I went to Dr. Birk because of a bulging disc in my neck. He administered a painful series of tests without explaining how they would help me or address my issue. He did not talk at all but instead mumbled to his assistant (son?) who would the give me instructions. After his electric shock tests my hands wrists and elbows are still in great pain 8 hours after his test. I received no council on how to treat my bulging disc and was told to return fro test results in late November! I feel that Dr. Birk abused my trust and inflicted unnecessary and unexplained suffering on me without even attempting to explain his purpose in doing so. I recommend everyone steer clear of this uncaring incompetent neurologist. read more

I've seen Dr Birk for 2 different reasons.. I found he was smart kind and nails the problems.. I find nothing wrong and would Recommend him to anyone that has the problems that I do.. Thank you Dr.Birk Terri Clevenger Chavez read more

I was briefly a patient of Dr. Birk's and experienced much the same problems as the two previous reviewers. During every visit, Dr. Birk sat on a stool way across the room with his back turned while he mumbled and typed on the computer. I couldn't hear let alone understand a word he said not that he said very much at all. Also, is it too much to ask that a doctor actually review a referral BEFORE seeing a new patient? I was aghast when Dr. Birk asked why I was there. Seriously? Did you even GLACE at the previous records I had forwarded to you weeks before our appointment? The office is nice and fancy and I suppose he must know what he is doing, but I wasn't filled with confidence that my concerns where being heard or understood. The opportunity for the office staff to make up for the doctor's bedside manner was tragically missed . They are dangerously inadequate. I was told I would hear back about a test result and when 3 weeks had passed I finally called the office. "Oh didn't she call you? You needed to stop taking that medication." In the end I felt I had to go elsewhere because it is vitally important to have your healthcare providers on the same page as their patients. Dr. Birk's office isn't even in the same book. read more

I have been seeing a neurology doctor (since when I was born). My parents had taken me to Sacramento many times to a neurologist (at the time there wasn't a neurologist that could except children) but later found out being swapped with various neurologist (between Sacramento and Red Bluff), I ended up with Dr. Harvinder Birk (saved my parents, and I having to drive 2 hours to Sacramento to see a neurologist and being there for 5 - 10 minutes after being seen then drive all the way back into Redding). When I first met Dr. Birk, it was hard to understand him speaking in a low tone, but he is a really nice person. Some doctors do (and some don't) have eye contact with their patients, but my overall experience with Harvinder S. Birk is an outstanding and excellent doctor in Redding. read more

Waited 3 months for a new pt appt. I was referred for epilepsy. My new primary care won't fill my neuro meds, Dr. Birk said he won't fill meds other neuros put me on!! Ive been on the same meds for 20 years. I'm doing fantastic and he basically said come back when you have a seizure from being off your meds. I work full time in the medical field and CANT have seizures while working. I'm disgusted by this treatment. His staff is awesome though. 5 star for staff 0 star for him. read more

He mumbles and is difficult to understand. Spent more time staring at his computer than asking questions or examining me. He was not interested in ordering the MRI and CT scan results from TIAs(mini-stroke) I had. He told me to take a baby aspirin and prescribed an anti-depressant! What a joke! read more

Called to make appointment. Was reading terrible reviews online, then realized I had taken my daughter to see him three years ago. I had had the same miserable experience. I made an appointment with UC Davis then called to cancel the appointment with Dr Birk. The woman on the phone was nice until I told her the reason I was cancelling the appointment. She became rude and hung up on me. Oh my. Stay away if at all possible. read more

Horrible. Would give zero stars if possible. Took my father here for dementia/Alzheimer's advice. Dr. Birk treated my father like a complete stupid idiot. Very disrespectful. No brain scan, no blood tests, no advice. Just "double up on the Aricept." Upset my father greatly. read more

He mumbles, spends most of our time on his computer,orders tests and forgets he ordered them so h has to leave the room to review the tests afterhe is reminded. He didn't make a dignoses so we traveled to nReno Ne. to see another Dr. read more

My daughter was seeing him for injections for her tendonitis and we were never treated so poorly or bad in our whole life he made her wait while he plays with his keys in the hallway and then he shot her hands in the wrong place which cause bubbling on the outside of her hands and extreme pain never washed his hands or were gloves sheI will never go back to him read more

My husband and I went to see this doctor (and I use that term loosely) for my husbands extreme back pain. I have never experienced a lack of compassion from a doctor ever until I met doctor Birk. He treated us like he could care less about my husbands pain. My husband was told he needed to sign a paper for his numbing injection. The nurse came in, shoved the paper in his face and said "here sign this". No smile, just a look of boredom on her face. The doctor gave him a injection in his back and stuck it in and moved it around with a total lack of interest. My husband was bleeding, and not one bandage were even offered. If you treat patients like this, then retire!! read more

First time being here and he was amazing yeah he sat on his computer but he was typing in data and he did talk to me the hole time I was in the room. Came in for having migraines since I was little and he gave me a shot in the back of my neck and I haven't had one since. I was in there 4days ago so he knows what he doing!! read more

I waited 4 months to see Dr Birk. During the time he was speaking to me, he yawned repeatedly, scratched at his head and did a full arm stretch in an effort to wake up? He referred me for a CAT scan of my head. My follow up appointment is 4 months from the time of the last appointment. I called to learn the results of the CAT scan and was told that if it were anything of a life threatening nature, he would call. Very reassuring! Office staff ladies are unfriendly and not helpful. I really pleaded with them to get me in sooner but they were completely unresponsive to my health circumstances. I needed help with a problem that began Oct. 1, 2016. My follow up appointment is at the end of March 2017. That seems like one long wait! read more

My husband and I were thoroughly impressed by Dr. Birk and his staff. They are friendly, professional and efficient. Dr. Birk spends a lot of time at the computer reviewing your history, mri's, ct, etc. When he speaks to you he comes over to you and makes eye contact. After answering his questions you can see he is deeply thinking about your answer and how it relates to your history. He answered all our questions and made us feel we had as much of his time as we needed. I would definitely recommend him. read more

I only give a 1 star because his office staff is unprofessional and rude. They talk about other patients and their medical treatment as well as meds that they are on. While waiting in his office, I overheard 2 patients names mentioned as well as what treatment that they're on. Unacceptable. This isn't the first time either. He needs to do some rehiring of his office staff. read more

Will be reporting him as soon as I get the strength. Nothing was right. He fell asleep twice in the short appointment. Wanted to do a spinal tap for something I didn't have symptoms of or lab work that would indicate I needed one. Didn't listen. Suggested I go off of my blood pressure medication after I told him the assistant didn't tighten the cuff and my pressure was never low. Pressured me to go on antidepressants. read more

I agree with all the bad reviews here. Va sent my husband there and if I wasn't there I would never believe how rude he was. My husband is a disabled vet and he wouldn't face us when speaking even though my husband told him he is hard of hearing, has hearing aid, and can't understand him. He was so rude, I wouldn't recommend him to anyone. On his report he wrote things that were far from the truth. This was the worse experience and I complained to the va about him. Hopefully they won't use him again. When leaving the office my husband said "now you can see why I asked you to come with me." Then we went back to get a copy of his review and guess what they couldn't find it, then said they sent it to the va. Really? They didn't make a copy for their office? read more

Dr Birk is the BEST doctor in town. I went in because I used to have headaches, back pain, and tremors. He spends a long time with his patients and is SO smart and COMPASSIONATE. Well-trained and knows his neurology and saved my life!! I am headache and back pain and tremor free because of Dr. Birk! read more

I went into Dr. Birk's for a nerve conduction test for my legs back a few months ago. He was ...OK. He didn't speak much, if really at all. I mean, he wasn't BAD, but his staff sure is. He was nice when I asked questions, and when I jokingly apologized for being a baby during the test, he smiled and said that I did fine, so I mean he's not a bad person. Anyhow, his staff are very unprofessional and lose patient information and feel no obligation to make an effort to find it. I brought in my cd disk of my MRI images and reports and when I went back to get it, I was told it was lost, and that they had just did some re arranging and they would find it and call me. Ya, never a phone call. That was back a few months ago. I needed that disk for my surgery appointment with the surgeon and I went into the office and I stated that since I didn't have this disk the surgeon was not able to see me at my scheduled appointment that I had waited months and I needed it now. The girl tried to sit there and say that she'll call me tomorrow if they find it. .... TOMORROW? IF??? I told them that was no acceptable, that they needed to find the disk and do so now. The three girls there.. very unenthusiastically started to look for the disk. At no time or point did anyone have any empathy for my situation or the fact that their lack of professionalism in the manner the keep their records had caused this situation in the first place. Well, the disk was found.. amazing right? I would never go back to this office again due to the staff. Ever. read more

I'm sad I had to give DR Birk one star rather than zero! Read the other reviews. I am a disabled Veteran and appalled at this guy's behavior. He is a very unsociable and flat rude (being nice). He looks down at everyone and throws around his MD status like he is better than you. I told him I fought for my country to be treated equally and he said your not an equal, did you even graduate high school? Had a billing issue that he refused to settle and then threatened me if I pursued it. Because I perused it he attacked my character online, defaming me and leaving bad reviews everywhere he could. I called and tried to rationalize with him. Not sure what's going on for him but he certainly needs help and prayers. read more

OMG, had I known what I was in for I wouldn't have wasted a day driving the three hours to Redding and back. In a word, "unprofessional". The only reason this "doctor" has any patients is because he is the only Neurologist in Northern CA. The wait time was just under an hour and when Dr. Birk finally came into the exam room he stood there and stared at my partner and me. I finally introduced myself and said that I was his patient. He grunted, went over to his laptop and typed for five minutes without saying a word. No eye contact and when he finally spoke, if you can call it that, more like a mumble, so quiet I/we had to ask him to repeat EVERY thing he said every single time. He yawn, leaned back in his chair, stared at the ceiling eventually getting around to asking while I was there. Really? He had no idea so I explained that I was having horrible headaches for months. He looked at my MRI and said there appears to be nothing wrong with my head but he can do a lumbar puncture (a little too excited), not fun for me, not cheap, another day of driving. Then the next thing he asked me was what kind of insurance I had, wanted details, clearly he just wants money and an unnecessary procedure. I have never ever had a doctor ask me in great detail about my insurance, usually they ask if I have it and leave it at that. He gave me an injection in my head, luckily he wore gloves because he didn't wash his hands after seeing the previous patient. My head bled of course and he got almost angry accusing me of using a blood thinner, I don't take medication of any kind. The staff: clearly they all hate working there and can barely stand Dr. Birk, the receptionist and nurse each yelled at him, once in the room and once in the reception area complaining that he mumble and won't speak up. It is clear when you call them on the phone, they are clearly unhappy there, they are just this side of rude, not once but every time I called. I will never, ever go back to this man and do yourself a favor, run in the other direction if you get a referral to him/his office. He is not professional and I really question his ethics. read more

First time and only visit with this abusive doctor. Not only did he not do the tests ordered by the VA he is milking the federal government through the VA Choice program. He left me bruised just from the exam and throttled my legs with his hammer yelling at me to relax. I explained the nerve pain in my feet and he jabbed the pointed end of his examining hammer into my arches and then held my foot twisted while he stabbed my foot. I screamed and said stop but he continued. He then hammered my thighs still yelling at me to "relax!" This abusive excuse for a healthcare provider is only in the work to get money from each system he is linked too. He also pushed me to ask for drugs which I did not want and did not ask for. My pharmacy called the day after the visit with a prescription for me which I refused. Do not see him but if you have to do not see him alone. He was the worst doctor I have ever seen. read more