Dr Romina Davarpanah, MD

I’m writing to share an extremely frustrating and disappointing experience with Dr. Davarpanah and Sutter Health that raises serious concerns about their approach to both patient care and billing practices. I went in for what was supposed to be a routine annual exam, only to find out that discussing personal health concerns—even related to existing conditions—is not allowed unless it’s billed as a separate office visit. Seriously? What’s the point of an annual exam if you’re not even allowed to talk about your health? To make matters worse, I was charged nearly $400 because the doctor on her own decided to increase the dosage of a medication I was already taking. I never brought this up, and it certainly wasn’t based on any recent lab work. The decision was made using outdated blood tests from over a year and a half ago—even though my numbers have remained stable year after year. That’s not just arbitrary—it’s irresponsible. This entire experience felt impersonal, unfair, and frankly,… like a blatant money grab. It’s deeply troubling to see a healthcare system more focused on padding bills than providing thoughtful, patient-centered care. And forget not, Sutter Health is a nonprofit organization. Or should they be called only for profit by scamming the patients they are supposed to treat. If this is how they treat someone trying to proactively manage their health, I fear for how they handle more serious issues. It’s now been nearly seven months. I’ve been bounced from department to department. I was told an “ethics committee” reviewed the case and stood by the charge. But no one ever contacted me for my side of the story. How can a review be fair when the patient is excluded entirely? The process has been completely opaque and lacking in accountability. At this point, I feel morally obligated to speak out. In my opinion, Dr. Davarpanah’s actions were unethical, and my trust in both her and Sutter Health is gone. I strongly advise others to think carefully before entrusting their care to this provider or this healthcare system. I will not be returning.