Nina Birnbaum is an outstanding person? And an outstanding doctor! I made an instant connection with her the first time I met her: she is an excellent listener, asks very good questions, is well-connected, and a superior team-builder. When I came to her I had just finished up with several bouts of pancreatitis - very painful. Three doctors before her had left medical practice during a period of intense change for physicians. I asked her to promise me she would not leave; a rediculous thing to ask but just to say how scared and desperate I felt. I am now older and need more specialists, but she has been with me to help build that team. She is incredibly smart and has diagnosed a number of my situations just by listening to my descriptions (and then getting confirmation). She is kind... so kind. And she tells the truth. I am not afraid of dying, but I really don't like loss of control. Which means having a doctor who is honest with me and treats me like a partner in addressing my medical concerns. I hope Nina will remain my doctor for the rest of my lifetime... read more

Where did Dr. Birnbaum go? I kept my insurance just for her but found out she's not at Sutter as of last week. Anyone know?

Time to update. Though I write few Yelp reviews, this doctor deserves another five stars as she had only gotten better, more wise, and more educated with the passage of time. i note that her practice is now closed to new patients which is no wonder as i assume that she is booked to the hilt by her longtime patients. All I can say is that if you live in the East Bay (Berkeley, Kensington, Albany, El Cerrito or Richmond) this is the family practitioner that you want to try to get. Trust me. i wouldn't lie to you. I'm a public librarian. read more

It's amazing to find a really good healer who is also an MD. Dr. Birnbaum is a wonderful listener, intuitive, empathic, and has a vast knowledge of medicine and medical connections. She's also a quick wit, which takes the seriousness out of the air. I'd highly recommend her, as she has come up with some innovative treatments for a couple of my chronic ailments (lung, and arthritic foot). What a relief to have such a great doctor in our midst! read more

I saw Drew Ho for an annual preventative physical, which should have been completely covered by my insurance. Due to either greed or incompetence the visit was billed by Dr. Birnbaum's office/Sutter Health as a generic "office visit," which left me paying 100% of the cost. Unacceptable. I will never use this provider again, and will switch back to my previous physician, who always billed such visits correctly. A great place to go if you want to overcharged for basic preventative care. Update: After spending many stressful hours trying to resolve this in a friendly way and being stonewalled, pressured, misdirected, and lectured by Sutter Health representatives I posted a one star review on Yelp. Soon after I was contacted by a very sweet woman who apologized for the coding error and helped get things fixed. A mess still remains which I've decided to just write off at this point, and the overall experience was still awful, but at least the majority of the mistakes seem to have been fixed. Update 2: After spending lots of time on this, and being assured by a really nice Sutter Health rep whose direct line I have that everything is OK, and paying the balance--which is still out of the ordinary, but it's small, and let's just make this go away, okay?--I am still receiving a past due notice for almost $400. Sutter Health needs to get their act together. This is unacceptable. Imagine if this wasn't an asymptomatic physical I had gone in for, but I was actually ill, and I and/or my family had to deal with this nightmare. Ugh. read more

Have tried many Dr in the East Bay and feel like Nina is the best, down to earth, approachable, knowledgeable, intuitive practitioner out there. My OBGYN Katarina Lanner-Cusin -also a 5 *, recommended her to me and I feel it was worth the hunt. So happy to have found her and to now have an advocate and partner in managing my health. read more

Nina is hands down the best doctor I've had. She has called me on her day off. While it is true that her office is incredibly busy, she's always has been attentive, listens and makes suggestions. I've had Nina as my doctor for nearly ten years and have followed her from one office to another. I've even been willing to pay extra when I had a change of insurance and she became 'out of network' and had to pay the yearly deductible. Luckily, with a new job, she's now again in my network. Nina is well worth the wait. read more

Does your doctor call you on her day off to give you lab results from your latest visit? Does she remember details about a random conversation you had with her 3 years ago in passing? Does she offer to help you revise and edit your grad school personal statement? No? Because mine does. And she is fantastic. Dr. Birnbaum is friendly, smart and incredibly busy. But, she is really worth the wait. She is, hands down, the best doctor I've ever had. Don't mistake her sense of efficiency for insensitivity--she is perceptive and warm, despite her ridiculously full practice. read more

I'm really surprised to see negatives reviews of Nina. On one hand I feel like I should keep her as my own secret, but on the other hand it simply seems unjust to leave this negative information in circulation. Nina has been nothing but attentive, thoughtful, and proactive in my health care. She has researched information regarding a family history of cancer and emailed me information. She also respectfully listened to me explain why I believed that I had pneumonia, and then quickly diagnosed (correctly) a mold allergy after I casually mentioned that I had moved to a different apartment. I find Nina down to earth, accessible, and smart. She's the best doctor that I've ever had, hands down. read more

Nina Birnbaum has been my PCP for at least five years now. She is not always at the office (and at those times, I have always had a good experience with other staff at the Albany office) but when I do see her, she is always friendly, relaxed and listens to me. Recently, she felt a lump in my breast and had me do a mammogram and U/S. they found a mass which was thankfully benign but still needed to be removed. I am grateful that she didn't look past my concerns and symptoms and took the time to really check me. She replies via email when I need to contact her and she has always returned my calls. I just wish she were more accessible and that the Albany office stayed open later on Saturdays and opened even for a few hours on Sundays. read more

Dr. Birnbaum is an incredibly intelligent, caring doctor. Her "bedside manner" is wonderful - she is always at ease and genuinely interested; never in a rush to complete the appointment nor coldly detached like so many doctors today. My interactions with her have seemed as though a trusted friend had been advising me - she neither talks down to one nor does she rely solely on medical-ese. Her advice has always been excellent! read more

Nina asked me to call her by her 1st name!! A great smart doctor, which if she doesn't know the answer, looks it up (but she always knows) She knew I had a non-symptomatic blood disorder w/o the test. She just knew. read more

I couldn't say anything more positive about Dr. Birnbaum. She gets it. She is really nice. And her office staff is always friendly. If you're worn out by bureaucratic staff, uncaring doctors, and being treated like a number, she and her staff provide a very welcome change!! PS I have never given out 5 stars before. read more

I LOVE my Dr. Birnbaum. I actually look forward to my appointments because she is such an amazing human being. She gives me her full attention, she is thoughtful and thorough. read more

Absolutely one of the worse doctors I've ever seen. Her lack of responsiveness and follow up are extremely evident and needless to say, frustrating. I've been going to the Albany clinic for the past 6 years and although she's my primary doctor, she seems to forget about my medical history because she keeps asking me the same questions over and over. Once, I told her that my medical history should be in my clinical file. She told me that those records were not in my file and therefore she needed to ask me some questions. Furthermore, Nina B. asked me if I can e-mail her my medical records. First, I couldn't believe my medical file was not up-to-date and second, that my own doctor who I get referrals from was asking for my records that she should already have. Once I went to the clinic to ask her about a new treatment that according to the specialist I was not a good candidate for. I just wanted to know why since the other specialist didn't bother to inform me the grounds of her decision. Nina B. told me that she'd find out and would follow up with me. She suggested that I sign up for My Sutter Online so she could promptly respond to my inquiries online. Per her request, I sent her an e-mail through this platform as well as to her personal e-mail, that she provided, attaching my medical records and my questions. Since she didn't respond within a few weeks, I called the clinic and left a number of messages to remind her that I have sent her some e-mails and that I was still waiting for her response. I never heard back from her. After a couple of months of not hearing back from her I decided to go to the clinic. I was told that she was on vacation but would return in about a week so I left another message. Two months from my last visit to the clinic have passed and still no response. Thus, I sent her another e-mail through My Sutter Online but again never heard back from her. A total of 6 months have passed and I'm still waiting to hear about the treatment. As another reviewer expressed I also had to manage my own health, read, find other reputable resources, etc. I feel that Nina B. sees me as an insurance policy number not as a patient who needs help. She is forgetful and just plain incompetent. I would never recommend her. read more

Dr. Birnbaum is my mother's doctor & she's horrible! Don't ever have an emergency and expect her to respond with any type of urgency because she won't. During my mom's medical emergency, we also learned from a more competent doctor that my mother was being over medicated. I would never trust my mother in her care again. read more

Prior to 2002, my primary care physician was Dr. Nina Birnbaum's colleague at another medical group in the East Bay. I had only been seen by Dr. Birnbaum once, when my doctor was unavailable. In 2002, I was admitted to a hospital with a serious illness and spent a week in intensive care. As was his practice, my doctor turned responsibility for my care over to another primary care physician who worked exclusively in the hospital. I never saw my doctor while I was hospitalized. But I awoke from a nap in the hospital one day to find Dr. Birnbaum sitting in my room. She had heard I was in intensive care and she was concerned. I wasn't her patient, she wasn't going to be paid for checking on me and she undoubtedly had plenty of other things to do. Yet, there she was, making sure I was being cared for. At that moment I knew I would be in good hands with Dr. Birnbaum as my doctor. I followed her to Albany Family Practice. It was a good decision. I have been sick off and on since 2002, including a battle with cancer in 2006 and 2007. Throughout it all, Dr. Birnbaum has always gone the extra mile to make sure I was getting the best care possible. At no point have I ever felt that corners were cut in the name of managed care. I am also grateful for her authorization/referral co-coordinator, Julie Kail, who does an excellent job of arranging referrals, following up on Dr. Birnbaum's orders and fielding questions. Dr. Birnbaum is an excellent diagnostician and, when necessary, an advocate for her patients. She is a smart, skillful physician. She does everything she can for her patients, but is not shy about referring them to specialists when circumstances warrant it. Dr. Birnbaum never forgets that being a doctor is about caring for people. If you merely need a doctor to hold your hand, there are plenty of choices. And, given the many patients who want to see her, Dr. Birnbaum doesn't always have time for hand holding. If, on the other hand, you are in need of an exceptional physician who truly cares about her patients, I highly recommend Dr. Birnbaum. read more

I was looking for an East Bay family doctor I can start seeing. I went to see Dr. Birnbaum after I read about her good reviews in Yelp. First, I wasted 45 minutes waiting for my turn (OK, that happens)! But then, I showed her results of tests I've taken ordered by other doctors and she was a little ticked off about that. She gave me about 4 minutes, then sent me away. She did not add any value. read more

I really like Dr. Birnbaum and think that she will be a great doctor, but not yet. At 48 I am in the age where I need guidance and support for my body's changing biochemistry, and have had to look elsewhere for this. I am very healthy all in all, yet have been struggling with such things like debilitating fatigue and depression which is clearly not psychological (my life rocks!), and have tried to talk to her about this and its relationship to perimenopause, but these conversations fall flat. In one case, after having struggled with months of depression/fatigue during which I became very reclusive, I finally went to see her and said something like "I have having a very difficult time. I am somewhat better now, better enough to come see you. If I did not love my life so much, I would have been in a lot of trouble." I don't want to quote her response, but I will say it was not helpful. So in this regards, I have had to manage my own health, read, find other reputable resources, etc. Still I would recommend her. She is one of the best physicians I have been to in this country. I just feel that she needs to broaden her knowledge and sensitivity in areas around women's health. I would like to be able to rely on her to be a strong advocate for my health at this stage in my life. Another reviewer mentioned issues with getting test result, and I have had similar experiences in the past, but this has changed over the last year. Now I find them to be much more responsive. read more

Nina has such a kind and generous spirit. She is so authentic and very loving in her overall manner and this is a rare thing to find in the medical field. I would trust her completely and feel very confident in not only her extensive training and expertise but also in her innate healing wisdom. read more

When I count my blessings, Dr. Nina Birnbaum is included. She is attentative; does not rush you; truly concerned with my well being; as knowledgeable and thorough as they come; truly caring; professional; and as an added bonus, she has a sense of humor. I trust her completely with my health! read more

I didn't have any good experience with her, she took her guard to me after I had problem with my obgyn, they were friend at that time.

Dr Birnbaum has been my PCP for the past 12 years. In my opinion, her greatest asset is her ability to listen. Many, if not all of my various health concerns have been addressed and resolved. I find her advice to be timely and exemplary. I have the utmost respect for her being a excellent physician and would highly recommend her to anyone in need of a PCP. I am a "old school" kind of guy who does not offer opinions very often but I am in better health now (60 years plus) than I was 25 years ago read more

Since I just posted a negative review of the practice, I wanted to give a shout our to Nina, I think she is a smart, dedicated, and compassionate doctor trapped in a horrible system. Hopefully, Sutter East Bay will learn how to marry efficiency and economies of scale with excellent service and follow up one day. read more

I can wholeheartedly echo the 5 star reviews posted for Dr. Birnbaum. My experience with her as my primary care physician over the past four years has been exceptional. I am a Nurse Practitioner so I am around physicians constantly and I easily rank Dr. Birnbaum up there as one of the very best I have encountered. She is intelligent, warm, accessible and is able to zero-in on complaints/diagnoses in an impressive way. Dr. Birnbaum has always been available to answer questions and she recently took the initiative to call me just to check in regarding a visit to a specialist I had seen and then spent nearly a half hour on the phone talking with me about it. The call was unexpected and very appreciated. When i initially started going to this practice, the waiting time was (as other reviewers have noted) far too long but I have been seen within 15 minutes of my appointment time routinely for the past many visits so I think the scheduling problems have been addressed. In short, Dr. Birnbaum is an amazing physician and I can recommend her without reservation. read more

I've never had a doctor like Nina. She's fantastic. I can't give her a higher review. She's personal, professional and someone I can really talk to. I give her my highest recommendation. read more

Nina Birnbaum is one of the very best doctors I have ever had. She is incredibly smart, she keeps up-to-date with alternative as well as western medicine and can cross refer to make certain the alternative measures I take do not interfere with whatever I am doing with meds or hormones, or whatever! I always can count on her expertise, and her caring manner. She listens, does not appear to rush, and is present in a way that few health care professionals, let alone people are. I think she's brilliant, and always look forward to seeing her. read more

This is a review of the admins. I had an apt scheduled months in advance with this Dr. who was recommended to me by one of her current patients. 3 days before my apt they called me to tell me the dr wasn't taking any new patients. I have Graves and now I have to find a new doctor that will take me on short notice. I wonder what happened to the good doctors out there that actually have a conscience. read more

Dr. Birnbaum was recommended to me by my OB doctor. I have a doctor that I see as needed who is an MD but will not be your primary care physician, will not visit you in the hospital, will not take insurance. What I like about her is her approach: she goes to diet first, supplements, vitamins, attitude adjustment and then, if still needed, more mainstream medications. I needed a Primary Care provider who would work with me. I am a health careworker for the past 35 years. I still work,although I am in retirement age. I am reasonably healthy and I feel that all suggestions made by the doctor should be based on my health needs and I need to agree that it's necessary. I have some health issues that have been treated in the past and I am still using the advice. I am a diabetic using diet, exercise and, now one dose of Metformin. Last year I came down with a severe chest cold. Dr. Birnbaum listened to my chest for a minute and then quickly said, you have pneumonia. No x-ray. She treated me with a mild antibacterial that is relatively new and said todeal with "community" bacterial infections. The first course of meds didn't work. I called to tell her, the office took the message and then I had another course of the same medication. That didn't work. I went to a pulmonary specialist. She said that I didn't have pneumonia I had a bad sinus infection that was dripping down into my lungs with my post-nasal drip. Later I saw Dr. Birnbaum for another issue and I told her. In fact, there was a letter from the pulmonary doc on my chart. She read it and, after protesting that the month before I really had pneumonia. I expressed my doubt. She said nothing more. My attitude is everyone makes mistakes. No doc is perfect. I tried to see Dr. Birnbaum on numerous occasions but either she was not there - she works 2 full days and 2 half days and is never there on Friday, or she was booked up. Her office has this wonderful process that if your doc is not available, you can see whoever is available.Since I am sick I always choose to see anyone. This has gone on for a long timw. Thursday I went to see her because again I have a chest issue. She was first snappy with me asking questions and typing the answers into the computer. The, Why don't you see the pulmonary doc again? I said, it's not a pulmonary problem - it's sinus. Why don't you go to your other doc? She is not my primary care physician. You want antibiotics? I said, yes, not realizing it was a trick question. She said, I will not be your Urgent care physician. You are treating me like a vending machine. What kind of antibiotics do you want? I said,theantibiotics that the pulmonary doc prescri bed worked. A discussion ensued where she said our relationship was not working and I should find another doctor. She was very mean and caused me to cry. I need a doctor and at that moment in particular, I needed medical advice. She did not give me advice or show any concern for my condition. Now, four days later, my symptoms have only improved a little and I'm not sure I'm really getting better. But now I don't have a doctor to go to. In closing - I consider her to have been in Brat mode and not thinking of herself as someone who helps patients, only helps her ego. read more

Dr. Nina Birnbaum is not reliable for appointments. Based on my experience, I honestly don't believe I could count on her if I had a serious medical need. So sadly, I will no longer go to this practice any more. Dr. Birnbaum was a "no show" for 2 separate appointments. I scheduled a physical in January 2011 and the morning of the appointment, after taking several hours off work, I learned that she/family were sick and my appointment was cancelled. I understood. these things happen, though I was frustrated I'd used up sick leave to go. The office rescheduled my physical a few weeks later. Again, I took time off work, arrived 10 minutes ahead, waited 45 minutes and finally learned Dr. Birnbaum had not even arrived nor called the office. I finally left. I had to get to work. Not calling is simply unprofessional. If any of us are late for work, we call the office. Dr. Birnbaum's medical expertise was recommended. However, if I had a serious medical need, I would not be comfortable relying on someone cancels and doesn't communicate. read more

Nina has potential, but, I never feel I have her full attention, and she lacks follow-through. The first time I saw her, we ran some blood tests. At my follow-up visit two weeks later, she explained that one number was high, but she didn't know what steps I could take to try to lower it. She said she would research it and get back to me, but I never heard from her. The next time I saw her (two or three years later), we discussed a few things and she again scheduled me for a follow-up visit a few weeks later. When I came in for that follow-up, she'd forgotten to write notes after my first visit, and had no idea why I was there. Skip forward another year; I went to see her about something, got referred to a specialist, and the specialist later sent results to her. Nina left me a message to call her re: results; when I called back, she said she hadn't called me! Sorry but - I had the message on my machine! So - she's probably an okay diagnostician, but, I want my physician to KNOW who I am and why I'm there. read more