Neurosurgery & Spine Specialists

I sought treatment at Neurosurgery and Spine Associates in February 2014 from Dr. Ryan Glasser for a herniated disc of the lumbar spine. As conservative treatment options had failed, I went to them for a surgical consultation. Based upon that consultation, I chose to undergo a microdiscectomy performed by Dr. Glasser at his practice’s outpatient surgical center. The difference between my pain level before surgery and after was truly astonishing; I wish I hadn’t waited so long to undergo the procedure!
Why 4 stars? Here are the Pros & Cons I experienced with this practice that lead to my rating:
Cons:
— Difficulty getting an initial appointment: all the surgeons in the practice seem to be booking out at least two months in advance; it’s largely due to their great reputation, but waiting in pain for an appointment can be challenging.
— Parking situation: this may seem small, but when you’ve got a problem with your spine & you spend 45 minutes circling the parking lot to find a space, only to get attitude from the front desk clerks when you arrive «late,» it’s frustrating. When they tell you they may have to reschedule you because of it, it’s downright maddening.
— Communication: Specifically, my referring provider was transferred to several different people when attempting to relay crucial clinical information regarding my case. It then became clear that whomever took my initial message had not listened to what I was saying. It’s a big practice, so I suppose communication issues are inevitable, but be aware of this in advance so that you can check to make sure you were understood.
Pros:
— Availability of minimally invasive surgical procedures; a surgeon (Dr. Glasser) who was attentive, knowledgeable, forthright, and payed attention to details, like infection control, at a level that was important for this type of surgery.
— Incredible staff at the surgical center. Truly some of the best, most considerate and compassionate nurses I have ever encountered. They really went out of their way to make me as comfortable as possible, despite having multiple patients to whom they needed to attend.
— The fact that the practice has its own surgical facility near its office makes for easier scheduling of one’s procedure, simpler billing/​insurance results, and likely faster time to the OR. (They do also operate at two local hospitals, when necessary.)
I found that the Pros largely outweighed the Cons and I would definitely recommend them to anyone in need of neurosurgical services.