Dr. David Ken Wah Lieu, MD

Dr. David Lieu is THE expert in Fine Needle Biopsies and a great Cytopathologist, but his staff is the worst. I do not know who the assistant is that wears a white coat, but she is rude, abrasive, uncaring, and not at all knowledgeable, but she acts like she is the authority. She griped at me for coming in for the biopsy, and I almost left, but I instead reminded myself that Dr. Lieu is who I was there to see, and he is the only Cytopathologist covered by CIgna who performs Fine Needle Biopsies. So no matter how terrible the initial part of the visit was, I stayed for the main event. Unlike any other biopsy I have ever had, this unnamed white coat wearer, does not let you take a support person in with you for the biopsy. For a procedure that usually does not preclude others in the room, I was surprised I was told I could bring no one with me. Dr. Lieu is great and I found his bed side manner very calming, but he needs to fire who ever the female that wears a white coat because… she actually told me I was out of line for coming to Dr. Lieu for the biopsy and I should have gone somewhere else. When I tried to explain to her that there WAS NO other place for me to receive these services in network, she rolled her eyes and shook her head. She obviously did not know as much as I did on how rare a Cytopathologist who performs his or her own Fine Needle Biopsies is. In fact, in the Los Angeles Area, there is only one other, his former student, Dr. Celina Nadelman (who is also a GREAT Dr. with a FABULOUS bedside manner and kind office staff) but she no longer is in-network with Cigna. I would recommend Dr. Lieu for Fine Needle Biopsies but you have to put on a thick skin because in order to get to him, you have to go through a rough front line.

First, Dr. lieu is very bright and knowledgeable with what he does but he lacks in the empathy and care department. Second, he's not comforting or empathetic at all; so expect it to be a cold visit... Just as cold as his office staff. Lastly, but most importantly this is a very difficult time to go through getting a biopsy so if you have a choice see another office because this office fails all around. Forget about getting help with receiving your records: Yiwei is horrible, I don't write this lightly because I'm a forgiving person but she was a pill from day one and now a year later she's even worse when inquiring about my own records. I'm not sure if she's married to the dr. or why she's still working there but she shouldn't be working with patients at all. This is my reason for my review, the doctor is probably capable but you should be warned.