Care quality (professionalism, courtesy) and office experience was excellent. I would use his services again.

Excellent doctor with an excellent staff. His office is on top of everything, always. They scheduled a phlebotomist just for me in their office one day during an urgent appointment. When they send you for x-ray, they have a highlighted map already printed out with directions - before you even reach the front desk. They always ask for feedback about their referrals, so when they recommend a specialist for you, you can trust that they have vetted this other doctor. Dr. Watanabe himself is an excellent listener and collaborates with his patient to reach the best outcome. It is a joy to be a patient of this practice. read more

Since I am a medical professional, I feel qualified to review this establishment. For starters, the waiting room has nine comfortable cushioned chairs with armrests. There is no sign in sheet because the front desk is well-trained in multi-tasking and they are conscientious about patient privacy. They can complete lab slips while on the phone with a patient at the counter and recognize everyone who enters the door! They are so sweet. ..I'm never scolded for being late or forgetful! They remind me nicely about follow up appointments and outside consultations. In the back, there are two exam rooms which means that they don't line patients up and put them on hold. Each patient is treated as an individual. The doctor listens carefully and has excellent observational skills. He had an instinct after his assessment, did some blood tests, and saved my life! I'm truly grateful for his patience and knowledge because I'm not an easy customer. If I don't want certain medication or tests, he suggests other options until we agree on a mutual plan. I really appreciate our partnership in my health care decisions. I trust Dr. Watanabe completely and recommend him to everyone. He has good ethics, outstanding communication skills, excellent service and has a great sense of humor! Just tell him I sent you! read more

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What do you mean I can't use my ob/gyn physician for "everything?" Or better yet, "you mean I can't keep going to see my pediatrician forever?" I used to think going to see an internist (internal medicine physician) meant you have reached "old age" status! Well, I don't think I'm that old but when I was needing a doctor (years ago) who would do a complete physical exam from head to toe complete with labs and all necessary bells and whistles I asked for referrals from good friends, professionals and medical staff of "who would you go and see if ____" or "who are you seeing?" The common denominator: Dr. Gerald Watanabe at Kuakini. Fast forward many years later, I didn't mind the extremely loooonnnnnggg wait (despite having an appointment) because after all, he IS that thorough. But what I don't understand is, if your staff knows you take that long with each patient, why not schedule them accordingly? Makes too much sense that's why it isn't being done. After all, many physician's still subscribe to: seeing more patients equate to more money you can collect. But that business model has changed now, especially for medical practices. It's the level of care you provide per patient and NOT the number of patients you see in an hour or day. So why not schedule accordingly instead of facing a waiting room of hangry, concerned and irritated patients? Ok, I'll get off the dang soapbox. But he IS good! Thorough to the point of OCD. FACETIME is actual "face time" with this guy. He looks at you, communicates and jokes just like the good 'ole days when doctors had great bedside manners and not great computer skills. His follow up and focus on details is keen and just the kind of person you want to ally with when it comes to your health. But dannngggg....the extreme loooonnnng wait kills me every time. Times are changing and so is this practice. Last visit they informed me that they are downsizing their practice of seeing X number of patients a year to a mere X number of exclusive patients and no more (a waiting list will be created if you aren't in the practice). Yup! This exclusive membership into his practice will cost you a pretty dime that your insurance will NOT cover. I can see if you are managing a chronic systemic condition this would be of great benefit. But I am fairly healthy with a good medical knowledge base so this membership would not fare well for me. What irks me is that on top of my insurance costs I will HAVE to pay extra to see him (membership fee). I understand the business model and it will probably most likely benefit the members that are privileged to pay for that fee (less waiting time since he won't have that many patients to see). The annual MDVIP Wellness Program includes advanced screening and diagnostic tests that will help minimize your risk for disease or help prevent it altogether. Dr. Watanabe is great, super great but I just can't justify spending that extra money if I am fairly healthy and only really see him for wellness exams every year (no chronic systemic conditions). I guess I'm back to my pediatrician for wellness checks. Just kidding. read more

After going over five years without seeing my "official" primary physician years (who might not have known that I still listed him in my medical forms), my wife sent me to Dr. Watanabe for some discomfort I had been having. He fit me in the same day and made me feel comfortable talking me through my symptoms and treatment. Last week, I had a big gash on my leg (~3"x5") from a weekend touch football fall. On Sunday, I went to urgent care and was prescribed antibiotics and given the quick in-and-out. The next couple of days, the pain started increasing, so I called Dr. Watanabe on Wednesday morning and scheduled an appointment for the same afternoon. Although it was a last-minute appointment, I got into the patient room on time and received great service. He took the time to thoroughly discuss treatment and answer my concerns. Follow up on Friday, equally great service. Great doctor who understands service. read more

I had been with Gerald Watanabe for a number of years. I was, and currently am, in my 40's since seeing him, and have been a healthy individual for most of my entire life...with the exception of a few broken bones and very mild asthma. That said, it should be apparent that I only needed to visit him for routine check ups, a refill on my inhaler (always because the medication had expired) and for the occasional prophylactic antibiotic prescription when I traveled. (I work in healthcare, and travel to various 3rd world countries to volunteer on medical missions annually). These missions take place in remote areas of third world countries and we have to bring all of our medical supplies with us. Should I get sick, I dont want to use antibiotics that we brought with us to treat the local patients. In cases where I didn't need the antibiotics, I would give them to the local doctor to treat a local patient without charge. (In every country that I have been on a mission to, if you don't have money...you don't get treated) I typically would try and incorporate my annual check up and getting an antibiotics prescription for an upcoming medical mission. When I had begun doing more than one medical mission a year this required that I visit him more than what would be considered medically necessary...I was not sick, and had already completed an annual examination/check up. This is wasteful, and plays a part in increasing healthcare costs for us all. Having your insurance company pay for things that are not medically necessary are major contributing factor to skyrocketing healthcare costs. In 2012 a report estimated over-treatment costs at $210 billion a year. One factor believed to lead to over-treatment is the dominant fee-for-service healthcare payment model, which provides payment for each visit, test, or procedure. I began requesting that I get my prescription for my travels filled without having to visit him considering I was not sick, and that we had established that I travel on medical missions annually. The prescriptions were identical to every one he had ever written for me...ciprofloxacin, penicillin, and occasionally a refill on my asthma inhaler. I was told specifically that I had to come in to the office for a doctor visit in order to get the prescriptions I needed. This...after having explained that I am not sick, have already been in for an annual visit, and that this exact same prescription had been written for me multiple times. His office insisted...even after I had them talk with Dr. Watanabe while I waited on the phone. I explained that I wouldn't make an appointment to visit him simply to have a prescription written for medications that he had already prescribed to me for reasons that he was completely cognisant of. I hadn't been back to see him, or any doctor since then. That was 2016. Fast forward to January 2018. I hadn't see a doctor for an annual examination for far too long. Like I said...I have the blessing of good health a had put it off because of that. Unfortunately, we are experiencing one of the worst flu seasons that this country has seen in at least a decade, and I got sick. I called Dr. Watanabe's office to make an appointment because the normal over the counter treatment wasn't helping. I called and spoke with the receptionist/aide and was told that Dr. Watanabe now only does Concierge medicine. She informed me that I would have to pay an annual fee outside of what HMSA pays him for doctors visits of $200+!!! So I posed a question in the simplest terms possible..."You're telling me that Dr. Watanabe won't see his sick patient, me, unless I pay him an additional fee on top of what my HMSA plan pays him"??? To which she replied yes. I ended up having to go to an emergency room to be treated ...even though I was not emergently in need of a doctor because I had a primary care doctor. He just refused to see me, even though I was sick, because I wouldn't pay him an additional $200+ on top of what my insurance pays him...which is close $300 for an approximately 15 minute doctors visit. The emergency room visit cost HMSA almost $1000 and I had a small copay. He keeps office hours of Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri from 8am to 5pm but closed for lunch from 12pm to 2 pm, and Thursday from 830am to 12pm. This equates to 31.5 hours of work time with 2 hour lunches every day that isn't a 3.5 hour work day. He is closed all weekends and holidays. What a schedule...31.5 hours a week, 2 hour lunches, and no weekends or holidays!!! Just to enlighten you all..."The median annual Physician - Family Practice salary in Honolulu, HI is $204,089, as of January 30, 2018." read more

I mentioned previously that sometimes appointments run late because they are so good at fitting people in last minute. Well, yesterday, that person was me. I called around 930 in the morning with an annoying rash and they offered to see me an hour and twenty minutes later. I really love Dr. Watanabe's office. read more

Dr. Watanabe has literally saved my wives life time and time again by truly listening to her. He has taken so much time to listen to her concerns. She is definitely not an easy case medically and many doctors think that she is too difficult of a case to handle. He has taken her on and never once made her feel like a burden. Medically his knowledge is outstanding and he breaks everything down so that it is easy to understand. His front desk staff is amazing and attentive. I would recommend Dr. Watanabe to anyone and everyone. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. -the Beardsley's read more

I was looking for a new doctor and read the Yelp reviews. I decided to give Dr. Watanabe a try. The lady in the front is very strange. On the phone she sounds so unsure of herself and in person she lacks confidence. She's polite and nice but very "slow". Dr. Watanabe is a nice guy and seems like he cares. No real complaints with him. He did send me to many other doctors because he wasn't sure what was going on. Not sure if that's a plus or if that means he doesn't know what to do? The worst part about my experience at the office is that I ALWAYS wait at least 1 hour (most times it's close to 1.5 hrs) just to be taken in to have my weight and bp taken. Then they put me in another room where I wait for Dr. Watanabe for another 10+ minutes! I really don't like the waiting around ESPECIALLY when I'm feeling sick or worse, I'm NOT sick and the other patients are! I'll be going back to my other doctor that has a sign posted saying, "if you have been waiting 15 minutes past your appt time, please let us know and we'll take you in right away! " I have never had to wait more than 10 minutes! read more

My wife needed to find a general physician and Dr. Watanabe came highly recommended from a friend. He was extremely professional and smart as well as personable. He was very thorough communicating his diagnosis and plan for treatment. The office was clean and comfortable and the staff was very helpful and friendly. I highly recommend Dr. Gerald Watanabe! read more

Dr. Watanabe has great bedside manners and really cares about his patients. Also, he does karate which is a bonus.

I've been with Dr. Watanabe from the beginning of his practice. He has a heart for his patients and their well-being, is sincere, thorough and very skilled. Over a year ago, he downsized his practice and switched to MDVIP an exclusive practice non-par with HMSA. In this way, he is able to spend more time getting to know his patients and their health issues as well their day to day concerns. I decided to stay with Dr. Watanabe on a trial basis for a year but the huge annual member fee prevents me from continuing. I believe that if a patient has multiple health issues, Dr. Watanabe through MD/VIP can identify and treat them successfully. For me, with specialists in place and having dual medical coverage (medicare/HMSA), I am fully covered, so it doesn't make much sense at this point in my life to continue. Besides, I do have other financial priorities. Oh, yes, if I get to where I need more care I will definitely switch back to his care. His staff is very caring, trained and now experienced to handle much more, a definite plus. Thank you Dr. Watanabe and staff. read more

There is nothing other than the word 'superior' that I can say about Dr. Watanabe's professional, thorough standards & follow through, candid nature and excellent staff that he has in his office. I used to only be a PPO member of HMSA with a well respected physician that had 3,000 patients. I knew there must be an alternative. Dr. Watanabe believes in individualized patient care and aligned his practice with MDVIP (www.MDVIP.com). This affiliation limits his practice to a smaller book of business to enable his true passion of being attentive to patient care with meticulous follow through and following strict standards. It should be noted that becoming a physician affiliated with MDVIP is not simply a physician paying dues to become part of this concierge service. To be a physician as part of this service, Dr. Watanabe had to meet strict standards to fully adhere to them, providing tests, analysis, follow through, a direct line to reach him at any time and things you probably never knew about your body from traditional health insurance practices. Typical physicians have to make their money through volume. Dr. Watanabe does not believe in this philosophy. He is one of a very small collection of physicians that are part of the Honolulu marketplace of MDVIP physicians. I can understand how many patients may have been upset to no longer have him as a physician when he partnered with a concierge platform which requires quarterly payments over and above your typical health insurance payment. In short, it is worth it. I value his opinion, professional and incredible follow through. read more

I have been a paiient of Dr. Watanabe's for around five years, and knew Dr, Watanabe previously before he became a physician. Dr, Watanabe is a kind man, who is honest, and sincere. There are times when he seems to lose track of time, and this results in longer than anticipated waiting time in his office. Yet, on the whole, Dr. Watanabe is the consummate professional, and I have appreciated his quiet and effective manner. I will be leaving soon, and will miss his meticulous care. If I have the opportunity to refer others to Dr. Watanabe, I will wholeheartidly do so with great enthusiam. Thank you very much. Aloha read more

After reading all of these reviews I was excited to call the office and make an appointment for my mom who desperately needs a new doctor. Well, it went downhill from there. First question, who was your old doctor, we don't take patience from certain doctors...hmmm, that was strange. Second, my mom has private insurance but the office insisted that because she is over 65 her primary insurance HAS TO BE medicare. They have no idea what they are talking about. Dr. Watanabe may be a saint.. but you have to get over the moat to get into the castle... good luck.. needless to say.. I am still looking for a new doctor for my mom. I hope the doctor knows the bs that goes on out there in his front office. read more