Robert E Markison, MD

Due to a workstation that was not ergonomic, I developed tendonitis, tenosynovitis, trigger thumb and other problems with my wrist in the 1990’s. Dr. Markison was not only a superb hand surgeon, but an extremely kind and understanding man. His bedside manner was five stars. I recommend him with absolutely no hesitation whatsoever.

Annnnd cured! This update is way late, but it only took a few months of physical therapy (and possibly the yoga) to fix my wrist problem. Several years have passed and I’m pain-​free.
Dr. Markison pushed Red Hawk physical therapy to accept me as a patient and my PT (whose name I forgot, I’m sorry, it’s been years … Susan, maybe?) was fantastic. She quickly realized that the pain was caused by an ELBOW injury — her theory makes total sense to me – and she got me on track to recovery. Gentle exercises, soft therapeutic putty, and massages really helped me. Eventually I was strong enough for yoga, and I think it was the downward dog that did the most good for me. Anyway, I’m rambling, but I’m a very happy ex-​patient. I would 100% recommend Dr. Markison for his advice, demeanor, and for advocating for me as a patient.

I’ve had trigger finger issues for the last 20 years. When I started showing symptoms in another finger, and after repeated cortisone injections failed to resolve the problem, I consulted Dr. Markison. We agreed that surgery was the right next step.
He spent at least half an hour with me in the office. Scheduling the surgery was very easy. The procedure, a few days later at St. Mary’s Medical Center, went very well. It was only done under local anesthetic, so I was awake and listening to him describe what he was seeing and what he was doing. Recovery was almost immediate and I was home later that morning.
Dr. Markison saw me for two follow-​up visits, on each taking enough time to make sure that I was progressing well. Of the three hand surgeries I’ve had in the last 20 years, this was the best, with the fastest recovery. Moreover, I knew that if I needed to consult him again, I would be able to get an appointment quickly.
Be aware that Dr. Markison is a very proficient user of speech-​recognition software for taking case notes during examinations. At first it might seem a bit odd, but I really think he’s leading by example. Seeing him use his software convinced me to go out and to get Dragon Naturally Speaking and to use it instead of doing so much keyboarding.
I would heartily recommend Dr. Markison to anyone with hand issues.

I had received some poor treatment from Kaiser and was referred to Dr. Markison by a friend. I had a fractured wrist and Dr. Markison was incredibly kind and thorough in his examination of me. Given my specialty as a musician, it was critical that I receive the kind of care that took my profession in to account. He spent a long time with me going through ways I could minimize stressing my wrist further and talked through the options I had available to me in order to allow for a natural time to heal. I would highly recommend Dr. Markiison for any consultation.

While I’ve had a good impression of Dr. Markison’s experience as a hand surgeon, at least through two visits to his office, I’m sorry to say my overall impression has been reduced to poor.
Dr. Markison is listed as a provider for Anthem Blue Cross, which is the whole reason I chose that of the two plans offered through MediCal (I’m currently unemployed and was forced in MediCal by Covered California). However, what his office refused to admit even after much go around (claiming against all statements and evidence to the contrary that Anthem did not have them on their provider list), is that Dr. Markison won’t accept the lower Anthem MediCal reimbursement rate. Hard not to feel like that’s a bit greedy. It’s certainly dishonest.

5 Stars is not nearly enough. I’m going to sound like he paid me for this review. I have seen Dr. Markison for two problems. About 17 years ago I had bilateral carpal tunnel surgery. My median nerves/​carpal tunnels have been pain free ever since. Not a peep from them. 2 weeks ago I had De Quervain’s surgery. I’ve had several intense doctor/​hospital/​surgical traumas starting as a toddler. I had meniscus surgery 3 years ago at UCSF and was petrified due to PTSD. For this procedure though, I had so much confidence in Dr. Markison from 17 years ago, amazingly, I was looking forward to the surgery. I knew the surgery would be performed impeccably and the De Quervain’s tendon pain would be gone soon. I struggled a little in the middle of surgery, but before and after that I was actually able to relax with confidence in his astute knowledge, skill, and sincere desire to relieve my pain. Healing is going extremely well. I only had to take one pain pill post op and I am using my hand more and more. I am a very happy camper. As I said, 5 Stars is not nearly enough. I can’t imagine that you could do better. Dr. Markison is awesome.

I have never had a doctor spend 45 minutes with me for a consultation! Dr. Markison is the most thorough, efficient Dr. I have ever seen. He is a very nice guy and extremely knowledgeable. I had already seen another hand surgeon (Dr. Kendrick Lee), who was a nightmare. I was thrilled upon leaving my appointment with Dr. Markison. I’m not sure if I will need surgery yet, but if so, I won’t hesitate to have him do it. Highly recommend!

Dr. Markison is one of the smartest doctor’s I have ever met. I have arthritis in my hands and he spent one full hour talking to me. He listen to me, he did NOT rush, he is a skilled doctor but he also has a holistic approach, suggested diet changes and supplements. When I told him I had been going to an acupuncturist for 1.5 years for my hands he was genuinely interested. He gave me suggestions that did not include surgery and told me to call anytime if I have questions or need a follow up appt. I highly recommend Dr, Markison!!!

I went to see Dr Markison for a torn ligament in my thumb, I had a nasty fall snowboarding and landed right on my hand. I’d also seen him years before to treat a repetitive stress injury from computer work.
He’s fantastic, hands down one of my best experiences with a Doctor. It’s so refreshing to find a Dr. who doesn’t rush through your appointment and genuinely seems to care about your well being. He’s truly devoted to the craft of healing, it’s clear that’s his passion.
He spent at least ½ hour to an hour with me at each visit, so rare these days to get that much attention! I also left each appointment with very detailed notes that he provided, about my diagnosis, healing and treatment.
I also appreciate his holistic view, he talked to me about nutrition and vitamin supplements to consider as part of my recovery.
I highly recommend Dr. Markison! I got so much out of our appointments about hand health, creativity and overall health, I’ll actually miss our visits.

I am a HUGE fan of Dr. Markison. I jammed my thumb in the wall a few months ago and searched for the right doctor to help me. Dr. Markison is the guy. Look no further. Dr. Markison took extra time to explore my issue and explain to me what was going on. I enjoyed seeing the medical book illustrations, too. And I could care less about what kind of chairs are in the waiting room.
I pulled my radial lateral ligament. I think that’s what it is. I believe most surgeons would have directed me toward surgery, but Dr. Markison suggested we see if heals on its own first. I’m extremely thankful for that. We splinted my thumb up and after a couple of months the ligament reattached on its own. Brilliant. My visits with the good doctor went far beyond just healing my thumb. He directed me to Dragon Dictation software, which has already saved me oooodles of time in my business and life. He also shared the story of how important our thumbs are, which I can really appreciate now. I’m also going to explore his suggestion of going off the gluten. I am VERY picky when it comes to doctors, and I’m glad I made the choice to visit Dr. Markison. I’ll take it one step further and suggest that you visit him even if you don’t have an issue with your hand. Let him tell you some stories… it may change your life. :o)

HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY Recommended. My wife and I flew from Dallas to San Francisco to receive the Manos carpal tunnel release in both hands and he exceeded our expectations in both the consultation and procedure. The most impressive part is that Dr. Markison has followed up with us multiple times after the surgery. It was well worth the flight to get the job done right. Thank You a thousand times! We also posted a link on YouTube for a 1 week after testimony.

Prepare for sticker SHOCK!!!
I went in for a hand issue, obviously. He appears to be competent, unlike other docs in that strange building, but he spends an unnecessary amount of time with you — I hope not to inflate the cost of your appointment, but it certainly felt like that. I was asked to pay well over $ 400 (supposedly the contracted rate with my insurance before deductible) for a one time visit! It certainly feels like they overcharged for x-​rays (nearly $ 200 for three pics) and an extremely low dose cortisone shot, in addition to his time. I have paid less for far more value from other orthopedic docs. While I appreciate that he tired to be thoughtful about making a diagnosis, he was over the top and had me sit there while he entered everything into the computer. I think I would have been ok, if not for the inordinate charges. But, I left feeling pretty angry. As for the pain, time will tell.

Dr. Markison was extremely helpful! Highly recommended

Great, personable and knowledgeable Doctor! Very talented and artistic!

I went to see Dr. Markison for RSI as soon as I read this article:
Even though I was nearing the end of my RSI recovery, I hadn’t had a complete physical exam for the condition before and I wanted to be sure. It was a very complete exam, accompanied by complete recommendations and referrals. What a rare treat in today’s medical arena. Like the other reviewers have said, he listens thoroughly and responds thoroughly and hands you his report as you leave from that very appointment.

I was referred to Dr. Markison for my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Markison is an expert in the latest (and least invasive) corrective technology, called Manos. Manos is different from traditional Carpal Tunnel Release surgery in that it’s handled arthroscopically, it’s «stitch-​less» and requires little down time.
I saw him once at the very end of last year to confirm that my Carpal needed real attention and then it took me a few months to decide to pull the trigger. Once I was «ready», I scheduled the surgery for a recent Friday morning so that I’d have the weekend to recuperate. I opted for a local anesthetic instead of general, and, after laying low on Fri/​Sat I felt great by Sunday.
The attention and care provided by Dr. Markison was outstanding. Dr. M is a very humorous, very intelligent man. I could sit and talk with him for hours (and at one of my appts I did!). He has a great «bedside manner» — there’s no getting rushed out of his office for his next appointment. He creates a calm, inviting environment that puts the patient at ease. And, what I find most fascinating about him is that in addition to being a spectacular hand surgeon, he is a self taught artist, musician, glass blower, shoe maker and designer, and the list goes on and on. He uses his hands in so many creative ways — his office filled with some of his treasures. That kind of creativity and medical intellectualism is a duality I’ve never seen and made him so human and approachable. While some doctors can be somewhat intimidating, Dr. M’s casual yet professional nature made the experience so relatable.
Best part about a visit to Dr. M at 2000 Van Ness:
— Easy parking (use paybyphone — an iphone app — to plug your meter and you’re golden)
— Convenient location
— Professional and kind office manager (thank you, Roe!)
— Punctuality! Dr. Markison never kept me waiting — I arrived on time and he was always ready to see me.
— Attention to detail. Dr. M is incredibly thorough. He doesn’t just diagnose and ditch — he explains in layman’s terms what’s going on and what the options are.
— Speedy surgery. I was able to schedule my surgery pretty quickly after deciding to take that next step and without any fuss.
— Seamless experience. Because the surgery was performed at St. Mary’s, the experience was totally seamless — the entire staff was awesome — and I was in and out in just a few hrs.
— After hours care. Dr. M called me over the weekend to make sure I felt alright and didn’t have any questions. He even gave me his cell phone number so that I could phone him if necessary (That never happens! It was totally reassuring.)
— I felt comforted every step of the way and will be going back before the end of the year for the surgery in my other hand.
Thanks, Dr. M!

I am very grateful to have been referred to Dr Markison. He really took his time with me, reviewing both hands and long term issues. He does not push surgery. We discussed various options, a few which I have tried. I saw him recently for a cortisone shot and I’m already feeling better! He clearly has an interest in how I take care of my very valuable hands. I certainly know where to go if I need further help!

Basically what everyone else says. Really amazing doctor. I’ve already referred two people to him, and would do it again.

Dr. Markison is a true healer, clearly an expert and beyond that, keenly interested in his work, and enhancing the human essence, translated into manual dexterity.
I have been a patient of his off an on for over 10 years, starting when I tore the tendons in both wrists in a car accident. Conservative and pinpoint knowledgeable care retrieved full function then.
Heavy labor over the years brought me back for other reasons, and every time I knew I was getting his full attention, and the best options for my needs. And every time I was brought back to either full or better functionality than before.
Further, Dr. Markison has an open mind, and if an alternative therapy or modality works, or might work, he is willing to study it and implement it.
He is willing to have ideas, and discuss yours without evident judgement. I never felt I was asking a stupid question. (Not because they weren’t in fact stupid, because they well may have been… but because Dr. Markison was open to discussing them, and studying up on them and reporting back on his findings.)
His commitment to the result makes him refreshingly ego-​less, which is not a characteristic of many surgeons. (My husband recently did have to have surgery, and while prepping, I noted that Dr. Markison took time to greet every one of the surgical nursing staff by name, and make personal detailed inquiries about them as well. He clearly knew and respected his team, they knew and respected his in return and all of that showed in the excellent result.)
I have usually been disappointed in the medical profession, with Doctors that seem more interested in deciding what code they can assign to the visit so they can call the 5 minute session a complex visit justifying 6 different billings. That most definitely is NOT Dr. Marksion.
If the use of your hands is at all important to you, and if you are having issues/​concerns with them, go to Dr. Markison.

Dr. Markison is a genius. I am a violinist and a neuropsychologist who works with him at St. Mary’s Medical Center. I have recurring tendonitis, and he spent 90 minutes with me, helping me with learning how to use Dragon Naturally Speaking, and to take Liquid Qunol. I am so much better, it is amazing. He spent so much time with me, and was so helpful and kind. He is a brilliant, talented, amazing doctor who saved my career!!!