Dr. Piyush Kumar, MD

I went to see Dr Kumar as I was suffering with multiple digestive issues. I saw his nurse practitioner who was very nice but never saw him until right before they put me under for my endoscopy. I had a couple of questions to ask him and he told me we could talk after the procedure, which never happened. I only saw the nurse afterwards. I was told I had mild gastritis and that everything else looked normal. Then I got a call weeks later where I was told I had eosinophilic esophogitis which is a very rare disease where your body thinks food is foreign substance and it attacks your esophagus. This was very shocking. I was extremely scared and went back in for a follow up. Again I did not get to see Dr. Kumar and was told there really wasn't anything I could do I just have this disease and that I could try to avoid certain foods but it's a lifelong condition I'd just have to deal with. I had done my own research and found out that I should see a specialist and get allergy testing. … None of that was recommended. Thank god I didn't just accept this diagnosis and months later saw another gastro who disagreed and told me that you can have a certain number of these eosinophilic cells due to inflammation. This was maddening! All of that stress and fear put on me from this diagnosis was totally unnecessary. Save yourself from neglectful doctor and choose someone who cares.

Dr. Kumar and his staff helped make this procedure a better experience. Highly recommend gastro health in Encinitas.

I was referred to Dr. Kumar by my internist when I had unusual symptoms. After several visits (mostly with the nurse practitioners), a routine colonoscopy and numerous tests--which came out negative--I was not offered further help. The symptoms continued and interferred with my life and travel. In desperation, I sought advice from another specialist who prescribed the needed medication that gave me my life back. I would not recommend Dr. Kumar other than for routine colonoscopies. His staff was nice, helpful, and courteous except for one receptionist.

Dr. Kumar runs a colonoscopy factory. That's how he makes his money, and that is all that he cares about. If you need an actual doctor with an actual bedside manner, someone who will communicate with you and listen to you, then I suggest you run - don't walk - to a different office and a different doctor.

I have been seeing Dr. Kumar for the last 15yrs. He is very thorough and empathic

I receive a colonoscopy from Dr. Kumar every 5 years and have always had a pleasant experience even though, like most people, I dread the procedure because of the crap you have to drink the day before. YUCK!

Basically, I've seen Dr. Kumar only a single time, despite numerous visits. Booking an appointment gets you time with the nurse practitioner, which isn't all bad, because unlike Dr. Kumar, she actually does the job of taking care of patients. Dr. Kumar on the other hand will perform procedures only.After being diagnosed and treated for UC by a competent doctor previously in another state, I needed a GI specialist in the San Diego area, so I ended up with Dr. Kumar. The first thing he wanted to do, of course, since I had insurance, was give me a colonoscopy so he could see for himself. At the time, I was symptom free, and Dr. Kumar reported I had no traces of UC, so I wasn't prescribed the medicine to keep me in remission. Months later, my symptoms reappeared, and before he would prescribe me the medicine that had worked fine before, I had a Sigmoidoscopy. At this time, Dr. Kumar told me I had some other problem that wasn't UC, but remained adamant that I did not have UC, so I was… given some other medicine. Taking this medicine only made the problem worse, so I went back to the office after doing research on my own symptoms clearly still being UC and insisted with the nurse practitioner that I still had UC, and I needed the usual medicine for it. She complied, and for a while I have been using the office only to get refills on the medicine I need to keep the symptoms at bay, but have avoided Dr. Kumar directly, because he obviously doesn't know what he's doing, nor does he care.

This doctor came into my hospital room, I told him I did not need his service and then billed my insurance company $350.00. Unbelievable !!!

Dr. Kumar has a horrible bedside manner. He does not care about his patients, and just wants to cycle them through as fast as possible. He did not look at my medical records, and did not listen to my history as I tried to fill him in right before my colonoscopy procedure. He asked me if I wanted an oral scope right as I was going under the anesthesia! He asked MY opinion??? I started to discuss it but was put under anesthesia and didn't end up getting the scope that I needed. What a doctor! He criticized me for calling with questions when I had complications from the cleansing process because his staff misled me. I do not trust this physician.