I forgot the time of my sons appointment and we ended up showing up on the wrong day, and I was dismayed that the office is kept in a run down state (peeling paint outside, scuffed walls inside, op shop chairs in waiting room, dusty entry porch with trash that had blown in) so I decided not to keep the appointment. If the place is not kept clean and in good condition, and nobody cares to make the place look reasonably presentable, I question the quality of the care that woukd be received. read more

Do NOT bring your baby to be circumcised here! Worst experience ever!!!!! Traumatizing. He gave my baby 2 shots of "anesthesia" to his privates, and he's still crying and screaming in pain! His cries never let up the whole procedure. The DR GARY TALKS TOO FUCKIN MUCH! He's talking, talking, talking during the procedure like my son is a fuckin doll that he's practicing on! We just wanted him to stfu & do the procedure! After it was done, we jus wanted to GTFO!!!!! I REGRET GOING HERE! DON'T BELIEVE THE DUMBASS FAKE POSITIVE REVIEWS!!!!! NEVER GOING BACK. FUCK THIS OFFICE, FUCK YOU! read more

We love Dr. Bean! We so appreciate having a doctor that is so experienced and knowledgeable as well as relaxed and kind. It makes a big difference as first time new parents to have a doctor that counters the fear and paranoia that is seeded online these days. Dr. Bean is always encouraging and reassuring and takes lots of time to answer all our questions and explain things to us. read more

He's been our family pediatrician since I myself was a child and while he is amazing that receptionist of his is not at all. She literally picks up the phone and says "hello" as if she's on her cell. Unnecessarily nasty and inappropriate behavior. read more

Absolutely one of the most caring Health professionals ever! He circumcised my grandson. He was very attentive, and explained everything so that we would understand the procedure. made us feel really comfortable, highly recommend him !!! read more

We love Dr. Bean and the whole team. They take so much time with your children and it feels like they truly care about their overall well-being. read more

Our pediatrician recommended Dr. Bean's office for our sons circumcision. The office itself is old and outdated, but free of clutter. I took off a star because of the front desk. The only problem I had was that the young lady at the front window didn't seem to know what she was doing. Now for the part that really matters.. Yes, I would definitely recommend Dr. Bean to perform a circumcision! You can tell he's confident in what he's doing, and even educates you throughout the process. That really helped calm my nerves. Healing and at home care was a breeze. In the op room, there was a ton of free formula for patients to take, if needed. I breastfeed exclusively, but I thought that was awesome too. read more

If I could give Dr.Beane more stars I would... I took my son here to get circumcised (which came out AMAZING btw!!!) and my experience is one that I will never forget. Dr.Beane is very personable, knowledgeable, patient, and thorough. He explained every step, every instrument, and every incision that he used on my son the entire procedure and that was very reassuring and educational. It has only been a couple days since the procedure but I can already tell that Dr.Beane did a great job! We don't have too many doctors left that are like Dr.Beane. Thankyou! Sidenote: they really do need a ramp for strollers lol read more

Gary E Bean, M.D - Pediatricians Near Me - Oakland, California

I meant to leave this comment a long time ago. But I see that it was sitting in my rough drafts lol. I love this doctor's office. Dr. Gary Bean has been my kids doctor since my daughter was born in 2008. Then 10 years later, I made sure I selected him to be my son's doctor as well. He very carrying and attentive to your child's needs. Makes sure he goes above and beyond to get you the best service possible. He done my son surgery when it was time for him to get circumcised. And let me tell you, I was about to change my mind because I was so afraid of the pain he was going to be in. But Dr. Gary Bean explained everything and should me how it was going to be before he even done the procedure to give me so much comfort. I couldn't imagine my kids having any other doctor. They're definitely going here until they're 18 years old. read more

Small office with great staff. My daughter is 2 and Dr B has been her primary since day one. I feel like they take their time addressing whatever concerns we have had, especially in the beginning when we were worried about everything thing from baby snore/sleep grunts to bumps and spots. Would recommend Doc B for any new family. read more

The doctor's here are great, however the front desk staff is horrible. Unfortunately, because of the front desk staff I am changing my daughter's pediatrician. read more

Dr Bean is AMAZING!!! I tell anyone I know to go to him. But that front office is HORRIBLE!!!! We had our first grandson circumcised there nine years ago this past Tuesday I called for my second grandson and totally bad experience with the young lady who answered the phone she say her name was Elizabeth rude and disrespectful not willing to answer questions and very rush. I made the appointment but I decided not to go. I hope something gets done about that front office it gives Dr Bean a bad look but he is amazing this procedure is special and not taking lightly and if you can't get past the front desk you will never experience the greatness of Dr Bean. read more

We went here for our son's circumcision this last Thursday and we were surprised of the service we received given all the negative reviews. Dr Bean was awesome and was super nice! We are so glad we gave him a chance and got the best service you can get. Seriously, give this practice a chance and you won't regret it! Thank you Dr Bean. read more

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Bean when my daughter was born at Alta Bates. He was my daughter pediatrician while we were there. He answered every question we had. We decided he would become our daughters permanent pediatrician. Upon arriving the waiting room is small filled with pictures of jazz musicians and a tv so your little one can watch while you wait. The room we entered was in need of some repairs, the floor was a bit cracked, and the wall had chipped paint but the room itself very clean. The room had the same display pictures and tv. Overall, Dr. Bean, and the staff are very helpful, friendly and great to work with. Cons: Parking read more

Dr.Gary Bean!!! Mashallah what a great and kind Doctor. He did my sons circumcision and charged a lot less then anywhere else. He explained every little detail before starting, he handled my child with care, he even put the diaper and clothes back on my son lol Jazak Allah Khair!! read more

He is very great the stuff is nice my son loves it. He is very smart and is amazing at what he does. And has a team that are super understanding. Really love it here and appreciate them read more

The hospital where I delivered my daughter referred me to this practice. I was told then that I didn't need to keep this doctor and could change if I wanted to. Boy, did I want to! On the one hand, this practice is centrally located in a prime area. I quickly fell in love with Save-more across the street, where I gleefully selected a cloth bag full of delightful foodstuffs to take home after office visits. I wanted to fall in love with the breakfast and coffee houses nearby too had I took the chance. The office itself is housed in a funny little building up a flight of steps. How parents navigate strollers up these steps is beyond me (I always carried my baby in a cloth sling draped across my body.). This office isn't handicapped friendly either. The receptionists are hit or miss and seem all about the money. "Cash only" signs are posted in RED CAPS. The doctor is hardly ever present, with nurse practitioners taking up the slack. I wanted to like this practice, especially after I spied the lovely black and white portraits of jazz musicians lining the walls. I almost felt at home. Unfortunately, my baby wasn't thriving as well as she could have and there was little communication as to why. No one ever asked me what my feeding plan entailed, nor did anyone explain anything. This charade continued until one rainy morning when something had to give. I take my daughter to a different practice now that serves our needs. I am getting the breastfeeding support here at this practice that I didn't get at the practice that I am currently reviewing. Women doctors actually ask me how things are going. They interact with my baby and praise my efforts as her mother. Best of all, my baby is thriving at last. No offense to this practice. It just didn't suit us at all. I have heard tremendous praise for this doctor otherwise. I did see a softer side of him toward the end. Ultimately, it wasn't the right fit. read more

Dr Bean and his wife are very good people, very comical might I add. We came here originally just for a circumcision for my boy when he was 8 days old. Dr Bean explained the procedure and made us feel comfortable that he knew what he was doing. I couldn't stay for it after the explanation but my dear boyfriend stayed with our baby through it all and it turned out great. He used plastibell so there was no aftercare cleaning or touching it which was a weight off my shoulders as I stressed cleaning it properly. We liked him so much we switched our pediatrician services over here from new day pediatrics. read more

Dr. Bean is a decent doctor but he is hardly even present anymore. That being said, I would caution anyone thinking about using this doctor because the staff is completely rude and incompetent. They have been dicking me around for a month over my child's immunization records. It is the same shit over and over. They are dismissive over the phone and say they always swear they will call you back but they never do! If I can possibly save anyone else from this headache then I will feel as if I've done some good in this world. Trust me when I say that you do not want to put your child's health and well being in those particular hands. Your kids deserve better and you as patents deserve a helluva lot better too. Screw those people! read more

For the first few years after we transferred our boys to Dr. Bean's office, it was fine. This was back in '05-'06. We didn't always get him for our appointments, but his nurse practitioners or whichever Dr. was on call. This was fine. When we did get Dr. Bean directly, he was always easy going, kind and comforting for the kids (especially since they're boys and he's male). He has jazz photos on the walls which my boys loved and would always ask Dr. Bean about them. Dr. Bean would talk about jazz and seemed very knowledgeable to my boys' delight. It wasn't until I became concerned about my son having issues at school pertaining to learning disabilities and possible ADD/ADHD that things started changing. Or more specifically his attitude changed. I started getting little snide remarks about my insurance plan, like jokey sort of sarcastic remarks that I just wrote off because I'm thinking "oh, he must be having a busy stressful day", Then, he would be pointed in saying that the office didn't make copies anymore or getting really sarcastic when I requested that he provide a notice regarding the boys' health issues pertaining to lead in my apartment (that's complicated so I won't get into that). I found out the hard way his stance on lead and children's exposure to lead in an old apartment building. I've discovered that he supplied my ex with the children's records around the time that my ex decided to keep the children out of state with him after they were initially going to just stay with him on vacation. I understand that as the boys' father, he has a right to a copy (heh.) of the boys records, BUT for one, he didn't bother to check in with me as the mother who had consistently brought the boys in to their various appointments. As of now, I am pondering whether to take this man to court or not. I hope someone brings this review to his attention, because I don't know if he is really aware of his part in this whole custody mess that is going on now. Did my family have a lot of issues? I don't think any more than the average single mother with two little boys. The fact that the boys' father supplied their insurance and that there might have been issues with that, does not give him the excuse to consistently give me attitude when I had questions, or a requests or when we came in. Nevertheless, the boys have not been back . Maybe his practice is struggling, who knows? But he needs to check himself. Regardless of how he felt about me and/or my insurance, my family or whatever, whether his practice is struggling, he still makes a lot more money than most of us AND I don't care how bad a day you might be having my day might've been worse but I'm not going to make my patients feel inferior, no matter what. read more

I wanted to like Dr. Bean and his practice... (I searched high and low for an African American Doctor) But my first visit and then the phone interaction today sealed the deal of not wanting to take my child here anymore. Everyone is correct about the staff! Rude and dismissive. And the Paid street parking sucks. Office is old. Stairs in front with no ramp for strollers. The first visit, we were seen by a NP. When presented with some forms to sign about decline of shots, we chose not to sign. Then entered Bean. He and his wife questioned us over and over. Tried to get us to sign then ultimately gave up when we didn't give in. To smooth things over he stayed in the room and talked with us. However we he called my child "it" ... That completely turned me off. So today I called the office because I wanted to get a copy of my child's medical records and it was like pulling teeth. The phone interaction made me feel like I was bothering them. They told me dr bean would give me a call. He called not too long after...he was a bit rude and also had a dismissive tone. (I had a homebirth and needed my child's med records to apply for her SS #. The SS office said I just needed something with my child's name, DOB and record number from them. Since I am not doing immunization shots) I let Bean know this and he insisted that I need to draft my own letter to give to the SS office and bring it up to the office and he will sign within 48 hrs. So I would have to go there drop the letter off, wait two day then go and pick it up. Did I mention I live an hour away from the office! But my thing is why can't I just have a copy of MY CHILD's records?! And why do I have to do your work of writing a letter?! This turned me off even more and said F it! I'm finding a new doctor. read more

It's been 7 or so years since I last spoke to and visited Dr. Bean's office, which makes me feel like I should really get in touch with him again. My brothers and I saw him from the time that we were in kinder until high school. Seriously, what an awesome pediatrician. I remember there was a fuzzy monkey clipped on his stethoscope and we received stickers at the end of each visit, which made seeing Dr. Bean all the better. I also remember talking to him about applying to colleges and he recommended that I buy a laptop. For some reason, I didn't listen to him and I regretted it for the next 5 years. read more

We love Dr. Bean.he did both our sons' circumcision. My cousin referred me. He did her son's circumcision. We love how special he makes the ritual of circumcision in his office for the family and baby. He is kind and great customer service. We also appreciate the gifts he has ready to offer families. Dr. Bean is AWESOME!!! read more

Dr Bean is fantastic. My husband and I decided he might be the best doctor we've ever interacted with. We brought our new daughter who has a medical issue and he jumped on it even though it isn't critical. He called over to Oakland Childrens Hospital and got us in for an appointment right away the same day! He had all those numbers in his phone and called right in front of us. The people on the other end of the call seemed happy to hear from him and they seemed to be very familiar with him. His front desk staff is ok. They could use a bit of a brush up on their attitude. Also, they only take cash as a copay which is a bit annoying. read more

I would love to give this practice 5 stars but the wait for your appt. is OUT OF CONTROL. They need to get the scheduling down. Other than that, Palavi, Dr. Parish and Dr. Bean are all wonderful. They are great with my little guy and I highly recommend them. read more

Black practice with two latina woman running the front desk very rude ppl dr bean circumcised my son and pretty much begged me to change him to his pediatrician but once I was here I didn't see dr bean from the time my son has been circumcised it's been a year read more

Misdiagnosed my daughter, unprofessional, the office is so outdated (it's been the same for over 15 years use to be a patient), the staff isn't great, lastly gave my 1 year old shots in her arm instead of her thigh. Don't bring your kids here. read more

I came here 8 years ago to get my son circumcised and Dr. Bean did an amazing job and explained everything to me before starting the procedure. I just had another son and we took him today to see Dr. Bean and get his circumcision done. Dr. Bean did not disappoint, he is still amazing at doing these procedures. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who is considering getting their son's circumcised. Staff was very nice as well, just like 8 years ago. read more

Gary E Bean, M.D - The Set-Up - Pediatricians Near Me - Oakland, California

Dr. Bean is very good with the kids & very patient. He is so polite & will even call the pharmacy in front of you after your appointment to ensure that it can be ready soon. He even answers the phone once in a while! Now how many doctors do you know does this? His office is a bit old school. No handicap/stroller access & older medical tables. After reading the horrible front office stories, I make sure I have all my paperwork needed when I sign in & I keep conversations to a minimum. But my husband just went there yesterday & noticed new faces. Looks like Dr. Bean is doing a clean up. Even with the other reviews of him never being there (which is slightly true since he has another office in Emeryville), another nurse practicioner is always around. She is just as nice & helpful. read more

It has been 10 years that we have used Dr. Gary Bean for my three children. He is an EXCELLENT doctor and really takes the time to review all of your questions and I respect his opinion. I have dealt with sicknesses from a newborn with SEVERE jaundice to a sore throat. There is NO more rude staff at the front desk. The new staff is very friendly and helpful. I can always get a last minute sick visit, even if I have to wait a bit longer, but it is sooo worth it. He has great connections at Children's Hospital in Oakland and when my daughter had to be hospitalized on multiple times he spped up the process for check in. He came to visit her daily while she was in the hospital. ALL of the nurse practitioners are REALLY good. All very friendly and informative. If you want the BEST care of your child, please come HERE. read more

Dr Bean is the best. He always makes time for us and spends time with our daughter to really get to know and understand her. He also makes a special effort to listen to our questions and offer more than canned answers to these two first time parents. It's a throw back to how doctor offices used to be and I really appreciate it. read more

Dr. Bean: I have brought my son there since he was a baby. You and your staff have done an excellent service. I know it is difficult with the demands in a very populated area. I understand the cash requirement and have found your risk to take me on my word very appreciative. Your staff has been responsive when needed, albeit I am not an overly paranoid mother who needs constant direction. I have read your other reviews and I found them a bit harsh. I have no personal interest in writing this review, just a mother who appreciates you and your wife working in the office to service a large population. You are doing well. You have always responded when it has been urgent. Thank you! It may take a bit to get into the office but you are accommodating on short notice none the less. Thank you! I do recommend you to others in the area and think that you are a caring and responsive doctor. Not sure how far you must go to make others feel special but my son feels comfortable and that is enough for me. Thank you! Stacey read more

Great conversationalist and eager to teach you about your baby development. He's always available to help with your baby questions. New parents don't need to worry as long as you have the Bean in you pocket. read more

Dr. Bean and his team are incredible. We've been with him for 19 years and four children, not to mention he was my pediatrician too! The care and personal relationship he takes time to develop can't be replaced. Whether it's an emergency visit or call in the middle of the night he will always make time. read more

Dr bean has been both of my son's (ages 14 and 2) pediatrician since they were born. Dr Bean and Calisha are excellent and very patient. I see other reviews about the wait to be seen but it's well worth the wait because of the personal care and attention that is given to your children when they are seen. Ive never felt rushed out the office because they take their time with each patient to make sure all your questions are answered and nothing was missed, in my opinion I rather wait 15 to 30 minutes in the lobby knowing that that same time and patience is going to be taken in my child's visit as well. So those who are making the wait in the lobby a big deal should probably ask yourself what is more important your time or the quality off care for your child! I chose the quality of care and absolute trust in my childrens Doctor. I live in the Eastbay and I refuse to take my kids to any other Dr because I ABSOLUTELY trust Dr Bean. Side note he was also my pediatrician until I was 17 almost 30 years ago. Lol read more

Dr. Bean is an excellent clinician, HOWEVER . . . Today was the last straw. I took my baby in to get an H1N1 shot (only because Dr. Bean's office was the only place where we could get it; I've actually already switched practices). We arrived for our appointment 5 minutes early. There were parents and sick children waiting outside on the front steps. The door was locked, and there was a sign on the front door saying "back at 1:30." Well, it was 1:40. We all waited outside, with more patients arriving, until 2:10. The front office staff finally trickled in with no sense of urgency, mumbling, "sorry to keep you waiting." I was fit to be tied. No explanation other than, "We got held up at a meeting at the other office." Sorry, not acceptable. I hesitate writing this review, because Dr. Bean really is an outstanding pediatrician. He explains things well, he is a good listener, he is compassionate, and he knows his stuff. If my child had a serious illness, I would want Dr. Bean as her doctor. He was a god-send when I was a new mom. However, the situation I described above isn't out of the ordinary for Glenview Pediatrics. I had been taking my kids there for 6 years. The average wait time is 45 minutes to an hour. That's average - I've waited 2 hours. Finally, I just got fed up and switched doctors. Today just proved that I did the right thing. As the other reviewer commented, the front office staff is incompetent and rude. The cash-only co-pay is odd, but isn't that big of a deal as I only have a $15 co-pay. The office is plastered with all these home-made taped-up signs saying things like "DON'T PARK IN THE BACK PARKING LOT!!!" and "CASH ONLY!!!" It's very unprofessional. You don't always get to see Dr. Bean either. It's completely hit or miss. Some of his nurses and doctors are excellent, others not so much. The woman we saw today never introduced herself so I have no idea who she was or if she was a nurse or a doctor. I was in and out of my new doctor's office last week for the seasonal flu shot in 10 minutes. For shots, well-baby visits, and run of the mill illnesses, you can do much better than Glenview Pediatrics. And you won't have to take off an entire day of work. read more

The rumors are true. You'll be continuously frustrated dealing with this outfit. The only time you won't be upset is when you're actually interacting with Dr. Bean, which is VERY rarely. He's a good MD, but there are lots of good MDs out there who don't have a bunch of delinquent ruffians for office staffers. When my wife and I finally got fed up (should have done it way sooner), we switched to Karin Schiffman MD in Berkeley (http://www.yelp.com/biz/karin-schiffman-md-berkeley). Karin has been stupendous and we literally have no complaints - it was like a breath of fresh air. Don't be held captive by wondering if there are any other good pediatricians out there - there are! read more

I have to agree with the most recent review. We've only been to Dr. Bean a few times after moving to the area and I really liked him but have decided to switch in large part because of the office staff. The no-cash policy is ultimately the deal breaker, especially since we have a deductible - who carries that kind of cash around...I had to schlep my toddler out to the little grocery store ATM, pay $4+ in fees in order to pay in cash since they wouldn't take the credit card I specifically have for paying my deductible. The no-cash policy might not be a big deal if you just have the standard co-pay but for us it's a major inconvenience. And I just don't get it - even Zachary's takes debit and credit cards now! And the office staff is so incredibly rude. It's completely unprofessional and unacceptable and makes me dread having to even call, let alone go in for an appointment. The nurses are a little better but not great. Dr. Bean seems to be an excellent doctor with a nice personality and my son seemed to enjoy looking at all the jazz photos he has up around the office, but I just can't take the rest of the entire experience. He gets glowing reviews here and on BPN so if you can stand the staff/office experience it might be worth it, but it's too much for me. My search for the perfect pediatrician continues... read more

Yes, Dr. Bean is a nice man and a good MD. But his office is poorly run. Here are the reasons why I've decided to leave Dr. Bean's office: The office staff is unfriendly and unhelpful. The wait times are unreasonable. Often times, I've waited 50+ minutes for my children to be seen for sick and for well-visits. I've called the advice nurse twice over the course of the last 6 months to ask questions. I was told she was busy, so I left a message but she never called me back (either time). I had a newborn with a fever and called after-hours. Left a message (with the answering service) for the on-call physician, but never received a call back. I was repeatedly told that they did not have the H1N1 vaccine, so I took my family to a county health clinic, only to find out the next day that indeed Dr. Bean's office did have the vaccine (I was just given the wrong information 3 times by the front staff). They never did get the seasonal flu shot in their office, which I think is strange. Their cash-only policy is annoying. Especially with a $30 co-pay (or $60 total if I bring in 2 kids in one visit). Their MD & nurse practicioner turn-over rate seems pretty high. I've rarely seen the same MD/NP twice in my 3 years there. read more

Does it take forever to get an appointment or a callback? Is the main office poorly ran? Unfortunately, yes. Is the wait and incompetent non medically trained staff a huge headache? Yes.... Dr. Bean was my Daughters Doc from abt 6 months to age 3. It was the Berkeley office and we had no problems whatsoever; we only left because we switched to KP. When I recently lost my KP benefits I switched her back to Garry because A) good memories and B) he now had an office a block or so away from my house right on Park and I figured she could get there on her own (she's 17 now). It took forever to get them to book her "new patent" well check, let alone call me back. And when I did get in, the receptionist had informed me whoever booked the apt made a mistake as physicals weren't done in the afternoon (since we were there, they saw her anyway). We didn't see Gary, but a wonderful female doc (wish I could remember her name). I was INCREDIBLY impressed. I had not seen a pediatrician do such a thorough physical since my daughter was maybe 5. Urine, blood test, hearing, vision- the works. KP certainly does not do all of this, let alone anyone else. Talked to her about teen stress, headaches etc, and best of all no pill pushing! One of the only docs to ever actually listen when I say "we don't do pills" in my house. I give 5 stars for the Docs. But again, you would think this place is ran by Otter from Animal House. But again- lets keep in mind how difficult it is to find a good Pediatrician! Especially one that takes any and all forms of insurance. With all of this in mind, I can just throw on my ipod and ignore the staff, just like they ignore everyone... Maybe someday Gary will read these reviews and make some changes re his receptionists- you know, ask them to do their job as well as crack a smile every once in a while. Update 6/7/2011: Ok I gave a LOT of thought over a LONG time period before I decided it was very necc for me to change my review from 5 stars to 2. It would seem the staff is getting a lot worse in this office as far as helpfulness or passing on msgs to the docs are concerned. And a lot rudder. Getting a return phone call is incredibly hit and miss. Worse part? Prescriptions for ill kids are rarely called in the same day and no one ever checks what is or isn't covered by your insurance. And the office doesn't even respond to pharmacy calling them for either A) changes in meds or B) a med which should be there not being sent there (Walgreens has gotten pretty angry over them actually). So far the least time I have waited for a script for my ill daughter to be called in would be about 20 hours after being seen and diagnosed; the most time? 4 days and many phone calls from me upset, rightfully so, especially in the case of say antibiotics which are quite necessary for curing illness. Because of all this if my Daughter is seriously ill with a high fever for any reason, I actually will skip making an appointment here now and go straight to the hospital only using this office for shots, checkups, small things. Yes I would rather wait 9 hrs and get the necc. meds to fix her up as I simply am not willing to allow my kid to sit around for 3 days waiting for this office to actually fill a script they say they will while my childs braincells burn up in fever. Tragic, as these docs really are very good. BTW: Today I am going on the 2nd day of waiting for antibiotics to cure an ear infection as again someone forgot to call it in and the doc on call last night after hearing what happened simply said he doesn't give prescriptions. Um, ok. Being that this is maybe my 6th experience with forgetfulness, I had to change my review or I would be responsible for doing other parents on the hunt for a good pediatrician a major injustice. read more