Toby I. Gottheiner, MD

Dr. Gottheiner is a superb nephrologist. We all truly enjoying working with Dr. Gottheiner. Recently he was recognized for being an exemplary physician who does not avoid to do the tough tasks to remind colleagues of what needs to be done. He is a great communicator and is very flexible both with patients and fellow colleagues.

I have been a patient of Dr. Gottheiner for over 25 years. I have found him to be a completely trustworthy, attentive, dedicated, compassionate, knowledgeable and caring doctor. He is an outstanding nephrologist, well respected by his peers and his patients alike. As I have a chronic kidney disease, he has cared for me through the progressive deterioration of my kidney function, through a transplant, and now in post transplant care. I have found him to be devoted to his patients and dedicated to his profession. I have always felt he is extremely generous with his time and attention and treats the whole person, not just the patient. He never skimps on time with his patients, but takes however much time the patient needs to understand test results, diagnoses, care choices, and other medical concerns. He is outstanding in every way and I feel blessed to have been in his care for so many years. I can’t recommend Dr. Gottheiner highly enough.

I have known Dr. Gottheiner since 1981. I am a recently retired Nephrology social worker and I am qualified to attest to his character and integrity. One cannot find a more knowledgable, compassionate and devoted Nephrologist. He sets a high bar. We worked together over these many years, and thousands of patients have been thankful for his honesty, compassion and devotion. Dr. Gottheiner is also a wonderful teacher and role model. So many nurses, dietitians, social workers and dialysis personnel hold him in great esteem, for his intelligence, work-​ethic and devotion to patients and the practice of medicine in its purest form. I am a better person for knowing him!

Dr. Gottheiner has been my Nephrologist since 1991. I have been on kidney dialysis twice and I’m living with my second kidney transplant. Throughout the 24 years, I have come in contact with many medical professionals and I consider Dr. Gottheiner the «Gold Standard» for medical care. Chronic kidney failure and the related procedures and surgeries can be very scary, but I have always felt safe in Dr. Gottheiner’s care. He has a very keen ability to synthesize the data and diagnose issues, which has been extremely beneficial to me over the years when various complicated and puzzling issues arise.
In addition to being a stellar technician, Dr. Gottheiner is a very caring and giving person with integrity. He has been very supportive to me over the years. He treats the whole person, not just the kidney! I feel so fortunate that Dr. Gotteiner is my nephrologist and I highly recommend him to anyone needing care for kidney disease.

I have had type I diabetes and chronic kidney disease, along with a plethora of their associated medical complications, including quadruple bypass surgery, 4 stents, DB retinopathy and so many others throughout the past 32 – 52 years.
I am now the recipient of my second kidney transplant. Through all of those years, tears, and fears, I have had the unequivocal honor and life saving privilege of having been saved repeatedly by one of the finest MDs to ever practice medicine, mentored by one of the most generous and compassionate men I have known.
Dr Toby Gottheiner has persistently sought and acquired for me the safest, most appropriate, efficacious, successful and least burdensome treatment paths he could devise, while faced with extremely difficult and life threatening challenges.
An additional unique perspective I can offer on Dr Gottheiner’s extraordinary and exemplary care stems from the fact that not only have I been his patient, I have collaborated with him for the past 30 years as a nephrology dietitian. He treats all his patients as if it was an honor and privilege to provide and lead their healthcare.
Dr Gottheiner played an integral role in obtaining me my job with Satellite Healthcare, not simply because he believed in me, which he did, but because he is dedicated to the rehabilitation of and best possible life for all the patients he serves.
I can not count the number of times Toby Gottheiner has saved my life. I turned 60 years old 2 weeks ago. A birthday no one would ever logically or medically have predicted I would or could survive to celebrate. But here I am and it is primarily due to his infinite, limitless devotion to his patients and the steadfast diligence and determination with which he approaches medical complications or co morbidities as they arise, always with his patients best interest in mind and heart
If you have chronic kidney disease, there is no better choice than Toby Gottheiner to direct your care.

I have been a patient of Dr. Gottheiners’ for over 10 years as a result of having sustained kidney damage due to chemotherapy. I can’t speak highly enough of Dr. Gottheiner. Dr. Gottheiner is very compassionate, caring, and interested in me as patient. His interest transcends that of just medical comcerns as he takes a real interest in me as a person. He is very professional, intelligent and courteous. He takes the time to clearly explain my test results and address any medical concerns I may have. Dr. Gottheiner is very knowledgeable and will always take whatever time is necessary to discuss and educate me about any health concerns I may have. I value his advice. I am able to chose my doctors and could easily change to another nephrologist if I wasn’t satisfied for any reason. That being said I wouldn’t want to see anyone else but Dr Gottheiner. I have never had an exam where I wasn’t completely satisfied with the care I receive. There have been many times where Dr. Gottheiner was able to accommodate my busy work schedule and fit me in on short notice whenever I needed to see him. Many times he would see me during his lunchtime or earlier than his regular office hours to accommodate my busy schedule when I couldn’t leave work to see him during his normal office hours.
Likewise I am very happy with Dr. Gottheiners’ staff. Mari and Alma are terrific. They are both very pleasant, personable and professional. Like Dr. Gottheiner they take an interest in me as a person, not just a patient. I rarely have to wait more than a couple of minutes from the time I check in at the front desk to the time I am called into the examination room. I can’t recommend Dr. Gottheiner and his staff highly enough. I am fortunate to be in such good hands.

Dear Vladimir,
I have been a patient of Dr. Toby Gottheiner since 1995 and he is, undoubtedly, the best diagnostician & nephrologist I have ever met. He has countless years of clinical (and urgent care) experience, which cannot be learned from a book.
You should educate yourself about urine osmolality. It DOES have a link to both diet and hydration, so by Dr. Gottheiner ‘vigorously looking for an unusual dietary pattern in eating habits’, he was trying to give you more ‘proof’ by your ‘well balanced diet’ that the odds of you having kidney problems would be remote at best. I googled all about urine osmolality; maybe you should use the Net and educate yourself about it a bit, as test results can be influenced by many different factors…
Relating your flank pain to kidney disease? I suggest you take an A&P class.
When you equate high blood sugar and the ‘if the doctor does not care, why should the patient’ attitude, I would absolutely agree with you when it comes to Dr. Toby Gottheiner and anything kidney-​related.
Why? Because, again, with the vast experience, skill, compassion and knowledge that Dr. Gottheiner has exhibited over the past 18 YEARS I have been his patient (including his being included in USNews ‘Top Doctors in America’ along with other recognitions and awards for his care), if he felt you needed any follow-​up, he certainly would have informed you as such.
I am truly sorry you are so obsessed with your urine and are out looking for a reason to seek medical care where none seems warranted. Except, perhaps, a good psychiatrist…
Good luck to you, Vladimir.
I am sorry you cannot appreciate your good renal health.
Sincerely, a two-​time kidney/​pancreas recipient 16 years and counting– in a very large part due to the care received by Dr. Toby Gottheiner.

I was referred to Nephrologist dr. Toby Gottheiner because my urine has become foamy and colorless.
Dr G learned my family’s history of kidney disease, but was unconcerned. He assured me that there’s ‘nothing wrong’ with my kidneys. He did not order any tests to clarify what’s going on.
I went back to my primary care doctor, who is really great. He ordered an additional test of urine osmolality with fluid restriction for 12 – 14 hours. That test came clearly abnormal: 372 mOsm/​Kg with the normal reference of at least 850 mOsm/​Kg.
The test pointed to inability of my kidneys to concentrate urine, which is associated with kidney failure, or other significant kidney disease.
Based on abnormal finding, I was asked by primary care to go back to see nephrologist.
3 months later I’m back to Dr. Gottheiner, reasonably expecting the differential work up on the cause of a problem. Instead the conversation turned different direction.
Vaguely admitting abnormal finding, doctor started vigorously looking for an unusual dietary pattern in my eating habits. When that failed, because my diet is well balanced, contrary to his previous admission, he suddenly said that he doesn’t see anything wrong (?) and honestly (?), doesn’t know how to help me!
Than he asked me, ‘Why do you worry’?
I tried to patiently explain that I’ve had both flanks pain, coupled with significant progressive changes in a urine. He said that my urine changes unrelated to flank pains (?). At this point it has become clear doctor wasn’t interested in making any honest diagnosis. You don’t have to be a nephrologist to know that flank pain indeed can be caused by kidney problems.
I told him that both my urologist and primary care referred me to see him (nephrologist). He said that they referred me only because they ‘didn’t know what to do’!!
Than he asked me again, ‘why do you worry’?
What was I supposed to say?
It’s like asking diabetes patient why would he/​she worry so much about high glucose levels?
And he is absolutely right in a sense: if doctor doesn’t care, why should a patient get worry?
After first appointment, Dr. Gottheiner failed to order correct tests to evaluate the abnormal symptoms.
At second appointment, when presented with abnormal findings (extremely low osmolality), dr G completely ignored them. Moreover, he ignored other significant changes (high lactic acid, anemia, peripheral neuropathy) which could be related to a kidney disease as well. Finally, Dr. G failed to order any workup on the abnormal findings to make a differential diagnosis, let alone any treatment.
All in all, if you dare to ‘worry’ about your health, and need a diagnostic workup of your kidneys condition from a competent, intelligent doctor who cares, please don’t waste your time and look somewhere else. Good luck!