Melanie Martin, MD

In the market for a new Dr. and remembered that I should write of my experience with this office. Two less-​than great experiences stand out in my memory.
1) I had contracted my first UTI (ever) and went in to see what I could do about it. I was told, after my urine analysis, that my sugar levels were outrageously high and that I might be experiencing kidney failure or infection… and that I might have to be hospitalized by week’s end! At 23 or 24, you can imagine the stress this caused me and my parents. I went back in later in the week to get more detailed results and heard from Dr. Martin (the only competent person in this office) that I only had trace amounts of a UTI. I told her about my sugar levels that morning and she asked, «What did you have for breakfast or to drink that day?» I responded: «A grands soy latte.» She smiled and said that the drink would explain my sugar levels and that I was perfectly fine.
2) I was traveling to India and needed to get vaccinations. The woman (Dr. Lewis, I think) referred to my travel book and to a palm– reference (something like a Medical Dictionary) to read more about what I needed. She had referenced her hand held device on several occasions during past visits. Looking back at this, I never had confidence in her and was turned off by her knowledge (or lack thereof)…I was just too young to do anything about it.
This place does not come with my high recommendation, but they are sorta nice.

I see Dr. Melanie Martin at the Blossom Hill Samaritan Clinic as a Workers Comp patient. Dr. Martin is the best doctor I have encountered in a very long time. She is genuinely concerned about my issues. On my very first appointment she had xrays done right away and reviewed them with me. Her bedside manner is outstanding and she actually sits down and discussed your diagnosis, options, and schedules follows up appointments with you. Dr. Martin makes me feel like she is truly concerned about me and gives me whatever amount of time I need to feel comfortable when I leave.
The office is clean and the staff are very nice. All positive experiences.

I first met Dr. Martin years ago. I was on the nursing staff of Good Sam. Hospital, and
this is where we would go for our work physicals. I was impressed with her the first time around. Her bedside manner and patient communication skills were tops.
She was thorough, however, the office itself I did not care for.
Fast forward a couple of years later … I had liked Dr. Martin so much, I requested her
for my next physical again. I was acutely ill that day with upper resp. symptoms and
fever. Up to that point, I insisted to the office girls that I would not stay in the waiting room, which was filled with coughing-​flu patients, and
demanded to them that I sit in the hall, which I did shivering, for quite some time. Again, on exam, Dr. Martin was extremely caring, detailed, and
warm as always, and wanted me to go home for bedrest, etc.
I give her 5 stars, from my professional observations, and personal experience.
She’s a bright, astute physician who talks well with patients, warmly and with wit
when needed.
I would stay with her, in fact, but dislike the office so much, that I would never consider, the staff are very young, lack the proper people skills and savy to deal with
patients.
I hope that Dr. Martin can move to another group or location, I will be there.

I don’t understand the negative reviews on Dr. Martin or her co-​workers. Our first visit to her office was when my wife was very sick, so we went as walk-​in patients. Now this is after her primary physician basically ignored all of her previous symptoms and medical history. Dr. Martin was able to see her w/​i 45 minutes (not bad for a walk-​in appt.), did a once-​over and sent her immediately to a blood lab for further tests. Within an hour, she was getting a blood transfusion and was in the hospital for three days. Her condition was diagnosed and treated successfully — after over a year of what I consider benign neglect by her previous physician. Needless to say, we made Dr. Martin her primary MD as soon as we could.
A few months ago, I noticed what I thought was an insect bite on my ankle. No big deal, so I thought. A little Neosporin and it should heal fairly soon, right? Well two months later, this wound had spread and was causing a lot of pain. So I walked in (as she wasn’t my primary MD yet.) She took one look and referred me to a vascular surgeon — what I thought was an insect bite was a venous ulcer caused by varicose veins — apparently this was a condition that was on the way to becoming a really big deal.
The surgeon she referred me too did an excellent job, and my leg in on the way to recovery.
Needless to say, Dr. Martin is now my primary MD as well. (In fairness, I was also very happy with my prior MD.)
We’ve also brought our little one there for various kiddie ailments, and she’s always gotten excellent care.
As far as the office staff goes, I have no complaints.

One of the worst practices that I have ever stepped foot into. From the front desk, to the Dr.‘s (I’ve seen two), nurses, bedside manor, etc.; it’s all BAD.

Like one of the previous reviewers before me said, I wish I could give this doctors office zero stars. For starters, the staff is extremely rude, and act as if they could careless about you. I have gone here three times since Melanie Martin became my primary physician, and not once have I actually been able to see her. At my first appointment I waited 30 minutes in the waiting room, and another hour once they called me in, to end up seeing a physicians assistant. The woman had no clue how to diagnose and treat my issue. It was a simple belly button piercing infection. She told me the cream she prescribed was strong and would heal the infection within a week. Instead, it got worse! So, I went back, only to wait a hour again, and see another physicians assistant who couldn’t help me either. She said I should probably just take out the piercing, and preceded to ask if she was supposed to take it out for me, or I was supposed to do it myself. Isn’t she supposed to be the doctor? Finally, out of coincidence, it just so happens that my boyfriend is a patient of doctor Martin’s, as well. Every time he goes in, big or small issue, he sees her. Why can’t I?!?

If the review is for Dr. Martin — she is excellent. Hands down the best primary care physician I have had. If the review is for the office experience, then I agree, the Winchester office is not that great, although it has been nearly 2 years since I was in there last. She also sees patients off of Blossom Hill if you are PPO, that office is much better. I went to the Winchester office when I was under HMO… and I just haven’t had great experiences anywhere under HMO… you get what you pay for, which is why everyone should be nervous about ‘free’ health care.

Worst doctor’s office/​experience ever. I have been going here for a year and have finally decided to look for a new Primary Care. The staff in the front office is very RUDE and INCONSIDERATE. They have often had a full conversation with me without ONCE looking at me. They would say, «Can I help you?» while still shuffling through paperwork, files, or writing things down — again, carrying on a conversation with me without having looked at me once. There is one Filipino girl who has been polite and I appreciate it, though that is something that should be commonplace in a doctor’s office. One should not APPRECIATE common courtesy, it should be given regardless — afterall, it’s still a customer service related job. I have had 3 different appointments in which I had to wait over an hour to see the doctor. On one occasion, I waited 1 hour and 45 minutes only to see a doctor (not even Dr. Martin — just some other lady who used her blackberry to diagnose my problem — EVEN THOUGH I ALREADY TOLD HER THAT I THINK I HAD A CASE OF BELL’S PALSY) — she confirmed «Yes, looks like Bell’s Palsy» after spending 10 minutes doing a search on the internet on her Blackberry. I have never actually met Dr. Martin. I always wait forever to see ANY doctor. The front desk staff is rude. There’s one Medical Assistant who is very nice though, but aside from her and the Filipino girl at the front desk, this office is TERRIBLE. I would NEVER recommend this doctor to anyone at all. EVER.

I wish I could give zero stars!
First off this is NOT a primary care doctor! This is a clinic that sees people hurt on the job, does tb tests and drug tests! They put them self under the primary care doctor category which I find repulsive! There was a guy bleeding all over the place, people hacking and coughing as they are kind of a low income clinic who take in cash paying people! Nuts! Now I know why I could never get an appointment when I tried calling. I changed my doctor as soon as I got home. Ugh

I called her office because I needed a US registered civil surgeon to transcribe some vaccination information for some immigration paperwork for my wife.
On the phone they sounded pleasant and said to come in as a walk-​in today. So i hurried home and got my wife to go over to the office. When I got there they then said they would not do the paperwork as the instructions indicated on the forms and that they would need to do a full physical for $ 300 or so. After arguing with them they agreed to do the vaccination list only, but still didn’t want to sign the document. Ok, i figured something was better than nothing. Well after an hour wait I asked how long I should expect to wait and they indicated that they had no idea how long. So i asked for my money back and left.
This is what’s wrong with the healthcare system in america. Snobby doctors and staff that treat people with little respect or consideration. We need more sites like Unilocal to help us identify these bad apples and avoid them.

After reading the other two reviews, I decided to post one of my own as my experience was exactly like theirs.
On my first visit, the staff seems short-​tempered and not happy to be there. When I first met Dr. Martin, she seemed nice enough, but after about spending 8 minutes with me, she said that she had never seen my condition, and that she didn’t have any solution (which, I found out later was common and easily curable). As if that wasn’t bad enough, she then rushed me out of there and explained that she had lots of patients to see, when I know there was NOT that many in the waiting room.
On my next visit, I met the other doctor and expected to be treated with more respect than Dr. Martin, but I was wrong. After I told him my problem and expected feedback, he started joking with me right away. It’s alright to joke around a little bit, except he didn’t stop joking and came off as arrogant. At this point I didn’t even take him serious.
In summary, very unprofessional. Oh, and did I mention the office? Gross. I am currently looking for a new doctor. Something way past overdue.

KB’s review is pretty much par for the course at this office.
I’ve been going here for a while now, and every time I’m very disappointed, sometimes I’ve actually left angry after having to sit and wait for over an hour past my appointment time to be seen. The wait is ALWAYS long, regardless of what time you make your appointment. The front desk staff is always a bit — I won’t say rude, but short. At her office there are at least three other doctors (who are all kind of terrible), so you have to specify that you want Dr. Martin and then you have to wait a while to get an appointment. I’m going to be looking for a new doctor from now on.

I decided to try Dr. Martin, despite previous bad reviews on Yahoo Local because she is close to where I live… And that the reviews seemed older so I was willing to give Dr. Martin’s office the benefit of the doubt. Mistake. I can’t believe how awful the front office really is! Rude, un-​organized and un-​professional.
One assisstant had the audacity to ask me (very curtly) why I even needed blood drawn in the first place (while arguing over a matter of the «type» of appointment for co-​pay), in front of about 5 people in the waiting room. I told her, I didn’t appreciate her asking and it was none of her business — that’s for the doctor to know not the girl who answers phones!
For the record, my insurance completely covers for preventive measures, e.g. cholesterol/​physical (that is, I didn’t have a co-​pay for that visit) — but she refused this point and that my scheduled appointment wasn’t originally scheduled «for that type» and payment would be different or come back tomorrow (this was after already being there an HOUR).
Overall, they seemed determined to get some money instead of caring about a patient. In general when making appointments I make it a point to be clear on my purpose of visit to avoid these kinds of mistakes, so I was sure I said «physical» on the phone. She continued to argue I only said «blood drawn»… okay — so what, I’m here AND I have insurance.
The two ladies in the front seemed to pass me off on one another without sharing information or explaining to me what the situation was.
They also seemed bothered that my maiden name was in the system but I wanted to now use my married name… so what — I think this is a common occurrance!
After 1hr 30mins past my scheduled appointment, I explained to Dr. Martin how terrible the girls in the front were and that I would not come back. Dr. Martin seemed nice enough (to her credit), but it’s not worth the hassle of the whole experience.
Is it really too much to ask to be greeted in and dealt with in a professional AND cordial manner?
I’ll keep driving to Los Gatos for my doctor.
Side note: the office in campbell seems quite dirty too and could use some «freshening» up. I expect Starbucks (for example) to be clean why shouldn’t I expect that from my HEALTH care physician?