FANTASTIC!

“No doctor treats you as kindly as Dr Kron does!”

I have known Dr. Kron for eight years, so I can say clearly: I know the guy. Over the years he’s given me a lot of advice on everything from sleep to pain, even to communicating with surgeons and other doctors so I get the best care they have to offer. He has also helped my friends and a couple family members through difficult times. They all think he’s great. What can I say except I feel very confident in him. I’m a big believer that your doctor should be compassionate and caring. He is. His diagnostic skills are sharp but thank God he cares more about getting good results for you instead of obsessing endlessly on diagnosis beyond where it actually matters. He is thorough when examining both physical and chemical issues and he will try multiple approaches to help his patients get on to a path of healing. If something is not working he will try something else.

It’s clear that Dr. Kron cares about his patients. He listens thoughtfully and he offers clear explanations. He is also superbly trained and makes sure he always knows the absolute latest on which treatments work and which don’t. These are truly rare qualities to find together in a doctor.

“I’ll start with the cliches: Mike Kron is a doctor who is truly passionate about what he does. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and respected. He’s genuinely interested in helping the patient, and not about getting you out of his office in a timely manner.

I have to assume he treats every patient as well as he treated me. And while I haven’t seen as many psychiatrists over the years as others may have (maybe 5 or 6), I can say that he is the most friendly and accommodating. My previous doctor was the type who greeted you with a warm smile, say you down, and nodded and said “uh-huh…” while he scribbled out your bill and prescription, paying no mind to what you had to say, and ushering you on your way. Mike on the other hand actually wants to know that what he’s prescribing is working; that you are satisfied with him; that you are healthy. It’s odd to think that this is unusual for a doctor – unfortunately, most of us know that it is.

In the interest of neutrality, I will point out one caveat with Dr. Kron: He does not accept any insurance (as of now, anyway). This didn’t matter to me as I don’t have it anyway, but there are those of you who would pass on this basis. Suck it up, pay his very reasonable rate, and get real treatment. There is an undeniable benefit to seeing a doctor who is NOT part of the insurance system: They have a much greater devotion to the patient.”

I worked with MIchael as his patient for about 5 years at Kaiser. I came seeking medication that would help slow my reactiveness, particularly quickness to anger. Over time, it seemed that the problem was actually rooted more in the inability to maintain focus. Michael was extremely open, listened very carefully, and was cautious and prudent in a way I found reassuring about what medication he prescribed.

I particularly appreciated the fact that he treated me as a peer in age and life experience. He took my description of what was bothering me; my thoughts on what lay at the root; and my own previous experience with psychiatric work into careful consideration in suggesting a prescription. He allowed and invited considerable back and forth in the process. He was extremely clear in explaining what could be expected of the medication—and what could not, and about the time it would take to see results. He was receptive to modifying dosage, and, when it proved advisable, to changing the medication in a new direction.

I couldn’t recommend him more highly.

I worked with Dr. Kron for five years when he was at Kaiser Oakland, he helped me with anxiety and depression, his relaxed and calm manner was something that I could always rely on. He helped me through a very difficult time in my life’s was always honest and easy to talk with. I miss him and am still searching for a replacement doctor at Kaiser that is as receptive and listens to what I have to say as Dr. Kron. I think that he is caring and quite easy to work with!

Good luck in your research and with your private practice! You’re a great doc!

Update: Jan 21, 2010: In the past couple of weeks, one of my children was experiencing debilitating stress and fatigue from circumstances at work. As parents, we tried our best to encourage him to persevere, but it became apparent that he needed to get professional help- and we turned to Dr. Kron. After one lengthy session, our son came home with a much brighter outlook, a clear understanding of his condition, and some ultra-helpful recommendations for short-term actions to take. Dr. Kron is that rarest kind of physician; he makes you feel comfortable from the outset, and that comfort translates into a strong sense of trust. We trust him with our children, they have no reservations about calling him for help, and he treats them effectively. I’d like to finish by saying that I’ve been to many physicians and specialists in my lifetime, and Dr. Kron is the only one I’ve made the effort to recognize, online, in this manner. What follows is an earlier post I made about Dr. Kron:

Both of our now-grown kids were diagnosed years ago with ADD, and we’ve taken them to various doctors and clinics to manage their symptoms. Invariably, treatment consisted of a quick, superficial interview by the psychiatrist, a quick check for allergies to meds, and then the prescription would be given. The two previous docs seemed singularly uncurious about how ADD was affecting important aspects of our children’s lives, from schoolwork to social problems. We never left their offices with any substantive recommmendations or suggestions from the doctor. Now that both children are in the work force, we decided to set up an evaluation with Dr. Kron. What a refreshing difference- he’s smart, funny, engaging, and my son and daughter really felt comfortable with him from the outset. He spent a much longer time with them during the first appointment- it seemed like more than two hours! His fee was very reasonable, especially compared to the other psychiatrist we’ve been paying for, on a quarterly basis, for years. I took some time to chat with Dr. Kron myself, more to gain some assurance that he cares about my kids, etc. I came away with a wonderful impression- he’s an Ivy-League educated, articulate, insightful, empathetic psychiatrist with whom we will definitely continue our relationship.

I couldn’t agree with Peter K. (the first reviewer) more. I was a patient of Dr. Kron’s for almost six years. I found him to be knowledgeable, responsive, kind, and compassionate. I’d easily rank him the best of all the psychiatrists I’ve seen. More than once he went the extra mile for me. I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Kron to a friend or relative.

In short, the guy is great. He needs to be cloned.