Dr. Richard Ronald Cooke, MD

I have seen Dr. Cooke Jr. several times at the Toluca Lake Medical Center, for various illnesses. I have asthma, G.E.R.D.S, and stomach issues. He has always listen to my issues, and hasn't hesitated help treat my issue. When he examine me for my stomach issues, he told me he could only diagnose me so far, and immediately sent me to the ER. He then followed up with the ER doctor, and I received a referral to a gastroenterologist for treatment. He will definitely be my PCP for as long as he's practicing.

My son went to have an EKG, required by his University, as he is a D1 athlete. Dr. Cook said he wouldn’t perform it. That’s after I told reception what the EKG was for and they set up the appointment. Dr. Cook asked to speak to the Athletic Director at the University and after hearing from them about the requirement due to health mandates (no one wants a kid to drop dead playing a sport) he still wouldn’t perform the EKG. it is not his call. If I want my son to have an EKG and am willing to pay for it, especially after discussing within the Athletic Dept. Then that is something he should perform. Especially after the assistant set up the appointment for the EKG. By the way, over 50 student/ athletes have died with heart related incidents while playing sports. It’s not too much to ask someone to check on.

I started with this physician in 2008. At first he seemed very competent, then several things started showing up that didn't seem right. He entered wrong codes for physicals that lead to hours of phone calls with the insurance agency to get it straightened out. Then there was the time I got a urinary tract infection and when I went to see him about it, he said I didn't have any infection but gave me an RX for 3 pills. I took the pills and it wasn't enough and ended up in the Urgent Care on a Sunday morning. The Urgent Care took a sample of my urine and said I was just full of several kinds of bacteria and said that the few pills I was given only made me more resistant. I was put on a stronger antibacterial med and it cleared up. The pain I was in was very unpleasant and I told him about the episode. His reply was to shrug and say, "Well, I didn't see anything on the test results". The mistakes just kept happening on billings to my insurance company and I just kept having to put the fires out. The last time I saw him, the office put me in a room and I waited for 45 minutes to see him. When he came in he said that he was sorry and that a group of athletes came in unexpectedly (without an appointment) and needed an exam and papers to be filled out. I didn't appreciate that I was waiting for 45 minutes and I had an appointment and the kids didn't have an appointment, yet got examined during MY APPOINTMENT TIME. That was the last time I went to him.

personal and professional

Rich is easy going and very approachable....a refreshing change in a profession that can be dominated by arrogance and indifference.

today was my first visit with doctor cook he took the time what's playing