Dr. Kay Tuo Lee, MD

I strongly advise against consulting this doctor. Also known as Kay Tuo Lee, her lack of understanding of patient symptoms, poor communication, lack of empathy and failure to make proper referrals for time-sensitive injuries pose serious risks. During her examination of my clearly visible torn Achilles tendon, she dismissed the severity, recommending only ice and elevation after barely inspecting the injury, not even comparing it to the other achilles. I had to advocate for myself and ask for an ultrasound, which she brushed off saying it would not show anything. I then pressed for her to order an MRI and after some time she reluctantly agreed. I know the severity and urgency of a potential achilles rupture and this doctor completely disregarded my need for help to prevent further injury. Knowing Achilles injuries can require surgery, preferably within the first two weeks, her negligence could have led to further complications if I took her “professional” instruction. I would avoid… this doctor due to her uninformed approach and insufficient care which could potentially harm patients. During our interaction with Dr. Lee, she displayed a notable lack of interest, a disregard for active listening, and an apparent absence of empathy towards my injury. Her demeanor suggested a general sense of inconvenience at having to conduct an examination, leaving the impression that our concerns were perceived as trivial or that she had more pressing matters at hand. This was disheartening as I was already depressed with my inability to walk normally and the long road to recovery that is in front of me. After advocating for the MRI to ensure an accurate diagnosis, we discovered that Dr. Lee had erroneously submitted the wrong MRI order. This oversight would have resulted in a prolonged treatment timeline of up to 10 business days if we hadn't taken the initiative to seek emergency room care independently. By the way, every nurse and doctor I saw in the ER knew by sight that I had a ruptured achilles. Dr. Lee was the only person who thought I had a minor injury that needed ice. The ER performed an ultrasound, which Dr. Lee said would not show anything, to confirm a complete rupture of the achilles. The orthopedic doctor said he didn’t need to do any test to know visually that I have a ruptured achilles. My experience with Dr. Lee stands out as the most unsatisfactory encounter I have ever had within the Kaiser system. Many thanks to the commendable efforts of the ER staff and orthopedics teams who stepped in urgently and immediately to provide the necessary and accurate care.

Might be a good internist but not an effective primary care physician. Poor grasp of patient overall health situation. Poor communication with specialists.