Kathy Gu, MD

This is my first time using Kaiser as the health provider because I always have very good PPO insurance provider. I was a little worried regarding the Kaiser’s service, because you need more doctor’s help when you are older. So, I did on line checking and asked friends around then I decided to try Kaiser Permanente as my health provider.
It was surprised after moving to Kaiser. The system is so great and the Doctors are wonderful! Dr. Gu is on top of my health, who is not only knowledgeable but also very helpful and kind. She replied my questions right away and read my medical history to make sure everything is update and under control. I feel safe and cared under her professional experience. I’m very happy to have Dr. Gu as my primary doctor.

went to her once for annual check-​up with my husband. It took her only 10mins to do exams on both of us, kind of rush. It seemed she had antother patient to take care of at the same time. She didn’t do referrals, just gave me the department name and phone number. She is good in other aspects, polite and email us the lab results timely.

Your average Kaiser doctor, rushing through appointments, not referring when it is in the patient’s best interest and generally not giving the kind of care that would ensure that you «thrive well».
I have seen Dr. Gu many times, as she was my primary. She is personable, sets you at ease and seems knowledgeable enough for most everyday complaints. At times, I was relieved to learn that my presenting complaint was not some rare cancer or leptospirosis that I was sure I might die from. However, Dr. Gu should have had knowledge of, or referred me to a specialist for a simple problem that was easily treated. Instead, I was prescribed antibiotics repeatedly. When I finally sought care in a different department, the physician remarked, «Oh, we treat that with this, very easily fixed.»
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If a physician is not making progress with a certain disease or problem, then it is time to refer to a specialist, or another colleague at least for an opinion. When a patient has a medical complaint that is common and the physician seems to not know about treatments, then one is left to wonder what else this physician is ill prepared to treat. I am left wondering why this doctor did not acknowledge that she was getting nowhere and continued to resort to antibiotics when that did not address the issue. A good doctor would have had knowledge of the problem, or referred out after several failed attempts. It seems to me that Kaiser doctors in general dislike referrals and for that, thriving is at times impossible.

I’ve seen Dr. Gu a few times for referrals to specialists. She always been polite and professional.

First off, I don’t like Kaiser. So I was insured by them for a whole year before I finally knuckled down and went to get a check-​up. Dr. Gu was very nice, but the check-​up seemed very minimal for me telling her it was the first time I’d been to the doctor’s office in 5 years. I don’t know if this was her or Kaiser policy.
So time went on and I had a white spot in my throat. After two weeks of it, I called the advice nurse. The woman I spoke with said she was pretty sure she knew what it was — something to do with my tonsils aging — but she would have the doctor call me back. Dr. Gu left a message suggesting I had some food stuck in my throat. Seriously. I don’t know if it was just Kaiser’s failure to communicate my message to her, but I never returned her call. Was she an idiot who thought I had food stuck in my throat in the same place for two weeks? Did she think I was an idiot who would call the doctor if I had food in my throat? Does Kaiser just suck? Either way, I didn’t want to deal with her again.
PS: Two minutes on the internet allowed me to self-​diagnose tonsilloliths («tonsil stones»).