Imperial Beach Community Clinic — Local services in Imperial Beach

All the receptionists need to go all of them. I am not sure who is hiring but I have been coming to this clinic for 20 years, it was bad when it opened then slowly got better and the last 6 years has been awful (rarely go now because of it). All they do is talk, no one answers phones when I am there or when I am trying to call to make an appointment (writing this while on the phone trying to make an appt been on hold for 30mins on position 19 on a weds...a slow day....). They are all chatting on Facebook, tiktok, on their phones and social media constantly, and while people are standing in a line out the door being told that their late and can't be seen when they waited 20 mins just to get checked in and are late because of the receptionists. I was waiting 20mins to get checked in while the receptionist who helped me finally called me after commenting on photos on her facebook...I could see her computer screen. And the lady in front of me in line was also waiting the same amount of time was told she was late (we got their early) because the receptionists weren't helping anyone for 20mins. The receptionists are completely unprofessional and definitely inexperienced, and I have worked in a medical clinic.

The medical assistants are sometimes rude or too distracted to do their jobs also on Facebook and tiktok upstairs. The wait to get out of the downstairs wait room and the wait inside the patient wait rooms are insane...for a small clinic everyone sure seems to be doing a whole lot of nothing sometimes the doctors as well.

I have waited almost 2 hours to be seen for just 5mins...it's horrible. Plan to be here the whole day because they have 6-8 receptionists and none of them are working and they just keep hiring more and more receptionists and the wait keeps increasing. The fastest and best part of the clinic is the lab work, shout out to the older woman with glasses who does blood work...she is amazing gets my little veins everytime best phlebotomist I have ever met...dental area is ok but very very unorganized sometimes no glove changes between patience or hand washing...and forget it medi-cal covers a full set of xrays per year and they don't do the whole set only partials, so you will have cavities and they pretty much say wait till you see or feel something wrong...so horrible.

Nestor is the sister clinic which should have their own phone number but doesn't. Whatever the case this IB clinic is worse than my worst ER visit which was over a 12hr wait, stay away find something better...they used to be a great clinic but they simply don't care about people anymore...that is something that is necessary in a medical building and profession...it's sad they just don't. I am definitely looking into new clinics this one has gone down hill. The staff are what make a place so maybe new staff would help...and where is management? Someone manage the kids so they do their jobs please.

Sorry this was so long it...

One of the worst experiences I’ve had when scheduled for a physical, not only was this appointment scheduled months in advance I was looking forward to it since I put it off for so long. Such a waste of my time and everyone else involved.

I have to say the receptionists staff and medical assistants were very friendly and quick with their process.

It was the nurse practitioner Chinyere E. Opara that was assigned to me. She was rude for no reason. She enter the room with her negative energy and asked if I was there for a physical, I said yes. I told her there were a few medical issues I wanted to address and if I needed to make separate appointments for them I can. She rudely said I was there for a physical and she didn’t have time to go over anything. I’ve worked in the medical field for yrs so I had already assumed I might have to make other appointments but with some providers during a physical we go over concerns. I politely asked what did my physical consist of because I was told earlier by the medical assistant I would have to make a separate appointment for a Pap smear. She said that I’m 36 years old so she would go over my vaccinations and look at my records to see what procedures I need done. I told her that I’ve never been there for physical before she proceeds to look at my record and said you’ve been here before and I said yes I was there once last year for medication for a sinus infection, but like I said, I’ve never been there for a physical so you do not have any of my records. She stands up from her seat and says well tell me one of your concerns because your just wasting my time. At that time I got very upset and told her I didn’t want to be seen by her. When I made my appointment months ago I was told that my appointment would be with a doctor. I know some offices will schedule patients with staff that are available, but in my experience, these nurse practitioners lately have been very incompetent. I didn’t make a physical appointment to go over my vaccinations. I’m 36 years old. I am up-to-date. I scheduled a physical to get a Pap smear, breast exam and to go over my concerns which are tumors in both my brain and breast. I brought records that confirmed that. If only she didn’t argue with me how my appointment was going to look like I would have made some progress of the next steps to see the specialists I need. I will not be returning to this clinic, I hope they find staff that actually care about...

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing this message with a sincere and heartfelt plea for your attention and support. I’ve been a patient at your Imperial Beach clinic for some time, though I had stopped attending for a while. The reason was the constant turnover of doctors and the inconsistency in care. Each time I called, I was assigned to someone new—sometimes even someone in a different state. It became incredibly disheartening, and I felt like just another number in a system that prioritized volume over quality care.

But despite my hesitation, I decided to give the clinic one last chance—and I’m so grateful that I did. That’s when I met Dr. Chin. From the very first appointment, he demonstrated a level of care, attentiveness, and compassion that I had been missing. He listens, he understands, and he never rushes. Unlike past experiences where appointments felt like an assembly line, Dr. Chin takes his time and truly sees his patients as people—not just cases.

Today, even while visibly unwell, Dr. Chin showed up to work. His dedication moved me deeply. It’s not often you encounter a provider so committed to their patients, and it inspired me—not just to keep coming back, but to take my health seriously again. When you have a doctor who genuinely understands you and your diagnosis, it makes all the difference.

I don’t know who will read this, but I truly hope it reaches someone in a position to recognize what a rare and invaluable asset Dr. Chin is. He deserves to be acknowledged, supported, and appreciated for the incredible work he does.

Please—if there’s anything you can do to support or reward Dr. Chin, I implore you to do so. Patients like me are better off because of him, and I know I’m not alone in feeling this way.

With sincere gratitude, Miguel...