I had the most unpleasant experience trying to schedule an appointment to replace my Mirena today. I have had a Mirena for 5 years. The GYN who put it in gave a card with a date in it to remind me to get it replaced in 5 years. I told my PCP I've had it for 5 years and wanted to get it replaced. She agreed now was a good time. The Mirena website itself says 5 years is a good time to start consider replacing it. But Dr. Farner's receptionist said they would not replace it until the 7 years had expired. How unreasonable. They are not paying for the IUD. It doesn't go in their bodies. This arbitrary decision denying me agency over my own body is simply the most preposterous encounter I have had with a doctor's office in years. Why they choose to operate this way, why they don't read the Mirena website first hand, why they think they get to decide how I handle my reproductive health, I could never understand. I will get a referral to a new doctor, who can read the Mirena website and respects my autonomy. I would never recommend them to anyone. read more

Cynthia A. Farner, M.D - Mirena facts - Obstetricians & Gynecologists Near Me - San Francisco, California

Doctor Garner, is a warm, knowledgeable, thorough and approachable OBGYN. I had Dr. Holly Holter for over 20 years and loved her so much, when she retired, I started seeing Doctor Farner, and must say couldnt be happier, Dr. Farner puts me at ease. read more

After a scheduling snafu, I was booked for a routine check-up with Dr. Farner. Spoiled as I was having Dr. Holly Holter look after my care for years until she retired, I managed expectations. I mean, who could be as excellent as the good Dr. Holter? Turns out it's Dr. Farner, that's who. Dr. Farner did a very thorough background of my medical history and was calm and reassuring throughout my exam. She listened carefully to my questions and gave me answers. Sitting in a paper gown you feel a bit vulnerable. Dr. Farner put me at ease immediately. I'm very happy I'm a new patient in her practice. I highly recommend Dr. Farner if you're looking for a new OB/gyn or looking to switch to a doctor you're more comfortable with. read more

I wish I could do a negative star here. Ridiculous charge almost $350 for a 20 min phone call where the doctor just told me to eat healthy food and exercise. read more

I must say that Dr.Farner has been the best gynecologist I've had. I mean, going for my yearly check up and to the Obgyn in general is uncomfortable to begin with, so having a doctor like Dr. Farner is highly appreciated. She's funny, approachable, down to earth, super thorough, considerate and the most important thing is, she's exceptionally skilled. Seriously, she's performed a few procedures on me, the ones a lot of people told me would hurt. But, to surprise, I barely felt anything. The pain was minimal, and there was no downtime. I definitely lucked out with Dr.Farner. read more

Dr. Farner was a great GYN but when it came time for her to be my OB, she blew it. Without going into some long, drawn out sob story about my pregnancy and birth, let's just say that she missed some important warning signs - which, even after I pointed out to her she STILL poo-pooed. Thanks to John Fassett, the nurse midwife, I got the care I needed - and just in time. After the whole ordeal was done, Dr. Farner was so incredibly cold and unsupportive it was like she was mad at me for having a complicated pregnancy and birth. WTF? I was really shocked. I'd been through the worst experience of my life - my baby was in the newborn ICU and she acted put out by the whole thing. Oh, and the front office staff and the nurses are - just like other reviews have pointed out - totally rude and unhelpful (and one always reeked of cigarette smoke). Finally (and I must admit, this is kind of funny), I watched as one of the nurses ate her sandwich OVER MY URINE SAMPLE which I had placed in the sink. Anyway, if you're looking for a good OB, I'd go elsewhere. read more

Since I got knocked up, I've been really happy with Dr. Farner and the others at her office. I've met with several of the practitioners, now, and each one has been kind, understanding, and patient with all of my questions. I'll update again after the big day. I hope I have nothing but glowing comments! My terrified fingers are crossed. read more

THIS REVIEW IS FOR OB GYN Associates of San Francisco and on a side note about Dr. Farner: I've been going to OB GYN Assoc of San Francisco for almost two years, and I am less than impressed. Since I'm trying to conceive, I have been going for more than just check-ups, i.e. bloodwork, referrals and consultations. Mostly, their doctors are on the basic level of accommodating. But, generally, the office and admin staff is a mess. First, the website indicates no email address or way to contact them over the internet, so therefore you are at the mercy of their phone lines and answering service. This would be okay if the system was efficient and user friendly, but it's not. Everyone who answers the phone has an attitude as if they could be doing something better with their time, and sound like they hate their jobs. One time I called on a weekday afternoon in early December and there was a recorded message that said they were closed for the holiday. I was baffled as to what holiday it was and there wasn't even a message stating when they would reopen! After finally getting through to someone much much later, they told me that they had turned that message on because they were closed for their holiday party!? In the times that I've requested records to be sent to me or sent to other doctors, they've dragged their feet so that weeks and months have passed until they're received. (I've never received the copy of my records that I have repeatedly requested.) Part of this problem is that, once again, this office does not have a dedicated email system set up so that I might email my requests to the office and they can email me back; the one time I got an email it was a staff persons personal email! Is that very professional for a doctor's office? The answer is no. As for my single encounter over the phone with Dr. Farner she was dismissive and sounded "put out" at best (as another reviewer said) with my questions about taking prescription medication. She told me that sometimes we have to "play these things by ear!!!" WTF? You are the doctor! I am the patient! You are the medical professional that I'm paying! Overall, you get a generic to "I-don't-care" attitude from several doctors here. Another doctor actually contradicted what they wrote in the notes for my prescription, then repeatedly assured me a test came out normal and "off the charts" and I discovered months later that she never had the test in hand. This much disorganization, confusion and ambivalence is not acceptable when it's people's health. I would not recommend this practice. read more

Now that I've switched insurances at the first of the year and will not have anything to do with this office anymore, I feel like I can safely write a review. This is mostly about Dr. Farner's office in general, ObGyn Associates of San Francisco. Dr. Farner was my ObGyn, but she did not deliver my baby. Dr. Chen did. While nothing catastrophic happened, I would consider the care at this office mediocre at best. Of course they're all very talented physicians but none of them will remember your name or whether you're having a boy or a girl or what's going on with you for the entire duration of your pregnancy. The front office staff will be rude on the phone and never smile at you when you come in. It's just how it is. A lot of people claim this office is super busy, but there was never more than 1 other person in the waiting room the whole 9 months. I get that they're delivering babies, but most of the time I'd see the doctors walking through the hall. Dr. Chen was actually the one doctor I didn't have a chance to meet with before my daughter was born. I saw the other four and the nurse midwife in the office. They all (save for one) rush through appointments and have one foot out the door when they're seeing you. Be prepared to wait up to an hour to see your doctor, too, even when they're not on call. The one exception to this office is Dr. Cabrera. She is amazing and I would recommend her to my closest friends. I actually chose to see her for my follow up visits over Dr. Farner and Dr. Chen. That doesn't mean you won't have to deal with the rest of the office issues, so that's a tough one. As far as delivery went, Dr. Chen was all business which is pretty much what you want. She wanted to do an episiotomy and use the vacuum when I was having a tough time getting my baby out. I just told her no and she was respectful of my decision. My best advice is to proceed with caution when choosing this office. read more

I rarelly write reviews but I have to chime in here afer reading a few other posts that echo my experience. Dr. Farner was my regular GYN for 15 years and was fine but when I was pregnant I was very disspaointed with her care. Without going into all the details i had a complicated high risk pregnancy and she was lackadasical with her care at best and not present for labor, delivery or post partum care. Nor were there any instructions left at the hospital in anticipation of my arrival and delivery (i went into labor on my due date so wasn't a surprise timing wise). And I never heard from her with any words of support or sorry i wasn't there for you. Seperately I was also always surprised that the office staff and nurses had such poor interpersonal skills and bedside manner. Not one of them ever asked me how i was doing during my many vistis during the pregnancy. I have needless to say switched practices and is a breath of fresh air to be greeted kindly and my health to be a priority with the doctors. read more

Love her! She delivered my daughter 26 years ago and I have been going to the practice since that pregnancy. Totally trust them. They are real and smart. No judgement. read more

I have mixed reviews about the practice and people. Cynthia has been my OBGYN for nearly five years and she's been very good. She's down-to-earth, warm and pragmatic. John Fasset is the bomb...I love him. He delivered my baby and I can't speak highly enough about him. I'd give John and Cynthia five stars. I'm thinking of changing practices because the girl's on reception are snooty and unhelpful. Their attitude doesn't reflect either John or Cynthia so I wonder who within the surgery they emulate. I'm frustrated by the gate-keepers of this practice and I'm fed up of battling with them to get friendly and cooperative service. I'd give the receptionists 1 star. read more

I never write reviews but I really think that this needs to be written. It's just simply unacceptable. I have been going to Dr. Farner for a couple of years and she is fine. I don't love or hate her. But last year when went to her office I asked her to run some tests for me and she made a mistake and did a pap instead!!! How do you make that mistake and run the wrong tests? I went back a couple of months later for my regular yearly exam and then said "oh but you already had a pap." I asked if the other tests had been done and the answers was there was no record of those tests only a pap. That this is negligence! After this I was billed for the wrong amount. They billed me for new testing and another pap! Now a year later I finally got the bill straight with California Pacific's billing with no apology or help at all from Dr. Farner or her staff. I also would like to mention that this is not a one time billing issue a close friend of mine who also went to Dr. Farner also experienced major billing errors. read more

Cynthia Farner is great. Intelligent, smart, been doing this a while and knows what to look out for. But good luck getting in to see her. I switched over from UCSF Women's clinic when the scheduling over there became ridiculous and now that I am over at Dr Farner's I am not so sure anything is any better. Don't go here unless you are having a kid and pregnant because they don't really care about you if you aren't. This is a baby factory and if you aren't bringing in the money get ready to be bumped. I have had 4 visits to this office. Only one with my doctor C.Farner. Not because I didn't schedule with her but because the office is sheer insanity and revolves around baby delivery. The first time I saw Dr Farner, she had great ideas to help with my ailments. The second time I saw Jon Fasset - he is fine, had no helpful tidbits on a specific issue and told me to ask a store clerk (wtf?) but he was rushed. Third time my appointment was canceled because of ?? after I took the day off from work - I had scheduled it 3 months in advance to specifically see Dr Farner. The reschedule of this appointment was set with Jon Fasset as it was then impossible to get in to see C.Farner. When I arrived they rushed me in put me in a gown and then told me Jon was out on delivery and some other doctor would be doing my annual. Ok.... I was already in a gown what was I going to do run away? So this is where it gets good. I am sitting in this office for over one hour ONE HOUR in a gown mind you. When Dr Chen finally arrives in the hall she says no, I am seeing my patients first (they must know that the room/corrals are NOT soundproof) then she finishes with the girl next to me and says Im seeing the pregnant women next and proceeds to see every other woman in there until at long last she HAS to see me. Well I have never had an annual in under 6 minutes. I didn't know it could be done. It was remarkable in fact, something that should go down in the guinness book of world records. Totally missed a bunch of stuff and guess what? Two months later and they still don't have the results. No surprise there.... Until they stop accepting new patients, you can do better. read more

Serious office staff issues. Enough to make my wife and I considering switching to another physician's office. Dr. Farner is nice, and seems quite knowledgeable. But we are going to ask Dr. Farner some serious questions about this staff on our next visit, as we are unsure if the physicians are aware of the attitude and poor performance of their staff. If not, they should be aware. At this time, we would caution that the experience with this office may be severely tainted by a particularly noxious office manager. We have nothing bad to say about Dr. Farner. We do not know any of the other physicians. More to follow. read more

So an update: delivery of my baby awesome, Doctor Farner knows her stuff and delivered my little one perfectly. On to the the other issues mainly the very bad billing practices: Front office manager i.e. Satan, asks that you pay your deductible for the following year, and they hold onto that deductible without billing your insurance. So for instance, I was having my baby in Feb 2010, they wanted me to pay my deductible for it in October 09. My husband and I really had to go to bat to not pay for double deductible for 2009, just so they could hold onto our money. And the front office manager was HORRIBLE seemed to think it was perfectly fine that she ask people to shell out cash the year prior to services rendered. So on Jan 1st, we pay them our deductible. HUGE MISTAKE!!! DO NOT DO THIS! I paid in the beginning of the year about 1800 or so. meanwhile I have all these hospital visits in Jan, which guess what? I need to pay my deductible for, since OBGYN an associates never paid mine until I gave birth in Feb. So now I am still getting bills from my insurance for Jan bills where I need to pay my deductible down. but I already paid it to OBGYN and associates, but how would Blue Shield know right? And on top of that, they only paid 900.00 of my deductible when services were rendered. and are sitting on my other 900.00 without ever contacting me about my refund. Leaving me as a new mother to sort out all this sh@#t!! I am so outraged. read more

I just moved to SF, and was wary of finding a new lady doctor. And, of course, the wait to get in to see a Dr. can be months. I had finally got an appointment with a doctor, and then went on yelp to read horrible reviews! So... I read the great reviews on Dr. Farner and thanks to YELP I found a great doctor. I mean, she's awesome! She makes you feel totally comfortable. She made me realize my doc at home was a piece of *&$%#! She listens and gives great advice! And I didn't have to wait at all. THANKS YELP! read more

I love Dr. Farner!!! She has been my gynecologist for over 20 years, and consequently, she has taken care of me at very different stages of my life. She has always been thorough, knowledgeable, responsive, and kind. Her expertise have gotten me through medical procedures, hormonal challenges and my own health related anxieties. THANK YOU, DR. FARNER!!! read more

I consulted with Cynthia Farner a month ago for an IUD procedure. She kindly recommended Planned Parenthood because the price for the procedure was much less (moreover my insurance didn't cover this procedure at all). My procedure was done yesterday and this morning when I called the office to ask if I could meet with her to check in and see if everything had been done correctly, the front desk receptionist was not nice at all and hung up on me! I called back and asked her why she hung up on me and said I was the one who hung up and told me "you believe what you want to believe". After such a procedure I want to be reassured by my gynecologist and receive good customer service but that wasn't the case. The receptionist was rude and not caring. I will never go back there. read more

My ob/gyn retired and a friend recommended Dr. Farner with high praise, so I expected to really like this doctor. I have no doubt that she is knowledgeable and provides excellent medical care. Having said that I had a series of bad experiences with her and her staff. During my first appointment, I wanted advice about birth control. I had just had a terrible episode on a birth control pill which involved mood swings, depression, and breaking out in a rash. Dr. Farner recommended the "Ring." I told her I had heard bad things about the Ring, similar to what I had experienced on this other pill. She reassured me that lots of women love the Ring, and gave me a starter kit with several months worth of free supplies. I checked around with friends and reaffirmed what I had heard previously, that the Ring is notorious for bad side effects. How could Dr. Farner not be aware of this? If I am obviously prone to this type of side-effect, I don't appreciate her recommending this product. Dr. Farner also recommended that I get chlamydia & gonorrhea tests although I did not have any reason to believe that I was afflicted with either. I didn't think much about it until the $130 bill turned up and insurance wouldn't cover it. Dr. Farner charged me an extra $40 for "asking a medical question" during my exam. The office refunded my money after a couple of phone calls. There was some attitude I did not appreciate. Finally and most importantly, my annual mammogram turned up some tiny spots (micro-calcifications). When I told Dr. Farner I wanted a biopsy, she argued *strenuously* with me. She had been made aware that both my mother and aunt have had breast cancer. The only thing that seemed to give her pause was when I told her that my mother's oncologist recommended that I get a biopsy immediately. There was no downside to the biopsy. I still have no idea why it would mean anything to her one way or another if I chose to have it. I felt like I did not have an advocate in Dr. Farner. I also felt that I was sold products and services in a manner that maximized her business and promoted drug companies. read more

My ob-gyn, Dr. Farner is with this group. Except for the part about having to wait a lot, she's great. If there's anyone who can make having foreign objects inserted in dark places enjoyable (you know what I mean, perverts), it's her. Yes, she's busy, but she is very sweet. I think she was on the San Francisco magazine's doctors-that-other-doctors-recommend list. read more

Finally yesterday I received a call from Carolyn NP at Dr. Farners office. It was the first she had heard about my calls. She took the time to talk to me and make some calls. She will call me on Monday. I blame the front staff as of now but I do hope this resolves soon. I will post an update when all corrected. read more

I been seeing her for 20 years and she is good at what she does and is updated on the latest of technologies. In the past they were more friendlier but as time has gone on, they have become more business. For me that worked well. When I was younger she educated me quite a bit, and as I had my kids, she was there along with the rest of the staff and Doctors. Now I go for yearly check-ups and like to be in and then out. And they accomdate that very well. If I have questions and call the assistants they call back in a timely manner and provide me what information I need. read more

Dr. Farner is by far the best OB GYN I've ever had. She was a substitute doc for my regular OB to deliver my 2nd baby and she was there with me in the labor room the entire time. She would take the time to do perennial massage for me and teach me how to breathe correctly. I would highly highly recommend her as any mother-to-be's delivering doctor. You sure won't go wrong with her and you will sure have a wonderful experience just like mine. read more

I've been going to Dr. Farner for about 6 months and she has been great. I originally went for my normal check up and she made me feel as comfortable as one can feel getting poked in private places. She was very easy to talk to and provided great feedback for all of my concerns. I returned 2 months later to get a follow up injection and the nursing staff was quick and friendly. This practice really shined when I came in a week early for a consultation appointment (oops!) and they still fit me in without making me feel rushed. read more

I've been going to Dr. Farner for 20+ years, even for the last 5 when my insurance doesn't cover annual gyno visits and I have to pay cash! Ask any woman; a good gyno is hard to find, and I'm never gonna leave mine! read more

I've seen Dr. Farner for a few years and I appreciate her laid back demeanor and quick yearly exams! I haven't had bad or good experiences with the office staff, they seem pretty typical for a medical office. Overall, Dr Farner is a great doc. and an understanding person read more

Now this is a story all about how, my life got twist-turned upside down, so I'd like to tell you the story- so just sit right there I'll tell all about my experience with Dr. Far-ner. When I first found out I was pregnant, I had recently left Kaiser for my husbands insurance and didn't have an OB. So I hopped on YELP, looking for an OBGYN with 4+ stars and made some calls. Dr. Farner's office staff were pleasant and friendly (I'm not sure who these cranky bitches are who are writing the reviews below) and I got an appointment for later in the week. What my husband and I liked best about Dr. Farner and all the doctors at OB GYN Associates is their calm demeanor. Dr, Farner always answered all of our questions and gave us advice on pregnancy dos and don'ts without sounds scary and condescending. I loved that she knows her stuff, has delivered thousands of babies and is relaxed about the process. I was never scared going to an appointment, nor did I dread going to my monthly appointments. In fact all the doctors at OB GYN Associatea made me feel super comfortable with all the crazy changes that were going on with me and my body. Plus, I really enjoyed the fact that I was able to meet everyone in the practice during my 9 months of visits, so that in off chance that I went into labor during a time when Dr. Farner wasn't available - I would know and have met the person who would deliver the baby. All the other doctors were great and I would have been just as comfortable giving birth with any of them. In terms of delivery - Dr. Farner deserves 10+ stars. She was an absolute rock star during my labor. She was fun, relaxed, encouraging and didn't complain that I had a mix playing the entire time with some truly crap 80s and 90s tunes. Truth be told, my husband and I actually had a fun time during delivery and have nothing but great memories (it was only 2 weeks ago) to share with people. Thanks to Dr. Farner, we have zero horror stories to share and only positive reviews to give. If you are looking for a fantastic OB to guide you through the craziness of pregnancy and deliver your child with a smile - call Dr. Farner. She is a gem! Too all the haters that write 1 Star Reviews of OB GYN Associates, I'm sorry that you weren't treated nicely by the front off staff, but I have to assume that you didn't treat them very well to begin with. Perhaps try being friendly to the hard working office staff who test gallons of urine and deal with cranky, hungry, prego ladies all day long! read more

I have been a patient of Cindy Farner's since 2005. I had my first baby with this practice in 2006 and will have my second one in 2008. I cannot say enough good things about the whole group. She's a really good doctor but not always the warmest and fuzziest (if you like that kind of thing - I don't really care for that style - I prefer my doctors super smart and sharp) but I had some really scary stuff happen at the week of birth (crashing baby, induction, you name it) and man, did she come through for us with flying colors. I would recommend her in a heartbeat. Jon Fasset the midwife employed in their office is also just fantastic -- everyone should see him at least once in their pregnancy if you use them - just a wonderful person with a huge cult following. You should be aware that your baby might be delivered by any of the doctors in the group and you should see all of them during the course of care just so you know them -- but all of them are great and each has their own strengths. You cannot go wrong with this practice for pregnancy care. I liked them very much for regular gynecological care too - they are efficient and organized front office and with paperwork etc. which is always a plus. read more

I would probably give Dr. Farner 2-3 stars by herself. I wouldn't say that the office visits were comprehensive but she's at least responsive to phone calls. The billing for this office is horrible though. Expect at least 2 bills for each visit - one for the doctor and one for the hospital. You might think that you didn't actually go to the hospital, since the office isn't attached to a hospital, but the hospital bill still comes. What's great about the hospital bill is that it references sutterhealth.org for the itemized bill and for on-line payments but it's not there. When you call customer service to see what this bill is, you'll be on hold for a while. If you select the voicemail option, they won't return your call. They just keep sending more bills - it's pretty sketchy. read more

Love Dr. Farner, John Fasset and this whole office. I saw Dr. Farner for my first pregnancy years ago, when I developed a hematoma which caused me to bleed heavily throughout my pregnancy. She was so patient and reassuring and kind during this stressful time for me and even calendered appointments for me on a weekly basis to get piece of mind. John and Dr. Farner then delivered my healthy baby boy without a hitch. I am now back for my second pregnancy and I would not consider going to any other office! I truly love them both and trust them with our whole family! read more

Dr. Farner is great. She's been my doc for about 8 years- and 2 pregnancies and she's the best. It's a great group too, lots of good doctors and John Fasset CNM is super good too. I've never had a problem with long waits... read more

A friend referred me to Dr. Farner when I got pregnant and had not been overjoyed with my previous doctor. From the moment, my husband and I met her, we knew we were in good hands. First of all, it is easy to get an appointment and her staff actually does call you back promptly. Once you are there, you dont have to wait hours to see her. In general, my appointments were always on time and efficient and thorough. While all that is great, performance is what counts and when my pregnancy took an unexpected turn, Dr. Farner was there. Visiting me in the hospital morning and night (bedrest), fitting me in for same day appointments, and thankfully, on call when it came time for an unexpected C-section at 5 am. Warm and fuzzy, she is not, but for a great doctor who will make sure you get the best care, you are in good hands. read more

I love Dr. Farner! I've been going to her for over 12 years, and now on my 2nd pregnancy. She is very caring, asks lots of questions, and takes the time to listen to you. She does her very best to put you at east and make you as comfortable as possible. She is also very mellow, which is great when you're a worry-filled first time pregnant lady! read more

Dr. Cynthia is a wonderful doctor. I feel so blessed to have found her. She is very knowledgeable, thorough, friendly, calming, gentle and professional. A real person answered the phone right away when I called to set up my first appointment. The receptionist was very nice, friendly and helpful. She answered my questions and had the doctor call me back within an hour of my call. I was able to schedule an appointment the same day. Rather than filling out a bunch of forms, the doctor personally asked me about my health history. Then, she performed the sonogram herself in the office. She brought in a second doctor to confirm the results, then revealed the results to us on the spot. It was so refreshing and helpful to just go to one doctor and get an exam, sonogram and results all in the same visit. I've been going to UCSF for over 5 years and had to wait for weeks or months to get an appointment. Had to schedule different appointments and go to different locations for sonograms, blood tests, etc and then wait until the next day to get results. I will never go back. Dr. Cynthia is so much better!!!! read more