A Foot & Ankle Center

Just buy Gold Bond.
Went to the location on W Chicago. Nice folks but have zero clue what they are doing. Doc prescribe medicine for my feet that did NOTHING. All types of crazy stuff… cream, foot rub them wrap your foot with Saran Wrap prior to sleeping, ect. I did everything as recommended but to zero avail. I have a mild case of athletes foot with one foot that is worse than the other more or so on my heel. I asked that my script not be generic… well u guessed it?! I was, not sure if that’s why it did not work or as expressed they don’t know what to prescribe.
They wanted to sched a follow up which I agreed and later had to cancel… didn’t see the point in wasting my insurance. Needless to say, I was hit with a bill for 75 dollar cancellation fee and 150 in which I am told my insurance would not cover. The cancellation fee was waived but I had to pay the non insured cost for a process that did not work. It would seem as if the lady at the front desk would check with your insurance and advise on fees you could accrue.
Needless to say, save yourself time and headache and insurance dollars. Stick to Lotrium ultra strength and Gold Bond. Has since cleared my feet up entirely.

He does not care about you or your problem, but your Insurance and how much $$$$ to charge you. Left after a couple of consults and will not be back. Save your time and go elsewhere.

There’s a reason why this place has only 2 stars. I would highly recommend avoiding the Neal R. Frankel practice.
In my personal experience, their staff is not fully trained/​qualified to be running a podiatric practice. They schedule me for a follow up visit (while I as there for my initial visit), however when I have arrived they couldn’t recall scheduling the appointment. Can’t perform basic functions of a practice and the place is a mess.

I had a bone spur and had seen several foot doctors over the past few years. Unfortunately, the treatments they proscribed did not work, and I was still in a lot of pain. I had heard about Dr. Frankel from a friend and decided to make an appointment. I found the staff to be pleasant and Dr. Frankel was direct but friendly. Dr. Frankel removed the bone spur and I am so relieved! It was a good decision! He is an excellent surgeon and really knows what he is doing. Believe me, since I have seen several podiatrists, and finally have my issue resolved. You will not be disappointed.

I will first say that I have never complained about any medical provider. If I could give this doctor and clinic staff a subzero, I would. I will explain in great detail why I am writing a bad review. I first visited this doctor in May of 2013 because I needed orthotic inserts for my shoes. During my consult, Dr Frankel explained to me that the cost for the orthotics is $ 400. In order to move forward with creating the orthotics, they required a $ 175 deposit. It was explained to me then that if the insurance company covered the orthotics, then I would receive my deposit back. The billing manager assured me that my insurance plan covered the orthotics, but they advised me to provide the publication from my company called the Summary Plan Description, which I provided the same day. I then followed up a few days later, and the billing manager said that she called the insurance company and learned that the orthotics would be covered. Fast forward. I go to my appointment to get the orthotics. I asked if my insurance company covered the orthotics, and I was told by the receptionist that they would not know for awhile. She explained that when an insurance company such as Cigna paid the doctor’s office for claims, they get one lump sum for all the claims made by all the patients and it takes them awhile to break down what payment applies to which patient. In the meantime, I had already received the explanation of the amount they paid Dr. Frankel. It seemed strange to me that the doctor’s office would say they had not received payment when the insurance company had already paid them. I was just trying to find out when I should expect to receive the deposit back. Here is an aside: there has not been one instance where either the office manager or the billing manager followed up with me after committing to do so. In other words, every single time they said, I will call you back.” or «I will let you know when I find out.» they never did. They are by far the most disorganized outfit I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with. They don’t respond to emails, and their customer service ethic is nil.
I digress. Back to why I am providing this review. After much time had passed and several calls about the status of the refund of the deposit, and no return calls and misleading (read bullshit) information wen I actually did reach someone, I finally drafted a formal letter and I emailed, faxed it and snail mailed it to Dr Frankel’s office. The letter recapped in detail my experience, and the run-​around I was getting about the refund of the deposit. Finally, Dr. Frankel called me back. We had a lengthy phone conversation about my claim with Cigna. When I looked at the claim explanation submitted to me by Cigna, I noticed that Dr. Frankel’s office listed the cost of the orthotics at more than double what I was quoted on the first visit. That’s right, they claimed that the cost of the orthotics and services was $ 1040, not $ 400. Dr Frankel explained to me that the cost to insurance companies is much higher than the cost of the person walking in off the street. He explained that they over-​bill the insurance companies because they know the insurance company will not pay that amount. In actuality, doctors already negotiate with the insurance company for services, so they know what they will be paid. So what did my insurance company pay them? $ 400…the exact amount the doctor’s office charges me for the orthotics. But then he changed the tune. Let me be clear that it was Dr. Frankel who himself told me on my first visit that I would be reimbursed for the $ 175 deposit. But that is not what happened. He went into this long explanation that did not address the fact that he ball-​faced lied to me. BUT, he did agree to refund $ 75. Guess what? I never received a check from his office. When I called them about it, the same worthless ‘office manager’ said they sent the check. But I never got it. I then sent a followup email in October of 2013. No response. In fact, I have never received the deposit or any portion of it. And he outright lied to me about it. I would never recommend them to anyone for anything.

Dr Frankel & Dr St Clair did a great job with my double bunionectomy earlier this year. I had no pain and was back in sneakers within three weeks. I had very little down time as they had promised. I would highly recommend A Foot and Ankle and the swiss technique. My feet look and feel great after only four months. Can’t wait to get back into my stilettos! Thanks

Definitely a case of physician that’s only interested in making money. Took over 20 minutes to see the doctor, even though I was the only person in the waiting room. The staff was rude and not a single person apologized for the wait time.
Once the doctor finally sauntered in, he spent about 8 minutes with me, made me stand up and immediately wanted to prescribe me orthotics, without even taking a single x-​ray. How are you going to track progress over time without concrete evidence, such as x-​rays???
The last straw was when the office wanted me to shell out $ 175 in order for them to send my mold to their lab, without even checking my insurance first! As it turns out, my insurance covers 90% of the cost, meaning my out –of-​pocket cost would be about $ 30…where is the other $ 145 going? Right into the doctor’s pocket, I presume.
Needless to say, they are not seeing a penny of my money and I encourage anyone in the loop to stay away from these thieves!

«I had a condition called brachymetatarsia and was searching the Chicagoland area for someone who had completed the surgery successfully and with a one-​step method instead of the scary bone lengthening devices I read about on the internet. I searched Google and found Dr. Neal Frankel and read the reviews from other surgeries that he had performed and noticed that brachymetatarsia was on his list of specialties. For many years throughout my life I was made fun of and having this condition was very embarrassing for me and I tried hiding it in shoes, socks, or whatever else I could do to keep from having to explain my foot to someone else. I also suffered pain from different kinds of shoes and beginning to notice the bottom of my foot, where a crease was for many years, was becoming sensitive and knew that the new styles of flip-​flops and other adorable shoes for women was something I could never wear unless my toe was fixed. After finding Dr. Frankel I thought I would go see him, see what he had to offer and decide on my next options. My first appointment with Dr. Frankel I felt relief and satisfied 100% with my visit. He explained to me for the first time that he understood this condition, understood my embarrassment and pain, but had a solution for me that worked. He told me how rare the condition was and he had done several of them successfully with the bone grafting and what to expect if I were to do the surgery. He showed me pictures of a recent patient and this was the first time I did not feel alone or embarrassed of my toe… I actually was excited that there was a solution for me close to home! We discussed surgery and we scheduled surgery in December 2013. The day of the surgery I went to the surgical center, met wonderful nurses and anesthesiologists who took excellent pride in my care and making sure I was comfortable. Dr. Frankel came to me and said we were ready to go, 45 minutes to an hour later I woke up with my foot covered and with a walking boot I walked out of the surgical center. WOW I thought, in one day my toe was fixed. After surgery I stayed home for a few days with my foot up, iced, and never experienced much pain with the surgery. After the first week I went in for the first „look,“ x-​rays and bandage change and was first shocked and impressed… my toe looked normal. For many weeks after the surgery I went to see Dr. Frankel for x-​rays and bandage changes and noticed with every week my foot looked less swollen, bruised, and it was starting to heal. For those who live in the Chicagoland area the winter of ²⁰¹³⁄₁₄ was pretty brutal and was my main challenge through the process… the weather. I had no pain after the first few days and always listened to Dr. Frankel’s advice on keeping my pins dry and safe from harm. After 4 weeks the stitches came out and the scar looked pretty good! After 8 weeks the pins came out my foot was healing very well and after 12 weeks I was out of the walking boot and in tennis shoes. That day was one of the best days of my life. I can’t describe to someone who does not have this condition what it feels like after so many years of hiding hoping no one noticed this deformity, when you look down at your feet and your toe is just like anyone else’s toe. I still stare at my feet now and feel so excited about getting a pedicure (which I never had before) or wearing cute flip-​flops for the summer for the very first time. I’m so grateful for Dr. Frankel for his professionalism, expertise, and staff who never looked at me or talked to me like my toe was something they had never seen before and wanted to just cut it off to get it out of the way for me… they treated me like a person who had lived with insecurity and embarrassment and didn’t want me to feel that again. Thank you isn’t enough for what Dr. Frankel did for me. Today my toe looks great, it’s moving and the scar is healing. My experience was exactly what Dr. Frankel and I discussed on day one and it was just as easy as he explained. I recommend if anyone has this condition to go to Dr. Frankel because he did a fantastic job and I am extremely happy with my results.»

Is there a negative scale? Rude, cares only about money, will have you come «check in» each week. If you have good insurance, he will milk it.

Save your time and your money and find a new podiatrist.
I went here multiple times for a recurring problem on my foot. I began to feel like Dr. Frankel was more interested in my co-​pay then fixing my problem. He kept on saying that lasering would fix the issue immediately and yet I had to finally demand the treatment since every visit he would try something else. I tried really hard to give him the benefit of the doubt but once my issue came back for the 3^rd time, I decided to go elsewhere.
As for the comments about the office staff — I found all the women there very friendly and organized. I didn’t have a problem with any of them.

Before I dive into my story as to how I came to have 4 foot surgeries in the last 7 yrs performed by 3 doctors, each surgery correcting the last, let me warn you: YOU WILL BE MAKING THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF YOUR LIFE IF YOU DO NOT SECURE DR. NEAL FRANKEL AS YOUR PODIATRIST!!! In case you misread this, that is, CHOOSE DR. NEAL FRANKEL AS YOUR PODIATRIST or potentially suffer unncessarily as I did!
I came to learn about Dr. Neal Frankel, DPM through Val Warner of Windy City Live. He successfully performed her bunionectomy surgery via a Swiss technique a few yrs ago & she has never looked back. When I described to her all of my complications over the yrs, she showed me her hairline scars on the insides of her feet & said that she was given some exercises to do & was back on her feet in 2 wks. To look a her feet, you would never know anything was done to them! She regularly wears heels & has no issues. I, on the other hand, came to Dr. Frankel in search of someone to fix the mess previous podiatrists created w/​2 ghastly parallel scars on my big toe that resembled Frankensteinian railroad tracks & a pinky toe that looked like a limp Swedish meatball. Let me explain:
In 2006, I blindly searched my healthcare provider directory for a podiatrist to perform a bunionectomy on both of my feet. I landed on the Foot & Ankle Clinics of America, which I rationalized was close to my home for followup care. I was a healthy 35 yr old w/​no previous surgeries so I predicted success. Boy was I wrong!!! Not only did the doctor incorrectly set my joints, which resulted in the return of both bunions, but he also sent me back to work in a wk when it was understood that I stand for a living as a makeup artist. That entire year I endured unthinkable pain & suffering while the doctor tried to remedy the situation. My foot was never the same again. I had another surgery later that year performed by Doctor #2 to remove the screw that migrated out of my bone to just beneath my skin because my bones weren’t aligned properly. For the sake of keeping your attn, I won’t go into detail but the entire year was a nightmare!
As if I hadn’t endured enough, I elected to have a corrective bunionectomy surgery with Doctor #2 this past Spring because my foot pain had gradually progressed over the yrs to a level that became intolerable. I had been in contact with Doctor #2 over the past 7 yrs & he had earned my trust. He made a plan to reset my big toe joint & perform a hammertoe surgery on my pinky toe. After 6 wks of TLC and 8 wks of rehab, I was left with a stiff, numb big toe that wouldn’t bend properly to allow a natural gait & a seemingly semi-​detached pinky toe that was shrunken, misshapen, & didn’t touch the ground. After several months of unsuccessfully trying to cope with my new normal, I started experiencing chronic pain from my ankle to my lower back, which was the straw that broke the camel’s back. After suffering so much at the hands of the 2 doctors, I became a vigilante for my well-​being & went on a quest to find a competent doctor once & for all. I interviewed 2 highly recommended doctors prior to meeting Dr. Frankel & while all of the doctors agreed on my diagnonsis, Dr. Frankel was the most swift & confident in his observations. Upon studying my x-​rays & glancing at my foot, he offered 3 solutions, one of which I found to be the most reasonable of all of the doctors, which is why I booked surgery w/​him prior to leaving the office. In spite of my reluctance to trust another doctor again, I rationalized that anyone that could look at my x-​rays & foot for a few seconds & describe back to me a rundown of each & every discomfort I was feeling w/​out me having to say a word must possess some kind of genius! That, plus the positive online reviews, the before & after pictures, & Val Warner’s personal recommendation made Dr. Frankel the clear choice to help me «get back on my feet again.» I have, to be honest, I was tempted to cancel my surgery based upon a few unsavory reviews on Unilocal but I’m so glad I didn’t because he helped me to get my life back & restore my faith in the medical industry. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Results trump bedside manner. Every doctor has a different personality with an approach to match but what matters is, long after the surgery, are you happy with the results? Dr. Neal Frankel has the expertise to make a highly educated assessment & he is up-​to-​date in his techniques. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! I’ve been informed by my secret agents that he has many celebrity and out-​of-​state patients who fly in for his cutting edge techniques!
2. If tenderness is what you are in search of, his resident, Dr. Julia Sinclai will restore your faith in humanity. After feeling abused at the hands of doctors, she restored my faith in 1 visit.
3. They offer private in-​office rehab w/​Mandy of Total Rehab Physical Therapy. She did in 2 wks what it took Athletico 2 months to do!

My son has had bad feet for 13 of the 18 years he’s been alive and in the last year it got so bad he could barely walk. We went to five doctors including podiatrists orthopedics and rheumatologists over the past 13 years before finding Dr. Frankel. Though x-​rays and other tests did not show any symptoms Dr. Frankel deducted that it was probably a cartilage problem from birth. Six months ago he treated him for the first time and every week since then my son has felt better and better to where I would consider his feet «normal» fir the first time in 13 Years.

I recently flew from California to Chicago to have bunion surgery done by Dr. Frankel. I did quite a bit of research; his technique, called the «Swiss Technique» was the least invasive and has provided excellent results. His procedure, does not require the «Slice and Dice» as I call it, with the long incision on top of the foot as well as the side. I was able to immediately walk (I did both feet by the way,) without a cane or crutches, and have experienced no pain.
He also worked out a plan for after– care and has referred me to physicians where I live, (need to change the bandages.) I highly recommend Dr. Frankel, he is professional, attentive and works to provide the best outcome. Call for a consultation, you will not be disappointed with him or his staff.

The doctor’s 3 treatments didn’t work. The other reviews are correct. He didn’t shake hand, was extremely cocky, in and out, didn’t look you in the eye. I don’t think he listened to anything I said. And he was really rough. Yikes. Won’t be seeing him again.

While Dr. Frankel is an experienced podiatrist, his service is extremely poor. I am an experienced runner having run 14 marathons and got my first pair of orthotics (satisfactory) from Dr. Frankel. However, I have always been kept waiting for my appointment for more than 30 minutes and have also been kept waiting during the appointment to the point where I have had to call out from the doctor’s room to remind them of my presence.
Furthermore, I strongly suspect that Dr. Frankel’s practice over-​charges not only insurance companies but also patients for visits and would strongly suggest asking about costs before engaging in any of their services.
Finally, my most recent visit was for a new pair of orthotics. Not only was I sent the pair two weeks after I was told to expect them, but they were also 3 full inches larger than my current ones and did not fit in my shoe. I was told to resize and cut them myself after paying over $ 400 for the orthotics and visit. I was given no indication of this before, during or after my visit. The front desk manager Aria is unpleasant as others have also described.
I would strongly encourage those reading this to look for more service-​friendly and respectable podiatrists in Chicago.

Stay away… poorly run office, Unfriendly staff Intimated if you are educated. Never trust a Dr who does not make eye contact or shake your hand. I told him what was wrong he never really assessed my foot took my word what was going on, none of the treatments worked. He is more concerned with try this and come see me next week, its all about the co-​pay. You have lots of choices when it comes to your feet stay away from this one you will be glad you did…

I’ve been going here since ’07 and I can’t sing enough praises about Dr. Neal Frankel & his Staff. He first ran the practice with two other Podiatrists and their respective office staff but now that he’s been running the practice by himself since’09, it has gotten quieter, more efficiently run, and sports a great new look w/​the office remodeling. There is only one front desk manager now, Aria, who is an absolute sweetheart and is highly organized. She keeps that office scheduled, ontime, & running. The lady who works w/​insurance & billing is super & always got back to me within 24hrs w/​resolutions and answers. Mandie, the Physical Therapist on-​site is phenomenal. Highly-​skilled and a real gem. And Dr. Neal Frankel… I can’t sing enough praises about him. He is a patient advocate to the max. He went above & beyond to help me (even after I lost medical coverage). Not only is he one of the most highly skilled foot surgeons in the state but he’s also a patient-​advocate. He will go out of his way to do his best for you & your foot injury. He also did a legal deposition on my behalf, got me a handicapped parking cert, got me pain meds, used the latest technologies on my injuries, and made makeshift orthodics for me to wear while waiting for the real ones from the orthodic maker. They have no control over the company that makes the orthodics, btw. I had 6 different orthodics made over a span of 3 yrs. I never had any problems getting them. Dr. Frankel has a great personality and he’s a breath of fresh air He truly, really cares about his patients and their recovery. You are not a number here. A RARE quality in Doctors and their offices these days. This place is truly outstanding and is A+.

Words cannot describe how disorganized and poorly run this office is. The front desk is rude and inept.
Dr. Frankel ordered the wrong pair of orthotics for me and when I questioned this, became defensive, though he clearly did not remember our earlier conversation or take notes. He told me he ordered a second pair (thankfully my insurance covered both, since they come in at over $ 300) and before my fitting, I called to see if he was running behind that day, so I knew when to get there. The orthotics had not come in, I was told. I would have trekked down there during work for nothing.
It has now been over a month and no orthotics in sight, yet my insurance has been charged. I called a week ago to check the status and was promised a return call with answers the next day. No call. I called today and was told Dr. Frankel just placed the order and the orthotics will arrive in 2 weeks.
Dr. Frankel might be a skilled surgeon (I wouldn’t know), but the way his office is run and his lack of attention to detail ensures I will never return here.

Dr. Frankel was great on a recent visit– I got a side piece of an ingrown toenail on a big toe removed and then lasered to not grow back again. While the whole event isn’t pain free it went really well overall. I’m highly sensitive to pain (especially in hands and feet) and the doctor was very patient and kind as were his staff members even though I was a nervous wreck. He explained every step of the procedure and asked me how I was doing every step of the way and if I was feeling any pain. As an aside, on a prior visit (despite his advice to the contrary), I had the sides of the nail ripped– I don’t recommend that. It hurt worse than the surgery because you irritate the skin more and its harder for the doctor to do without hurting you generally. I should have listened to him in the first instance and would recommend him.

Dr. Neal Frankel (podiatrist) was found via a search on my insurance web page. I would definitely recommend him, as he helped me out big time, but I would hasten to say that he reminds me of a used-​car salesman. Kinda slick and shiny … plus, he told me he uses the little cold-​blaster gun they use on corns to remove age spots from his hands. Dude, I don’t think you’re supposed to play with that thing.