Dr. Barton S Bernstein, MD

I had been with this Doctor for 2 years. He was caring, nice, and he took the time to answer any questions I had. Unfortunately, he is no longer in a private practice. Replacing him is impossible. He is a Doc at YRMC. You would be fortunate to have him take care of your child(ren) if they need to be admitted into the hospital. (not that having a child in the hosptial is ever a good thing)

I love this doctor, being a first time mother and worry about every little thing he makes us feel like we are doing a great job and lets us know what milestones are next and what we should focus on. When she got a bad rash on her face they ask me to bring her in with in a couple of hr. and he just looked at it for a few seconds and told me what it was and recommended a cream and told me I have nothing to be concerned about. I'm extremely happy with his service and very happy with his friendly staff.

This Dr. is by far the worse Dr. I have come accross. I do not recommend any one to have their child seen by him. He always seemed to be in a rush. He never took the time to REALLY understand our concerns as parents.

Before I had my son, a nurse told me about Dr. Bernstein and I really wanted to give him a chance. In fact, I have him several. I stayed with him for one year (I don't know why!), but switched doctors and I'm so upset that I didn't switch doctors before. Dr. Bernstein doesn't pay attention to your concers, doesn't really let you talk, gives you his opinion and makes you feel like an idiot anytime you ask a question. Doesn't take the time to explain anything - he only gives you instructions. If your son/ daughter doesn't hit a milestone at the right age, he pushes you to push them. For example, my son wasn't rolling over and hated tummy time when he was little - he told me that I had to put my son on tummy time for at least 5 minutes, 3 times a day. He cried really bad, and Dr. Bernstein said I had to let him cry. I cried twice because I felt so stupid sometimes when I talked to him, I felt just like a bad mother who wasn't in sync with her child and couldn't meet his needs. When you… have a Doctor who gives you the time you need and takes time to explain things, it hits you that Dr. Bernstein is doing a lousy job as a pediatrician. As a mother, you should be free to voice your concern and get an answer. If he doesn't agree, that's fine, but he shouldn't make you feel like you are dumb for believing what you do. Especially when your concerns are legitimate. Run the other way! You are paying for this time - you should get quality.

I'm kind of torn right now. I have had equally good & bad experiences with him. He's always rushed but he seems knowledgeable, he seems concerned & at the same time not. My son twists his foot inward when he walks & has been doing that since he first started walking. I asked the doctor if he thought it was normal. He briefly looked & simply said, "Yeah, it's normal when they first start walking. Give him a bit more time & we'll look into it next time." I haven't gone back to see him yet so we'll see what happens.

I have had the same experience as other raters as far as Dr. Bernstein's bedside manner. Overall, I have felt comfortable and confident in the doctor I chose for my daughter. However, he does always seem to be in a hurry and rattles off information too quickly for one to remember. I usually take a notepad to ask my questions and jot down the answers he gives. I did have an uncomfortable experience when I asked him about vaccinations. I asked about the flu shot and he noticeably changed his tone with me. He said he doesn't understand why parents are getting so worked up about Mercury in the shots as it is such a small amount it has not impact on the child. My response, as an educated parent working in the education profession, was that the literature is one-sided so I wanted his professional and medical opinion. He appeared to change his tone once I gave him my side of the story and concern. I still value him as a doctor and will not change doctors because I do believe he is… the best in his field.

Dr. Bernstein seemed knowledgeable, however, he always seemed to be in a hurry. He talked very quickly making it difficult to remember all of the things I needed to know until the next appointment. I also felt as if I was wasting his time whenever I asked any questions. In one particular instance, my son had a rash on his back and legs. Dr. Bernstein had done the physical exam on my son, but appeared not to have noticed it, even though it was very noticeable. So I asked him to look at it. He glanced at it for only a couple of seconds and diagnosed the problem. Even if he had seen it many times before, I find it difficult to believe that he could have figured out what it was without even hardly looking at it. Another instance happened when my son was only a few weeks old. I took him to see Dr. Bernstein because he was having difficulty breathing. Once we were in the office, he wasn't having problems any more, but Dr. Bernstein pretty much dismissed my concern. His nurse made… a suggestion about pet dander however (we have cats), which turned out to be the case. Dr. Bernstein's bedside manner was not very good either. He doesn't seem to be very good with kids. I felt bad if my son acted out at all (which seems normal for a young child who is being examined by someone they don't really know).His nurse was nice, however she also seemed to be in a rush, even when giving shots. This made me nervous because I was not sure if they thoroughly checked the vaccines they were giving. I also did not like that they had no toys in the lobby, only a TV. I don't think that encourages kids to be active.

I have 2 kids who have been patients of Dr. Bernstien for over 5 years. He has more than once personally called me back regarding questions or concerns that I have had with the medical situation with my kids. On one occation my son was very very sick and he called our home at 9pm just to see how he was doing and to be available. He has never once made me feel rushed or unimportant during our visits and has taken the time to explain to my why something is the way it is. His staff is very personable and his nurse has always been very helpful and prompt in returning my phone calls. I have recommended him to many parents. If I could have him as my primary physician I would.

I had some questions about vaccination, and as a medical professional (especially one so closely associated with the CDC) he should have a standard response that would alleviate any concerns a first time mother may have. I was getting my child vaccinated that day, so it isn't like I was being neglectful or endangering any other children by NOT vaccinating, I just had questions. Dr. Bernstien was very gruff and was so angry with me for being open and honest and raising my concerns that he was rude to me, rough with my child, and was so busy shouting from his soapbox that by the end of the examination I didn't know anything about the health of my child, just that he was furious with people who question vaccinating. I have had both good and bad experiences with Dr. Bernstien, but this was the last straw. I continued to go to him because he had been my child's doctor since he was born. I will NEVER set foot in that office again, and hope that if this is your pediatrician you don't have any… questions that are contrary to his views. I had been warned by other mothers regarding his behavior, and should have heeded their warnings. I feel so guilty for referring people to him!

He does not support breastfeeding infants and will push formula. He jumps to conclusions and does not give an accurate diagnosis. He becomes easily irritated if you ask any questions, and may talk to you in a very disrespectful tone. He has been in a huge hurry every time we've been there and treats you as though you are stupid. I am changing my baby's doctor today!