Dr. Stephen Hillis, MD

I was referred to Dr. Hillis from my long-time family doctor who retired. My first visit with him seemed more a matter of him doing business than it was to begin a new doctor/patient relationship. So fast forward a few months. My employer changed my insurance company and Dr. Hillis’s staff wanted nothing to do with our company’s plan. They are listed as as being contracted, however, that’s where the office’s professionalism ended. I received a couple of rather direct and rude emails from their office manager, ending in basically telling me I’d need to find a different doctor. I’ve just spent 1 hour and 5 minutes with them on hold, just trying to get a prescription renewed before my next appointment with a different doctor. I highly recommend avoiding any contact with this Dr. Hillis at his Seven Hills Medical Group practice in Tacoma!

Unfortunately Dr.Hillis office has become nothing more than a money pit and less care for the patient. Breaking point was charging me an xtra fee monthly because i have multiple diagnoses and then charging me $150.00 for what they called a no show when I was under the impression I had a tele visit and actually called 15 minutes early yet was told I needed to pay the fee BEFORE i could reschedule a visit. There are a number of things that are red flags, such as Doctor falsely accusing me of arguing with another office personnel when it was another patient with my same last name-Never did I receive and apology just the Doctor referring me to Julie Cunningham his partner for care without asking me. Attempting to make charging for services i didn’t receive and having to come in the office for every prescription renewal just so they can charge another office visit, are just a few of the tactics this office pulls on a daily basis! If your. current patient or considering to be a new Run!!!!!!

I recently switched over to Dr Hillis as my primary care doctor. He is knowledgeable and focused on resolving issues but is forceful and sometimes over reactive in his approach. He has not been a very good listener and his business practice is to break down everything into single item services and have you come in for separate appoints which means extra cost and time for the patient. He does a good job on his referrals by selecting very good doctors as well as ordering correct follow up procedures while trying to determine causes, but his business model seems to lack in compassion and personal connection. Medical skills - 5 stars; interpersonal skills - 1 star.

Concerned about profit over care. Last time I saw him he wanted me to sign a form that would allow him or his staff to bill for time spent reviewing my file. He said since I have 2 or more chronic conditions that it takes too much time to review before I visit. I thought 2 was a terribly low bar. I have only 2, neither of which is due to something I have done. I refused to sign figuring this is something that is supposed to be done anyway, which is what my wife also said when I told her. Anyway he was livid and started ranting about how I didn’t respect the time he spends on patients. I’m salaried and I don’t get to ask for more money when something requires more of my time. When I left, he said I should schedule a follow-up. Said I’d see him before then because my annual physical was the following week. Anyway the next day I received a letter via USPS that my physical was canceled. It was post marked the previous day! How petty! There’s more to this but I’ve run out of characters.

You never get to see the doctor just the nurse practioner. If you are late for an appointment they will charge you for the appointment and make you reschedule. If you are on Medicare they informed us we would be charged an extra $50 a month extra weather they see you or not because of extra paperwork they have to do. Keep looking.

When I self evaluated my self with Covid on Monday the 25th I was told by Dr. Hillis’ office to check in with ER, which I did on the 24th. ER said there was nothing they could do for me. That seemed odd as others I have spoken with were given shots. Terribly soar throat but feeling almost normal. What’s my best next move? Frank Elliott

…practitioner have prioritized profit over care. Just a few examples: Billing issue(S!) met with defiant denial and only with my Persistence (I’m a numbers person) to finally convince them of their errors. And even then they would piecemeal the reimbursement trying to not pay full amounts. Being referred to a specialist only to find out a specialist was not necessary (per the specialist) because of highly NEGLIGENT care by Julie’s assistant (also per the heart specialist). Hefty payment to said heart specialist. Prescribed an incorrect eye drop for over a year, it not helping, to then see an eye specialist who said the eye drops exacerbated my incurable eye condition. Eye specialist telling me that he gets so frustrated with doctors who think they can care for eye issues when they clearly do not have the extensive training needed to do so. Many calls to speak with the office manager (Dr Hillis’ wife) about All concerns were never returned. Surprise! And no apologies. Choose well.

Very attentive and welcoming.

I find that this office keeps odd hours and it is hard to get an appointment for prescription refills in a timely manner. Receptionist etiquette is a little odd as well. I was once called and told that I had an irregular result for my blood test and so rushed out of class with anxiety to call back and make an appointment. The PA at the time told me when I came I should try to take b-complex vitamins regularly....That was the irregularity and the receptionist didn't think to mention that. However, the previous PA was lovely and the current NP on staff is very kind so no complaints there!

I did not refuse to see Dr. Hillis on my day off. I needed to switch providers since my previous doctor unexpectedly left his practice. I had waited for over 6 weeks for my initial visit, even after clearly explaining the urgency of my situation in a letter. I called his office before my appointment to discuss my situation in advance. I explained my shift ended with enough time to get to my appointment, unless I had to respond to a fire or medical incident if either occurred just before my shift ended; in these instances I would have no control over not being able to be on time for my appointment. I was clear that it was not likely to happen. I further explained that I would not choose to schedule future appointments on a day I was coming off shift. The office staff was adamant that there were no exceptions to the missed appointment policy and told me the next available initial visit was weeks away...after already waiting for more than a month and a half for my initial visit

I've been to many providers over the years and was recommended Dr. Hillis by a friend. I'm so glad I found him because he is super thorough and you never feel rushed or judged when going over your concerns or questions. And I happen to be a high maintenance patient! I have never been with a primary physician this caring and attentive and it's so refreshing. The only downside is he is 1.5 drive from my home but he's worth the drive!

Dr. Hillis has been my primary care provider for more than 20 years. He's thorough, compassionate and very knowledgeable in the latest medical trends. I highly recommend him.

Great doctor. Friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Nursing and admin staff are great too.

If you need excellent medical care, this is the provider to see. He is thorough and meticulous, and knowledgeable about the latest in medical care. My guess is that previous reviewers may have been after controlled substances, which I know he does not prescribe. So if your health needs aren't related to chronic pain medications, this is a great place to be.

Dr Hillis was rather pompous and arrogant when I first met him. He has very little knowledge of pain science, as I sought help from him regarding my chronic fatigue and gross pain symptoms. His 'other doctor' is a PA, Taylor, who admittedly seems very sweet. Finally, Dr Hillis surrounds himself with aesthetically pleasing young women (staff), and I found that off-putting. Take that as you will.

Outstanding Dr and Team! I highly recommend them to all my friends. I believe he really listens to you as a person and patient! I’m so glad I finally found a Dr who really cares about you. Thank You Denise F.

Dr Hillis has been an awesome provider for me over the past 15 years at least. He is patient and thorough. Some of the other reviewers clearly would be unhappy with any doctor unfortunate enough to try to help them.

My name is Jeffery Beardemphl, I have been seeing dr Hillis for several years. He and his staff have been amazing over the years. Recently I was seen by the new doctor in his office Taylor Swenson because Hillis was on a vacation. She was so good, she was a really good listener of my issues, then made some great recommendations for my medical issue. It has been a month and I am feeling a lot better because of the help I received. As far as recommending them, I do it whenever somebody asks.

This guy needs to take down his shingle! His only concern is how much money he can get from you. He does nothing in office other than refer you out to another doctor. He holds patients hostage when it comes to prescriptions to make sure you come back. He is arrogant, rude and disrespectful. There is no follow up on issues unless the payment train is in jeopardy of being interrupted or he needs to cover his behind. If you are sick you need to find a doctor that actually cares for patients.

dr Hillis has been my physician for over 5 years now. He is a trusted doc with a great reputation