Roxanne Fiscella, MD
2500 Milvia Street, Suite 116 Berkeley, California 94704
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Sept 2007
Re: Seeking Pacificare Alta Bates doctor
I am covered by a PacifiCare HMO and go to see Dr. Roxanne Fiscella on Milvia in Berkeley and LOVE her. All of my aunts, my mom, as well as myself, have seen her for years. She is a wonderful family practice physician. She has a fabulous physician's assistant, Sheila, whom we LOVE just as much. Very easy to get in to see Sheila and even the doctor if you request it. For all of my colds, minor health issues, etc. I see Sheila and feel totally comfortable with her. She consults with Dr. Fiscella as needed too! Can't speak highly enough of her practice! Good luck! Kristin
Sept 2007
Re: Seeking Pacificare Alta Bates doctor
I've been going to Dr. Fiscella for 25 years (almost from the beginning of her practice!) and absolutely love her and her office staff. She has primarily women patients, however my husband also goes to her and she's been great with his care as well. She really tries to address the whole patient and is the type of doctor that talks to you about your whole health - mental as well as physical. Because of her attention to small things, she referred me to a specialist for monitoring what might have been a symptom of no real concern. It turned out that that symptom of no real concern was a precursor to a chronic illness that because of early intervention is being treated very effectively. Alot of doctors wouldn't have made that referral. Downside? I've heard some say that she's a bit direct in her bedside manner. Personally, I LIKE her directness and feel she is treating me as the adult that I am. I certainly feel that I can talk to her about anything (and she IS sympathetic and non-judgemental, just direct). anonymous
May 2007
Re: Female Gynecologist for Post-Kids
When I reached the stage that you are at now, I switched all of my medical care to a family practitioner, Roxanne Fiscella in Berkeley. She performs an annual physical just as an ob-gyn does, but she is also there for me if I get bronchitis or have some other ailment not limited to my female anatomy. Unless you have specific medical needs, I don't really see the point of maintaining a relationship with an ob-gyn during these years. A good internist or family practitioner can address your comprehensive medical needs, and refer you to a gyn if necessary. Always trying to simplify life
Feb 2006
Re: Non-corporate, breastf'g friendly Family Practice
Try Dr. Roxanne Fiscella, 2500 Milvia, Suite 116, Berk. 510-843- 0692. She is very human and female friendly, altho I don't know anything about her views on breastfeeding. I would guess she is more concerned with your health than anything. She is also fat-friendly and is more concerned about your health than how you look. Oh by the way her office is quite busy, a real person does answer, but it is a busy office. Its the only way they can make it these days, believe it or not, family practioners are really being squeezed by the insurance cos. Good luck and welcome to Calif! Long time patient
April 2002
Re: Lesbian-friendly MDs :
I'm straight but have used Roxanne Fiscella for more than 15 years as a woman friendly doctor(not all women doctors are). My husband has also used her for the past 10 years or more. Both of us have had a couple of fairly major health issues during our time with her (luckily resolved positively) and found her very responsive in terms of advocating for specialists as well as proposing alternative medicine (including homeopathy). I like her no nonsense style (she once told me to start exercising or I'd be watch my health slowly deteriorate by the time I was 50)and she's the type of person that looks you right in the eye, giving you all her attention when she talks to you. I also know that quite a few of my friends that are lesbians are patients of hers and speak well of her also. The only downside I would give is that like all too many doctors that are in HMO's it is increasingly hard to see HER unless you insist (and for generic annual exams, etc. that might take 3-4 months and specific health concerns are dealt with by triage - on the other hand I've never had to wait in her office to be seen more than 10 mins.) On the positive side again, her staff tends to be EXCELLENT and she is available to take over if they need her. Her administrative staff has always been courteous and on top of things - for example giving reminder calls for appointments. I do wish it was the good ole days early in her practice when every patient got her individual attention all the time. But those days are pretty much gone for ALL general practioners these days. Karen H.
Dr. Roxanne Fiscella is a lesbian and frequently has lesbian NP's or PA's working with her. She's with the Alta Bates Medical Group. I've never had a problem with her or anyone in her office. Jean
I have heard good things about Dr. Roxanne Fuscella who has a family practice in Berkeley, I believe. Kelly
October 2001
My primary care physician is Roxanne Fiscella on Milvia Street , 843-0692 I think. I've always liked her and her practice. She's getting a little bit harder to get a personal appointment with, but she's very compassionate and practical, and not averse to recommending some alternatives, such as acupuncture. I also like her NPs. Her office may have been in transition recently: the NPs have switched around since I've been there, and one of her support staff who dealt with referrals and insurance companies left. The new one is not quite as good. Her office staff is very friendly, although I think there have been a couple of changes in it too, recently. Most importantly, I've always felt comfortable with her. (And I have a tendency to be very particular).
2001
I was recommended to Dr. Fiscella, by another doctor, approximately 20 years ago. She has been my family physician since. I will be taking my granddaughter to her when my granddaughter changes from a pediatrician to our family physician, Dr. Fiscella. Roxanne has been attentive to my medical needs. She has made recommendations for test when I have poopooed the tests but trusted her and she was right. The tests were needed. She has always return calls or when out of the area the doctors covering her cases have always return my calls promptly. Alta Bates knows that when Dr. Fiscella's patients are in the emergency room, they notify her office.
Recently, 2001, in an emergency requiring me to go to Alta Bates hospital, arrangements were made (by the attending physician covering) prior my treatment at the hospital so I did not have a wait, the arrangements were made by a doctor covering for Dr. Fiscella. My son has also gone to Dr. Fiscella as a young adult and now as an adult.
She was very attentive to him as when he had a very serious illness that resulted in surgery. Today, he trust her and will see her before any other doctor.
Years ago my son had a very rare form of Salmanilla (his pain did not present as the disease). My son had gone to one Bay Area Emergency Room Hospital that turn him away saying he had a stomach flu. After that I called Dr. Fiscella who had him admitted to Alta Bates Hospital. She made sure he was seen, she made the recommendation for specialists to be brought in to examine him and made sure the proper test were performed, and she was not the surgeon who performed the surgery but she was there. He had exploratory surgery that removed his appendix and laboratory tests which found the reasons for his very serious stomach pain. Again his pain turn out to be a rare form of salmanilla only found via the surgery and lab test.
Dr. Fiscella staff has always been couteous to me and my son. Sometimes I have not always been the best patient when ill but her staff understood and showed patience with me. Dr. Fiscella and staff have stuck by me when I was a miserable patient. She is not afraid of alternative medicine. I have always been able to discuss my most sensitive health issues with her and she listens and made good solid recommendations that I may not have always wanted to hear.
I have learned to trust and respect her. Carolyn
I second the person who said that Dr. Fiscella herself is caring and competent, but oh, that office!! The front desk folks are as nice as can be, but the waits are atrocious and when I have called for advice or a prescription request, more than half the time (maybe 3 of 4 times I've tried?) I never even got a call back. And the office manager is a nightmare. They have mis-billed me several times, and she has been really rude and confrontational about it. When I wrote a letter in an attempt to solve the billing problems it was ignored! I would leave this practice if there were a good alternative available, because the lack of call-backs and billing battles have left me feeling powerless and disrespected there. As we all know, though, it's tough to find a good Dr. with a good staff in the days of managed care. Nancy
I and my family have been patients of Dr. Fiscella for 6 years. I also believe that Dr. Fiscella is competent. But it is very difficult to see her when you need it. The staff is not cooperative or helpful. If you are sick and need to see the doctor right away, you have to really argue with the staff who will be offering an appointment for one week later... My family has been through the same situation every single time we are sick. We are fortunate that we don't get sick often.
Also, for about three years we have not seen Dr. Fiscella at all, since there were nurse practitioners who were taking care of patients (I guess D. Fiscella was taking care of emergencies and more serious illnesses than the flu, etc.). The nurses were caring and good, however, once one of them told me I had something that turned out to be something else. This might have changed since I have not been offered to see the nurses lately. Daniela
Sorry to say folks,but we as a family cannot recommend her or her office staff in particular.I am a reasonable person,as is my husband,and i just found them so unprofessional that I switched doctors.
Elizabeth
I am happy to recommend Roxanne Fiscella and her practice. The office is located near Milvia and Dwight. I especially love the nurse practitioner, Amy, who is thorough, smart, and kind. Dr. Fiscella, whom I've seen less often, is also personable, and quite direct. Friends who have gone through serious illnesses speak highly of Dr. Fiscella's attentiveness and care.
DNA4IM
I feel I must respond to the ref for Roxanne Fiscella. A few years back my wife was her patient, a patient with a cancer history. Dr. Fiscella missed critical lab results. Reordered films 6 weeks later, ignored those results for a number of weeks and wouldn't return our phone calls. Her staff was incredibly rude and unprofessional in the face of obvious metastasis. I finally reached her via pager to the hospital unit as she'd another patient in the hospital. I asked her to order the appropriate Cat Scan by phone as I knew there was immediate availablity in the scanner. My wife was subsequently hospitlized for a week after major surgery. Fiscella never once checked in on her patient. Never once said hello even though she passed by my wife's room at least twice that I witnessed. She Never once apologized for she and her staff's obvious blunder followed by rudeness. Fiscella had many opportunities to remedy her mistakes. She chose to ignore them. I'd suggest you ask around about Fiscella. We're not the only dissatisfied customer. There are many good practitioners out there. I hope you find one. Good Luck
I was recommended to Dr. Fiscella, by another doctor, approximately 20 years ago. She has been my family physician since. I will be taking my granddaughter to her when my granddaughter changes from a pediatrician to our family physician, Dr. Fiscella.
Roxanne has been attentive to my medical needs. She has made recommendations for test when I have poopooed the tests but trusted her and she was right. The tests were needed. She has always return calls or when out of the area the doctors covering her cases have always return my calls promptly. Alta Bates knows that when Dr. Fiscella's patients are in the emergency room, they notify her office.
Recently, 2001, in an emergency requiring me to go to Alta Bates hospital, arrangements were made (by the attending physician covering) prior my treatment at the hospital so I did not have a wait, the arrangements were made by a doctor covering for Dr. Fiscella. My son has also gone to Dr. Fiscella as a young adult and now as an adult. She was very attentive to him as when he had a very serious illness that resulted in surgery. Today, he trust her and will see her before any other doctor.
Years ago my son had a very rare form of Salmanilla (his pain did not present as the disease). My son had gone to one Bay Area Emergency Room Hospital that turn him away saying he had a stomach flu. After that I called Dr. Fiscella who had him admitted to Alta Bates Hospital. She made sure he was seen, she made the recommendation for specialists to be brought in to examine him and made sure the proper test were performed, and she was not the surgeon who performed the surgery but she was there. He had exploratory surgery that removed his appendix and laboratory tests which found the reasons for his very serious stomach pain. Again his pain turn out to be a rare form of salmanilla only found via the surgery and lab test.
Dr. Fiscella staff has always been couteous to me and my son. Sometimes I have not always been the best patient when ill but her staff understood and showed patience with me. Dr. Fiscella and staff have stuck by me when I was a miserable patient. She is not afraid of alternative medicine. I have always been able to discuss my most sensitive health issues with her and she listens and made good solid recommendations that I may not have always wanted to hear. I have learned to trust and respect her. Carolyn
I second the person who said that Dr. Fiscella herself is caring and competent, but oh, that office!! The front desk folks are as nice as can be, but the waits are atrocious and when I have called for advice or a prescription request, more than half the time (maybe 3 of 4 times I've tried?) I never even got a call back. And the office manager is a nightmare. They have mis-billed me several times, and she has been really rude and confrontational about it. When I wrote a letter in an attempt to solve the billing problems it was ignored! I would leave this practice if there were a good alternative available, because the lack of call-backs and billing battles have left me feeling powerless and disrespected there. As we all know, though, it's tough to find a good Dr. with a good staff in the days of managed care. Nancy
I and my family have been patients of Dr. Fiscella for 6 years. I also believe that Dr. Fiscella is competent. But it is very difficult to see her when you need it. The staff is not cooperative or helpful. If you are sick and need to see the doctor right away, you have to really argue with the staff who will be offering an appointment for one week later... My family has been through the same situation every single time we are sick. We are fortunate that we don't get sick often. Also, for about three years we have not seen Dr. Fiscella at all, since there were nurse practitioners who were taking care of patients (I guess D. Fiscella was taking care of emergencies and more serious illnesses than the flu, etc.). The nurses were caring and good, however, once one of them told me I had something that turned out to be something else. This might have changed since I have not been offered to see the nurses lately.
My husband has been seeing Roxanne Fiscella for years and likes her. I think she is well-respected in the community and probably has several good reviews here on BPN. I'm not familiar with any of the other names you mention.