Hmmm. Where do I begin. — I had heard she was good. I was happy I had been allocated to her care.
She saw me a total of two times the second time for less than ten minutes and made up her mind about me. She humiliated me by sending me to public hospital without my consent all because I wasn’t responding (which was not by choice). She made no effort to understand the complex nature of the problem not to mention the staff automatically stopped a medication I was taking regularly without even thinking there would be ramifications. She wants to deal with easy and predictable. She wants grateful and respectful patients.
Gratitude and respect are earned. That being said I was not ungrateful or disrespectful. The public ED treated me better in 1/2 a day, with a psychiatry registrar looking after me than she did over one week. Oh and she wrote a note to the EMS and to the ED telling them she thought I had a completely different diagnosis than what she originally thought and therefore couldn’t treat me.
I think she was irritated she had to get pulled in on a weekend to care for a patient, me. I guess when you admit a patient under your care you actually have to care for them personally in the private system. But I don’t What she was thinking.

The place at burwood is over restrictive and some nurses have a bit too much of an old fashioned way of thinking about mental health. It is quite disheartening. I didn’t care too much for some of the religious ideas, but I can’t complain.


Overall, what a shame.

I hope she reads this and takes into consideration her decisions, actions and their detrimental influence on the vulnerable pts she takes care of.

Submitted Jan. 13, 2024

All I can say is MRS SEROQUEL!!! Over medicates. Manner pretty good but not open to discussing options other than medications. Absolutely no ACTUAL therapy.

Submitted Aug. 12, 2023

Dr Inga really does seem to care. This is not something
i have been lucky enough to find with other psychiatrists. She really took the time to understand what my problem was and what treatments I was willing to consider. Together we came up with a plan that so far seems to be working.
I realise it will be a lifelong process for me, but I have gone from feeling utterly hopeless to feeling like there is a reason to get up in the morning. Without Dr Inga I dont think I would have made it this far. Thank you for listening to me and taking the time to find a solution that suits me.

Submitted Feb. 19, 2023

Without intending to begin this review by being overly dramatic, the simple truth is that Dr Inga Baumgartner at St John of God Hospital, Burwood , without any doubt, saved my life … and in doing so, she also rescued my husband and my young daughters from certain life-warping devastation.

I have been working on healing from a 9 month bout of atypical major depressive disorder for close to 8 months now under the care of Dr Baumgartner and in that time I have found her to be a truly exceptional Consultant Psychiatrist.

She is extremely clever, is generous with her time, is expertly capable at helping me feel safe at my most vulnerable times, is an excellent psychotherapist and has a firm understanding of the pharmacokinetics and the pharmacodynamics of the medications she recommends and prescribes.

In my experience, Dr Baumgartner is truly invested in her patients’ care, she is friendly, accommodating, respectful, trustworthy, reliable, pragmatic and presents with a calm and patient ‘patient-focused’ demeanour. She is indeed quietly spoken and is an excellent communicator and an exemplary listener; carefully gathering the information she needs to be able to formulate helpful offerings or thought-tweaking suggestions.

Throughout my journey working with Dr Baumgartner she has always respected my wish to be on the smallest ‘necessary’ dose of medication, she has never ‘forced’ me to take or do anything and in contrast to previous suggestion, she has not thrown Seroquel at me.

Her knowledge of medications and their interactions means that sometimes ‘medication reviews’ result in no change of prescription … if she believes that the medication currently used is the best for that specific patient at that specific time and indeed, …sometimes specific medication pharmacology does require the patient to ‘hang in there’ until therapeutic dose is reached.

I appreciate that Dr Baumgartner has not taken a patronising or paternalistic approach to my care … allowing me to make contributing decisions about my care which, in the same vein, requires me to step up and do my part towards my own healing. No psychiatrist can help you to feel better ‘without your consent’ ;)

As for forgetting momentarily where a client lives … Consultant Psychiatrists are human too, and I very much appreciate Dr Baumgartner’s willingness to unashamedly show her humanness. It assures me that she is not judging me and reminds me that we are all indeed trying to navigate the human condition through this crazy journey that is ‘life’.

Speaking from my vantage point of 6 months worth of fortnightly experiences, if you are lucky enough to be given an opportunity to work on your healing under the caring, respectful, trust-worthy and invested eye of Dr Inga Baumgartner … I’d encourage you to grab that opportunity, remain realistic in your understanding that the ride to psychiatric healing can be bumpy at times, and be prepared to dig deep to do your part of the work to make your healing happen.

Submitted Oct. 20, 2022

Dr Inga is the most caring Psychiatrist you could get. She is kind, patient and respectful as well as very well read.

Submitted May 6, 2022

Excellent dr. willing to look at my whole picture not just what kind of script to do you want. listens. thoughtful. really good knowledge of medications available. spends time with you. no rushing. best of all she seems to really care.

Submitted Dec. 29, 2021

Really bad experience. No faith in the mental health system anymore. If you need a new doctor you should look elsewhere if you are looking to be prioritised. After 6 months of finding a home prior to being homeless she still asked what suburb I live in.

Submitted Nov. 26, 2021

Dr Inga is the most caring Psychiatrist you could get. She is kind, patient and respectful as well as very well read.

Submitted Nov. 12, 2021

Dr Inga is incredibly caring and on the ball. She’s very sharp and really knows the latest research. I never feel forced into a corner. She is one of the most caring drs Ive ever seen. She’s incredibly bright and makes me feel safe. Thank you.

Submitted April 13, 2021

Dr Inga really cares, but also makes sure you get the best treatment - I’m so lucky to have found her, she doesn’t make you feel judged but does make you really think and helps you get to the best place you be. Very knowledge and I never feel judged. Can’t thank her enough.

Submitted May 21, 2020