David A Austin, MD

I started as a patient of the doctor in the next office and was passed on to Dr. Austin’s as a new patient when my old doctor retired. Long story short, I haven’t looked for a new doctor since.
While I don’t see him very often, every time he walks in the room and sees me, he smiles as if seeing an old friend. We usually spend way too much time talking about diet, exercise, and meditation. He is a big proponent of all 3 as a key to a longer, healthier lifestyle.
People should know that he is very averse to giving medication to just give medication. While a very smart and knowledgeable doctor, he is a big fan of letting the body do what it does naturally when it comes to minor infections and avoiding giving antibiotics when they are not a necessity. He stresses how important it is to allow our bodies to fight on it’s own behalf and how important it is to not over prescribe antibiotics. Of course, I’ve received medication and treatments when I needed it.
One thing you should be aware of is that he has a very calm but blunt demeanor. I appreciate it. I find him understanding, but also direct. As a very type A person, it took me a few visits to interpret his personality, but once I did, every appointment with him since is as enjoyable as a trip to the doctor can be. Even if I’m under the weather, I feel that I can be open, honest, and direct with him and I receive a wonderful level of care.
His staff is also very efficient and personable. There is an older woman that is in charge of admissions, payment, and the phones. She can be a bit intimidating at first, but she is my absolute favorite. It is also worth nothing she went the extra mile for me when I had a billing dispute with Cedars (who does their billing) and, like the doctor, is incredibly understanding, but direct. His main nurse is always pleasantly chatty and bubbly. She exudes warmth and you can tell she gets fulfillment out of the work she does.
I would highly recommend this office to anyone looking for a general internist. His personality may not work for some per the other reviews, but Dr. Austin is a solid doctor and I’ve been nothing but impressed and pleased with him and his staff.

It was a terrible experience and a waste of time. I went in to be treated for things he could run tests and his area of practice but he was more interested in my other conditions I see specialists in those fields. My impression was he was looking to lock on to all things while other doctors did the work and he is just an on looker adding on billing. My impression was very pushy doctor that is not interested in doing his job. Why is this man a doctor?

My appointment with Dr. Austin was awful. After meeting one of his nurses, she quickly hinted that the «good doctor» will want to discuss my weight and blood pressure, which I quickly let her know that my appointment was for a possible sinus infection/​chest congestion and nothing else. She started out of the room gesturing to my chart and saying, «I’ll make sure he’s aware of why your here», which I replied «Okay». About 10 minutes later, Dr. Austin walks in-​shakes my hand, and proceeds to waste the next hour speaking only of my weight and nothing else. Now I’m fully aware that I have some weight to shade, but when a patient ask to shelf that conversation for a future appointment; you docter should have moved on. BUT it wasn’t until the last 2 minutes before walking out, that he briefly placed his hand on neck and then proceeded to recommend that my body naturally remove the possible sinus/​chest infection and that there was no need for medication.
I would have done better and saved money by going on to
! Thanks for the awful-​bedside-​manners.

I relocated to Los Angeles two years ago and as part of the transition, looked for a new general practitioner. After a fairly extensive search and after one poor choice, I met with Dr. Austin. He is exactly what I need in a doctor. Thoughtful, diligent, and made me comfortable the entire time. He spent a good deal of time with me, listened carefully and asked pointed questions about my health history. On top of that, he has a wonderful sense of humor and an easygoing zenlike nature which reflects in his health care strategy.
On top of that, his staff was not only courteous but very friendly. My wait time was so short that I was still filling out paperwork as I moved from the waiting room into the doctor’s office.
My search for a primary care physician is over.

Dr Austin has been my primary care doctor for a little bit over two years now, hands down the best Dr I’ve had. He’s very friendly and knowledgeable. He will also answer any questions you have and doesn’t just make you feel like another patient. His staff is great too, always friendly. He’s in the Cedars network so with that, you already know you’re getting the best treatment, plus I definitely feel that I am every time I visit his office. Would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a new Dr.

Dr. David Austin has been my Internist for several years. I have never been to a more caring, patient and knowledgeable Internist. He takes the time to explain everything to me and never ignores my concerns. He returns all of my phone calls and immediately gets back to me, with my test results. His staff is pleasant and I never have to wait to be seen by the Doctor. I would recommend Dr. Austin to the world.

Dr Austin was pretty brusque in his manner and didn’t want to spend a ton of time with me. He literally was walking out the door of the room as I was still asking questions. I think his knowledge seems fine and the diagnosis was basically OK, but I had to ask a lot of questions to extract the information I needed from him. Ultimately though I thought it was pretty ridiculous that he seemed to be finished with me in less than ten minutes and rudely started physically exiting the office while I still had questions. I would not go back.

Dr David Austin has been my family physician for several years. He is a great Doctor and a great human being. I recommend him to all my loved ones and to everyone else. His office staff at the Cedars Sinai Medical Group are wonderful wonderful people and very caring and responsible.

Dr. Austin is a tireless professional who’s helped me on a number of occasions with medical issues big and small. I highly recommend him and his staff, they couldn’t be more knowledgeable or courteous.

I’m relatively new to the Cedars Sinai Medical Group, so as most people do, we chose this «doctor» upon a good recommendation.
We arrived with plenty of time to spare, the girl in the front started to check me in, and before I even had the preliminary paperwork in my hands, I was asked if I wanted a vaccine. I declined.
Before completing the paperwork, the nurse brings me back, takes my weight and vitals, asks a few questions, (while I’m filling out the paperwork) and pushes another vaccine on me. I decline again, letting her know I am completely up to date on them. She then tells me she needs my immunization records to make sure I’m up to date on them. Last I remembered, if the patient says «no», I’m pretty sure that means «no, I do not want your vaccine». She finishes doing her thing, tells me the doctor was going to be right in, and goes to leave the room. Before she leaves, I ask her when she is going to be running tests on me. She says «well, you can have them if you want them». Umm… ok… last I knew, when a patient comes in with health concerns, the nurse runs a battery of tests. I figure maybe the doctor needs to see me first, and the nurse will come back in after he «orders» the tests. I take her response at face value, and try to calm my impatient bladder (that I kept intentionally full!), as I wait for Dr. Austin to come in.
Less than 5 minutes later, Dr. Austin saunters in. In a very burned out tone, says «Hey, how ya doing?» I say «I’m fine, and you?», «Mmmhmm», he says. He takes a second to look over my chart, although, I’m not sure what he’s actually looking at, since I’m STILL filling out my paperwork. Upon looking at my information, he raises an eyebrow, and says «Oh, you live in Van Nuys…» I look at him and say «I know, but I happen to live in an area that isn’t so bad» He says, «Yes, but Van Nuys…» and makes a disapproving gesture. After he finishes judging my living arrangements, he finally asks me why I’m there. I tell him, he raises his eyebrow again and tells me «Well, basically you need a referral, there’s not much I can do here.» He leans back in his chair, sighs, continues looking at his chart, and starts asking various question about my personal life. «So, you have a child huh?» «How long have you two been together?»… «Are you at least going to get married?»… «You know a child isn’t going to save your relationship… If you think that way, you better just leave him now» … «Do you work? … Where is the baby right now anyway?»
I was growing impatient, and my bladder growing fuller, so I finally ask him what he plans to do to help me. He tells me once I finish the paperwork, he will input it into the computer, and then generate my referral. Ok, that’s not what I asked, but whatever.
I hand him the papers, he looks through them, and stops when he comes across my family health history. He notices a recent diagnosis a close relative of mine has, and asks, coldly, «Is this person still alive?» I tell him yes, to which he replies, after a heavy sigh, «Wow. they shouldn’t be». By this point I’m done. Completely done with this madness.
WTF?!? I have never been to a «doctor» who asked me such PERSONAL, irrelevant questions, or given me such inane, unsolicited advice. By that point, I was ready to get up and walk out. But, the weight of my jaw as it hit the floor, was anchoring me to my seat. I had half a mind to tell him «I left my baby in the hot car outside… can we hurry this up?». But, as they say, hindsight is ²⁰⁄₂₀.
As he wraps up his 3 ringed circus, he says he will put in a referral, and to expect it in the mail in a week, and leaves the room. A WEEK??? I came to him for a reason, not to wait a week for a referral in the MAIL!
After he leaves, he sends his nurse in, to push yet ANOTHER vaccine on me. I decline, yet again. And yet again, she asks for my immunization records. When I told her I didn’t have them, yet again, she tells me I’m done there, and reiterates what the doctor just told me. Incredibly frustrated, I ask her again, when she is going to administer any sort of test. She then again says «well, you can if you want». I tell her it’s better to be safe than sorry, she laughs and agrees, hands me my paperwork, and says I’m all done and I can go home. UGH… I didn’t have it in me to ask again, to have someone actually do their job… so I hastly grabbed my things and left.
I could’ve received the same info, minus the judgement and psycho questions, over the phone. I have never been made to feel so uncomfortable by a healthcare «professional». This is not how a «professional» acts. If I wanted to be berated on my life choices, I could’ve saved my time and gas money, and called one of my distant relatives. I’ll never be coming back here, and I wouldn’t recommend him to my worst enemy. So, all in all, I left with less info, and a fuller bladder than I came in with.
If you do decide to still go here, good luck to you.