UCI Health
Rheumatology • Orange, CA • Six convenient locations across Orange County (UCI Medical Center in Orange; UCI Health — Costa Mesa; UCI Health — Laguna Hills; UCI Health — Newport Beach MacArthur; UCI Health — Tustin; UCI Health — Yorba Linda) locations
About
UCI Health Rheumatology Services in Orange County, CA provides comprehensive care for joint, muscle, and connective tissue diseases. Board-certified rheumatologists, nurses, and physician's assistants diagnose and manage rheumatic conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma, with access to clinical trials and advanced therapies. The service operates at six locations across Orange County.
Clinic Type
Rheumatology
Address
—
Phone
714-456-7720
carriem1@hs.uci.edu
Opening Hours
Not published — contact the clinic to confirm hours.
Emergency Care
If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest UCI Emergency Department
Services Offered
Insurance & Payment
—
Languages Spoken
—
Photos
What Patients Say
Overall sentiment across review platforms: mixed
- UCI Health (Dr. Dan Mandel): 4.7 out of 5 stars (152 reviews)
- UCI Health (Dr. Sheetal Desai): 5.0 out of 5 stars (35 reviews)
- RateMDs (Dr. Sheetal Desai): 3.3 out of 5 stars (8 reviews)
- WebMD (Dr. Sheetal Desai): Mixed performance ratings on specific care aspects (N/A)
Patients praise
- High clinical knowledge and expertise in complex autoimmune conditions
- Compassionate and thorough care reported by some patients
- Successful outcomes in clinical trials (e.g., lupus treatment)
- Strong diagnostic capabilities
Common complaints
- Reports of unresponsiveness from office staff regarding messages and coordination
- Complaints about administrative issues including paperwork and lab result management
- Perceived arrogance or poor bedside manner by some patients
- Long wait times for appointments
"Dr Desai exhibited superior knowledge and experience in diagnosis, communicating possibilities, and treatment planning. I highly recommend her to anyone that needs help with rheumotological challenges."
— RateMDs Patient Review"I also had issues with the office/staff, including problems with labs, CT scan records, and… paperwork. This added to my stress and made it harder to feel confident that my case was being reviewed carefully."
— Vitals Patient Review"“The day she got her CAR T infusion, I went home and cried. I was so excited to be able to offer this to her. To see her now living her life to the fullest has been the greatest gift.”"
— Dr. Sheetal Desai on patient careSynthesized from public review platforms as of Jul 10, 2026 — sources: [1][2][3][4].
In the News
- UCI Health lupus clinical trial patient Kimberly Renihan offers hope to others with disease | UCI Health | Orange County, CA — Feb 1, 2026
- Clinical trial offers promising CAR T-cell therapy for lupus | UCI Health | Orange County, CA — Nov 1, 2025
- UCI Health performs 400th stem cell procedure | UCI Health | Orange County, CA — Jun 1, 2026
- UCI Health | UCI Health | Orange County, CA — Feb 1, 2026
- UCI Health celebrates 50 years | UCI Health | Orange County, CA — Jul 1, 2026
Information sourced from the clinic's website as of July 10, 2026.
Comparing your options?
See other rheumatology clinics in Orange, or search the full directory by insurance, ratings, and more.