vagilarsky there. He has been exceptional. This is hounds-down the most proactive, thorough & professional provider I've had the pleasure of working with. He is kind, thoughtful & always asks if I need anything else from him. He's performed two procedures on me & I've had no complications with either. It's genuinely challenging finding good doctors, especially specialists these days but thankfully, he's been mine. I will always recommended this facility based on the level of care I've received from him. read more

First off, I've had two colonoscopies before that were not like this. Since I had polyps seven years ago, and was supposed to re-screen at five years, I was getting nervous because it had been too long. My procedure was not until 1 in the afternoon and it was an 1.5 hour drive to the center. At about 10am the center called and asked if I could come in earlier. I said I wasn't sure because I was still prepping, but I would try. When I checked in, I told the nurse that I would prefer as light sedation as possible and she "made a note of it." She handed me a bag for my clothes and pointed me to a small bathroom (with nowhere to sit and change). Then I walked to the bed - which was in the middle of the floor - with other people in curtained off partitions around me. They started an IV. The nurse was training another nurse (or tech), and the tech and I went careening down the hallway in the bed at fast speeds, where she nearly lost control of the bed and almost missed the turn into the surgery room. Once we entered the procedure suite at this speed, we almost ripped off some tubing that was mounted to the wall. After our joyride, they got the bed in position and then the nurse talked the trainee through the next steps. She was speaking as if I wasn't there, explaining things to the trainee. The nurse then held up a vial of something that was going to go in the IV and said, "so you use x amount. No wait, that's wrong. Oh, it's right." I got a little nervous. I hadn't seen the doctor since I arrived - just the nurse and the trainee. I guess they started the sedation because in a moment I was out. They woke me up. It was over. I was so out of it I couldn't speak and was very dizzy. I croaked out the word "water" and they told me flat out no. Then they lifted my feet and brought them over the edge of the bed. They helped me stand up, handed me the plastic bag with my clothes, pointed to the bathroom, and let me stumble shakily away, unable to see much without my contact lenses. In the dim bathroom I was still very dizzy and couldn't focus. I felt completely out of it. There was nowhere to sit (unless I wanted to sit on the toilet). I almost fell several times while trying to get my pants on. I got (mostly) dressed, then lurched back out. Someone pointed me down the hall to a foyer by the exit door where they said my daughter was waiting. I sat down in a chair and promptly nodded off. The doctor (apparently) came, told my daughter everything was fine, and then we were rushed out. I staggered to the car and got in. Thirsty and starving, I guess we went through a drive-through. And I also guess I ate what I bought - I have no recollection. We drove the1.5 hours home, where I fell into bed, sleeping for at least four hours. When I woke up, I was disoriented. Getting out of bed, I noticed that I was wearing one of my (favorite) socks and one hospital sock. In my state, I had not been able to dress myself properly. I went into the living room, lay down on the sofa, and apparently ordered red licorice and crackers through Instacart (I don't remember that either, except trying to do something on my phone that was hard to do). I slept on and off on the sofa the remainder of the evening, then slipped back into bed. The next morning I woke up still feeling groggy and out of it, and very crabby. That feeling lasted all day. I was left to wonder what type of "light" sedation they gave me. How much did they administer? Why did I feel so out of it for so long? I also wondered if the doctor had actually done the procedure or if the nurse(s) did. I will never know as I did not see the doctor before the procedure. It felt very "assembly-line"ish and they had at least 2-3 openings for colonoscopies every day. That should've been my sign. Next time, I will go somewhere else. This was nothing like my previous colonoscopies and what other people have told me about their experiences. I felt like the staff just wanted this done so they could go home. read more

I had a great experience, from the front office to see Geo Matthews. He spent a lot of time with me, and seemed genuinely concerned about helping me. Had an endoscopy done by the Dr. at the surgery center and everything went very well. read more

I had a colonoscopy at the Digestive Disease Center Surgery . The staff and doctor were very nice and friendly . They made me feel very comfortable and the doctor explained everything to me after it was over . read more

Dr Geo Matthews is great. He recommended and endoscopy and it couldn't have gone better. Fast appt; fast check-in and every one of the nurses at the surgery center were fantastic. Dr. Vagliarsky was great; listened to my concerns and the procedure was very easy. He is always kind and always does a great job when I have had to have a colonoscopy or endoscopy. I have never had anything but a great experience read more

I've had two colonoscopies with this practice and I'm extremely satisfied with the way the office staff and physician treated me. There's a family history of colon cancer. I have a history of pre-cancerous polyps and always go into these things. Very concerned... I find the staff very supportive, which is not the norm here in Bakersfield And retired medical professional. I'm very disappointed with what I see here in KERN COUNTY so most of my care gets taken care of elsewhere... I see Dr. Vagliarski and I think he's marvelous. He's very good at teaching. He's not just a treat and street surgeon... He has a kind manner and He'll explain things in detail and give you visuals so that you understand. I could compare him to a previous gastroenterologist I had when I was living out of the area and I would say he's equivalent... Both were very well organized and efficient at not just the procedure and the light sedation. They were both very good about getting back to you immediately with the results and explaining everything... And I do love the office staff... There's nothing worse than me, spirited arrogant gatekeepers. They'll turn you away from a good doctor any day... The staff wasn't like that with me and I would recommend this practice to anyone read more

I had a EGD at the surgery center associated with the DDC. The staff is absolutely wonderful and very caring. Julie was the RN that started my IV and got me checked in. Such a sweet lady. I forgot the RN's name in the procedure but she was also very kind. I believe her name was Emma or Emily. Dr. V greeted me when I got into the procedure. That meant a lot as I previously had a Colonoscopy WITH ANOTHER doctor and he never acknowledged me. I love Dr. V and wouldn't see any other doctor. I highly recommend the Digestive Center and their surgery center. read more

Had a procedure here once but I've been here 3 times. So far, my experiences are ok. They have two connecting offices; one for consultations/follow-ups and the other side is for the actual procedures. The receptionists on both sides were nice and professional. They are not your typical family doctor that knows you very well, which I understand because they don't see the same people like your family doctor would. Trust me, you don't want to be a repeat patient when it comes to Digestive diseases! Inside the consultation side of the clinic, all the technicians and PA'S were very nice, friendly, and tend to talk more about personal stuff (there's your sign!) Because they have to :). On the other side of the wall, the nurses are attentive and very caring. HOWEVER, the plastic needle of my IV was not inserted perfectly so I was uncomfortable the entire time I was waiting for my procedure. I mentioned it to the nurse and she asked if I want her to do it again (since it meant she has to poke me again, I said no :() Wrong decision! 30 minutes later, they rolled me into the procedure room. I couldn't stand the discomfort anymore, I told the nurse that my IV was really hurting, she fixed it and oh my! It made a huge difference! Lesson learned, I should have let the nurse fix the IV when she offered the first time, because the discomfort, was not worth it. For my follow up check-up, the receptionist was friendlier than before, PA was the same but the staff inside was having a bad day. She did not even smile or make eye contact. I have another follow up appointment in two months. Let's see if something changes, definitely I hope for the better. read more

Digestive Disease Center - Front desk - Medical Centers Near Me - Bakersfield, California

please do not go here if you want to be treated like a human being! this place (d.d.c. & p.s.c.) will treat you like an object on an assembly line! i have had to discuss my experience in therapy as it was that traumatizing! do i start with that lack of informing me about my options around sedation and painkillers?! or the lack of listening to my screaming and begging to stop the procedure as i kept complaining of very intense pain?! pain that i had to go to the hospital a few days later to get checked and pain that lasted over 3 weeks!!! do i start with being on the phone with the head nurse a few days later for her to tell me "people say stop during this procedure all the time, but they don't mean it" - i meant it and you can't tell other people what they mean or want with their body! do i start with the lack of privacy during and after? the lack of communicating what is happening next? the sedating me over and over when i would have never agreed to sedation in the first place if i knew that was an option?! i don't even take baby aspirin for my chronic pain in my day to day life, i would have never agreed to painkillers if it was made clear this procedure could have been done completely without them or sedation. do i start with the nurse full on slapping my arm over & over to wake a vein that you only needed to lightly tap?! do i start with the waking up in a bathroom completely alone & barely able to keep balance as i felt over sedated? do i start with i didn't even get the chance to say one word to the dr?! it is hard to fully express through simple text what an awful experience this was and i completely wish i never went here or did this procedure regardless on the health issues i am dealing with and were made worse ever since this experience! read more

The front office staff are not at all friendly. The rooms are so small they only have room for two people. Came here to get results on possible cancer biopsy. I will definitely be going to UCLA or USC where they are more friendly and treat you with respect and dignity. Whomever manages this center really needs to train front office staff on how to treat patience with some respect and dignity. Professionalism is lacking here and the uncaring attitude toward the patient is sad. You can tell they don't like their job, they all look pissed they have to work. No smiles or friendly demeanor here. Very negative feel here. read more

I will never return here. Geo Matthew talked down to me, was rude and unprofessional with me as well. He rolls his eyes, is sarcastic and condescending! He even told me " this appt is done" and stormed out of the office! Who acts this way towards a patient? He literally threw a tantrum and made a scene. He flung the door open so hard it hit the wall and made a loud smack noise!! The front office staff witnessed the event too. I was so shocked and shaken up by this. I was trembling and embarrassed that he made a scene. I didn't expect it at all. The triggering event was that I told him that I was in pain and didn't appreciate the eye rolling. I'm being referred back to a G.I and had to do some research to ensure that I'm not being referred back here!! Whew..thank goodness I'm not!! My awful experience occurred a few years back and left a lasting impression. read more

Do you know what is absolutely, horrendously rude and mean and unprofessional? When they don't let you say goodbye or give a kiss to your spouse before he has a procedure. This place SUCKS!!! I DO NOT recommend Digestive Disease Center Premier Surgery Center. They said I couldn't go back while they checked him in. Ok. I SPECIFICALLY asked if I would see him after he was done at the desk (check in desk in the next room). She said yes. So we didn't say goodbye because we knewwe'd see each other in a few minutes. I just asked the front desk girl when I get to go back. She's like, "Oh, not until they are done with the procedure". I am furious, frustrated, and offended. I didn't say bye or I love you or kiss him because, based on what the girl said, I figured I'd tell him that when I went back before they took him in to the procedure theatre. Just because they have such bad relationships with their significant others, that they don't need to say goodbye in case it is the last time they ever see them alive, doesn't give them the right to push those crappy sentiments on me! read more

You know. I really had a tough time deciding how I was going to rate this place. I have been here 3 times: once for an outrageously priced appointment (where I got an Rx and a referral to the other side of the building for a procedure), and twice on the endoscopy side for 2 different procedures. I had a procedure Monday where the receptionist and intake nurses were very friendly. This is where I get a little annoyed at the way I was treated. RIGHT as I was being sedated, I asked my RN if I was going to be okay...just for the reassurance. Her name is Phyllis...she grimaced and shrugged. That is like, the LAST thing you want as a reaction to whether or not you're going to be okay! Anyway, I was awake most of the procedure crying and talking. Afterwards in recovery, a few nurses (I only remember Judy as I happened to have her as my intake nurse a couple days later) were very unfriendly while I was coming out of my sedation...do you think I won't remember you being rude to me?! Next procedure 2 days later: Sylvia (receptionist) was kind as always. I told my intake nurses Judy & Phyllis how I woke up during my last procedure and to please give me more medicine so I am not awake and talking during this one. They refused stating I would "be fine." NOPE! I was awake with tears streaming down my cheeks this time. What really upsets me though, is that my mom went it a day after me, asked for extra sedation and they gave it to her. I feel like the kindness of the receptionist doesn't make up for these poor qualities due to the fact that they are all connected and the actual procedure weighs a little heavier in my mind. I am still emotionally upset at the memories I have of my procedures and HIGHLY recommend you do not have your procedure here unless you can convince them to thoroughly sedate you. Even then, they'll bully you in recovery. :( read more

Dr. Vagliarsky, is the doctor who had taken care of us for years! He has great bedside manners and thorough in his examination. He and his staff are professional well trained. We will be back. It was actually not a bad experience for a Colonoscopyowa read more

Terrible billing dept.. They will try to bill you twice. Went for procedure in March paid copay. Come September they billed me for copay tried to tell me that's how they do. I told them that you won't get your procedure unless you pay up front. Billing told me that it's co-insurance payment. Really. I let them know that we don't have a "co-insurance" payment. Then billing told me that "it was a mistake". So they did this to me once before, but, I didn't have a receipt, I payed cash, so I had to pay again. BEWARE read more

I began going to this facility in January of 2014 with very serious symptom complaints. Even though I lived, worked, and went to school in AZ, my insurance carrier would only allow me to receive care in California. The commute is around 9 hours and is not cheap. This made my case, rather. difficult for the office, but not extremely so.The physician I saw was named Geo Matthew and he, along with many on the clerical staff, are the worst medical professionals I've ever encountered. I had two procedures performed here, both of which I was not sedated thoroughly enough before beginning. Not only was this traumatizing, but extremely uncomfortable and painful. After these procedures, the doctor on duty prematurely diagnosed me with Crohn's Disease and began me on medications to treat the condition. After not responding to medications, the office decides to put in a request for an IV Biological treatment. A couple of days after the order is submitted, I returned to the office before embarking on another journey back to Arizona (with the hopes of returning to California to receive biological treatment) with complaints of severe pain and constipation (2 atypical symptoms of Crohn's). The PA, Geo Matthew, treated me like I was a waste of his time and told me to "drink some miralax on the drive". Feeling like I have no help, I leave for California. It wasn't even 5 hours later, in the middle of the trip, that I knew I needed to seek emergency medical attention immediately. Thankfully, the hospital in Arizona provided impeccable care. I was admitted as "Obstipated", a type of constipation that is capable of rupturing internal organs and usually requires prompt medical attention. The worst part: The hospital in AZ believes I never had Crohn's in the first place. In fact, the medications they had me on could have potentially caused my hospitalization. AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS. read more

Had a procedure done here, 1st colonoscopy ever.the pre procedure nurse was very polite introduced herself and was friendly. After that point nobody talked to me, introduced themselves or smiled. This would be the procedure nurse, dr and d/c nurse, would not recommend this place to anyone. Very unprofessional. read more

I had colonoscopy and gastroscopy procedures performed by Dr. Vagliarsky. Dr. Vagliarsky is a professional, knowledgeable and compassionate gastroenterologist. I was very pleased with the staff and the physician treatment. I highly recommend Dr. Vagliarsky and his Digestive Disease Center Clinic to everyone. read more

To start off with, I am a Nurse and I understand being busy. My first visit should have told me something was wrong. My appointment time was 430 and I was called back at 530. I didnt see the Doctor for another hour. The MD was short and didnt really seem prepared to see me. The PA is the nice on ein the bunch, but there again, is pressed for time as well. As for the rest of the staff, not really any other word describes them other than RUDE. If you call the office, you get the RUDE front desk person. If you tell them you NEED to speak to a person in another department ie medical records, you ALWAYS get the voice mail. If you dare to call back, you get put on TERMINAL HOLD...Tired enough I am changing Doctors read more

This office did a couple procedures on me and everything went well. Staff was nice. PA-C Geo. Matthew was very nice and explained things completely. I had a good experience here. My procedure next door in the outpatient clinic was fine. Nurses were nice and my Dr. was very nice. It was fine. Not great, not trendy, not fancy offices, but fine. THis place is very "vanilla". No bells and whistles, just business. That works for me. read more

I was a patient of Geo Mathews for 5 months. I was having violent pain in my stomach. First they did a scope. They said I had a minor case of acid reflux. They gave me some drugs then sent me on my way. This went on for months. I never got any better. Finally, they did a hydascan for my galbladder. The hydascan came back negative. However, when I drank the Insure, (drinking an Insure is part of the test) I became violently sick. Geo did not catch on to this. I even caught Geo rolling his eyes at me when I would explain my symptoms. I finally got an appointment and was seen by Dr Matuk. He caught on to the symptoms from my explanation and from the hydascan. Dr Matuk had my gallbladder out within 3 weeks. I am completely back to normal now. So, the moral of the story is, if you want to stay sick and be belittled, then go see Dr. Geo. It was the worst experience I have ever had with a doctor. And one more thing, the woman that answers the phone is rude. Robert Ben Walker read more

Not a great way to run an office. Written appointment for a procedure. Do the 1.5 day prep. Arrive at procedure time only to find out that they supposedly called to reschedule the date but left NO MESSAGE. NONE. They say they did. They did not. No message. Not even a call in. Looked back 30 days. Instead of calling off the hook to make sure the patient gets the message, or sending a text or emailing which they have all, it was just cancel, as someone made a colossal mistake. Oh, well, you can starve another day and come back tomorrow. Really bad way to run your services. read more