Dr. Zimmerman was incredibly professional and thorough from the start of my diagnostic process to the finish. I was experiencing strange full-body swelling and muscle breakdown, which required ruling out numerous diseases and viruses. He was very systematic, taking the time to ask professional and in depth questions to navigate the many variables of my case, including recent international travel and a recent bout of pink eye. As my full-body soreness spread and intensified rapidly, Dr. Zimmerman quickly ordered over 20 labs to rule out various infections and conditions. Before working with Mike, I had been to the ER twice without receiving any answers; they simply didn't have the time for me. What I appreciated most about working with Mike was his genuine care. I truly felt that he wouldn't stop until we had the answers we needed. Incredibly, Dr. Zimmerman had already identified Vasculitis as a top candidate before my primary symptom, a severe full-body rash even appeared. He had already helped me schedule a dermatology appointment in advance, so my skin graft was set for the day after those symptoms surfaced. Just as I became too weak to walk, we received the diagnosis and I had Vasculitis and began the proper treatment. Not knowing what was wrong while my condition worsened was a very scary experience. I am so relieved and cannot thank Dr. Zimmerman enough for the true care and professionalism he showed me throughout this process. I'm so relieved to finally have answers and be getting better! read more

Great medical office. Very different than most medical offices. Staff could not be more accommodating and caring. The physicians are extremely knowledgeable and give one a 110 percent of them being right there with you. Sonja Farer read more

Should update their info. Not taking new patients. Need better communication and information on Yelp. Was a hassle to reach by phone.

I don't normally leave reviews, but felt I had to based on the last few months of my health experience. I just had my first appointment here, and I really can't say nicer things about this practice. I've been dealing with unknown health issues and dismissive doctors and offices for months. It's taken a toll on my mental, and I felt like giving up! Thankfully, I called up this office and spoke to Shannon who very helpfully guided me through insurance processes and got me an appointment as soon as they could. When I came in for my appointment, I was fully prepared to be ignored by the doctor after many months of having this happen across various doctors. I wanted to cry when I was met with genuine concern and thoughtfulness, and after my appointment I really felt that my doctor cared about what was happening with me! I also felt really assured that even when I was asking a bunch of questions to my doctor and even the front desk, that I was met with lots of kind answers and no ounce of meanness. It was a really refreshing and amazing experience after many months of being treated like I've been making up my pain. I hope that everyone has this type of experience with their primary care, I definitely plan on sticking with this office for as long as I can!!! read more

I am very happy and grateful to have found Temescal Creek Medicine and Michael Zimmerman. They provide exactly what I want and deserve from a healthcare provider: professionalism, responsiveness, and kindness. They also are great at providing referrals to specialists, therapists, and other healthcare providers when necessary. Their office staff is top notch. They are very easy to communicate with about appointments, medication, and paperwork. TCM's fees are reasonable and fair. I wish I had found them sooner! read more

Dr. Andrea Franchett was assigned to be my PCP by my health insurance (provided by my State government job, so it's supposed to be a good plan). I've been waiting three years for an appointment, but their staff keeps saying that Andrea is not seeing her new patients yet. I don't understand why she is accepting new patients through the insurance company, but refusing to make appointments with them. Do doctors get monthly or annual payments based on the size of their patient list? When I ask for an appointment, I'm told I can see "Julia" instead, who appears to be a physician assistant. Are they using this system to funnel patients directly to an assistant? I have a few serious problems and it would be great to see a doctor. read more

I can't say enough about this practice, My experience has been with Dr. Zimmerman and office staff and in my 43 years as a healthcare professional I've never encountered such a dedicated, sincere and proficient physician as Dr. Zimmerman-this is real personalized care. As a medical case manager I work with a patient with multiple medical as well as cognitive issues and Dr. Zimmerman's ability to manage my patient's care is outstanding, way beyond the call of duty. I have total confidence in the committed, kind, professional medical care Dr. Zimmerman provides-Thank You Dr. Zimmerman, keep up the great work!!! read more

I switched from Kaiser to Health Net and Dr. Zimmerman became my doctor by default. I scheduled an appointment because I needed travel shots for an upcoming trip. When I entered the office the administrator was not very friendly and made me feel uncomfortable. I met with Dr. Zimmerman and he was nice enough. He let me know that he could not give me the travel shots and that I would need a referral. After a week and a half I followed up for the referral and still had to wait a few more days. I was referred out of the network and the referral only had 1 shot listed and didn't include the others that we discussed. As a result, I ended up paying $200 for a few travel shots. Obviously Health Net is awful but my experience dealing with the doctor and his administrator was not so good either. Right after my first visit, my husband needed to be seen urgently for another issue. He called and was told that they were not accepting any new clients. My husband explained that they were listed as our primary care physician, his wife was just seen there and he had an urgent matter and needed to be seen soon. The administrator said she would speak with the doctor and get back to him as to whether he could be scheduled for an appointment. She called a week and a half later and said she could schedule an appointment for him..... Depending on your type of insurance, you may have unnecessary issues and costs. read more

Dr. Franchett and Dr. Zimmerman are the most outstanding physicians in the bayarea. Exceptionally knowledgeable, caring, and dedicated. They are the best. We drive many miles to seek their care! The office staff, each and every one are proficient, kind, and capable. We can't say enough about our medical care at Temescal Creek Medicine! read more

Love Dr Franchett....switched health care providers to follow her in her new endeavor and office. I like that she cares and that she listens. Her new practice is about her desire to put primary healthcare back in the hands of patients and doctors, rather than insurance companies. Who could argue with that? read more

Good luck calling during office hours and getting a return call within two hours. If you're fortunate enough to then receive that call, you'll have to endure the dismissive attitude of the administration staff. Pro tip: don't become a patient of a practice with poor office support as it trumps the actual care that you'll receive. read more

I've been seeing Dr. Franchett for several years now and was glad to follow her to this new office. The care I have gotten is top notch, from checkups and in-office procedures to a couple of sports injuries -- Dr. Franchett is great for these! I've received quick, after-hours care and prescriptions when I had to leave for an international trip yet came down with something nasty. I appreciate the common-sense, yet modern and informed approach. I don't feel pushed for tests I don't need, yet have received great care and answers to my questions. My appointments are on-time and yet I'm not rushed through.Temescal Creek has brought back the personal relationship people have with their doctors, something I might have thought was gone from this world. Pretty amazing. read more

Dr. Zimmerman is great, you can talk to him, and he listens. Not the type of doctor that ignores your concerns. His nurse is also very nice. read more

I could not have had a more disappointing experience. In fact, I'll go so far as to say I really should have gotten my money back. I made an appointment with Dr. Zimmerman. I was aware of the quirky "we don't deal with the insurance companies at all" stance, but had received a recommendation so I was hopeful it would be worth it. They sent me a lengthy set of forms to fill out and send in prior to the appointment. I completed everything and was assured by the office I had submitted it in time for it to be useful during the visit. I sat with Dr. Zimmerman for less than 30 minutes and he asked me pretty much all the questions that were on the form. He checked my heartrate, blood pressure, etc...the very basics. There were several procedures i had gotten used to during my physicals given my gender and age - he did not do these. I submitted bloodwork after the exam and checked in with the office several times to see if the bloodwork results had come in and if I'd hear anything after that. Nothing,..except promises from the administrative staff that Dr. Zimmerman knew I wanted to review the results and he would get back to me (I have the unfulfilled promises in email). I resigned myself to check what had been put in my "portal." There was very little information and there were some blatantly incorrect items...in fact, there were multiple data points on my health and activities that were so incorrect, if they were true, I would be dead! After several attempts to get a call back, I gave up. read more

Just met Dr. Franchett for the first time, and she already impressed me so much compared to my past experience with Dr. I was surprised by the generous amount of time she gave to listen to my symptoms so attentively and giving very sensible advice. Caring, fun, no nonsense. A great doctor with exceptional attitude. read more

I love Dr. Franchett. She is respectful, kind and caring. It's a hassle to submit bills to my insurance company but seeing her is worth it. She genuinely cares about my well-being and it's so hard to find a doctor like that. read more

Dr. Zimmerman was very unprofessional and lacked any kind of compassion. I went to him for chronic health issues that I was deeply concerned with, and he wrote me off as it was nothing. He even laughed in my face and rolled his eyes several times at some of my earnest ideas. I felt completely degraded by him. I will never go to that practice again. Thank God I later found a doctor who listened to me and took me seriously! read more

DON'T go here if you work, if you have a busy schedule, or if you want quality care. I only seen Dr. Zimmerman once. It was okay. I was complaining about digestive issues and he recommended Chia and Flaxseeds. Besides that, nothing. Then I asked if I could be tested for allegories and would need blood samples. Basically, they couldn't do it. Lastly, I scheduled a regular physical after not having been for over a year. I tried to schedule an appointment and no times worked with their schedule. We settled on a time. I had an emergency work meeting and called and hour before my appointment. The clerk notified me that it would be a $375 cancellation fee. Absolutely ridiculous! You're telling me it is going to cost me $375 for a appointment that would regularly cost $15. They then said Dr. Zimmerman would be willing to go half which is $187.50. For someone who had never cancelled before and actually notified them, it was disappointing and insane. Further, the office is in need of diversity. Being a healthcare facility especially in the Bay Area you would expect to see a more people of color. There isn't one. DO BETTER. Overall, don't go here. Save your time and money. read more

I do not know where to begin! I have visited 100+ countries on our beautiful planet, lived on 3 continents and 10 countries, and been involved with a number of medical systems as a patient, researcher, and policy advocate. Dr. Franchett's office is by far the best, most efficient, kindest, and the quintessential example of what healthcare should be about. She "truly listens" to your issues and analyzes them with you keeping you informed of the decisions and options. The entire office team is on the same frequency: supportive and compassionate. I cannot say enough about my experience over the past year. read more

The folks at Temescal Creek are WONDERFUL. I came to this office following my doc (Andrea Franchett). She is the best doctor I've ever had, and the office is just as good as she is. I've seen Dr Zimmerman a few times also, and he has always been super-helpful. On top of that, the office staff (Jenna & Marguerite) are intelligent, resourceful, and caring. They've been great, even helping me with difficulties I encountered in another medical office that I was referred to! They are always competent, professional, and personable. This office is a standout in every way. read more

A recent weekend experience with Dr. Franchett singlehandedly restored my faith in the health care industry. Had an issue come up on a Sat morning that was not an "emergency" but one that I wanted addressed over the weekend. I called Dr. Franchett's office and left a message for the "on-call" doctor, assuming I'd eventually get a call back with a referral to an after-hours clinic. Less than 30 minutes later, I received a call from Dr. Franchett, who was calling from her daughter's soccer game. She spent several minutes with me doing intake and providing advice--taking care to explain everything in much more detail than I am used to doctors providing. Problem solved! Amazing service--I am so glad to have found this practice! read more

I couldn't believe the reviews here, but I went in optimistically hoping that it would be half as good as people say. I was pleasantly surprised to find a doctor's office like no other. Small, pleasant waiting room all to myself, less than two minutes from my arrival to actually speaking with an excellent doctor (Franchett) who seemed to have all the time in the world to address my concerns. I've been critical-care nursing for six years now, so when I say she's an excellent doctor I don't just mean she's amazingly nice and very thorough- she knows how to figure out diagnoses and is up to date on her treatment methods. I called back a week later to ask for a new referral fax to be sent, and was impressed to have a real human answer the phone and send the fax within minutes. This place rocks! read more

I've been seening Dr. Franchett for 4 years and I think she's great! She will not block you from getting necessary tests or referrals. She knows of good specialists to refer you to. She also does paps, etc which is very convenient if you don't want to go to an OBGYN seperately once/year. She is smart and competant. She will look into things if she doesn't have the whole answer right away. Her personality is a bonus--she is warm, friendly, laid back and most importantly not rude, evasive or curt (all traits I find common in lots of docs). I've also recently seen Dr. Zimmerman b/c Franchett was unavailable and I liked him almost just as much! (I favor Franchett) but he was good in my standards, which are pretty high. I liked that he drew a diagram to help explain what he was talking about. The clinic is asthetically pleasing, warm and modern-- as is she! read more

Dr. Franchett is the medical goddess. You will count yourself truly blessed to be one of her patients. I really recommend her to people who may be having anxieties about their condition or who are worried about any possible health problem. She is upbeat, friendly, and no nonsense. I cannot recommend this person highly enough. read more

I love Dr. Franchett! She's probably the best doctor I've ever had. She's young and fun and smart and I feel totally comfortable talking to her about anything. To be fair, I don't have any pressing health concerns. But I am a young (late 20s) woman who is a health care professional (I work in Oncology), so I do see her about 3x per year (including an annual physical) and I'm the kind of person who asks a lot of questions. She speaks to you straight up and non-condescendingly, and she always takes her time with you. She's also really on the ball with what you should be doing proactively with your health (i.e. I just got married and she brought up my interest in raising a family someday, she makes sure I'm up with all my shots, she's up on my family medical istory and what I can be doing to counteract my genetics). Also, she's really accesible without a car - you just take the BART to the Rockridge Station or Ashby Station and take the FREE BART Shuttle to Alta Bates, and her office is right next door. All in all, a GREAT doctor! read more

OK - Just want to share with you all, that I actually had an amazing visit with an MD today! As you may know medicine as practiced in this country leaves me more than cold - however Dr. Andrea Franchett, MD, of Temescal Creek Medicine is quite the exception. Her office is warm and inviting - she didn't look at me like I was crazy when I described the holistic practitioners I work with, me didn't attempt to second guess my wisdom about MY body - she was really wonderful. Gave me very good feed back we talked in her office about this unhappy ear of mine for over a half hour! It really was wonderful! She confirmed that I was doing all I could, and that I was right to be patient and rest - the condition would clear up, no one knows when. She was impressed with the protocol I had in place and said that eventually the ear would clear. Sure, there are things a doctor could do - but they would be highly invasive and she would not recommend them. Thank you, Dr. Franchett! www.tcreekmed.com And while I am grateful for the care and compassion recived today - I have to note that i received it via my privilege to be able pay out of pocket to see her. Her office is not on my list of providers offered by my PPO. Such positive and affirming helalth care ought to be available to all - regardless of finances. read more

the BEST doctor I've ever had & probably ever will. Smart, charming, relatable, super cool, laid back & just generally awesome. My husband & I were thrilled to have her as our primary care physician. And now I live out of state, sigh. read more

Physical Therapy innovations has always appreciated patient referrals from Temescal Creek Medicine. They are a pleasure to work with and always respond quickly with any requests we have for patient information or medical records. Joel, Shannon and Slesha are a great team. We look forward to continuing to work closely together. read more

I wish Dr Franchett was my primary care doc! I see another doc in the practice, but when that person was not available, I got in to see her on short notice. She is great- very personable, friendly, explains things well, and listens. read more

I have been looking for a replacement of a no-longer-available preferred provider for about two years now, and I think I have finally found one; Michael Zimmerman, MD. I am impressed with his enthusiasm over each small improvement, and with his calm, sincere encouragement. He is obviously knowledgeable, doesn't mind sharing information when you ask questions, and makes you feel "acceptable" even though you are not "perfect." Plus, he willingly shares his fantastic smile - it just makes you feel good. He actually appears to enjoy doing what he has chosen as a lifetime career. I am relieved to feel my "search" is finally over - I believe I have found what I have been looking for. read more

After reading the reviews I made the appointment. Went in with high hopes and expectations. Came out utterly and completely disappointed. The $150 office visit (out of my pocket) was a little stiff, in these times. But I figured that you get what you pay for. Or not. I was very clear about the medical issues for my visit. Reason for visit:... The visit has soured me on the medical profession as a whole. Zimmerman, M.D., may be a nice person to visit but I wanted, and needed, medical treatment. I didn't go to Temescal Creek Medicine to see "Dr. Feelgood." I went to see "Dr. WeHaveATreatment." Guess that doctor was out of the office. read more

I was referred to Dr. Franchett & Dr. Zimmerman by family but was really disappointed in the way they handle their business. First, it was a nightmare to get my insurance reimbursement process initiated. This office makes you pay upfront and makes the customer do the leg work. After six weeks my insurance informed me they would not cover the visit cost even though their receptionist stated it would be covered- resulting in a waste of time. Secondly, after switching to a new doctor I had to to pay a $25.00 fee to have my medical file faxed over to my NEW doctor's office. I am very disappointed in the fact that they even charged to have my file faxed over? Really...wooow.. Just being honest... The doctor's are great but in my experience their office procedures are very unpleasant to say the least. Good luck in finding an adequate physician. read more

I have received outstanding care at this clinic with both Dr. Franchett and Dr. Zimmerman. They are both excellent, incredibly knowledgeable and extremely compassionate healthcare providers. They listen to every question you may have, even if it's not the official reason for having a visit, and will answer everything in an informed manner. This is the best healthcare I have ever received, and they are both lovely people. I started a new job with different health insurance, but am paying out of pocket to continue seeing these doctors. It is indeed a restoration of faith in the fact that some doctors are this practical, caring, and damn good job at their job. Absolutely recommend. read more

If you have PPO this is a good place; for HMO, they will keep a close eye on their bottom line: you will not get the best care if that impacts their HMO ratings. No surprise there. "a desire to put primary healthcare back in the hands of patients and doctors, rather than insurance companies"? Not happening just yet read more

I've been seeing Dr. Franchett for about 5 years now, and followed her to Temescal Creek Medicine. I've had many great primary care doctors, but she is the best. She is extremely personable,asks lots of questions and takes time to discuss your health with you. The new office is great too, much less clinic-ey than your standard doctor's office. Front desk staff was also very pleasant, both on the phone and in person. read more

The doctors here are awesome, and the experience is as pleasant as can be. I like Dr. Franchett and this practice so much that I pay out of pocket to see her (the practice is out of network for my health insurance). If you are lucky enough to have health insurance that includes this practice, take advantage of it. And the office is beautiful too! read more

Doctor of the future - Dr Zimmerman.! Kind, attentive, efficient, and thorough. And, of course, caring. Plus knows how to use information technology. He faxed my prescription to my drugstore before he had completed his sentence. Finally, patient centered medicine. What a find! read more

Ok, I'm not much of a Yelp reviewer, but I would like to comment on how wondeful Temescal Creek is! I followed Dr. Franchette from ABMC, because she is GREAT. Easy to talk to, she asks the right questions, great listener, sense of humor, and has a style that caters to both young and older (I'm a 35 yo female). You can make appts and correspond via e-mail, which makes a world of difference. Although I haven't seen Zimmerman as a patient, I've met him and he seems as nice as Franchette. The vibe in the office is great -- not so "hospital" like. The decor is cute too :-). read more

I recently (Jan. 2010) saw Dr. Zimmerman. He spent more time and attention in getting my credit card number ( so that anything not covered by my insurance could be put onto it) than he did in finding out what was wrong and how he could help me. That part was very brief. I didn't like him at all. He is clearly in it for the money. My experience with Dr. Franchett is that she always has one foot out the door. I will not go back to this office. read more

Dr Franchett is stellar. I moved here from the Los Angeles area three years ago and was very apprehensive to find a new GP. The Doctor I had was amazing and I was sure I would not find a more superb or even close doctor. I glumly poked through my provider book and just thought, well, I'll go with my gut- weirdly, the name just seemed to conjure up an image of warmth and that somehow, I would be in good hands. Strange, since I don't usually (EVER) do "research" this way. What a surprise. Dr. Franchett has a great bedside manner, she is professional, easy to talk to, concerned and is an exemplary communicator and listener. She is talented at what she does. I am so grateful to have found such a great replacement for my old doctor! read more