Jacob Johnson, MD

This review is not only for Dr. Johnson but our journey for this entire experience.
Symptom:
My mom was diagnosed with «Left Superficial Parotidectomy with Facial Nerve Mornitoring.» Surgery was pretty much the only option.
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Finding a surgeon:
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1. Our first surgeon — was short and lacked the human touch we needed desperately. We decided we weren’t going to settle and started our journey to find the right surgeon.
2. After more than 6 surgeons & 6 months later — from Stanford to UCSF, we met our right doctor, Dr. Jacob Johnson. Why?
i) He was intelligent, knowledgable and respected in the field, frequently perform surgeries (huge plus), good communicator and no bs.
ii) The human side, he felt personable and often pretty funny person.
iii) In the end, it was chemistry. It is hard to explain but it’s similar when you meet new people, some people you just click better than others. Doctors works the same way. They are human after all like rest of us.
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Surgery day:
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1. Performed at CPMC. Great & caring staff!
2. Kudos to nurse Adian and nurse Lily. You are miracle workers.
3. Our anesthesiology, Dr. Skinner, was so funny! During times of anxiety and fear, there is no better medicine than a laughter.
4. Dr. Johnson went out of his way to make sure everything was set. He even ask the nurse to call me every two hours to keep me posted on the surgery progress.
5. Dr. Yeung who was assisting was amazing as well.
The surgery was one of best outcome one could ask for.
Ps. Dr. Johnson is quiet the celebrity at the hospital. All the nurse raves about him. A direct quote from the nurse «he is known for being very detailed in operating room.» We knew then we hit the jackpot.
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Summary:
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Dr. Johnson is definitely someone who under promise and over deliver. My mom’s scar is barely noticeable and recovery is going smoothly. It is rare to come across a doctor who is both great «technical doctor» and great «human doctor.» He has both.
Thank you Dr. Johnson, we are so grateful for you and your entire staff.
We highly recommend Dr. Johnson.
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Tips for anyone is going through surgery:
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1. Don’t settle
2. Keep learning & ask questions
3. Be detail
4. Trust your gut/​common sense
5. Keep high spirits along the way

SUMMARY: I went to Dr. Johnson to learn how to improve nasal symptoms including post-​nasal drip and found that I had a severely deviated septum. As a result, we performed a Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction. The surgery went smooth and all my post-​op followups have been great. The entire staff at San Francisco Surgery Center and Dr. Johnson were incredibly professional, kind, and I’d recommend them again in a heartbeat.
PROS (Dr. Johnson):
+ Dr. Johnson made it very clear to me what was going on with my nasal passages by thoroughly reviewing my cat scans and walking me through everything. He didn’t gloss over details or make assumptions about my knowledge of something. He clearly explained things in a helpful manner.
+ Unlike some doctors I’ve seen in the past, I appreciated Dr. Johnson’s kind demeanor and humor. He goes out of his way to make patients feel safe and welcome, and even pokes fun at himself.
+ The actual procedure was smooth and the Dr. did everything to avoid needing to use a stint for the post-​healing process. The man is skilled. I even learned that professional colleagues (other doctors) will go to him for procedures as well.
+ Given that I have thin blood, the Dr. encouraged me to come see him the day after surgery to remove the gauze (he put extra gauze to ensure post-​surgery absorption was maximized, which also makes it harder to remove by one’s self). Typically patients will be able to remove gauze on their own without issue, but we wanted to play it safe and the Dr. made time for me (read: he didn’t send in a nurse or anyone else), which made me more appreciative.
+ Dr. Johnson surrounds himself with professional and friendly colleagues, which only adds to the experience.
+ He’s punctual and on time. I noticed another reviewer say that the Dr. made him wait to the point that he had to cancel his appointment. I’ve seen Dr. Johnson 5 times so far and he’s been on-​time each time.
Note:
The day of my procedure, I had an amazing surgery team that aided Dr. Johnson and kept me comfortable. I actually enjoyed the experience (except for having an IV in my arm — that always makes me feel weird). I’d like to give a thanks to the following people for being so awesome and taking care of me:
* Dr. Youngs (anesthesiologist) — had a great pre-​op conversation, put me to sleep and woke me up as smooth as you’d want
* Kathryn (Preop Nurse) — Made sure I was comfortable in my scrubs, hooked me up into the IV, and kept me comfortable up until the procedure started
* Queencie (OR RN), Charles (Scrub Tech), and Alexis (Recovery Nurse): I barely had a chance to meet you since I was out cold mostly, but thanks for everything!

This review is long over due. My first experience w Dr. Johnson was while ago. I made an appt. with another doctor in the office but she was running late and I waited for over 45 minutes. I kept seeing the doctor I made the appt with but she kept disappearing.
Frustrated, I walked out and confronted the doctor. She said she will get to me soon. I say not. I wanted to walk away. Thats when Dr. Johnson stepped in. He said he could fit me in right away. He was wonderful, took his time and got the ball rolling.
Few years later, I went in again to see him. He ordered an MRI. To my surprise, he personally called me after hours to tell me the result and discussed the options. I was so grateful. I mean how many doctors do we know who pwrsonally pick up the phone after hours, to tell the result of thr test?
He is a hard working and compassionate and can tell he us passionate about his work. Thank you Dr. Johnson for caring and putting us above all else!

I want to start off by saying this is not a complaint about scheduling, wait time, etc. This is a complaint about Dr Johnson and what seemed to me like a $-focused chop-​shop. I suffered from hearing loss — permanent hearing loss — in one ear. Johnson spent about 30 seconds with me before pointing me to the convenient $ 7k hearing aid salespeople located in the back of the office. 1) when you have permanent hearing loss, there may be unknowns about how it occurred and there may be a lack of options to help. However, it merits more than a 30 second «youre screwed» with a smug look 2) i related to Johnson that I had a virus that I suspected may be related. he answered «hmm thats an interesting theory because [insert a few words here]» and then walked out. Later on, I google the two together (hearing loss and virus) and about 20 websites and studies rendered which talked about the causality. did he not know this? hes an ENT and he said «interesting theory»? he does not stay on top of his profession?
dont trust this slickster. its actually 4 years later and im still mad at this A1 douche. he’s just in it for the money

If you get a subsidy from Covered CA to help with monthly premiums, this office claims they have «opted out» of accepting Covered CA plans. My insurance is Blue Shield, and this office is contracted to accept my specific type of plan, yet they refuse to do so even when speaking directly to a Blue Shield agent and receiving a letter of proof of coverage. It may depend on the plan you have with your insurance company, but mine is supposed to be accepted, and this office refuses. Unacceptable discriminatory. They’ll tell you «they have spoken to their attorneys and what they are doing is legal»… this isn’t something I expected to hear and it was just plain rude. Just because I receive a monthly subsidy from the government to assist in paying my insurance premiums, I am forbidden from scheduling an appointment with this office. This type of practice by a doctors office is sickening. I urge anyone who runs into this problem to contact their insurance company. Blue Shield is filing a grievance against this office.

My experience with Dr. Johnson and his office caused me to go for a second opinion and I have now found a dr. who is much more comprehensive, is on time and is not quick to recommend surgery. I also walked away from Dr. Johnson’s office (after 3 appts, 1 biopsy and 1 CT scan) not having a clear idea of what was going on and just told to come back every 3 months to keep an eye on things.

Dr. Johnson is awesome. He is smart, never seems rushed, explains things carefully, is funny, perceptive, doesn’t gloss over difficulties and is able to deal with an intelligent patient without being threatened. After a very difficult experience with a rushed, uninterested ENT doctor, I can say – although I don’t wish my problems on anyone – he has almost made up for a harrowing experience.
I saw Dr. Johnson about a sinus problem from an infected tooth. The surgery didn’t take care of the problem, as he’d hoped – nor did a root canal. The tooth had to be extracted.
Many surgeons aren’t interested or caring about patients who don’t do well after surgery. They go on to the next brutal step without trying, or drop the case, or blame something else, or minimize the difficulty. Dr. Johnson did none of these things. He worked hard to save the tooth. He made personal calls to my dentist when I was in the room. He showed me pictures on the camera of what was going on. And when it was clear I had to have the tooth extracted, he said: This is a mess for you. I’m so sorry.
Well…it was a mess. Yet his empathy, honesty and sense of reciprocal relation was healing for me.
I also noticed that he didn’t treat the assistant who followed him around with a computer like a cipher. He said he was lucky to have her except he would probably lose her because he thought she could go to medical school. He even had her help with a procedure.
This kind of respect speaks volumes, in contrast to doctors who treat people who record the procedures like secretaries from the 50s.
He is expert in his field and very modest. As someone who has been in the helping professions, as well as someone who teaches at the graduate level, I often take a very dim view of most people in his role.
Dr. Johnson is a superstar in every way – skill, cerebral intelligence, emotional intelligence, the ability to synthesize, and character.
Sinuses are tricky and often as frustrating for the doctor as the patient. Dr. Johnson is really able to be in the moment. Many more than five stars!

Like Dr. Johnson personally, but showed-​up on time for my appointment and left after an hour. This is completely unacceptable in this day and age… The days of the all important doctor letting his/​her patients stew in the waiting room are over.

I called the doctor’s office to make an appointment for a colleague who lost his voice, I remembered my miserable days with recurring sinus infections years ago. I remember I couldn’t get rid of the one for so long that I was constantly congested, had really bad headaches and no energy whatsoever. Dr. Johnson was very patient, attentive and open for prescribing the medications that I found on my desperate search that are not commercially available, but only available at online pharmacies. After that nasty one was finally gone, I didn’t have any more problems.
He also gave me some useful tip for my ear aches on the plane, how to avoid difficulties with equalizing in scuba-​diving.

I went to see Jacob this week. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see Jacob this week, because Jacob didn’t show up.
I arrived exactly when my appointment was due. Nothing abnormal so far. I registered, paid upfront, and was asked to wait, so I waited.
Then I waited. And then waited a bit more. After 30 minutes, somebody asked me to go wait in the room, the doctor will be here any minute.
15 minutes later, my phone’s battery died because I had used it too much. That was the indicator that I had been waiting way too long. I waited 5 more minutes, but after 50 minutes waiting, I decided it was time to leave.
Being late 50 minutes is bad. But sometimes, it’s understandable. Things happen. Some courtesy, explanation, or expectation management would have gone a long way. But none of them were offered.
I went out and asked for a refund. That should have raised the staff’s alarm. Instead, the staff proceeded to refund me, and said bye. No questions around why I was asking for a refund, no concern about me leaving, nothing.
If you are looking for the best EMT, maybe Jacob is one, maybe he isn’t. I will never know. However, free your entire day, and expect very poor treatment, because your time is certainly not important as his.

Dr. Johnson is great. He patiently listens to and addresses all of my concerns. His staff is kind, efficient and knowledgable. His assistants do a great job with following up.

Dr. Johnson is a great ENT. He is patient, kind and very knowledgeable. With most doctors you feel rushed, he makes you feel like he has all the time in the world for you. He is very thorough in his medical explanations and calibrates the technical level astutely for his audience.
The best way I can put it, is that in a short time with him you will realize why he is a superstar in his field. Research his curriculum vitae and you will see why everyone in the Bay Area who needs an ENT wants an appointment with him. Also his office is snazzy as could be with all sorts of high tech, like an in-​house CT scanner (!).
He also has a great sense of humor. If you do go visit him, ask him about his past as a badminton champion.

I saw Dr. Johnson about my severe sinus issues. He carefully listened to my story and proceeded to examine my ears and nose. He clearly explained the possible scenarios and informed me of the next steps. Although I need to return for a series of tests (CT scan, hearing test), I knew pretty quickly that I had a doctor who was knowledgeable AND wasn’t a jerk, the latter of which can be rare.
There were two young doctor’s assistants present, one to record my symptoms and another to be the medical note taker, for lack of a better term, while the doctor was examining me. To me, this is a sign of a teaching practice that encourages education and professionalism. A doctor will be less likely to make a mistake or behave inappropriately with students/​assistants present.
Overall, I am very impressed with Dr. Johnson’s level of service and will update this review as I continue to see him.

Jacob Johnson is very professional, eloquent and thorough. I suffered from vertigo issues and Dr. Johnson patiently analyzed the many many possible hypotheses for what could have caused the issue. When the results of medical exams were complete, he would go out of his way to give me a call to give me an update. I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Johnson to anyone.

Warning: Long review coming… but for anyone having an uvulectomy, you’ll appreciate it!
I’ll just say it… I snore! Maybe I’m the only lone snoring review on here because it can be an embarrassing problem, especially for women. But alas, my pride can not outweigh what a great ENT Dr. Jacob Johnson is!
I went in for an uvulectomy on Friday with Dr. Johnson. I will say, it took forever to schedule because the person who normally handles the appointments left and never got back to me. But either way, it was worth the wait.
If you don’t know what an uvulectomy is, it’s when they trim that little punching bag thing in the back of your throat so that it doesn’t vibrate when you sleep (no, that little punching bag is NOT your tonsils). Dr. Jacobsen explained the procedure in great detail and gave me the option to be put out or awake. I chose to be awake because I’m too cheap to pay to be put out and insurance doesn’t always cover this procedure.
I was SO nervous! Basically, they take a laser and trim down the uvula and any necessary soft palate tissue in order to create more space back there. I kept having these thoughts of the laser shooting through my skull and dying in the chair. Dramatic, I know! Dr. Johnson said I would be MISERABLE for at least 10 days. Liquid diet of smoothies and juices was going to be my new best friend for at least a few days. Well, I am happy to say that:
1) Procedure was not as bad as I thought. Dr. Johnson made me feel very comfortable and said he was just going to give me a «cute lil’ uvula». Lol! Granted, no one should know what the back of their throat smells like when it’s being burned with lasers… but I didn’t feel a thing and it was done in 25 minutes! Be prepared for times where the laser pops randomly because of the numbing meds. I wasn’t and it was startling.
2) Dr. Johnson purposefully only trimmed tissue from behind the uvula so that it would be more comfortable to eat and drink since there would be less raw tissue exposed. I think this has been my saving grace pain-​wise because I only took the liquid vicodin the evening of the procedure and the pain has been tolerable. When I need a little something extra, I just take a couple Tylenol (in pill form, I didn’t die).
3) I probably shouldn’t encourage everyone to do this… but I couldn’t do the smoothie diet, so I started eating other foods like room temperature soup and chewed everything until it was liquified before swallowing. No problems! I ate popcorn the day after the procedure. Granted… very slowly… kernel by kernel… chewed 200 times each… but still! No issues! I couldn’t help it… can’t watch a movie without popcorn.
The pain was the worst in the morning, maybe because my uvula would get dry while sleeping. But I drink a ton of water all day to keep it moist (per Johnson’s instructions) and am pretty comfortable all day. The pain is really only present when swallowing… not a chronic, constant pain like I was afraid it would be. Just feels like a sore throat… not like a canker sore, which in my opinion is way worse!
I’ll update once the swelling goes down to see if it was effective or not, but just wanted to dispell any ideas that uvulectomy’s are intolerable. I read a lot of horror stories online before going in, so thought it was important to post one that wasn’t so bad!

Straight forward, nice guy.
Good advice, good explanations.
Very accessible.
Great Care.

Is it just me or does it seem just a little ridiculous that I am having Vertigo issues, losing my balance and tipping over and struggling with equilibrium… and the doctor is willing to see me in five weeks?

I’ve had chronic ear problems out the gate and it was not until I moved to SF and met Dr. Johnson, that my problems were alleviated. He’s caring, interested in what caused your problem, and most importantly wants to help in the most precise method possible.
I’ve also seen Dr. Yeung at the same office and she’s great too, as well as the staff.
450 Sutter, ste 933 the place for all your Oto needs.

Long story short: my right ear drum didn’t pop on my last flight home to SF from visiting my mom in Alaska.
Two ER visits in a 24 hour period (one at 2am, the next at 10pm). The doctor I saw during trip #1 said she didn’t have time to deal with my ear, gave me a bunch of drugs and said my ear will probably explode (rupture). She was right, it did, so in for trip #2 when my vicodin wasn’t helping anymore. Blood and puss was pouring out of the useless hole for an ear. I felt like there was a jack hammer going to town in my head.
During ER trip #2 the attendant called Dr. Johnson at home, and to my surprise Dr. Johnson fit me into his schedule early in the morning the next day.
I’m used to the ins and outs of the medical field; I’ve seen almost every specialist known to man for various ailments; so I expected another doctor trying to get me out of his office as fast as possible.
Again, to my surprise he took time to talk about how this all happened, the parts of the body that probably caused it, my treatment options and yadda yadda yadda. I left feeling confident that he was going to be able to restore my hearing.
I had surgery the next day. Within a week I could start to hear the high-​pitched noises again… not sure if that was a good thing considering I live in the Tenderloin and have to listen to sirens every 2 minutes; but it gave me hope.
I go in for my 3-​month post-​op checkup today, and I’m sure I will pass all the tests with flying colors, all thanks to Dr. Johnson.
His staff is funny, helpful, kind and professional.
The rooms are always clean and well organized.

The good reviews here are well deserved. The staff was very freindly and intelligent (might be the first time ever those 2 things have happened together at a docs office).
Jacob was very easy to talk to, listed to all my problems and gave me well explained answers to everything. He gave me insight on my issue that had stumped 2 ENTs that I had seen before him.
Well worth the trip over the bridge and the parking hassle.