Martha E Hierro, MD

Dr. Hierro and Dr. Martyak have literally saved my life on a few occasions. I was referred to Dr. Hierro back in ²⁰⁰⁷⁄₂₀₀₈ by another GI doctor from UCLA. From the get go, Dr. Hierro was my biggest advocate. She was by my side when I was hospitalized in 2008, 2009, 2010 and my worst flare up in 2011. (It was during the 2008 St. Johns stay that she introduced me to Dr. Martyak.) Dr. Hierro was ALWAYS available to me for questions and concerns. Dr. Hierro and Dr. Martyak have worked together to get me where I am today — remission. Trust me, this was not an easy road.
Dr. Hierro is kind, knowledgable and an excellent doctor. Two things I absolutely respect/​love about Dr. Hierro — she collaborates with other doctors and she encourages «alternative» treatments. (Acupuncture and ALCAT testing were game changers for me.)
She is, without question, one of the best GI doctors I have ever encountered. Period.
While I’m writing a review, I should mention her nurse, Roxy. Wow, just wow. Roxy has always gone above and beyond when it comes to patient assistance.

She is kind, patient, thorough, gentle and an all around good Doctor We have been seeing her for years and always makes time if we need to get in to see her.

I was about to leave a review for Dr Hierro as we are going in for our 2^nd (standard checkup) colonoscopy. And, I was very surprised at the negative reviews.
Our experience has been very different. We particularly noticed how POSITIVE and HELPFUL we found the Dr’s manner in communicating with us.
We learned of Dr Hierro from our OB/​GYN because it was time for our first colonoscopy.
We met with Dr Hierro — There was a wait, but I do have a few doctors that I wait for. This is something I feel I experience with the doctors that tend to give me all the time I need — vs the many others who make me feel rushed.
Once we saw the Dr, we found her amazing unassuming, listens completely and addressed our fears and concerns. She gave us all the time we needed — which was quite a bit our first time. The biggest thing I appreciated was her thorough advise on the anesthesia we could use with the least side effects (I suffer greatly from General Anesthesia). She also put me greatly at each by sharing the journey we’d be taking.
We had that colonoscopy and it was a very professional and comfortable experience.
Later — a few years– I had problems with my digestion. Dr Hierro spent time with me, took a stool example. We came up with a plan — and we kept in touch. I was able to get through my problems and got better. It turned out I had Gallbladder «sludge «(happy to share with anyone suffering with this — as I found the very best treatment for this) …
ANYway — Now today, we needed to go back for our 2^nd colonoscopy.
Again, Dr Hierro gave us the time we needed. Her team worked with us and the Dr to find a way to fit us BOTH in on the same day so we can go through this together.
I also have always gotten the feeling that Dr Hierro is a proponent of Colonoscopy.

My family had the worst experience with Dr Hierro. A family member was her patient for 14 months. With the symptoms of pencil thin stools, weight loss, and nausea, Dr Hierro did nothing but run blood work on her. That is, until my loved one began vomiting blood, which is when Hierro finally (over a year in her care at this point) ordered a CT scan and found she had unravelled into stage four colon cancer. Then, and only then, is when she decided a colonoscopy was needed. Why? Likely she wanted it on legal record as having been done, despite the fact that I asked her to give her one for over a year. She never followed up with my loved one, though she had a limited amount of time to do as she lost her life to this cancer a two months later. HEY ADRIENNE E, you may not like what Amanda and Trace F had to say, but to say that it’s nonsense and untrue is pure stupidity on your part. We had much the same experience as they did. So take your statements and shove em up your ass. Maybe Hierro can retrieve them for you, along with your head. Presumptuous idiot.
By the way, her office is a NIGHTMARE. You’ll sit for over an hour sometimes. It’s not a professional group of people at the front either.

I got referred to Dr. Hierro because I kept having stomach pain among other symptoms after a brief stay in the ICU for a blood clot, a few years ago. Everyone else kept saying that it was anxiety related or that I was young and probably drank too much. Other doctors I’ve seen have told me to take pepcid or to drink less. I never drink so it was starting to infuriate me.
I had severe abdominal pain and nausea. Dr. H was the ONLY doctor that I have seen in the past few years (since the icu) who actually gave a shit. No one else cared. To pay someone $ 600 with insurance to just brush you off and essentially calling you a hypochondriac is ridiculous.
Not only was she thorough and ordered a bunch of blood tests, ct scans and MRIs, she found the issue. When no one else could. And on top of it, she knew my financial situation was tough after the hospital bills, so she tried as hard as she could to find samples for medicines that insurance wouldn’t cover! She is a caring and talented, and an amazing individual.
As a side note: I noticed that a lot of patients wrote that she is never on time. Although my schedule is packed (as I have 3 jobs), I am patient because she is worth it. The ONLY reason why her wait is long is because she is extremely busy between procedures at the hospitals as well as office visits. And during an office visit, she LISTENS to you (in a world where everyone just wants to talk and no one ever listens) and you don’t feel rushed out the door before you’ve said what you have to say. If anyone has complaints about that, go to an urgent care or the ER and see how long you’ll wait.

This is the THE MOST UNPROFESSIONAL MD!!! i I Have seen on the west side!!! You wait two hours and then she babbles and will take a break in front her patients if you have an appointment you will be their for hours!!! she is absolutely absurd !!! I will never go back to this person and I will tell all the locals of Santa Monica don’t even waste the time I wish I could have gave her no star !!! As a supposed professional that comes highly recommended In which I will back and tell my primary doctor if these are the kind of people she refers I will have to second guess her as well !!! This absurd doctor needs a reality check who does she think she is!!!

I have been going to Dr. Martha Hierro for many years and she is the most passionate doctor you would like to meet. She has a wonderful bed side manner and takes the time knowing your concerns. I’ve had one Endoscopy and two Colonoscopies and was very comfortable with her procedure. Also, her staff was very accommodating. I have referred several other people to Dr. Hierro and they were very happy with her professionalism and treatment. She is the best! I would like to comment on the people Amanda M and Trace F. What you wrote was absolute nonsense and untrue! Dr. Martha Heirro is one of the top gastroenterologist in the city!
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I, my wife, and 2 of our adult children have all seen Dr. Hierro and have had nothing but the best treatment. We have always felt that she was ‘there” for us in every way. While it often takes a while to get an appointment, that might be expected for a doctor of her caliber. The occasional long wait in her office might be because she spends so much time meeting the needs of each patient. Again, we are so grateful for a doctor who is so «there» for us.

I was diagnosed with non-​curable cancer 7 years ago and have seen numerous, delightful doctors through my ordeal. In in all those years I have never been so mistreated by a specialist as I was by Dr. Hierro. I was scheduled for a colonoscopy with her and had to stop my blood thinners but she screamed at me about my questions, swore and then hung up on me. Maybe I ask too many questions but she was incredibly nasty. My oncologist at UCLA is head of staff and he had never heard of such poor behavior. He called her on it for an apology but her staff never put him through. Be warned to stay away!

Horrendously negligent doctor who ignores problems until it is too late. Scatterbrained and will leave you in the lurch. Do not go to this person. She will not do right by you.
Her office staff is fairly well a mess, run by overfed people who talk about lunch while you sit in the waiting room for no less an hour, sometimes two. Oh and they openly discuss other patients. Unprofessional, but that comes from the top and trickles down.
Without tearing into Hierro too much — cuz I could — just heed my and other helpers warnings. Avoid.

I recently saw Hierro — she had come highly recommended. I have cancer and was having severe gastro problems and needed a colonoscopy and endoscopy. We scheduled the appointment for the procedure but two days before when I had called to ask a few questions re the prep and the use of my power port during the procedure, she lost her temper with me on the phone and began to lecture me and yell at me. I was taken aback and tried to understand why she was so angry with me at which point she said «you aren’t listening to me and don’t deserve me as your doctor». She then hung up on me. All I can think is she was having an awful day and I was the person she chose to take it out on. However, I wouldn’t want a person like that with clear anger management issues performing a sensitive process on me. I have found a wonderful gastro who took me in, responded openly and supportively about my questions and am scheduled for tomorrow for the procedure. Be careful with this woman, dangerous. During the 6 years that I have been fighting my cancer and the numerous doctors I have entrusted my care with, I have never dealt with anyone as nasty as Hierro.

Dr. Hierro has an excellent bedside manner. She is kind and caring and makes you feel comfortable. I recently had my first colonoscopy and found the entire process as pleasant as that could be. Her staff seem well trained, organized, and conducting the procedure with a well practiced routine. Most everyone fears this procedure but she made it completely painless and removed all fears about it for me. She was recommended to me by a friend who also had a great experience and I later found two other people who have also seen her and think very highly of her. Her bio on her group’s website also instills confidence in her experience.