Semrad Sidney DO

I have 2 kids, of which Dr. Semrad has delivered 1, my youngest. I hated my previous doctor in San Diego, who botched my cesarean and had to put me under for the birth, it was a disaster and I had horrible anxiety about it going into my second pregnancy.
Dr. Semrad was recommended to me by my sister-​in-​law and I can honestly say that I couldn’t have chosen a better doctor or office. He immediately addresses all of my concerns, makes me feel very comfortable and is always attentive. My delivery (which was a planned cesarean) at Banner Gateway (phenomenal hospital) was the best experience I could have ever imagined. Everything went smoothly, no hiccups whatsoever, it was quick, completely painless and Dr. Semrad even fixed my terrible scar from my 1^st delivery and now I don’t even have a scar! Yes, it’s completely healed up in less than 2 years!
I also love the office staff, and I always recommend my friends and family to Dr. Semrad. In fact, he is about to deliver my other sister-​in-​laws baby boy in the spring. Everyone I know that has been to Dr. Semrad has a good experience. 5 stars for a wonderful doctor and office!

Let me just start out by saying I only saw Dr. Semrad twice. The first time I saw him was because I was having a lot of pelvic pain. He prescribed me Norco for the pain and scheduled a laparoscopy to see what was going on. The second time I saw him was the day of the surgery. He came and seen me for 5 minutes after the surgery was over to tell me that I had endometriosis. He prescribed percocet for the pain.
I was not very impressed with his bedside manner. He did not take much time to listen to what I had to say. He talked over me and therefore did not hear much of what I said.
I switched my OB/​GYN shortly after the surgery. My new Doctor gave me a total hysterectomy due to the endometriosis and the pain. I just saw my new Doctor the other day for my two week checkup after surgery and he mentioned to me that Dr Semrad told him I was a drug seeker. I was surprised by that because Dr. Semrad was giving me the pain meds for my pain, but calling me a drug seeker behind my back? If you really believe I am a drug seeker, then why are you prescribing me those drugs?
Beware, if you have a real complaint about pain, he will label you a drug seeker and tell your other doctors about it. Not cool when you cannot trust your doctor to keep information private.

This Doctor should not be practicing and I would NEVER recommend anyone I know going to him.
On January 30 2008, I felt a lump in my breast. I went in for a mammogram within a couple days and then scheduled and appointment with Dr Semrad.
While in his office he did the physical exam. Felt the lump. Made a joke about hoping my husband liked golf since the mass was the size of a golf ball (4cm)… when I asked what it was or what we do next he said it is just fybrocystic change and nothing to worry about and come back in a year.
In August 2008 I felt pain under my arm and contacted his office when they opened at 9 am telling them that he had assured me it was nothing but that I felt pain under my arm while applying deodorant and needed to get in right away. I was told that he was in with another patient and they would get with him as soon as he got out of the room and call me back. But that he will likely refer me to someone.
I waited and did not hear back from them before lunch so I called as soon as lunch was over and expressed my concern that i was told someone would call me back as soon as he finished with the patient he was seeing and that no one had ever called me. I got the same story. He is in with a patient when he gets out of the room we will talk to him and call you back.
No one from his office called me back until after 5 pm.
I ended up being diagnosed with Stage 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer. because of the size of the tumor now 7 cm and it being in my lymph nodes.
had he done his job and cared about me his patient it would likely have been stage 2 and not as advanced.
He doesnt deserve to be caring for patients and patients deserve way better than him

When you’re pregnant, finding a doctor you can trust is everything. I switched doctors after several issues I had with Dr. Sidney Semrad and/​or his office Southeast Valley Obstetrics & Gynecology (on Broadway Rd. in Mesa). Below is a listing of the major issues and concerns or experiences I had that made me decide to find alternative care.
1. When (during the third visit) we finally got to meet Dr. Semrad in person, he spent less than 5 MINUTES with my husband and I. I asked about natural birth and he told me he didn’t believe in it because if something went wrong, I would need pain meds. When I asked about having a midwife he said he refused to work with them — flat out, no options. He acted rushed, impatient and rude. It was at this point I started looking for other doctors, but before I had time to find one I ran into complications.
2. I started bleeding and the office person I spoke to told me to go to the hospital ER without consulting anyone. This call also never made it into my medical records.
3. When I started bleeding the SECOND time, I got a totally different reaction (different person) and was told to come in immediately that day. I feel like all the people that answer the phone should be trained and should be consistent.
4. When I came into the office and began the examination they were obviously panicked and had no idea what to do. While my husband and I were trying to remain calm they actually frightened us MORE. They could not give me any type of diagnosis or suggestion as to the cause or even what to do, scheduled an emergency sonogram that day, then scheduled ANOTHER sonogram for two business days later. Needless to say, you want your doctor to know what is wrong immediately or send you to a specialist or service ONE time rather than send you to multiple caregivers that cost you twice as much money.
5. While I’m in their office, bleeding, they tell me I never gave them my phone number and they haven’t been able to reach me for an appointment to set up. Not only did I give them my number, work number and email, I also gave them my husbands. Losing a patients phone number? Irresponsible. Blaming the patient? Insane.
3. After seeing the second specialist and having a level 2 sonogram performed, I was prescribed bed rest from that doctor — a doctor that had never seen my medical history because nothing had been sent over with the sonogram request. I was told my diagnosis, recommendations, and new sonogram would be sent to Dr. Semrad’s office within 24 hours so that they could continue my care.
4. I called the Dr. Semrad’s office requesting my prescribed bed rest be put in writing for my work and was told I was no longer Dr. Semrad’s patient since they’d sent me to another doctor and that they didn’t have my records. I called THAT office and they said they saw me as a referral one-​time visit only, and that my records had been sent back to Semrad. I called BACK to Semrad and left a message which wasn’t returned for over 2 days, and when they called back they acted like I had asked to be transferred — they said nothing about the letter I needed for work, my diagnosis, my treatment of care, or any questions I had asked. Instead they were only caring about if I wanted to transfer out from their care.
5. After finding a new doctor (30 miles away but worth it) I requested a transfer of my medical records from every specialist and service, as well as Dr. Semrad’s office. Dr. Semrad’s office is the ONLY one that still has not complied.
Dr. Semrad got his medical license 30 years ago. If you’ve done ANY research into childbirth you know in the past 30 years obstetrics has changed (or should) like night and day — and he’s still in the dark ages. His office is unorganized and his staff is not educated enough to instill confidence. I would never recommend anyone go to this office for any reason.