Richard D Lee, MD - MDVIP

Dr. Richard Lee, who heads up Hometown Healthcare, is GREAT! He takes a unique approach to your health combining medicine with natural remedies. When I was diagnosed he could have easily medicated me with prescription drugs but instead decided to refer me to his in house nutritionist who has recommend a vast array of natural remedies and vitamins to put me back on path. I appreciate the fact that he does not force prescription meds if you do not want them.

He is pretty easy to get into and take a wide variety of insurance.

Dr Lee is a gem in the healthcare landscape. He's the rarest type of doctor: one who has a combination of intelligence and sensitivity; he's a great listener as well as an innovator in the field of medicine.

His homeopathic knowledge of herbal and vitamin remedies is vast and he supplements these recommendations with traditional Western Medicine so you get the best of both worlds without any patronizing lecture.

There's a feeling that he respects his patients as people and a mutual medical decision is made--driven by results from lab work and/or cutting edge gene testing--and he's great at explaining the scientific foundation to support his recommendation, which doesn't always involve a typical pharmacy prescription.

And FYI-- (since I've been on the periphery of healthcare for over fifteen years I speak from witnessing this trend first hand) all of the best family medicine doctors will eventually be in some type of "concierge" service....whether that involves a membership fee or a yearly fee for service, because of the financial squeeze of health insurances.

Most patients don't understand how they operate and their strict tiers for medications, prior authorizations and reimbursements for procedures, labs, etc. all declining, yearly membership fees will eventually become the only way for a great doctor to survive without joining a mega-monster like Kaiser where they time each patient visit, push "evidence based medicine" which is based on the generic patient just like the generic meds they mandate.

I give a five star to Dr. Lee but only one to me for not making appointments more often. I can say I feel in great hands with this doctor. He has breadth through experience to have perspective in assessment of, say, a wonky lab result that you googled and freaked yourself out about. He is clearly very intelligent--and combine that with seeing his patients as people, making astute recommendations and being up on the latest tech and advancements--we are feeling pretty confident in Dr. Lee supervising our healthcare. My husband (who sees him too) and I also love the "optimal" mindset and enjoy the tweaking of vitamin protocols. If we remembered to actually follow the protocols consistently I'd feedback on the efficacy of said vitamins but we do feel good so there's that.

Also, on a side note he cross-checks lab results with your 23&Me (or other) info which is pretty cutting edge I think.

Rich Lee has been my primary care physician for the better part of two decades. and there is no one better! I come from a medical family and maintain an EMT certification, so while still a civilian, I know what to look for when it comes to excellence in health care, and Dr. Lee really tops the charts.
He is an excellent (and patient) listener and dogged sleuth when it comes to chasing down the root cause of elusive complaints. And he stays absolutely up to the minute on the latest research, which he tempers with his long experience.
Honestly, I can't think of a better primary care doctor anywhere. As another reviewer put it, he is truly a gem!

Dr. Richard Lee is the best. He'll spend the time to make you feel listened to. I hear this about him all the time. His vast knowledge of medicine shows if you become a patient. He can think outside the box if it means taking care of your health. I feel cared for by this doctor more than any other. This is a unique quality in this period of medical history. The guy is a gem of a doctor.

Every person that I have referred to him has thanked me.

Rich is the doctor you want if quality of care is something you value!

One added note here. Rich has changed his practice recently to limit the amount of patients he sees. There is a fee to be part of his practice, if you can swing it, I can't recommend him enough.

Totally called up, excited by the yelp reviews, find out he is accepting new patients, and then the person says, by the way, he's part of a network called MDVIP, and you can pay a quarterly or annual fee...

You've got to be kidding me. No, I will not be paying his membership fees, that's something he needs to pay himself. Frickin scam.

'Let me get the nutmeister's information for you'...

'I'm gonna send you to my vampire for some blood work'...

If you guessed that these phrases were uttered by my physician, you have a much more intimate knowledge of medical jargon than I do.

My best friend referred me to Dr. Richard Lee back in 2002 when he worked at Stanford, and he's been my physician ever since. A few years ago he left Stanford and started his own practice (Hometown Healthcare), and if anything, his quality of service has gone up. The last time I went in for a physical (November 2007) I was there for almost 90 minutes, and spent very little of that time (less than 5 minutes) sitting around waiting.

In addition to administering the standard checkup tests, Dr. Lee takes the time to listen to all of your health questions and concerns (it's always a good idea to bring a list) and addresses each and every one. Besides being a great physician, he's a cool guy to chat with and has even provided me with information on items as varied as the following:

- A recipe for a great blueberry smoothie
- Cool vacation ideas (especially if you're into outdoorsy or adventure excursions)
- General health recommendations (websites, documents, etc.)
- The best way to get laid

If you live on the peninsula or are willing to drive down to Palo Alto (I live in the city and make the drive), give Dr. Lee a call...you'll be happy you did!

I know after reading this review most of you want to know the best way to get laid, which is...

Go to Hawaii.
(ba-dum-bum...crash! Thank you, thank you...I'm here every day at 2:00 and 4:00...please tip your waitpersons generously)

Dr Lee is absolutely amazing. It can be difficult to afford the extra, but if you cut back on one Starbuck's coffee (or beer) per day, that's the cost right there. (If you have FSA, it is an eligible FSA expense, so it can be a bit cheaper if you use pre-tax dollars)

What you get is totally worth it! Everything ArtD says is true... Appointments the next day, people who know you, appointments that answer your questions, ALL of them. Paying the extra allows Dr Lee to spend more time with each patient than what the insurance companies want him to. He still takes and bills your insurance which some doctors have stopped doing to stay in business. He's great about balancing traditional and natural medicine, finding the best individual solution for you. He has solved problems for me that left other doctors scratching their heads. He does too, but he DOESN'T GIVE UP!

He also is looking out for the health of your whole life, how is your work? Social life? Sex life? He gets that these things all affect your health and can give you great advice. He's also great at outdoor activities and safety and prepares me for all of my trips. He's like the best combination of doctor and life coach. I recommend him wholeheartedly to anyone and even more so to cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts. :)

Dr. Lee is a great doctor, although he has now joined a group called MD VIP in which you need to pay $1800/year to be his patient. He will reduce his number of patients to 600 by doing this. The $1800 will give you a yearly physical but you still need your normal insurance to pay for the visit.

He is probably the best doctor I have every had, but since I have not been sick in 2 years, it will be hard to justify $1800 more to health care after I have already been paying for the premium insurance in order to see him.

Too bad.

The doctor has employed a very rude nurse/receptionist to answer his calls. I am surprised to receive such poor customer service by a supposed healthcare professional representing a family practice. It's unfortunate to leave a poor Yelp review based on the front desk's behavior, but it needs to be called out. Especially when people who feel unwell are calling and they deserve warmth - not attitude.

An excellent, EXCELLENT doctor. He'll listen to your problems, no matter what they are, and treat you as a person - not a problem Dr. Lee is a shining example of what primary care in America SHOULD BE. I've visited many offices and Dr. Lee is a rare find and a gem amongst all doctors. The office is cozy, the staff is kind and efficient. If you're tired of the lackluster, half-assed care you've been getting thus far in the medical field, Dr. Lee's is a worth a refreshing try.

The only drawback is the $1800/yr extra you must pay directly to their office as part of their office's partnership with a novel insurance company MDVIP. This annual flat rate fee does include an annual physical, visit with nutritionist and open line to Dr Lee's cell, even if it's 3AM in the morning. He spends 30-50 minutes on your annual visit, approaching from all angles regarding your health; from sleep to diet to exercise, even your hobbies! And he's never tired of it.

Lastly, his practice emphasizes prevention rather than intervention. He prefers to take you OFF medications and not put you on more. And if he doesn't know, then he'll be HONEST with you.