Dr DeFoto is the best doctor I've had in my 70 years of life. He is always accessible and communicative when I need him. Takes his time in appointments, listen to any issues I have, and provides the best guidance and referrals when needed. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a doctor they feel completely open and comfortable with. Also, making an appointment or getting a prescription refill is always very easy and his support staff are the best. read more

Dr. DeFoto, has always been kind and thorough, He takes the time to call when I have a question, and in the office seem genuinely concerned. If I need to get in to see a Doctor and Dr. DeFoto isn't available, I have been met with the utmost professionalism, from the staff that I have seen. My Partner was a physician and knew many of the doctors in this practice. Sometimes the office doesn't return calls when you leave a message(only problem I have encountered) so, I find it better to call during business hours or send an email. read more

Dr. DeFoto is an amazing doctor and I am grateful to have him as my primary doc in LA. I've gone to him for almost a decade and he's been awesome & reliable. He always answers my questions in the patient portal and makes sure any questions I have are resolved. I can tell he's always very busy so sometimes it feels like we don't have a lot of time when I see him, but that's just because he's so in demand I assume. Dr. DeFoto is a stellar doc for Men's Health Issues in the LA area and I would recommend him for sure. read more

Not accepting new patients. His office staff will try to recommend a different doctor in the practice, who they say Dr. DeFoto will cover for if that doctor is not available at the time of your appointment. Unfortunately, the above sales tactic creates the impression that this office operates like a clinic. read more

I read the reviews on Men's Health Foundation and on Joe Defoto. I am not surprised to see many negative experiences and negative comments. I have been a patient for years and I am overwhelmed with anxiety every time I have an appointment. The doctors are totally isolated from patients and have no idea what the patient experiences with the rest of their office. I had serious issues regarding my memory and emotions and defoto suggested I see Sergio. I explained to Sergio that I am unable to understand the complex system they offer to view my test results. He promised to call me with results and offered his number for me to calll and with help understanding the tests so that I could be informed since they never call with results. He did not give me a number to call, he left the room when the nurse entered ( no goodbye) the blood draw he ordered was done, i have never heard anything regarding that visit and NO, Defoto has never asked how that appointment went for me. I have had three surgeries that Defoto has never asked me about. I had an appointment for my annual, Tanisha from MHF called the day before to notify me that defoto had a scheduling conflict. She suggested I see Sergio. i explained that I need defoto and not some PA who lied to me last time I saw him. II need my doctor for my annual as I also have been diagnosed with cancer and need to see defoto to ask him a million questions about how this will affect my condition. When I arrived at my appointment, I could see him busy in his office, and I waited in my examination room for a while until he finished what he was doing, and when he entered the room, he was visibly annoyed that I have interrupted his day and I created his scheduling conflict. He proceeded to tell me (with his mean smirk) that I was supposed to make sure that the front desk put in the system why I was visiting him that day to which I explained, I don't understand how I'm supposed to tell the office what to do, I don't tell them when to take blood. I don't tell them when to get my body weight. I don't tell them anything except the day I should see the doctor again. I remember him telling me last time this appointment was going to be an "up the butt visit". ( his words) so I wonder if he thinks I should use that professional terminology in the front office in the lobby around total strangers that are patients in the room. I should tell the Desk that I need somebody to put their finger in my butt next visit? That sounds like what Defoto wants me to do and I am totally confused about this lack of professionalism. I am ill and I'm an emotional wreck because I am ill and what I have is DeFoto who wants me to be stable, calm and treat him with more respect he treats me. defoto should not have a license to treat people who are emotionally and physically compromised as he shows little empathy. My advice is if you need to see someone for your health, if you put your life in someone else's hands, to be understanding of your situation don't go to men's health foundation and never see defoto. read more

Love my doctor. Friendly, smart and explains everything about my body and heath in a way that I can understand.

Sadly this practice gets worse and worse through out the years. I have now called 3 separate times and have been told 3 different things when it comes to my issue getting prescriptions called in. SADLY IF YOU ARE HIV NEGATIVE you are treated secondary here unlike if I was POSITIVE++++ Sad that this day and age to be discriminated against and by such a sub par practice. Reviewing years or paperwork and I have been tossed between 9 partitioners since no one stays working at such a poor practice. RUN FROM THIS PLACE read more

Dr DeFoto is a wonderful doctor. He's very caring and he's extremely smart. I feel very comfortable being with him after leaving my doctor for 20 years from New York City. Not only do I go to him but so does my husband and we both love him. read more

He's always been the best in LA. Iv'e known him for at least 25 years now. I was gone from LA for 5 years and came back and he saw me right away. I trust him a lot. Great bed side manner and my friends all agree to the same. read more

I've been seeing Dr DeFoto for several years now and I can't recommend him enough. He is patient, extremely knowledgeable, and actually takes the time to listen to his patients and answers questions without judgement and in terms that are straightforward and understandable. On top of all this he's got a great sense of humor and bedside manner. I actually look forward to my dr visits now, which is not something I would have ever said prior to meeting this man. If you are looking for a primary care physician then this is your guy! read more

I have blood coming out from behind my ears and the unhelpful receptionist offered to schedule me an appointment in five months. I've been a patient of Dr. DeFoto, for many years but this was the last straw He is a decent doctor, but his entire staff seems too caught up on being smarmy queens versus actually been helpful. I'm switching PCPs immediately read more

I was super lucky to stumble on Dr. Defoto and this entire practice. So, hopefully this rating and review will help others. If you are part of the LGBTQ+ community, this is a great choice for. A super welcoming and affirming space for you. read more

BLUE SHIELD CUSTOMERS BEWARE My Blue Shield plan covers routine physical examinations with $0 copay. Seeing DeFoto's name on Blue Shield's list of health care providers, therefore, I never suspected that I would be out of pocket for the visit. Several weeks after the visit, however, I received bills from DeFoto totaling just under $300. I called DeFoto's billing office and was told that they had billed it to Blue Shield as a routine checkup, so it was my insurance provider's fault I was being charged. They recommended I speak to Blue Shield for an explanation, which I did. Blue Shield told me that the doctor's office had not billed it as a routine visit, but instead had used billing codes that made it sound as if I was receiving special lab work that fell outside the "preventative care" umbrella...and that I was totally covered for lab work, but only for routine checkup lab work (which I assumed was all I was having done). I called back to DeFoto's billing office on multiple occasions asking them to please speak with Blue Shield to clarify why I was being charged, as it's difficult for me to interpret what is going on when the insurance company starts quoting me medical codes. DeFoto's office would only tell me, "we billed this correctly...maybe your insurance policy just doesn't cover all of our services." Whether fault lies with Blue Shield or Dr. DeFoto's billing office, I have no way of knowing. All I DO know is that the DeFoto office's total unwillingness to either explain my charges or to speak to my insurance company on my behalf is unacceptable. I am forced to pay these charges so that it does not damage my credit, but am extremely disappointed with the DeFoto billing department's disregard for their patients. read more

A gay man has physical issues that doctors should be aware of. My last doctor cringed when he found out I was gay. When it came to a prostate exam (maybe tmi) he asked me if I "wanted one". I'm a 47 year old man, I think it's pretty important that I get one, and NO, I don't "want" it. It was ridiculous because I needed a physical - and it felt like I was in grade school again. Anyhow, found Dr. Defoto and have never felt more comfortable in a doctor's office in my life. Polite friendly staff, really nice office. He seemed genuinely concerned about what ails me, and I had no problem at all being completely honest with him. It was only my first visit - but I have found my doctor. read more

Not thrilled about my last few visits. My triglicerides were elevated and my cholesterol is also elevated but he didn't mention anything. I saw the results myself. It seems to me he spends less time with me and doesn't ask what is going on with my emotional wellbeing. read more

Dr. Joseph Defoto is a phenomenal part of my medical team - As my General Practitioner, Dr. Defoto has brought many complications to light - dealing with a variety of health concerns, he has lead me in a direction that is not only pro-active, but will increase my quality of life until that life decides to make a halt... I have had the pleasure of Dr. Defotos straightforward, non-judgemental and expert medical advice for many years and am certain to have him, hopefully, for many more to come. I highly recommend, not only Joseph Defoto, but his experienced and congenial staff - all in a very productive and professional medical setting that is sure to make you as at ease as it does for me - Enjoy (you will thank me!) read more

Truly the best doctor I have found. His bedside manor is amazing, he's been around the block more then a few times and has a knowledge that can only be attained by experience with my community (hiv+). If you EVER have any fears of going to see a doc, GO TO HIM, "empathy" is his middle name and and he also knows how to tactfully use humor to quell your fears. I am very happy to be one of his patients again and can not recommend him more. oh, and he's really cute too. read more

I was in search of a gay friendly Dr. I live in Sherman Oaks and felt like the Doctor I had there was not well educated when it came to gay related health. I felt like me being gay was the elephant in the room. I felt completely comfortable with Dr. Defoto and his kind staff. I felt that his knowledge was geared toward the gay man, thrall. Best decision I've made this year. read more

I've already written a review of Dr. Defoto, but my experience last Friday just required me to post another one. It was a Thursday night and I was coming down with something and needed to see Dr. D preferably before the weekend. I called and left a message, and the next morning, the receptionist Tyler called me to see what I needed. He asked lots of questions but was very sensitive to my needs and discretion. Dr. D was booked all that day, but as we talked more about my concerns, it was clear Tyler wanted to try to get me seen. After our discussion, he said he'd speak with Dr. D right when he arrived and then call me back if there was some sort of opening that day. Sure enough, by 9am Tyler called and told me Dr. D had a short window at 11:50a and signed me up. When I arrived, I was seen within minutes (2!) by the nurse and then nearly as quickly by Dr. D. Mind you--this was a last-minute appointment with a very busy doctor in one of the busiest areas of Los Angeles. Dr. D was his usual, calm and assuring self, and I have to say I was just floored that he was as relaxed and casual as he always is, knowing that he'd had to "squeeze me in" between appointments and (I later found out) a haircut. :-) I just can't say enough about Dr. Defoto and Tyler. Truly, I feel like for the first time in my life I have a doctor who is knowledgeable and trustworthy, patient and encouraging. He is a complete godsend in my life and I'm happy to drive 100 miles every time I need to see him. This is what we do for good healthcare. read more

If you're looking for a great GP, you'll be lucky to be in the hands of Dr Defoto. A (gay) friend recommended him and I decided to check him out even though I'm a straight girl. Now I'm sad that I moved away from LA because it's hard finding a doctor like him. Dr. Defoto is super nice, knowledgeable, and actually cares about the costs (I needed some expensive malaria medication for a trip and he worked with me to get the best deal possible). The new office is also very organized with billing, appts, etc. (I started seeing him when he was still in the Cedars buildings). I highly recommend him. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Defoto's since 2004. It was important to me to have a Dr. that I could feel comfortable talking to about sexual history as well as family history. Dr. D is one of the coolest docs I have ever met and talks candidly with me about my health. He's always friendly and gets me my results quickly. Several of the reviews on here that are not 4 stars deal with billing, or medical insurance, or some staff issues, but I have never had any problems in those areas. I also wouldn't choose or not choose a Dr. based on their admin help; i'm much more concerned with the 20 minutes I spend with the Doctor. I rarely give 5 stars for anything, but if you are lucky enough to get Dr. D you will never want another doctor. read more

This place is the best , service of dr DeFoto and staff is wonderful Seems like every gay person I know used this practice read more

As a gay man, I concur about having the right MD. It's difficult to deal with the ignorance of some doctors. He's not only knowledgeable but also worked with me in finding a cheaper lab. Even the people at the pharmacy downstairs (Horton & Converse), inside his office building, commented on how friendly and approachable he is. I greatly recommend him. P.S. Kudos to Peter, one of his receptionists, he has been able to get me in on the same day. read more

Met with Dr. DeFoto today for the first time. I was super impressed by his manner, intelligence, and thoroughness. He showed tremendous knowledge and really seemed to care about my health. Hubby and I are going to use him As our PCP from here on. Cannot recommend him or his staff highly enough. read more

If you're looking for an amazing doctor near West Hollywood, Dr. Defoto is your man. Always punctual, smart, and makes you feel very comfortable which is important to me because I usually hate doctors and doctor offices. I rarely go to the doctor because I'm never sick, but the few times I've gone he's been very thorough. Last time I went was for a physical and he made me feel very confident he checked everything and I was in good hands. I know it shouldn't matter (but we are in West Hollywood), but he's a great doctor if you're gay so you can talk about everything pertaining to that lifestyle. Oh, and he's super cute! haha. read more

He was my doctor for 15 years. Very nice. Good guy, but I had to stop going to him. 1) His office is a nightmare to deal with and he's either clueless or turns a blind eye. Zero follow up. Calls and messages go unreturned. At times, unfriendly and rude. I was constantly trying to track down prescription renewals etc. I'm not sure where the disconnect is. In my opinion, part of being a great doctor is running a great office. He needs to do a better job of making the full experience a good one. 2) He has too many patients. Like I said, I went to him for 15 yrs, but pretty sure he couldn't pick me out of a lineup. There was no real benefit to being a long term patient. They never got me in same day if I had an issue. They refused to get me renewals when I needed them. Life's too short. I need better care and service. read more

Great Doctor. Intelligent and professional. He's also open to answering any question you have. I would recommend him to anyone. read more

I love Dr. Defoto! He's honest and takes the time to answer all your questions. I feel well taken care of by him and his staff. Most of the front desk guys are nice, too. You may not be able to see him right away, or whenever you want to because he's a popular guy, but he's worth the wait. You can simply email him and he will respond; that, or any of the other doctors at his practice are also great. read more

I'd set an appointment for a physical and blood work a few months ago with Dr. Defoto as I was changing from a cocktail of 3 pills to a med that was only 1 pill a day. I'd even scheduled a flight out a day early from a vacation with my family. 1 week prior to my appointment the office calls to tell me the Dr. will be on vacation and we need to reschedule my appointment. Kathy, the rescheduler, informs me the Doctor popped it on them two weeks ago and that she'd had to call 39 people to reschedule prior to my call. The Dr. Defoto claimed he'd notified them months ago and said that he was sorry I felt his office acted very unprofessionally. He'd been a good doctor, but I'm finding another practice. read more

Just got home from their office... From the second you walk in the door, everyone is so nice and inviting. I was long overdue for a physical and one of my best friends recommended Dr. Defoto. The office is very clean and the staff is professional. I have found my new primary doctor. read more

This is not a review about the doctor himself because I never saw him, but it's a review for his office staff. I was trying to make an appointment with this doctor and was put on hold for over 5 minutes the first time I called them. I hung up, called them back, and I was put on hold for another 5 minutes which finally was told that the person responsible for taking appointments was busy and would call me back. 5 hours passed by and no call from then, I decided to call them back and noticed that the guy who is responsible for taking appointments had a tone of voice, let's say at least, mediocre due to the fact that I don't have insurance - I ran out of my insurance two months ago and can only renew in January now. Also, I was told two different prices for the consultation. $200 and $250. Why is it so complicated to see a doctor when you don't have insurance? That doesn't mean I cannot afford the consultation. It would be much cheaper for the doctors if they offered the same discounts they do for the health insurance companies - isn't that true? Why having to deal with insurance companies if you can get paid right away? I don't get it. Anyway, it's a shame that a well-reviewed doctor has such a bad staff, but unfortunately the office staff means a lot as it's the first people we deal with. Would you go to a restaurant if you were treated badly by the greeting person? read more

I planned on switching from Dr. Alex Del Rosario to Dr. Joseph T. Defoto, MD as I have heard great things about him. However after speaking to his assistant and the other staff in the office, something I never had to deal with Dr. Del Rosario, I have decided to go elsewhere. It's unfortunate that I found them rude and nothing like I experienced in the 5 years prior to that office. I hope they change their attitudes as from everything I have heard, he's a good doctor. read more

Staff is rude and condescending they over drew blood on me & caused me major health problems. Worst service I have ever received.

Dr. Defoto is an amazing doctor. I have been a patient of his for three years and appreciate his caring demeanor and professionalism. He takes the time to get to the bottom of the issues and is extremely compassionate. I'd recommend him to anyone looking for a top notch GP. read more

Probably the only time my blood pressure has gone DOWN as a new patient in a doctor's office! After searching for nearby PCP to go to that was sensitive to gay men, I searched on yelp and saw all the rave reviews, and decided to give him a try. Went in for an annual physical, and before leaving - already had made my choice that this is the physician for me. Dr. DeFoto is caring, conversational, takes his time and really explains everything that he is doing or thinking. read more

Dr. Defoto is amazing! Trips to a doctor's office are never fun, but he is very knowledgeable and easy to talk to (not bad on the eyes either) The only complaint I have is not with him, but the front desk staff. Every time I go in, they are just flat out rude and not very helpful. read more

Dr. Defoto is by far one of the best doctors in the city. When ever I have to visit a specialist and they find out who my referring doctor is, they always say how lucky I am and what a terrific reputation he has in the medical community. Dr. Defoto is kind, caring, considerate, patient and best of all- a darn good listener. He is never rushed during an appointment and takes the time to really hear you out. He is never judgmental and he makes going to the doctor a pleasure. I can't say enough good things about thus physician. I will stay with him for as long as he is practicing medicine! A++++!!! read more

I have had several primary care physicians in my 50+ years and Dr. DeFoto is by far the most caring and attentive of them all. He maintains a level of professionalism with his patients (my partner is also his patient) without ignoring the human side of the relationship. He's a great listener and the most responsive doctor I've ever had. I feel comfortable asking him anything and he never answers in a condescending way. He has a great sense of humor. In addition, he is the most punctual doctor I've known. I've never been kept waiting more than five minutes in all of the time I've seen him. This has a great deal to do with his highly efficient office staff, especially Robert and John, who are incredibly helpful and friendly. If anyone thinks that a physician's front office isn't vital to the practice I can assure you that they are. My previous physician was wonderful but his office staff was so miserable as to make every visit more of a chore than it already was. read more

Doctor DeFoto is an absolute treasure ! I've never felt more taken care of as I do with him! He's amazing at following up with any medical concern you may have and it's clear he truly cares about you as his patient. Thank you doctor DeFoto! read more

I love Dr. Defoto. Going to the doctor is never fun, but going to Dr. Defoto's office, one can tell that efforts have been made to make the experience less jarring. Dr. Defoto really cares, and his knowledge is vast, seemingly endless even, and his opinions are succinct and accurate. He always works hard to make sure that I am comfortable and well taken care of. Thank you Dr. D. read more