Sean Cao, MD

Dr Cao is a fantastic surgeon. He really cares about his patients and takes the time to explain in detail their treatment options as well as the risks /​benefits. I have never heard so many patients speak so highly of a physician before. I would highly recommend Dr Cao to all friends and family needing surgical intervention.

There are always 2 sides to every story. After reading the previous review on Dr. Cao, I just had to response. The first review is the most ridiculous and stupidest review I have ever encountered.
If you’re dumb enough to go somewhere without checking directions, don’t blame someone else. Take accountability for your own action, there are GPS, maps, etc. The office gives you all the forms and information and you complained? If they don’t give you enough forms, you’d still complain. Even more hilarious is the statement «I addressed him and mentioned how I am a medical student and would like to be informed of what is going on with my dad.» I doubt someone who doesn’t take accountability for being lost would just mentioned they’re a medical student. She probably made a big deal that she’s a medical student and expected to be treat differently. Hey, you’re a medical «student», not a peer to the doctor. Telling the doctor that you want to be «informed» is like assuming that he won’t tell you anything. On top of that if you’re dumb enough to not able to print out an image from a CD, why are you expecting someone else to take care of it for you? He’s a doctor, not your secretary. She’s just too lazy to figure how to print but expected a doctor to do it for her.
My dad was diagnosed with liver cancer stage 3. He was treated by Dr. Cao so I know firsthand how Dr. Cao works. My sister-​in-​law is an oncologist and her sister-​in-​law is an internal specialist. In the medical profession, you mentioned Dr. Cao and they’ll say you’re in good hands. Dr. Cao is not one of those doctors who embellished words or talks roundabout. He’ll go directly to the point and explained things to you.
And he does not have an accent. If you can’t hear him then check your hearing. He was very respectful to my dad and my mom. While the anesthesiologist was talking to us before my dad’s surgery, as soon as he heard Dr. Cao will be performing the surgery, he immediately said «Don’t worry, you’re in very good hands.» When the surgery was done at 12:30 AM (yes, pass midnight), Dr. Cao came out and explained what he had done to our family. He even showed us pictures. By the time he was done talking to us, it was almost 1 AM. What kind of a doctor would be willing to go this extend for his patient and their family? During my dad’s recovery at the hospital, Dr. Cao would make his visits even in late night to make sure my dad was healing ok. He is very thorough. The oncologist that treated my dad after the surgery literally said if it wasn’t for the quick surgery performed by Dr. Cao, my dad wouldn’t have made it. He saved my dad so I cannot let some idiot smeared his good name and reputation.

I will never, EVER, refer anyone to Dr. Sean Cao. I don’t care if he has experience at UC Davis and Stanford, his curt and dismissive behavior and lack of professionalism is completely unacceptable for any doctor, yet alone any health care provider.
I came here with my father, who was referred here by his primary care doctor after an unusual ultrasound of his liver. Needless to say, my father and I were both nervous about this visit, especially since the staff had requested for us to make an «urgent appointment». We made an appointment for 1pm on a Wednesday, however they called us at 11am asking to come in by 12:30pm. We rushed over to the facility (mind I add they had given us wrong directions) and got there by 12:32pm, filled out some paperwork, and wasn’t seen til 12:54pm (Yes, I kept track of the time).
As soon as we filled out the paperwork, the front desk worker gave me a pamphlet and said «this is what you will go over when you see Dr. Cao». The folder included an insert on consent forms to surgical care and treatment, «pre and post op surgical procedures», and a pamphlet about Dr. Cao (apparently recognized as one of the «Best Doctors in America». I don’t find the fact that the front desk worker simply handing me a folder with surgery material at all comforting when neither of us even know to what extent was the problem with my father was.
When Dr. Cao entered the room, I addressed him and mentioned how I am a medical student and would like to be informed of what is going on with my dad. He was curt, and did not look at me once for the entire visit thereafter. Dr. Cao performed a quick focused exam on my father (which I had actually already done the day before), and asked my dad a few questions. My dad had a little trouble understanding his accent/“medical lingo” so I was there to help translate. Dr. Cao was obviously annoyed with the fact that my dad couldn’t understand, repeated his question with a more stern and «clear» voice, and quickly moved on to show us the images from the CT scan (which I had brought on a CD that my dad had received from a different clinic).
While showing the CT images, Dr. Cao explained how he doesn’t really know what the problem was but simply gave the option to wait, or have surgery to remove his gallbladder. That was the extent of the visit. I asked Dr. Cao if I could have a printout of the CT scan/​images because I was not able to open the document on the CD from my computer, and he simply takes the CD and hands it back to me, because he apparently didn’t want to or know how to give me a print out (which I doubt). He asks my dad, «Any questions?», and as my dad was talking, Dr. Cao picks up the phone, and says «bring the next patient into the room, I’m ready».
We left, without even a handshake goodbye, and I was pissed. Now comes my complaints:
–Don’t give your patient a pamphlet on surgery when they don’t even know why they’re there in the first place.
–Don’t give me attitude because I can’t understand your accent.
–Don’t ever, EVER, pick up the phone and have a conversation in the middle of having a conversation.
–Dr. Cao: «We would just take a small camera and make a small incision and remove the gallbladder».
OK, #1, you need to explain what a gallbladder is/​does to a patient before you talk about «simply removing it». #2, before you even know what the problem is, why are you shooting out «treatment» options? Actually treatment «option» because you even said verbatim that you «don’t even know what the problem is», so my dad should just remove it. #3, how do you even talk about removing a gallbladder without mentioning a SINGLE positive or negative effect? #4, you couldn’t even positively identify the gallbladder. «Not sure but this might be the gallbladder». Really? You’re going to talk about having a surgical procedure to remove an organ without even being able to identify it?
I’m positive that there are a thousand other doctors that can help you with your hepatobiliary and pancreatic disorders and problems besides Dr. Cao, who will actually give a rat’s ass about you. Please, go find them, and share your referrals.