Rheumatologist Dr Diana Girnita, MD - Rheumatologist OnCall

Dr Girnita is amazing. One of the best doctors I’ve ever gone to see. She cares about you and takes the time to explain things so you understand. And besides all of that, she looks at the big picture with your health instead of just her specialties, and recommends the correct other specialists to see if necessary. And she also deep dives on your medical history. I haven’t seen another doctor be that thorough. She also responds to messages quickly and reliably, and knows a ton about different areas besides just rheumatology. I can’t thank her enough for all of her help on my journey to figure out what was going wrong with my body.

I had been having pain and issues with different parts of my body that I ignored for 3 months before I saw my PCP in February 2023. My PCP wanted me to see a rheumatologist based on my systems and positive ANA test results. I have a rich PPO plan and thought it would be relatively simple to get in to see a rheumatologist. How wrong I was! Both my PCP and I called at least 8 different rheumatology offices in the SF Bay Area and the earliest I could get in to even be seen would be at the end of May.

After doing some research, I found Dr. Girnita, who used to practice here in the Silicon Valley. I was able to schedule a one-hour new patient appointment the next day. We began a four-month journey together to get to the root of my condition. Dr. Girnita was able to order blood tests, prescription medications and imaging studies almost instantaneously. I was able to coordinate the use of my insurance carrier’s in-network providers to contain my costs.

Dr. Girnita is so responsive and utilizes the Elation Passport system to communicate and share information. Scheduling next-day appointments was never a problem and I appreciated how much time she spent talking with me during each appointment. Dr. Girnita has a very kind, empathetic demeanor and I never felt rushed during our appointments.

Working together with Dr. Girnita, we were able to resolve my problems by mid-June. In the time I would have been waiting for an in-network provider, I was able to have at least three MRIs, two rounds of lab work, and a diagnosis. In addition, I was able to discover an unrelated health issue that would have otherwise not been discovered until it was too late.

I know many people are not used to the direct-pay model, but when you are in debilitating pain, it is well worth it. If you need a fantastic, nationally-recognized rheumatologist (she was recently featured in the New York Times Magazine article), look no further than Dr. Girnita at Rheumatologists OnCall!

Dr. G is the best of the best. High empathy, creative, and tenacious. She cares about the person. She goes way above and beyond to get the right treatment, meds, and help in place. She's by far the best doctor I've ever worked with. So grateful to have found her!

After leaving multiple messages for my regular Rheumatologist (of about 8 years) to schedule an appointment, but not hearing back (to date I have still not gotten a return call), I decided to browse online for a Rheumatologist near me. I also entered prompts for diet and nutrition to maybe find a Rheumatologist that might consider my thoughts on food's link to health. This is how I found Dr. Girnita. I figured I could schedule an appointment with her and wait to see either her or my regular Rheumatologist, whoever became available first. I was surprised I was able to schedule an appointment with Dr. Girnita as early as the next morning! My initial consultation with her was a full hour, with much of the appointment me detailing my situation and expressing my concerns and what I was looking for in a doctor. She has a sweet, soothing voice and a very reassuring demeanor. I really felt heard. She didn't dismiss my thoughts on food and health. She is well-versed not only in traditional medicine but in nutrition as well. She is very knowledgeable, but never condescending. She never interrupted me and often asked if I had any questions before proceeding with her advice. Even at the 1 hour mark, she made sure all my questions were answered before ending the meeting. Outside of that, she is available by email or phone for any questions. I was a bit jaded and skeptical that maybe at my follow-up appointment Dr. Girnita might not be as available as the initial consultation. I was wrong. I was able to schedule a follow-up appointment as soon as I wanted. While my appointment was 10am, I got a call/text from her almost 20 minutes earlier, letting me know she was available to start earlier if I was available!! That was so unbelievable, I even texted my husband at work to let him know. His response? "Wow!!" He was used to getting texts from me as I sat in my former Rheumatologist's lobby for 45 minutes to an hour saying, "still waiting!" Dr. Girnita is extremely knowledgeable (and has all the education, degrees, and credentials to back it up) yet she never makes me feel like any of my questions are "dumb questions." She freely shares her knowledge and information. She's even compiled a list of supplements and other helpful items for patients who ask her for recommendations. For example, my fingers have been pretty tight lately and she recommended a paraffin soak. I had never heard of that! To summarize this lengthy review for someone who doesn't have the time to read the whole thing: Dr. Girnita is an honest, kind, caring, professional, knowledgeable, skilled, and trustworthy physician who puts patients over profit. I highly recommend her for you and your health!!

Dr Girnita is very knowledgeable and works hard to see the entire picture for her patients. She listens to her patients and sympathizes with how they feel. She is currently helping me with a diagnosis that is complex but she isn’t quitting to figuring out what’s going on with me. So grateful to have found her.