Joaquin C. Brieva, MD

Primary Specialty
Dermatology
Insurance
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Practice Focus Areas
- Acne
- Atypical Skin Infections
- Blistering Diseases
- Complex Dermatology
- Drug Eruption
- Ethnic Skin
- Genital Dermatology
- Granuloma Annulare
Education
- Medical Education:
-
MD, Universidad del Norte - 1983
- Residency:
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University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago - 1993University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago - 1996
Media

Languages Spoken
- Spanish
Board Certifications
- American Board of Dermatology - Dermatology (Certified)
Faculty Profile
Associate Professor, Feinberg School of MedicinePractice Groups and Affiliations
- Medical Group:
- Northwestern Medical Group
- Alignment Category:
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Northwestern Medicine Physician Network
- On Medical Staff At:
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Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Ratings and Reviews
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Read Ratings FAQsOverall Rating
1725 Ratings
Reviews from Patients
Reviews from Patients
August 08, 2022
0.0 star_border star_border star_border star_border star_borderThe doctor arrived 30 minutes late after the scheduled time and the appointment seemed rushed. He did not listen to my concerns. He reviewed what information was in the chart from previous providers and prescribed medication he suspected my insurance would not cover. He did not provide any alternative medication to address the problem.
June 29, 2022
3.0 star star star star_border star_borderDr. Brevia, was very kind, but overall the visit felt rushed without time at the end for explanation of the final diagnoses, for example I was prescribed a hydrocortisone for a scalp rash, but there was no disclosure of the name of the diagnosis of the rash, how much of the scalp was involved, the etiology, how to apply or use the medication or for how long. The nursing staff who gave the AVS report was also kind, but could not answer my questions. I understand healthcare is remarkably complex and fast paced, but taking the time to explain diagnoses and treatments to patients is important in order for patients to feel a part of the treatment team and increase compliance. In my opinion, if patients have questions when the AVS is given to them they should have an opportunity to have these questions clarified.
June 21, 2022
0.0 star_border star_border star_border star_border star_borderI have been Dr. Brieva’s pt for years and work as an APN at NM. I was given my results of my biopsy via MyChart with the comment from Dr. Brieva “I will call you to discuss treatment options”. I received a call from his scheduler the next day setting up an appointment with him the following week. I thought this would be an appointment to discuss options and maybe proceed with one. When I arrive to the visit, the fellow enters and states “so you’re here for the procedure”. I have researched my diagnosis and thought I had some idea of what options would be presented but I defer to the experts. I asked what procedure they were recommending, and the fellow gave a vague condescending version of what I would be having (I honestly still don’t know which procedure exactly they were recommending - I know cauterization was involved). When I asked about other options, the answer was unclear and convoluted - so that she was bouncing between the different techniques without clarity (starting to talk about one and jumping quickly between them so neither myself or my husband could figure out which she was talking about at any time). When Brieva entered the room I tried to clarify what the fellow had said - she had mentioned sutures and not being able to lift anything heavy - such as my young daughters. He condescendingly said “no one said anything about lifting precautions or sutures”. While I understand NM is a teaching hospital, Dr. Brieva was not in the room with the fellow at the time - so how could he say “no one said”. He saw me crying and started telling me about the benign nature of BCC - which I am aware of and was not the reason for my tears (he even put that in his charting). Rather, I was upset with the lack of clarity in our conversation and options, the rushed nature of the visit and the condescending tones. This entire mess could have been avoided had he just called me with options last week when he said he would - and I could’ve researched on my own. Or he could’ve sat down at our visit for 5 minutes and discussed with me instead of making me feel dumb and like I was wasting his time. If I had a patient in tears in my office, I would take the extra minute to find out what was the issue and try to rectify it rather than talking over them and assuming I knew what the problem was. Instead I paid 25 dollars for printouts from DermNet that I could’ve looked up myself on UpToDate.
Disclosures
Joaquin C. Brieva, MD reported no external professional relationships for calendar year 2021.
External Professional Relationships
Pharmaceutical, device, and biotechnology companies frequently collaborate with basic scientists and physicians within an academic medical center to help advance science and improve patient care. These relationships are important in achieving scientific breakthroughs and in establishing the effectiveness and safety of promising new therapies. In order to assure objectivity in clinical research and patient care, the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Feinberg), Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, Children's Hospital of Chicago Medical Center, and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab have adopted integrity policies that require research and clinical faculty (in full-time, part-time, and unpaid/voluntary categories) to report compensated and uncompensated external industry relationships. Patients are encouraged to discuss these disclosures with their physician as well as to inquire as to how these relationships are overseen by Feinberg. To learn more about our Disclosure and Professional Integrity Policy, and the conflict of interest policies of our joint affiliate survey partners, please go to our Office for Regulatory Affairs Policies page.