Dr. Russo delivered both my kids and both times l&d was very easy. My 1st preg was even "high risk" and I transferred from an OB at Cedars to deliver with Russo. She has always given me plenty of time in my appointments and she is very laid back about pregnancy in general which eases my nerves. If you're looking for the warm & fuzzy type, she is not it. She is however, extremely smart and competent and will get your baby earthside in the quickest and safest way possible, as determined by her. If you have a very specific birth plan, I would make sure she is on board with it before proceeding. Ask lots of questions. My recommendation is that if you live nearby and want the best female Dr. at Tarzana hospital, it's Russo (& takes insurance and whose concierge fee is lower than many!) If you are someone who needs lots of hand holding (and I totally get it! esp. first time pregnancies), you may want to look elsewhere. While her front desk is super kind and helpful, I don't like that I can't access her by email or some sort of portal! Maybe this is something she can upgrade. Her appointment wait times are average - they were usually fairly quick for me, though she has limited work hours. If I have another baby I will definitely be going back to Russo. read more

I truly cannot say enough amazing things about Dr. Russo. I've been seeing her since I was a teenager, and over the years she has become so much more than just my doctor, she feels like family. From the very beginning, she has always taken the time to listen, explain, and genuinely care about me as a person, not just a patient. Through every stage of life, she's been a constant source of support, guidance, and reassurance. Most recently, she delivered my baby, and I honestly can't imagine going through that experience with anyone else by my side. Her calm, confident presence made me feel completely safe and cared for every step of the way. What truly sets her apart is how personal she makes everything. She remembers my history, checks in on me, and always makes me feel seen and valued. If you're looking for an OBGYN who will treat you like family and be there for you through life's biggest moments, look no further. I am beyond grateful for her and feel so lucky to be in Dr. Russo's care. Thank you Dr. Russo and her amazing office staff!!! read more

Charging $250/Year "admin fee". This is a lovely doctor who has now joined the ranks of concierge doctoring accessible only to the elite willing to pay out of pocket. I really liked her, very personable. But this is how we end up NOT GETTING medical care. My second Gyn in 3 years who has done this. Yep, system is broken, and now another doctor has gone elite because of it. read more

Dr. Russo is the best! I've been seeing her for over 10 years for my annual pap (she is quick and efficient) and now she has delivered both of my kids. She is smart, kind, and truly caring. The ladies in the office are pleasure to be around as well. We had to do an emergency c-section with my son on a Saturday night and, as promised, she was at the hospital within 15 mins of our call to get my son out safely. I was obviously scared, but she came into the OR like a boss and I knew everything was going to be ok. She was there for me every step of the way with my daughter and I really couldn't imagine a better doctor. She will always give it to you straight and will always advocate for you. If you are on Dr. Russo's team, you're on the winning team. She has great taste in music too. :) read more

I called to make an appointment for my well woman exam. I was informed that there is a $250 annual admin fee to be seen by Dr. Russo. The receptionist was nice and explained its purpose since I've never encountered this before. I decided to go elsewhere. I understand that our healthcare system is flawed, but times are hard. I am not willing to spend $250 annually to see a provider who I've never worked with before. read more

On NYE I found out I was pregnant. I had Kaiser insurance, and I felt grateful that it was open enrollment season. I asked my best friend, who had delivered her baby recently, about her experience with Dr. Russo, and she had nothing but praise. I called Dr. Russo's office to get the right insurance that would cover her, and after that was done I set up my first appointment. My first visit was both scary and exciting. I walked in, and Dr. Russo's energy was vibrant, full of life and great advice. Hearing my baby's heartbeat for the first time left me speechless. Each appointment afterward carried the same warmth and energy. At 37 weeks, my water broke. I remember calling Dr. Russo at 5 a.m.--and she answered right away, saying she'd be there. I ended up having a C-section because the baby was breech. The experience was intimidating at first, but Dr. Russo's confidence reassured me that I would be OK. My baby boy arrived healthy, and my recovery went smoothly. My C-section scar is small and healed well. I've spent a year with Dr. Russo, and yesterday was my last appointment. I hugged her staff goodbye, nearly in tears. It's hard to believe my journey with her is done for now, and I'm stepping into the next chapter--motherhood. read more

Joie D Russo, DO - Obstetricians & Gynecologists Near Me - Tarzana, California

Honest, takes her time if you have questions. No nonsense, yet caring. office is clean and comfortable. read more

I am more than pleased with the level of care I have received from Dr Russo and her staff for many years. Shes always willing to spend as much time I need to answer any concerns I may have and even calls me after hours if needed. Her staff is friendly and professional. read more

Dr. Russo is one of those rare finds that you never want to let go of!! The past 6 years with her have been incredible. I've never felt so taken care of by a dr in my life. She is incredibly hands on, extremely caring, brutally honest and insanely intelligent - all the characteristics you need in a Dr during some of the most crucial times of your life. She delivered my first born son 2.5 years ago and the entire process was incredible from start to finish. Every appointment, every milestone she was right next to me making sure I had the very best care. I even had a car accident while pregnant and she made sure the emergency room knew I was on my way and has set up everything I needed to be in and out within one hour. Myself and my baby were extremely well taken care of. The delivery itself was so smooth, she checked up on me the entire time and when I was ready she was right there walking me through the whole process. Her entire staff was incredible and she even recommended the most amazing pediatrician. Today, I am currently in the hospital pregnant with my second child because my water broke at 34 weeks. Dr. Russo has been here by my side every day and has made the entire process, which should be scary, extremely comfortable and easy. We will be delivering my baby girl on Monday and I couldn't have done any of this without her by my side. Trust me when I say, she is a rare find. You don't see many drs who treat you like family. Dr Russo and her staff will always be family. Thank you thank you, a million THANK YOUs. read more

Dr. Russo delivered both my boys. The first time at the height of the pandemic (where I also developed hypertension), and the second time this past April. I'll never forget how taken care of I felt the first time around, so made sure to switch my insurance to whatever she accepted this second time around. Dr. Russo is quick with appointments and for me personally, I prefer this. We make sure the babe is good, we chat for a little, and I'm on my way. But if something is even possibly wrong, she'll go the full mile for you. I was in the hospital lobby around 35 weeks thinking I could be leaking amniotic fluid, she saw me in the waiting area (after she just finished a c-section), asked why I was there and offered to take me up to her office so she could check for me. I fully felt like I had my mom there in there with me. If I was leaking, they would've called her to let her know so she definitely didn't need to do that and could've just went home (it was a day she doesn't see patients). I felt inclined to write this review because I think she can be misunderstood. She also got both my boys out at 39 weeks with minimal tears and overall amazing birth experiences. I'd never go anywhere else for an OB! read more

I have come here for my yearly appointments, and birth control recommendations, and every time I come, I am reminded of why I love not just Dr. Russo, but her staff. Busy office, but her staff is always attentive and in a good mood. Dr. Russo is not one of those doctors that comes in and out real quick, but she actually addresses concerns and answers questions, and spends time getting to know you. I have recommended her to many and will continue to do so. read more

My first visit to Dr Russo was great, But every appointment following that has been less than great. My last appointment there I was asked to wait in a room and given a disposable robe to change into. I waited to see Dr Russo for 50 minutes, freezing in the AC. Eventually I got up to see what was taking so long and saw that Dr was having a fat chat with the receptionist about holiday plans. The waiting room wasn't that busy so why was I left for almost an hour in such discomfort? I was on time for my appointment. Then to add insult to injury, the receptionist informed me that if I wanted to "stay on the books" I would have to pay a $250 "admin fee". That's more than the cost of the appointment! That is not standard practice, no matter what Dr Russo would like to tell you. I have found a new OB/GYN and will not be returning to Dr russo's office. read more

Absolutely love this office and Dr. Russo. She is such an intelligent woman, with a deep knowledge in her practice. I was nervious my entire pregnancy (this was my 3rd) and she was there throughout the entire pregnancy. In the delivery room she was a literal angel! My baby is now 11 months, happy and healthy! Thank you ! read more

Dr Russo delivered my first baby this year and my experience was great. She put me at ease during my appointments, not sweating the small stuff, but if I had anything concerning she offered to see me same day multiple times. My water broke a month early and I didn't even notice, but when I called and explained my symptoms she told me to come in right away and I had my baby the next morning. Had she brushed me off like some may have, my baby and I could have been in a scary situation. Shes the best and I'd recommend her to anyone :) read more

Dr. Russo is a gem! My OB after my first child moved out of state so I asked around for referrals - three separate people recommended Dr. Russo so I felt good going in. I was a regular patient for a little while before getting pregnant again so got to know the office well during my frequent visits. The ladies in the office are lovely and helpful, and Dr. Russo herself is a queen. Being pregnant is obviously a rollercoaster but the doctor always put me at ease with her depth of experience, empathy and humor. I was nervous about a second labor and it really couldn't have gone better, especially for an induction. I'm genuinely so happy with the birth experience that Dr. Russo gave us and our beautiful newborn. She gave me a lot of confidence going in and put me at ease - thank you Dr. Russo!!! read more

During my first visit with Dr. Russo, I felt that she paid more attention to my husband than to me, even though I was the patient and pregnant at the time. I decided to continue seeing her, but at each appointment, I felt like I couldn't speak or ask questions, she talks very fast and is in and out of the room quickly without giving much time for discussion. I also felt body-shamed at every visit due to my pregnancy-related weight gain, which made me very uncomfortable. On top of that, her office still uses paper charting, so you can't view any test results online. You have to call the office for everything, which is a hassle and not convenient. read more

Thank you, Dr. Russo. Aside from excellent care as a physician, you are a compassionate and wonderful person.

We saw Dr. Russo in 2003-4 when we came for a prenatal appointment and our original OB was in a delivery. Before we realized what had happened, Dr. Russo scheduled us to see her for the remainder of our appointment. We thought our original OB, who we really liked, was too busy to see us and had passed us to his younger partner. We found out later that she'd stolen us from him. Our delivery experience was abysmal. She scheduled us for induction at 40 weeks and then told my wife after 1.5 hours of pushing (it was our first baby), "if you do t get this baby out in the next 5 minutes, I'll cut you!" She then proceeded to give my wife an episiotomy that bothered her for months. Also, she insisted on doing our son's circumcision and didn't use local anesthetic, just dextrose. When I asked her about it, she remarked, "It's okay, babies don't feel pain." If I could go back in time, I'd sue her for malpractice. Stay away from her, she's dangerous and inept. read more

worst customer service Will never go to this place again receptionist is horrible rude and pushy.... Brought my concerns to the office and I was told do what I need to do Will never spend a cent of my money or use my insurance here ever read more

Dr Russo is the best. She's great at explaining things. Giving professional, honest opinion and a great sense of humor. I always feel comfortable going to my appointments knowing I'm getting the best care possible. 10/10 would definitely recommend! read more

great office, reception team & nurses are friendly. dr russo is fantastic, easy to talk to & receptive to any concerns.

Her staff is the meanest staff my two daughters hvae ever encountered at a doctors office!! shocking considering she is a female doctor and an ob!!! she should be ashamed!! and i had heard this from a friend who also has a daughter who would never go back to that office. the staff was even rude to me!!!! no thank you plenty of doctor around surprised she has anyone going there read more

I don't think I've ever felt so in-heard by a medical professional in my life. Dr. Russo is a great doctor, but her bedside manner is non-existent, she is unprofessional (made inappropriate comments about my previous OB, whom I love), and never listened to a single concern I had. Anytime I asked her a question about my pregnancy, she would answer only making eye contact with my husband.... It felt like I was an inconvenience to be her patient. About 6 months into my pregnancy I started having serious concerns that she would not listen to what I wanted when it came to my birthing experience, so I switched to another OB and i never looked back. I want to clarify though, as a doctor, she's great.... Just maybe not with something so delicate and personal. Maybe she'd be better suited as a neurologist. read more

The BEST! Dr Russo is beyond exceptional, she is a truly great at what she does. Dr Russo is honest, gives the best advice and handles all your needs with care. I just gave birth to my second baby a few weeks ago and was under the best care with Dr Russo, she made my delivery and revovery seamless . read more

My first encounter with Dr. Joie Russo was quite unsettling. When I had informed her of my lack of sexual experience, she proceeded to call me a nun in a derogatory fashion. The next encounter that I had with her, she proceeded to called me a nun a second time-- in the context of: "no sweetie, nuns don't get Pap smears." Because of the power imbalance, I felt unable to speak up for myself and how that made me feel horrible about such a vulnerable decision that I had made (abstinence). However, I should've known to not trust this lady based on how she made me feel. Due to the outrageous monthly pricing that she is now charging, my family decided to change doctors. This past week, when I went to my new OB/GYN, she checked Joie Russo's old notes on the only Pap-smear that Russo gave me, and pulled me back into the private room. My new doctor informed me that I was positive for an STD and it was on the Pap smear notes FROM TEN MONTHS AGO-- I was never informed of this by the office. SO.....For at LEAST 10 months, I have had an STD incubating in my system. This could have taken my life. Joie Russo deserves to have her license taken away for the mere act of medical negligence and disrespect that I received under her care. read more

Very disappointed. I was a new patient last year and really liked this office, the doctor and her staff. I scheduled my annual well woman exam and then received an email that this office is now charging patients $250 annual administration fee! I had to cancel my appointment and am now searching for a new doctor since $250 is way too much to pay for one exam and one prescription renewal. Making matters worse no one even responded to my email expressing my concern. read more

Please do not go to Dr. Russo. I have been hesitant to write this review because I can see that she has replied to other reviews and I want to put this all to rest, but I feel that others should know my experience. There truly is too much to write in one review but to be concise as possible, I had some complex issues going on that caused me such severe pain that I was in and out of the ER and had to have multiple surgeries. Dr. Russo was consistently dismissive of my pain, seemed annoyed that I kept coming back in when my symptoms worsened, would literally yell at me over the phone and get angry with me for asking questions or trying explain that I could tell something wasn't right. It ended up taking me 6 months of debilitating pain to finally diagnose what was wrong with me, by another doctor, because Dr. Russo was so dismissive and unhelpful. To top it off, my new doctor read through my entire medical report and alerted me that my surgery to remove pre-cancer was not successful and they did not get clean margins, when Dr. Russo told me verbatim that she did. Her actions are so deplorable that many people, including my new doctor, have urged me to report her to the medical board but I'm honestly so scarred by the situation that I haven't wanted to go through the process. Please I beg you - listen to the bad reviews and save yourself the emotional and physical turmoil and find someone else. read more

Dr Russo lacks both expertise and compassion. My twin pregnancy had complications including preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM). Dr Russo couldn't answer any of our questions, instead said she didn't have expertise and that we should to talk to MFM specialist (Dr Russo did not make an effort to ensure our questions were answered). For several of my/my husband's questions, Dr Russo's responses were completely inappropriate. One of her responses referenced what was done on Gray's Anatomy - a fictional tv show. She's difficult to get ahold of by phone or email. When my lab results came in, she never called us to review them. We were forced to navigate the complications and put the pieces together on our own - this is unacceptable. After our babies were born and didn't survive (delivered by a different dr), she never followed-up. I strongly urge you to find another obgyn. read more

The absolute best doctor ever! I've been seeing Dr. Russo for four years now-I will never go to another obgyn. She makes the appointments so easy, comfortable and painless. From the second I walk in the door I feel like family. Her office staff are all absolutely lovely, and incredible helpful always. if you're looking for a new doctor I definitely recommend recommend her! read more

I'm leaving this message regarding my experience over the phone, I didn't even go into the office. I called to make an appointment for my mom and the person on the phone asked me two questions 1) what type of insurance does my mom have and 2) how old is your mom. I don't know if asking my mom's age is a required question but after my answer the lady explained to me that she has no appointments until end of August. It's May. I hope they are not discriminating because of her age. Even if they called me back and make an appointment, I'll pass. read more

Dr. Russo is the best! I've been with her from before getting pregnant, having two babies, a pregnancy loss which she was so sensitive to and checked in with me, and currently pregnant with my third. She is always attentive, makes me feel heard, and answers my questions. Dr. Russo does not panic about things -she is understanding and caring. Anyone saying otherwise is spending too much time on Dr. Google. We go out of our way to drive to Dr. Russo from Beverly Hills because she's the best! Love her staff as well! read more

A consistently excellent office with a friendly and knowledgeable staff and the most knowledgeable and exacting physician are just a few of the reasons you should make Dr. Russo your OB-GYN! read more

This review is not for the doctor, who came highly recommended by a friend of mine. I'm sure she is a great doctor but the office staff and practice policy's leave much to be desired. I made an appointment as a new patient with the doctor over 2 months ago. I was called today, the day before to confirm my appointment. I was then informed by the staff that they had recently started a $250 administrative fee that I would be required to pay. This fee had apparently started April 1, my appointment was made in February. There was no fee when my appointment was made. I was never notified of this fee so I could decide if I wanted to continue with my appointment until the late afternoon of the day prior to my appointment. They sent an email to the wrong email address and all they could say was sorry. There were no exceptions and unless I paid this fee to a doctor I had no experience with, I would not be seen. They didn't even offer an appointment for this one time and then if I decide to continue, I would pay the fee. This is very bad business practice. I am an RN who works at a practice that has a fee to belong. I understand that this is frequently done at a doctor's office, but we make sure all our patients are fully aware of these practice fees well in advance of the appointment. I understand that mistakes can be made with email, but to make no exceptions for a mistake made by the office is really bad business practice. read more

My wife and I liked Dr. Russo well enough and found her more than capable as a surgeon. She did the right thing in the surgery room and made quick, life-saving calls in surgery. However, I don't feel right letting a couple things go that I find disturbing - even years later. My wife had to undergo a strenuous surgery instead of a cervical hysterectomy. Due to massive tumors in and around the uterus and ovaries, surgery had to be radical. Hysterectomy, double oophorectomy and appendectomy. My wife's sutures did not heal and she developed a lateral seroma of over 15 inches. She had to undergo a second surgery to express the seroma and seal that area/resuture. Needless to say, this entire process was hell. The part I wish had been different is that my wife got next to zero explanation of what was about to happen to her body/mind/energy/skin/pain level/sleep patterns/depression/weight - nothing. She got one follow up even though she was prescribed a hormone replacement that needed to be monitored. The office lost her email and address information apparently. Also, throughout the healing process, my wife was prescribed 20mg daily Oxycodone in time-release for her pain. At some point I contacted Dr. Russo to get a refill or suggestions of what to do for pain as we were running out of the prescribed meds. I was accused by Dr. Russo over the phone of "turning her into an addict" with 20mg daily Oxycodone. I reminded the doctor that she prescribed exactly this daily dose; so, if anyone was "making her an addict" - it wasn't me. I understand that these are Schedule 2 drugs and was not arguing that there must be a weaning off. I should NEVER have been accused like this without any effort on the doctor's part to look up what she prescribed. I had to keep my wife out of sepsis for two full weeks in our home due to overfilling of hospitals in Covid - waiting for her second surgery. It is miraculous what we were able to accomplish in a non-sterile environment under the circumstances. I followed every instruction to the letter and my wife did not get infected or spread infection with an 8 inch vertical open wound - for 2 weeks. To accuse me of anything other than being a certified nurse by proxy is beyond offensive and cavalier. I wanted to sign on and champion Dr. Russo as much as others and I do believe she's forthright and no nonsense. I think she forgot the things we were having to deal with and didn't take account of the misery that my wife was enduring after she left the first surgery. I can't exonerate minimal follow up care and inflammatory accusations. If it were just me, I might have let it go - but I am fiercely protective and my wife did not deserve this level of apathy and disregard. read more

She rocks! I was referred by my urgent care nurse who worked with Dr.Russo delivering babies. "You gotta see Dr.Joie. she's sharp from New York and really good!" The nurse was really awesome too so I'm glad I took her advice. Dr.Russo took the time to look over my new patient history and made me feel confident that she wanted to help me. Really cool and I appreciate feeling she cared! read more

Dr. Russo gave me horrible advice that changed the course of my and my families future. She told me that I had time to get pregnant for baby #2 saying many women get pregnant in their 40s. Unfortunately, she did not take into account my genetic disposition of early menopause and the lab work she did on me a while ago that indicated below average AMH and FSH level. Even though we spoke about it at my doctor's appointment that same day. I ended up making an appointment with her once my periods stopped. She ran my AMH and it was none existent. She told me to go see a fertility acupuncturist. She never once referred me to a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) I wasted months going to an acupuncturist where I should have been treated by a RE. I eventually went to see several REs who told me I had no chance of getting pregnant and should have tried way sooner. They also commented that the advice I got from Dr. Russo was incorrect. Her lack of looking into my chart, listening to my concerns has caused devastation for my husband and I. My dreams of having two children have been shattered. On top of that, wait times are over 30 minutes every time I went, you cannot email her to ask her questions, and office staff is disorganized. Appointments are rushed and running late. I will never go back read more

First time here. My visit went great. The staff were great, kind and friendly. Dr Russo was awesome, very smart and new all the right questions to ask. Gave me great feedback and information I needed. It was a quick visit right to the point almost no wait time as I arrived and was put in a room to wait for the doctor within minutes and waited less than 5 min for the doctor. I've never had this type of service at a doctor visit so I guess it does exist! I'm so glad my colleague referred me to this doctor. I finally found the right one after 15 years of searching for the right gynecologist. Note: the office was clean and clutter free. Very happy with my first visit. read more

Dr. Russo has been my go-to for all things pregnancy and women's health for the past 20 years and goes above and beyond treating me like a family member. She answers questions and gives great advice. She will hopefully still work for the next 20 years and even deliver my grandchildren one day! read more

Dr. Russo is kind, compassionate and always makes you feel comfortable. I have been with Dr. Russo for over 13 years and I could never imagine going anywhere else. She is like family ! Every time I am in the office she takes her time to address any questions I may have and I never feel rushed. She is also amazing about getting back to me the same day if I email her with any concerns. Thank you for everything you do Dr. Russo! read more

I love this Dr! Thank goodness for her. She knows her stuff and is super kind about delivering information and babies at a high level :). She's personable, relatable, ethical, available and super LGBTQ friendly. Her office staff is on top of insurance, prescriptions and follow ups. I would recommend Dr. Russo to everyone that I know and believe she gives top notch care and service. When I have questions she explains things to me and when I ask if there is anything else that I should be asking she double checks what we went over and what my follow up care should be. I'm so grateful for her and her office staff. I trust her implicitly with my care, health and safety. read more