Dr. Claudia Baldassano, MD

Dr. Baldasano was my psychiatrist for 24 years. Dr. Baldasano was always personable although difficult to contact. The solution to every issue was more medication. She followed the findings of others physicians made decades earlier without sufficient reevaluation. She is far more skilled at how to put people on medications than how to take them off. She did not recognize how slowly a taper should be executed while also failing to warn of the danger of protracted withdraw from tapering too rapidly off antipsychotics.

Dr. B was indeed a very personable and friendly psychiatrist. I do think she tried very hard to give me her full attention, although our visits were very brief and often late. As for the quality of care I received from Dr. B, it was questionable and eventually became dangerous. I started to experience humiliating side effects from medications she'd prescribed without warning me of these awful side effects. My mental state kept worsening, and she kept prescribing. So much medication. I left to seek help elsewhere and discovered I'd been misdiagnosed as having Bipolar I and subsequently was heavily medicated for this faulty diagnosis. My new doctors were absolutely amazed I was still functioning after being on all of that medication. I was even told to go to the ER for fear of lithium toxicity at one point. The new doctors immediately began weaning me off all but one medication and treating me for the correct conditions. I'm now a healthy, stable individual - but no thanks to Dr. B.

I would never recommend Dr. Baldassano and I am saying this as a doc student myself. She was impossible to get a hold of for 3 weeks when I underwent a mental health crisis which resulted in a hospitalization due to the inability to have medications adjusted. I contacted her cell, leaving text/voice messages, left urgent messages with her office staff, and my therapist reached out several times. She prescribed medications I should have never been on- the hospital said they didn't know how I was still standing with the concoction she came up with. She did not order lab work when needed, and she put me on a med that resulted loss of vision with no education of this possible side effect. She rushed me out of her office last visit because she was late to meet with her residents, even though she started my appointment late. She often took phone calls during our appts. and was distracted and scattered. She frequently promised to call in meds but never did, causing a great deal of distress.

Dr. Baldassano has been my psychiatrist for over 10 years and quite frankly saved my life over a decade ago! I was getting horrible care by the psychiatrists in my hometown and heard about Dr. Baldassano at Penn Behavioral Health and made an appointment! She correctly diagnosed me after a thorough psych evaluation and promised to get me better! She did indeed get me better and has kept me well for over 10 years! I travel 3 hours to see her as my doctor, but would travel 30 hours to have her as my psychiatrist! Throughout the years, I have recommended her to other people and they have ALL felt like I do about her! Simply put, She is the BEST doctor in the WORLD!!!

You won't find a more clinically brilliant, empathetic, personable physician/psychiatrist. This Penn outpatient practice, however, is a disaster. So difficult to schedule consultation when symptomatic --- she is booked for months with little room for sick visits. Have received bipolar care from her for 15 years. No regrets but plenty of frustration.

I saw Dr. Baldassano for a few years. I appreciate her kind and caring approach. Unfortunately, over a year ago, I became manic, she had difficulty managing the mania and I had a hard time reaching her or her staff. I debated writing this review for a long time, she is a very kind and caring lady, but I ultimately had to seek care elsewhere to get my mania under control and now I am still on way too many meds that she prescribed. I wish her all the best, I’m sorry that things didn’t work out.

The best psychiatrist I’ve ever had. I would say her only downside is she runs late. But the wait is always worth it!! The reason she runs late is because she never thinks twice about spending extra time w patients who need it. She a very talented and extremely personable doctor. I’ve been seeing her for over ten years. She’s also very good at listening to her patients. She offers an extra Personal Touch to appointments and really cares how her patients are doing.

Dr Baldassano has cared for my mother for years. She is both incredibly caring and present during office visits, and up on the latest and greatest new psychiatric treatments. It is a blessing to find someone so committed to patient care in the academic setting. My mother adores her.

Dr. Baldassano is by far the best psychiatrist that I have been to. She spent ample time trying to help me understand my diagnosis, and most importantly, she spent time with my family. Her approach is systematic but compassionate as well. She is very smart and capable. After several years of failed treatments, she came up with a medication regiment that works for me.

The hands down best therapist in Philadelphia. She is almost impossible to get an appointment with because of how good she is. Unlike some other doctor who is rough around the edges, Dr. Baldassano is a sweetheart!! She is extremely intelligent and gives it to you straight. She will not dance around issues like others will and is by far and away the best doctor I have been to in the area.

Was recommended to see her for bipolar treatment. Seemed nice enough but after an extremely expensive diagnostic session she did not get back to me for months and just recommended me to another doctor. One of the worst physicians ever.

Dr B is the best!!!! She is clearly the best psychiatrist I have ever seen. I'm stable because of her!

I've suffered from refractory bipolar I disorder since I was 17, left an Ivy League university 3 times for major depressive episodes, attempted suicide, was hospitalized twice, have seen over 10 psychiatrists & at least 7 psychologists who couldn't help, had 19 ECT sessions, & moved across the countr to see Dr. B in '12. She got my meds right the 1st time, & I've been stable for 8 yrs! A true expert held in the highest esteem by bipolar researchers & practitioners, warm, & my heroine.