WakeMed Orthopaedics: Cary

Reviews 3

C

C Caldwell

My rating is from a "quality of services provided" perspective. I had a ruptured bicep tendon, and Dr. Jonathan Chappell did the surgery to reattach it. Dr. Chappell was great, Im completely happy with the results, even the surgery scar is fairly small and neat. I expect that in another year it will hardly be noticeable. In addition to surgical competency, Dr. Chappell is very personable (even humorous) and while he didnt sit and shoot the breeze with me, I never felt like I was being rushed out the door, like with some doctors. Ive read complaints on other sites about the front desk staff (Ashville Dr in Cary), and can only assume that since these reviews are mostly several years old, the problematic staffers are gone. I never had a problem, and everyone was always courteous, with prompt service and proper attention. I also went to this office for physical therapy after the surgery (Colleen Schmitz was great!), so have been there nearly a dozen times, enough to see problems if they exist. My ONLY complaint with the whole process was with the brace I had to wear for a couple of weeks after the initial splint came off, post-surgery. *After* the splint had been removed, I was told that I needed the brace, that it was $500, and that I had to sign a waiver that if my insurance wouldnt pay for it, I was completely liable for it (the separate waiver made me think they *wouldnt* pay). I felt like I was between a rock and a hard place, since the splint was off and my arm was still very delicate, so I signed it. My complaint isnt even as much with the high price (buying stuff via a Dr is always overpriced)...my complaint is that by the time I knew I even needed it, it was WAY too late to order one at a more reasonable price. For something that expensive, I should have been told sooner and had a chance to get my own. Fortunately, my insurance paid the full amount, but I just didnt like how it was handled. FWIW, similar braces can be found only for under $125, so its obnoxiously marked-up (again, no surprise). The "Bledsoe Telescoping Elbow Brace" on Amazon ($123) looks identical to the one I got, and the "DLX Post-op Elbow" looks functionally equivalent for $95. Make sure you get the correct "right" or "left" one! Still, my recovery is going well, Im healing nicely, and had NO complaints about Dr. Chappell or his staff, so they get five stars from me, because the surgery and recovery are what matter to me. In the grand scheme of a surgery, overcharging a brace by $375-$400 isnt right, but is a small price to pay for good care....especially when insurance pays it.

RO

Robert Dinkel

my wifes been a patient of Dr Szuar , nice man but 4-5 scopes clear she needs knees , his words bone on bone bad arthritis . well says new knees and clients always state wish done sooner in 2 weeks after surgery, fact his words to me and wife ..near 5 years , had enough of her tears man gives ibuprofen as pain killer sorry am jumping around I truly believe this is setup as money machine . overall concern Is secondary IMO way my wifes been treated shes as patient as she cries to sleep , tears going up 3 stairs . we setup seeing their in house surgeon but again so many scopes one few months back for Nothing , didnt help as he said removed small piece of tissue ? 30 grand plus hoped would be some help ??? do no harm guide patient . well sat comes around after new serious of these jell steroid shots again , a lady in pain the young surgeon says put off seems no 2 Drs agree one bone on bone other some tissue left shes been on mild pain killers 3 times thats 3 months in 5 years and its bad ,, she is hurting I call sat early and Dr. Economendes or anyone from office has yet to call back 3 pm now .shes in pain always add shot yesterday no pain killers take ibuprofen call early ,stress issue please some one call back . their answer service has better bed side manner then surgeon and Doctor IMO stop worrying pain addiction unless patient been on them longer , clearly one Dr doesnt talk to other and records clear given mild 325 pain killer 3 times in years sick of seeing wife cry , and angry over this new surgeon clearly has no clue what pain is as ex boxer wish could share what shes enduring . sorry low class statement just hate to see her suffer when these doctors charge insane prices have some gimmick repeat same procedure over and over and nothing is fixable she listens my wife trusts to much and suffers for it .. I dont clear as they have their own PT and surgeons conflicts money making machine . patient first Doctors time for us to find new Doctors that care about patient or other . but never go here folks truly dont simple stuff only . money is their god imo

C

C SKi1965

Dont go here even if you are referred to them by the Emergency room or primary care doctor. They are just horrible. No customer service, RUDE call center people and they dont call you back. Also, if you think they have an urgent care like Raleigh Ortho, they dont. My son broke his arm and was seen at Wake Med ER and then referred here. The Dr. he saw made no sense about his recovery plan other than, dont expect to do anything for 8 weeks. Then on his 2 week check up, he takes the cast off and puts him in splint. Needless to say, he rebroke his arm. Based on their Website, we assumed they had an Urgent Care, NOPE!! it is just one connected to their cary office, but not theirs. The Urgent Care did a good job. On the follow up appointment at Wake Ortho, they looked at his arm and put in a cast. The Dr. wanted to see him a week later. I misplaced the the appointment card and called in to verify the time we thought the appointment was. I actually thought we missed the appointment. I ended up talking to one of the rudest people in the world by the name of Nancy. When I asked her why she was so rude, she said she wasnt i was just upset they cancelled my sons appointment. I tried to explain to her I wasnt but she tried to argue with me. She puts me on hold and speaks to the doctor apparently. She comes back on the phone still rude and says I was told the appointment was cancelled when they put the new cast on my son. I tried to once again explain to her that the appointment was only made the week before because the doctor wanted to make sure the bone was healing correctly. She continued to be rude and i asked to speak to the office manager. After a few minutes of waiting she hung up on me. I called back and got a nicer person and asked for the office manager to call me. 3 days later still no call back. So if you are injured and need to go to an ortho clinic, DON"T GO HERE!!!