Umekubo John I, MD

Dr. Umekubo is the kind of doctor you used to see before insurance ran the medical field. Old school, takes as much time as necessary to make sure each patient is well understood and well treated. But you can be assured that he’ll take the time you need for your situation, rather than the «OK you have used up your 20 minutes I have to leave now» that you get from the Corporate doctors. As a result, there may be a wait for your appointment but his patients are all so loyal and happy, they understand it. My geriatric parents have been going to him for many many years and he really cares about them as people. You just don’t see this kind of medical care anymore, highly recommended.

Dr. Umekubo has been my primary care doctor for about five years now. I love that he has his own office right in Japantown and his office staff is his Mom. He and his Mom are a team so they both become your medical team. I almost always get an appointment on the day I need it though sometimes I’ll need to wait a bit in the office. He is kind, attentive and thorough. There’s nothing corporate about this kind of health care. As a woman, I’m a bit shy around him on certain issues as I’ve always had women doctors before. But that’s my issue, not his. Oh yes, did I mention he nagged me to get follow-​up tests on something weird noted on a catscan that had been taken for another reason allowing me to get my kidney removed before the cancerous tumor in it spread? Did I mention that?

I’ll be the first to write a review here, because he deserves a good one from me.
I went to see Dr. Umekubo two weeks ago, when I had a cold that had lingered for two weeks.
I had to wait for 2 hours from our appointment time, and I was about to complain, but when I met him, I realized why the service was slow: he’s really attentive to patients. He answered every question I made, and never had a low opinion of what I said.
One-​star minus is for the unpredictability of the wait time for hasty people like me, but other than that, he’s a great doctor.