Oh, doctor!*

December 19, 2008 4:49 PM

Need to find a *great* GP doctor (and also an OB/GYN if you have one) in Los Angeles. Preferably someone nice who is knowledgeable and interested in finding causes and solutions instead of just masking symptoms.

I have had a great dentist and a great dermatologist here for years, but I've never found the right doctors for general stuff or to oversee the health of my ladyparts. I've always commuted to my family doctor in San Diego and I need to quit doing that. It's ridiculous. Soooo, recommendations?

I live near Sherman Oaks, but I'd be willing to drive over the hill. I have Blue Shield PPO.

*Just showin' a little of my San Diego heritage, there. :)

posted by miss lynnster to health & fitness (5 comments total)

I know it's not over the hill, but I can't recommend Dr. Gail Mykita enough! I had to give her up because my college health plan expired, but I'll be going back in the new year. I'm pretty sure her office takes Blue Shield. She does general practice and OB/GYN.
posted by arishaun at 5:02 PM on December 19, 2008

When I was living in LA I went to the UCLA Iris Cantor women's health center for GP and gyn stuff and they were super-duper awesome. I didn't have any weird issues to "test" them on, but they were really respectful and open-minded and not judgmental about anything. Actually, every doctor I ever saw at UCLA was amazing. Even the receptionists have been great, in my experience.

They definitely took the Blue Cross (shield?) insurance when I went (it's the insurance UCLA employees get). And when I didn't have insurance, they hooked me up with a cheap pap when I needed it.

And the woman who took my blood for a test was a miracle worker.

I forget the name of the specific doctor I saw (and she might not be there anymore, it's been a little while), but if I do remember, I'll check back in.
posted by giraffe at 5:22 PM on December 19, 2008

Oh, it was Angela Ruman. Should've checked the website before I hit the button.
posted by giraffe at 5:26 PM on December 19, 2008

Everyone I see is with Cedars-Sinai in Beverly Hills (I would assume they're in-network for Blue Shield PPO, but of course be sure to check).

My internist is Dr. Ruth Virginia Russell and I adore her. Her subspecialty is endocrinology (which is important for me, because I had thyroid cancer years ago); she's very solution-oriented, is a great listener, and really cares about her patients. Her practice is really busy, though, which means A) I don't know if she's taking new patients, and B) you're often kept waiting pretty long when you arrive for an appointment (30-60 mins., which I wouldn't put up with if I didn't like her as much as I do). So that's my caveat for Dr. Russell.

For OB/GYN, I see Danielle Blum (nurse practitioner) for routine stuff and Dr. Lloyd Grieg for not-so-routine stuff, and have nothing but great things to say about them both. As a bonus, one of the great things about seeing an NP for routine stuff is that you can often get in there the same week.
posted by scody at 5:31 PM on December 19, 2008

I live right where you live and I have Blue Shield PPO too, and my OB/GYN is Dr. Sharon Pushkin, and she's faaaaabulous. She's in Westwood, on Wilshire Blvd., but it's only short drive over Beverly Glen if you schedule the appointment in the middle of the day.

(Her last name is funny, given her job, too. Push, push!)
posted by Asparagirl at 6:02 PM on December 19, 2008