Ammon Randall A MD

i’ve been seeing Dr. Ammon for about 17 years.
he’s intense, thorough, direct and super knowledgeable,
and kind.
he’s a John Hopkins doctor. he doesn’t chat, period.
he’s totally focused on what he needs to do, period.
also about his staff. the office staff do their job, they don’t
have to relate to the patients. the 2 older women
have been with him a long time. they know
what they are doing — as does everyone there.
i find them upbeat and kind.

Ok.
First of all, he helped me. Immediately. I had problems with morning blood sugar. He carefully reviewed my case. He looked at my data. Then he made a recommendation that simply worked. I am used to good doctors, and this stands out as singularly effective.
Second, his staff. They were just fine. I was treated with courtesy, kindness, efficiency, and promptness. They must have replaced the problem staff.

Here was my experience with this much-​touted doctor: No eye contact whatsoever. A recitation by him of everything bad that could happen to me as a consequence of my condition. A prescription for tests. That’s it.
Altogether, a terrible experience. I would stay away and look elsewhere.

Dr. Ammon is a truly great doctor. He rocks!!! I saw him for about three or four years. He is very thorough, and he will give you the straight scoop. Highly reccomend this doctor. I don’t see him anymore, the reason being is that I’ve got Kaiser, and my primary physician at Kaiser rocks also.

WOW! Most of these reviews regarding the staff at Dr. Ammon office are right on point. I’m new to the area and just saw Dr. Ammon at the recommendation of my new Internal Medicine Physician. Saw him this past Wed. I found him to be outstanding in all areas, Very knowledgeable, seemed genuinely concerned, answered question and didn’t rush, took his time and went through my history, even though I wasn’t as prepared. I researched him after the fact, I usually do this first, and found him to be one of the best. I actually just returned from taking test he recommended X-​Ray and Ultra Sound, and in 30 min. he was already calling me with the result, and next step. (I didn’t like where he sent me for the test Alta Bates, that’s another review in itself).
Now, his staff, that’s another story. My drama started when I first called for an appt. Just unprofessional, and I couldn’t wait for the visit to see the staff. They were o.k. at greeting and registering me, but I witness what I call outright rude reply’s to questions asked and rudeness when someone was standing at the window waiting for assistance, and the person on the phone taking calls, making appointments needs a customer service class, and this had to be the individual I spoke with. They seem to be older women, just set in there ways. But, Dr. Ammon gets at least 4 stars****. I will be mentioning this to him on my next appt. If everyone did, maybe he’d have a chat with them.

very nice and thorough doctor. However the office staff is «out to lunch» from 12 – 2:15pm which seems somewhat excessive and makes it hard to make appointments.

Dr Ammon seems very thorough in working me up for pre-​diabetes and low testosterone. He is willing to discuss his observations and recommendation, actually hears what I say in our visits and takes my views into account when making decisions. I was very prepared for our first couple of appointments, I had a lot of specific expectations, he met or exceeded all of them. I got his name from the list of best docs in the Bay Area, and I have not been disappointed.
Getting an appointment is an issue, typically 3+ months, although I have managed to get in sooner via cancellations – this long lead time is the sole reason for 4 stars instead of 5. It is not like he is slacking off, I briefly saw his appointment schedule and it was jammed with names, he is just in high demand.
No problem with his office staff, parking has been pretty easy, near the freeway so simple to get to.

Before leaving my current health insurance I needed to see an endocrinologist and my GP recommeded Dr. Ammon. I was actually able to see him the following day, God is good, and rushed over to Orinda for my appointement. The young lady who made the appt. gave me great directions and when I got there greeted me with a big smile and friendly demeanor.
Dr. Ammon was friendly, kind and listened to my needs. He was very gentle and wrote me a prescription after he explained to me what was going on with my symptoms. He gave me lots of good information and some that I had not even connected to what was going on with me so that was an extra bonus. We also talked about other things that I had some questions about and he was very open to my needs about natural remedies as opposed to synthetic ones.
When I left the office I was wishing that I could go back and see Dr. Ammon again but as of July 1 my health insurance will change and he is not in my network. What a pity for me. Oh, he even left me a messag at home regarding something that he noticed on my blood work that we did not discuss in the office. What a wonderful doctor and anyone who is one of his patients is lucky.
All in all a great experience!

I have been going to Dr. Ammon for thyroid problems for about five years. He is professional, mild-​mannered, pleasant and reasonable, and I would recommend him. I have never had any problems with the office staff. They aren’t chatty but I have never seen them being rude or unhelpful either.

Just like everyone else, my review IS NOT against Dr. Ammon. I’ve always found him to be polite, kind, and very professional. This review is against his horrible, horrible staff. They’re always rude when I come in, first of all. Just because I’m not a rich middle-​aged person, they treat me as inferior. Most of the time I have to stand at the counter for 5 minutes to even get someone to look at me. Secondly, getting an appointment here is nearly impossible. They’re as unhelpful as humanly possible, simply saying «We’re booked.» The way I was told to get an appointment was to call every day after 2pm and ask if anyone had cancelled for the next day. What?
Finally, and the most irritating thing of all, is the fact that they keep giving the wrong insurance information to Quest Diagnostics, where I get my bloodwork done. It’s happened not once, but three times. I know they have the right information on file SOMEWHERE, as I’ve called to correct it each time. I don’t know if someone can’t see, or if they’re just not paying attention. It’s so inconvenient to make tons of phone calls to fix something that should be resolved!
Like I said, Dr. Ammon is awesome. The staff just needs revamping.

Unlike other respondents, I have had no problems with Dr. Ammon’s support staff. I’m not so tolerant of rude and/​or non-​responsive medical care providers, so I feel pret. ty aware of this issue. Let’s face it, doctors and their staff are service providers, so it is very reasonable to expect good service. Dr. Ammon is clearly knowledgeable, thorough and a good, (though not terribly verbal) listener.
As I become older, my insulin dependent diabetes is getting somewhat more challenging – too many blood sugars going low or high for no discernable reason. Dr. Ammon is a reliable and creative consultant when problems arise for me. I wish he could prescribe the «golden pill.» I wish someone could.

Dr. Ammon is the best. He is interested, attentive, and always reminds me that if I need to get in to see him (because his schedule is always full) to ask to speak with him and he will see me ASAP. He is also just a very nice person — very compassionate. I give him 5 out of 5 stars. Now — the office staff — they are rushed, seem mildly bothered and are very impersonal. Unfortunely — you have to go through them to get to him. I would say their manner is definitely ‘remarkeable’ — as it is noticeable from the get go. Dr. Ammon — however — is great.

OK, so this is just an update on the service, and not on Dr. Ammon, because, as I’d mentioned in my previous review, he is highly skilled and very attentive.
As for his staff… I called in today to make sure I was still on with my appointment next week. Thank goodness I’d called because… get this… I HAD no appointment in the system.
What? I mean, yes, I am sick… but I’m not an Alzheimer patient. I am NOT making this story up out of thin air.
I’m quite frustrated with Dr. Ammon’s office staff, and I swear if the meds I am on (that already make me very emotional and have caused me to gain weight by the way) do not make me feel better after another month or so, I am going to have to look for another endocrinologist!
Not because Dr. Ammon isn’t up to par, but because I am EMOTIONAL and STRESSED OUT and really, I don’t need people to forget to log in my appointment, or give me attitude over the phone.
Ever hear of EMPATHY, people? Obviously, the people around you are SICK. THE LEAST you could do is show signs of remorse. Ugh.

I am sorry to give only two stars to Dr. Ammon and I want to say straight off that it isn’t HIM that gets two stars, but rather his office staff, and they are the reason I am no longer a patient.
For Dr. Ammon himself, I give 5 stars. I really think he’s knowledgeable and helpful, although a man of few words. He answered anything I asked and was very focused on my thyroid numbers. I stress here that it’s really important to make sure your doctor –be it a specialist or your regular doctor – pay attention to what numbers mean. And with Dr. Ammon, I never had to worry that he didn’t know what he was talking about. I always felt that he managed my thyroid care very well.
But his office staff is so incredibly rude, every single time– not just once or twice– that I couldn’t stand going anymore. In particular it’s the woman with the (Australian?) accent. She is incredibly curt and rude both in person and on the phone. When I finally had had enough, I called and asked if I could speak to Dr. Ammon for a referral and she said, «No.»
It’s unfortunate. I’d definitely still be a patient if his office staff was nicer. I guess shame on me for not speaking up to him about it during my visits. A friend of mine who was regularly treated by Dr. Ammon also had the same complaint. I hate to even write this, but this is the only reason I’m not a patient anymore and I don’t think Dr. Ammon ever knew it.

I agree with Emilie G. that Dr. Ammon is an excellent doctor with an impressive and detailed body of knowledge and a clear understanding of the benefits and risks of treatments.
Let me share the personal experience that makes me think so highly of him. I was referred to Dr. Ammon when I was diagnosed with a disease more common among the elderly than the young (I was 23). The medicine prescribed to elderly patients is very effective and I was surprised when he did not prescribe it to me; his explanation was that «it binds to the bones, where it has a half life of many years, and I don’t think it’s safe for someone as young as you given that we don’t know the long-​term consequences.» And lo and behold, three years later, a number of studies were published detailing how this drug causes massive problems after years of treatment in some patients. Dr. Ammon’s conservative prescription for me was the result of meticulous research and an abiding concern for my long-​term well-​being. I would strongly recommend him to almost anyone.
His «bedside manner» is rather serious and may be intimidating at first, but, in my experience, he’s very good at answering questions, addressing doubts, and accommodating of personal preferences.
I’m afraid it is true that it takes three months to make an appointment, but that must say something about his performance as a doctor, right?

With all due respect to «Alethea O.,» her review reads like something out of the Twilight Zone.

Dr. Ammon was my doctor for about 10 years. Since I now live out of the state, I am no longer one of his patients, but he treated me all through high school up until after college before I moved. The idea that anybody would have to get up their courage to «stand up to» Dr. Ammon is absolutely bizarre. I’ve never met a doctor who was more compassionate and reasonable. He always took the time to listen to me, and explain things whenever I had questions. Also, the allegation that it is impossible to get an appointment to see him except for every three months is completely alien to my experience. In the more than decade I was his patient, when it was urgent that I see him, he made sure to make time to see me.
Last of all – and this is the most important point to make – it sounds as if «Alethea O.» was trying to get Dr. Ammon to prescribe her a course of treatment that he did not believe was safe or effective. Without question, Dr. Ammon is extremely accomplished: my parents frequently commented that he was ranked as one of the best doctors in America; I know that he is extremely well-​respected amongst his peers (my pediatrician and the general internist I started seeing when I was older both always spoke very highly of him); his medical training (at Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic) is top tier. But what makes Dr. Ammon an especially good doctor is his commitment to his professional ethics. I was always struck with how seriously he took my welfare as a patient. I never doubted for an instant that he really cared about doing what was best for my health.
It’s a great thing that we live in a country where patients have the freedom to choose risky, unproven, and unreliable courses of treatment, in effect, to gamble with their own health. How wonderful for «Alethea O.» that she has found a doctor who is willing to join her in this toss of the dice! But I would much rather have a highly trained doctor who was responsible and careful when setting out my course of treatment.

I went to this doctor for a couple of years for my hypothyroidism. This was after seeing Dr. Linfoot for several years and never being able to get my thyroid levels normal. The entire time I saw Dr. Ammon I expressed how important it was that I get this regulated so that I could start trying to get pregnant. He would see me once every three months, and I never had a normal reading the entire time I was a patient. He would increase the dosage of synthetic hormones that I was not responding to and I would still have low readings. He would then question whether I was taking my medication. When I finally had the courage to stand up to him and told him that I was doing everything I could to get my body together for a baby and that there was no incentive for me to not take my medication, he started to take me seriously. However, he never explored medications outside of the synthetic Levoxyl or Synthroid and I never felt like he really understood just how exhausted I felt as a result of the hypothyroidism, not to mention the sadness and how much the hair loss effected me. Also, because I could only get an appointment every three months, I wasted two years trying to get my thyroid regulated to no avail. After going to another doctor, I found that I respond to a natural hormone replacement. In seven years, it’s the only thing that has worked for me. Dr. Ammon frequently made me feel like I was crazy or doing something wrong because my Hashimoto’s was not responding to his prescribed treatment. Because it’s near impossible to get an appointment in less than three months, a huge amount of time was lost. As a woman in her mid 30’s trying to get pregnant, the time it took to get no result was absolutely infuriating to me.