For most of my adult life, lower back issues (L3, L4, L5) complicated by later onset spinal stenosis and arthritis has caused me to sample across the therapeutic continuum for relief, visiting multiple physicians with specialties in Internal Medicine, Neurosurgery and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. In addition, I experienced numerous short acting epidurals with an Interventional Radiologist. I also engaged with chiropracticers, acupuncturists, daily stretching routines, participated in physical therapy, deep tissue massage sessions, homeopathic remedies, cold pack therapy, taken muscle relaxants, opioids and NSAIDs with all of this providing at best short term, but no significant long term pain relief. In recent months things got worse, as I experiencing difficulty walking any significant distance and getting around in general. This led me to ramp up my search for a more permanent fix. In desperation, I made another appointment to see one of our highly thought of local D.C.s. At the onset of our session, and being that he had uploaded my most recent MRI, he told me candidly that chiropractic had no long term benefit in store for me, and that I needed to visit a first class spine surgeon. Wanting the best possible outcome, I searched out and interviewed numerous spine surgeons affiliated with top institutions such as Stanford, Keck USC and UCLA as well as several independents. All of the surgeons I saw appeared to meet my criteria, to have established a reputation as a first class surgeon, and having the resources to meet my needs. But in the course of my search, one surgeon stood out clearly in contrast to his peers, Thomas Hopkins, PhD MD, of Encino, CA. As a first step measure, he had me on the examination table, manipulating my lower extremities, all the time looking for clues to the source of my back pain. This was the opposite approach from other spine surgeons. They spent the initial moments of their examinations viewing my MRI and the radiologist's report. This moved me to query Dr. Hopkins about his examination protocol, why not look at the MRI and radiologist's report first as all the others had? Quite simply, to paraphrase Dr. Hopkins, he wanted to investigate my case with no preconceived notions as to the origins of my pain. Post physical examination, Dr. Hopkins scrutinized the MRI and the radiologist's report, confirming his suspicions. He felt he could help me, recommended surgery, and told me exactly what he had in mind for my case. I thought it over for a few days and decided to go with Dr. Hopkins. From that point going forward, his outstanding staff handled all my pre-surgical needs, from finding an internist for my pre-surgical physical to scheduling the surgery suite at Providence St. John's, Santa Monica. Who could have imagined that such a potentially complex surgery could be so painlessly arranged? What a relief. Prior to the surgery, the doctor came to my hospital room for a visit, as well as post surgery, and once again just before my discharge with a follow up meeting scheduled in a few weeks. I had the surgery the morning of September 15th, 2016: Unbelievable to me, by the next day, I was taking short walks around the ward floor and was discharged in the afternoon. The nagging pain has subsided, and the end is in sight. I feel like a human being once again and very confident that I will make the best possible recovery under Dr. Hopkins care. read more

I was a patient for 5 years and was only seen by the doctor one time. He was abrupt, uncaring and was not interested in anything I had to say. My husband and daughter had the same experience with him. He was very dismissive and seemed to only care about pushing his products. read more

Rude and obnoxious. Running late up to 45 minutes. Will not follow up on your referrals. Need an appointment for everything. Yelp does not allow negative ratings. read more

I will note the day after I posted this review, he messaged me in myhealthonline.com (which he said "isn't an email service" to explain away why his staff didn't respond to messages) and said "Good luck to you, we got your message. Dr.Tom." I assume this means I was kicked out of his practice but I had already switched doctors the day before, so I can't be sure. Ironically, if he and his staff were this responsive to messages we wouldn't even have had that conversation in the first place. I will also mention that during our conversation he mentioned he had 6,000 patients and based on other Yelp reviews it appears he is opening up a 4th office. There is one other doctor, 3 NPs, and a nutritionist listed among his practice's staff. I'll let you do the math and figure out if that's a doctor-to-patient ratio you're comfortable with. read more

See other reviews, my thoughts and feelings exactly. Nothing more to add. Doesn't listen and is more interested in selling GLP1s. Update as of his reply to this review: Thank you for this textbook demonstration of the 'doesn't listen' portion of my review. Is 'Get a life!' the official medical advice offered when a patient's concerns conflict with your sales goals? Get a grip. read more

I was shocked to see a few reviews - one from a David S. I have consulted with Dr. Hopkins over the years and have found him and his office staff very professional and helpful. There is high turnover in the medical field. As to hiringNPs I personally have found NPs in doctor offices to be wonderful addition- kind of like nurses in hospitals! I find that I get referrals when necessary and I'm able to get an appointment. I always get a response! The entire medical field is stretched these days. For me and my family we appreciate Dr. Tom and all he has done for us over the years! read more

Titled: "Don't let the fancy couches fool you" Unfortunately we live in a society where we down play the seriousness of precancerous conditions such as Barrett's esophagus and atypical symptoms of GI reflux such as radiating abdominal pain and severe lower back pain. Let alone explain the cause of what it is. Just keep taking your meds" they say, or "here are more meds" are the only solutions you will ever hear to your issues. Q: What's the core issue of the medical problem you are having? A: Forget about it, the doctor "only has 15 minutes for you" so you better explain your issues as fast and in as little detail as possible. That's quoted because that's what I was told after I had said "let me pull out my notes about everything that has been going on with me" because I work in healthcare and my health is IMPORTANT to me just as it should be for everyone else, so I keep things such as food journals and symptom trackers. Mind you I'm not the age where I should have very many symptoms, I am 24. Now 3 months ago I developed symptoms that started bringing a lot of anxiety into my life. I'm not an anxious person. If I was I wouldn't work in an ER. But anyways, these symptoms came with a lot of concerns, questions and repeated visits for real symptoms. After my last visit and some statements made by the famous Dr. Hopkins himself about you only got 15 minutes, made me realize that the only person who truly cares about your health, is YOURSELF. My specific concerns line up with symptoms pancreatic cancer, rare I know, but it is an awful disease that is known to make doctors think that you are crazy, you only have GERD, this and that, and before it's too late, it kills you. The only thing I can be thankful for is the NP (who is the sweetest and very caring, I have no complaint about her what's so ever) referred me to a surgeon. This surgeon was able to compensate the failed actions of not only the Hopkins office but also Dr Rangi (GI Roseville), in explaining risk, pathophysiology, and possible solutions of my issue. He agreed with me that it is "very disappointing" that such colleagues would not address the seriousness of the issue or offer real solutions. Not saying that medications aren't ever a solution but if the medications and diet aren't working then you need a different approach. You don't need to be a Doctor to figure that out. I walked in expecting orders for more test from the Dr Hopkins office and walked out with a prescription for Prozac. If you don't know what that is, it is a SSRI medication for severe anxiety and depressive disorders. That pushed me over the limit and I walked out with even more questions(more like arguments) than I walked in with. Conclusion: If you don't have many health issues, this is the place for you. If you don't care about your health, please come here. If you have medical issues and or you care about your health, I would suggest try and finding out for yourself but do not be surprised when your worries, or questions are not answered. Thank you -Quinn SSRIs and GI side effects https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/medicines-and-psychiatry/ssri-antidepressants/side-effects/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9386738/ Update: They won't let me come back(not surprised). I figured they would rather just get rid of a patient rather than address the care quality issues they have. Lesson? Don't speak up for your own health or they will kick you out the door. read more

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Extremely unprofessional/uneducated staff. I was advised they take PPO only to receive a bill ($397) for the first visit as he wasn't active with PPO until 4 days AFTER my visit. His billing staff/front desk stated this had to do with my "HSA" plan (uneducated). For my 2nd appointment I checked in at the Gibson Drive location (15 mins early) only to be advised my appointment has been scheduled at the Douglas office. (I called and confirmed my appointment the day before stating I'll be at the Gibson office for another appointment and I was not advised of the location). When I checked in to my appointment at the correct location 4 minutes later (9:04am), I was advised I need to reschedule. The front desk receptionist started going over the "highs" and "lows" of part of my labs (at the front desk -HIPAA violation!!) stating there are still labs pending and there is nothing for the doctor to discuss with me. If that was the case -why not call me and reschedule my appointment the day before? Keep in mind, I drove an hour for this appointment. I told her I don't need to reschedule and will find another doctor. Be careful with this place! read more

I rarely complain but the customer service I have received from the staff at Dr. Hopkins office has been some over the worst I have ever encountered all over assistance with a Prior Authorization. Celina is a very rude and has a bad spirit. They charge you $50 to complete a PA and when they submit to insurance, they do not include all of the required information, leading to an automatic denial. They take zero responsibility for their negligence. They then had the audacity to call and leave threatening messages on my voicemail because I called them out on their lack of care and follow through. Bullies! read more

The lead doctor of the practice explained that my symptoms were a common side-effect, but ignored the FACT that I was prescribed a DOUBLE dose of the highest level that is normally prescribed, by a nurse and not himself. I did in fact talk to the prescriber on your staff who was oblivous to her erroneous prescription, and essentially blamed it on me. You do your "utmost"? Really? read more

WORST DOCTOR EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. I went here today after finally getting insurance to see this doctor and set them up as my PCP to be told that not only did they not set it up, they refused to fill my basic medication and even told me to go to urgent care or the ER when the doctor could have easily filled it. This doctor didn't care about my well-being in any way shape or form, and this is easily the worst doctor experience I have ever had. Now I am in the Emergency Room waiting to get the (non-narcotic!) medication I came in this morning to ask for. Thanks guys!!! They were certainly willing to make money off of me for weight loss though. As soon as I asked for something alternative to that - even though they are supposed to be my PCP - it was summarily refused. GO HERE IF YOU WANT BAD MEDICAL SERVICE!!! read more

Love this office. I see Heidi Harvey and she is a 5 star Dr! Highly recommended. Her communication is fast and she is caring.

I just found out that this office, who is in my provider list, sent me to an out of provider imaging office and now I'm expected to pay for TWO imaging bills. I have NEVER EVER had to pay for a mammogram in my 65 years. Is this a scam? ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!! This should not be legal!!! read more

It's hard to understand why so many one-star reviews have been posted. Some of them reflect ignorance about how medical practices are conducted these days. (I'm not a doctor, but as a long-time practicing healthcare lawyer, I am substantially more familiar with that subject than the average person.) It has been common for patients to be seen by an NP for many different issues for some time. The NP at this office is quite knowledgeable and is a very pleasant person with whom to work. I do not doubt that if it was deemed necessary to bring Dr. H on board for a problem I had she would do so. read more

After meeting with the NP many times and only once - a quick difficult visit - with Doctor Hopkins - I am looking for a new primary care solution. I should have looked at other reviews before jumping on board with this practice. Now after a year+ I am wondering what Doctor Hopkins practice is about. I am told I am 'splitting hairs' asking about my tests and my understanding of them. I am not a doctor, I am a retired executive and my motto was always "don't suffer in silence". That is not how this place rolls. If you just want a referral, good; if you want in depth medical help look elsewhere. If you are looking for a slick office with treats on counter on the way out, this is your place. If you are looking for add on products such as CBDs you will be happy here. If you want a hands on Doctor - you will only get the NP. Make your own decision and try this practice if you want. The final issue was caused by an error on an Rx for me. This practice would not correct the error they made - instead suggesting a new doctor fix their error. Odd place IMHO.... I'm moving on. read more

Thomas Hopkins was recommended by Anthem for a Primary Care Physician in Midtown, so I gave his office a call. I wasn't able to get through, but left a message. 24 hours later, I hadn't received a call back, so I followed up and left a second message inquiring about new patient care. The office called back 2-3 hours later, but I missed it and they left a voicemail. They said their computer systems were down, (potentially for the rest of the day), but to call back if I had questions. I called back and was told "as I specified in the voicemail, our systems are down so we can't really do anything right now, but I will call you back once our systems are back online." I said, "no problem", and we ended the call. Two days later, I hadn't heard back, so I just gave them another call. My call was answered by Natalie, who said "I've seen you've called a bunch of times, so I'm going to have to take down your name and number and I'll get back to you." I provided my name and number, but will no longer be seeking medical advice from this office. If I can't get a call back as a new patient within 3-4 days, then I can't imagine the difficulty I'd have setting up an appointment if I was an existing patient. I'd recommend his office remove the "available for new patients" option through Anthem if they're at capacity. Your experience may differ, but I feel like I fell through the cracks a bit on this one. read more

Dr Hopkins initially seemed great but then his temperament was unpredictable as some visits were friendly and some were quite gruff. I'm a somewhat healthy person with no current issues but he thought I should set up quarterly appointments which made no sense to me. When I didn't follow his suggestions exactly (because I do have the freedom to listen and then make my own decision) he treated me like I was just a nuisance . I happily left his practice. My new PCP is awesome. I wish Dr Hopkins the best. read more

I have had great experiences at Dr. Hopkin's offices at both Douglas and Gibson offices. Dr. Hopkins is a good listener, attentive and helpful. The nurse practitioner Heidi Harvey is great. Staff is helpful and kind. I am now on year two of being with this practice and am very satisfied with the quality of the lovely offices and responsive care. read more

I was referred by my OB to this office. I'm only giving this 3 stars because the Nurse Practitioner is really nice to me but the front desk or whoever answers the phone when you call them sucks! They almost don't want to help and very dismissive! I didn't go to this office by choice, it's just that all the doctors in town are full. So, still thankful for accepting me. read more

I've had an all round terrible experience with this doctor and staff. This doesn't go for everyone, for instance the nurse practitioner, Ally, is great. I've been hung up on by a receptionist because she got impatient with my questions and said "she has people waiting" and I was charged for an appointment the dr requested be moved to a phone call due to his wanting to leave early after being told by the receptionist I wouldn't be charged for the five minute call. These are just a few instances and I'm finally leaving this review because I requested them to resend a referral to an endocrinologist two weeks ago and it has yet to be done without any follow up with me. I realize I'm not the only patient here and don't expect to be treated as such however the lack of quality has just gone too far having worked in customer service I would never treat people this way. Adios Thomas. read more

Horrible experience. He and his nurse seemed disinterested and unhelpful, which made me feel unwelcome. I hope you can find a better one and I am doing that also. read more

I have been a patient of Dr Hopkins for more than six months. Today I called his office at 1pm and asked for a panel of STD tests to be ordered for me. His receptionist told me that she would pass along my request to Dr Hopkins when he returned at 1:30pm. I received a callback at 1:38pm informing me that the doctor had refused my request. He never even asked if I was experiencing symptoms or had any exposures. The receptionist told me to try asking Urgent Care. Never in my life have I been turned down. I haven't been tested in months, and apparently will need to switch to a doctor that understands the value of regular STD testing. read more

Never have I felt that I wasted so much time and money at a physicians office. I attempted to establish care at Dr. Hopkins office and on my initial and only appointment my time spent with the irse practitioner was a complete waste of time. The medical assistant checked my vital signs and that was the only time anyone came close to examining me. The NP never once auscultated my lung or heart sounds or even laid a finger on me. She simply sat at the computer ordering standard labs and was told come back in a month and we'll discuss your labs. So now you want to be able to bill for 2 visits? No thank you. This was a complete waste of my time and of a $105 copay. Had I known this is what my visit would have consisted of I would have gone elsewhere. This was simply a way to bill a patient but no care was provided. Needless to say I will not be coming back to this office. read more

Not considerate of the patient's time. Outdated system that plays into the reasons our healthcare system is failing.

Dr. Hopkins is listed as accepting new patients for primary care on Sutter's platform. Yet he discriminatorily personally selects patients and refuses to schedule the ones he doesn't want (even with excellent PPO insurance). read more

I was a patient of Dr. Hopkins for about three years. I rarely need care, so I rarely went to see him. When I did, I was treated like a customer, not a patient. I am a little overweight, but nothing out of control, but still every time I came to see the doctor he tried to sell me something; meal replacements, smoothies, diet plan. I get it. It is his racket, but I was not coming to see him for that. I needed primary care. I had not been to see the doctor in a couple of years, but recently I recently had been feeling off, sometimes sluggish and felt what might be a lump in my stomach. I called the doctor to schedule an appointment. They could not find me in the system and told me that they were not accepting new patients. I have seen Dr. Hopkins a dozen or more times. I asked about my records and the receptionist could not give me an answer of where they were. What? I told her about my ailment and she told me, "sorry, go to urgent care". Awesome! I should have known better than trusting a doctor that when you see him and give him your symptoms, he opens his laptop and looks at WebMD. Unbelievable!!! read more

I haven't seen the Dr. only the Nurse Practioner. They made promises and didn't follow up on them. Since I was assigned this Dr. as my primary care physician, it would be nice if I could have seen him. I am disappointed. The staff lacks compassion. I am in pain, and they are making me jump through unneeded hoops. read more

He gets 1 star for a beautiful office, good staff, and 1 star for having an awesome Nurse Practitioner. I tried to give him multiple chances, but I'm sick of going there for a specific reason, having that ignored, and being pushed on his dietary supplements. Then I have to pay for the appointment even if i didn't receive the services i came there for. It's like going to a mechanic, asking them to change the oil, getting back to find a bill for a new transmission. I'm not saying i didn't need the new transmission, but that's not why I'm there. I'm going to strictly use doctor Skype/FaceTime services going forward as I've had a much better experience with cost/service/attentiveness. read more

Okay, as far as a doctor goes, Dr. Hopkins is top-notch. I credit his thoroughness and tendency to err on the side of caution with catching a very life-threatening condition turns out I have (though it was highly unlikely I had it)...or more, hopefully, had. He's always had a great demeanor, been nothing but professional, and I've always enjoyed my visits. I originally wrote this review with three stars, minus two for a prolonged experience with a bill, insurance and a collection agency. I wrote this in frustration, and unfairly attributed much of the blame to the billing department, which in retrospect was neither fair nor accurate. All things have been resolved, and most of the source of my frustration should have been directed at the collection agency (a bunch of lying liars who tell lies.). So, I fixed this review to reflect the five stars it deserves, and to let y'all know that they're great, friendly and most importantly COMPETENT on the administrative end of things too. So, great doctor, the guy's great. Friendly and courteous staff. I used him as my GP, but he specializes in bariatric issues. read more

Dr. Hopkins listens to you and is genuine. I had fantastic doctors in Placerville and had a hard time finding a new one after Dr. Erman left his practice. While my daughter lay in a coma, my new doctor, couldn't relate and wouldn't meet with me; instead I saw her PA. There was no compassion or empathy shown. I felt like I was in the care of a machine. Dr. Hopkins and his crew treated my anxiety and depression during this difficult time. I won't mention the name of the doctor that took over his practice; but she is Chinese and female..... read more

Office staff is horrible. Calls are not returned and when you do speak to someone and they say they will return your call by a certain date, they do not. Note to potential new patients looking for an Internal Medicine doctor. You need to answer questions to determine whether Dr. Hopkins will accept you as a new patient. Not sure what the criteria is, but your responses will determine if you are accepted as a patient. read more

Told my daughter she was pregnant. Follow-up tests at Mercy indicated that she was not and additional tests with a specialist showed she actually is suffering from IBS. Two very different diagnoses. You would think a GP could at least read an EPT correctly. read more

I saw Dr. Hopkins for a new patient consultation. I picked him based on these great reviews on Google. After about 2 mins of listening to me, he became completely uninterested in what I had to say. I was trying to list several health conditions which I wanted diagnostics done for, etc. He just kept nodding his head, as if annoyed with me and stopping me mid sentence. He was annoyed that I was medically knowledgeable and knew what I was talking about and what I wanted. He said I was too young to have these health problems. I am 35 and personally know people with cancer at my age. I told him I didn't want things missed. He told me since he was my doctor (which I wanted to tell him he wasn't my doctor yet as this was just the first visit), it was his responsibility to check everything to make sure nothing is missed. I told him it was my body and I would be the one dead if he were to miss anything so I wanted specific things checked which he refused to do. He refused to tell me what blood work he ordered. He then asked if I had anxiety and I told him no. Later I checked and he listed anxiety as one of diagnoses in his notes. If there was anything I felt that day it was the frustration of dealing with an arrogant doctor who wouldn't listen to his patient. I told him my dad died of pancreatic cancer because his initial doctor didn't order proper tests but that meant nothing to him. In my opinion, a doctor who doesn't believe his patient's symptoms and doesn't listen to his patient is the worst kind of doctor. That's Dr. Hopkins for you. I am not sure where all these great prior reviews came from. They are either from his family/friends or he was extremely discriminatory towards me only. In either case, I will stay away! read more

If your current physician is not helping to reach the health goals you have set for yourself, then seeing Dr. Hopkins will benefit you greatly. It has been an overall great experience and I always value a physician who takes the time to explain things clearly, answer all of my questions, and makes me feel at ease and confident that I'm in good hands. read more

Dr. Hopkins is fantastic. I will say, he books out several weeks - if not a month or more in advance. So please call diligently to book your appointments. He's very busy. But that says a lot about his service and his practice. He is a very practical, caring, and thorough Doctor. Top-notch. He's very professional, but has a great sense of humor. He also thinks holistically, and listens carefully to your situation and concerns. And no matter how busy he is, he makes you feel like you're the only patient he has, when he's with you. Great follow up from their office, too, as he's got several great assistants and staff. Highly recommend. read more

Dr. Hopkins and his NP are wonderful! Very caring and he actually listens as well. I know that they recently underwent some supportive staff changes, but they are for the better. Thanks for the great care! read more

Thomas Hopkins is condescending and not a very good listener - his philosophy is to prescribe drugs instead of attentively listening to your concerns. I met with him for three or four checkups over the course of two years, and each time he prescribed me some drug or antibiotic I didn't need (which sometimes made me feel worse). This isn't surprising because he gets paid over $30,000 a year by pharmaceutical companies: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/physician/214369/payment-information (would recommend looking up any other doctors on this site). The one time I did have a semi-emergency, I went to urgent care because Dr. Hopkins wasn't in the office that day. When I went back to him for a follow-up, he seemed offended that I had dared to consult another opinion, which was obvious again when I asked him to refer me to a specialist neurologist. There are more communicative and patient doctors out there than Dr. Hopkins. read more

I had my first appointment today with Dr. Thomas Hopkins and I have to say it made me want to go to the doctors office more often. He is so welcoming, attentive, he listens to what you have to say and then he tries to help you understand what is happening in your body so you can treat it in the best way for you. VERY VERY impressed!!! read more

I have really enjoyed having Dr. Hopkins, and the staff at his practice, as my primary care. He is personable, friendly, and a good listener. Most importantly, he is extremely responsive. Sometimes you can encounter a doctor that is dismissive of your smaller health concerns. I've always felt Dr. Hopkins is extremely responsive and helpful. I also really enjoy the staff at his office. I've called them in a panic many times and they've always been so responsive. For example, I had strep throat a few weeks ago and had a reaction to the antibiotic that caused horrible vomiting. I called them and found them to be so sympathetic - and I had a new antibiotic prescription and anti-nausea drugs within the house. In another instance, when I was recovering from a blood clot, I called them in a panic that my blood clot had returned. Even though it was only a sore muscle, they were very patient with my panic and took care to follow-up with me to make sure the issue was resolved. For a go-to primary care practice, I think Dr. Hopkins is a great bet! read more

I would give zero stars if I could. My husband and I both chose Dr. Hopkins as our primary care physician. We set up appointments for an annual exam, but when we went for our appointments he just talked to us and did not do an actual exam. He wanted to schedule that for another time. Seriously? I don't have time for that, nor should I have to pay another fee. We asked for referrals to a dermatologist. I got a referral right away and had a great experience. My husband had to call several times to get his referral and then they referred him to a place that didn't take our insurance. Literally several months later he finally got a referral to another place and a few days before the appointment, they called and cancelled because Dr. Hopkins office said they wanted to refer him to the other dermatologist.....the one that didn't take our insurance. Needless to say, we will be finding a new primary care physician. Plus, he is hard to get a hold of, doesn't answer his emails and his office is in a victorian house which I find creepy. read more