Jacob P. Schwarz's Online Review Report Card

The desk staff are lazy, rude, and incompetent. They mess up appointments, will lie just so they don't have to do their jobs and tell you to call this number or that just to call and find out they have zero bearing on setting up the appointment and the desk staff were just giving the run around. It shouldn't be this difficult to set up an appointment especially since it's already been approved by insurance, the doctor and referring doctor. They need to replace the entire office staff.

I had a physical therapy evaluation done Monday at Vanderbilt for my neck (cervical spine) issues from a whiplash injury. My file also included a PT recommendation from a doctor who evaluated cysts on my wrists and placed me on the EDS spectrum.The practitioner unfortunately caused harm and injury to my dominant hand. She physically forced my thumb all the way down to my wrist (after I could only do it so far due to increased stiffness) (stating this is an diagnosis marker for EDS, a hyper mobility genetic disorder). I was not asked for consent or given warning prior to this. She just grabbed my thumb and twisted it down. I was alarmed as even my Rheumatologist didn't touch me to evaluate hyper mobility (the movement is patient-led) and practitioners know that we shouldn't overstretch ourselves because our soft tissue (joints and ligaments) are more compromised than a non-EDS person.I cried in pain and corrected her that I was crying because of the movement she forced on me (when she stated my neck pain was a result of a heightened nervous system response). She apologized and towards the end of the appointment got me an ice pack.Her post-visit report leaves out any hints of accountability and only mentioned that ice was needed for thumb pain/EDS. I have not been able to use my dominant hand for basic things like brushing my teeth and drinking water since Monday. The pain radiates to my arm and it is very painful to type this message.This is the closest thing I've experienced to physical abuse in a medical setting. I have flashbacks and crying episodes that keep me from sleeping and staying asleep.As a self-paying patient, I walked in to seek treatment and walked out with physical and psychological harm.I hope that a supervisor can contact me soon via the patient portal as requested. It is important that:1) the visit report is corrected to show accountability for the harm done + delete reference to "subjective pain" (i.e., gaslighting), and2) a referral is made for a second opinion on my neck treatment, and the previous practitioner is disciplined and re-trained on EDS-safe practices and patient consent; and3) a referral is made to treat and evaluate the damage done to my hand, even if it's "just" soft-tissue related.Thanks in advance for contacting me via the patient's portal, and for your commitment to patients' physical and psychological safety as per 'Do No Harm'.

The Vanderbilt Spine Center has been absolutely wonderful to me. In October 2021, I fell and as a result of that fall, I broke my neck. Dr Zuckerman and his team literally saved my life. He was so patient and thorough in explaining everything to not only me but my family as well. My mom has some early dementia and he recorded what he was saying on her phone so that she would be able to play it back and remember what he said. He also make sure to put pictures of my imaging on her phone and again, recorded his explanation of those. That meant the world to her and me as well. My follow up visits with him have been wonderful and every staff member that I have come in contact with has been friendly and professional. I have had several forms to be completed and I have received these in a very timely manner. I would definitely recommend them 100%!!!

Kayla Hines are not doing what they need to be doing to get me well and keep me able to work. They have not even gave me a plan for my Spine that have so many issues going on. They don't even tell you how bad the MRI's are showing. You figure it out on your own or at Pain Management. I have heard over and over there is nothing to support that pain or condition on the scans. Then find out later when you get the scanstscans andrand and research it, YES there is support. I am not lying to them. I am 53 years old. I want to be able to hike, go on vacation with my Grandkids. I WANT TO GET UP AND WALK. I have wastedm time with these 2 non caring no answer so called doctors. Now I am at a loss and don't know what to do, who to see. All I want is to get better. DO NOT SEE Kayla Hines.

I have had pain in my lower back for many decades. However, I met Dr. Yang who was wonderful❗️He introduced me to My blessing Dr. Abtahi. He is my Surgeon. This man ( with God’s help) did a spinal fusion on me and the day of my surgery the pain was gone ‼️ I walked a flight of steps that same day‼️ He’s wonderful as well. I just can’t thank him enough. Thank You Lord for blessing me with this wonderful skilled man. His gift is nothing short of AMAZING 🙏🏾♥️🙏🏾

I sat there waiting in the waiting room for over an hour walked back up finally and asked the girls it was I supposed to have a pager she laughed said I forgot to check you in so when I finally got in after another hour the doctor came in there started to jump on me and say you're 30 minutes late we run a tight schedule here I said no ma'am I've been here 45 minutes early the girl forgot to check me in after that it went great she was really knowledgeable but I didn't appreciate all everything from the beginning

Very difficult to get through to the actual spine center. Calls go through centralized call center. Good luck getting a call back. Try another option. There are several where patient care is a priority. Awful experience going on since Feb. gave up. Glad I did. Turns out there were other options than the surgery we were told was required. Dodged a bullet. Always get 2nd opinion.

Dr Byron Stephens didn’t even read my history before making a decision about my case. He couldn’t have because I hadn’t finished it. He claimed he couldn’t read my scan and that I needed another one. Funny how the trained Radiologist and my referring doctor could read it just fine. He said unless I was dropping things I didn’t need surgery. In my history I had put I had started to drop things. He apparently can’t read written words either. What a waste of my time. No wonder Vanderbilts orthopedic department doesn’t rank very highly. If you have a choice go to Cleveland clinic or Mayo clinic or even Emory if you need to go to an institution near Nashville. They rank much higher and Emory’s doctors are much more thorough. Dr Stephens was a dud. Go to a Neurosurgeon at least.

My wife fell and fractured her back In Clarksville where we live. Ambulance would not take her to Vanderbilt and took her to Tennova (AKA To-No-Go). Following discharge instructions to see a specialist I called the clinic and was told they would not see her because she was not seen at the Vanderbilt ER. I must be honest and say I do not understand this policy. We have always seen Vanderbilt doctors for anything that requires a specialist and have always been extremely satisfied. Our only choice would be to go to their emergency room then they would see her. Makes no sense and also would take longer to see the specialist and also a waste of ER resources not to mention the additional cost for us. Severely disappointed in Vandy this time.

It was very inconvenient for getting a parking space close enough to get my husband in from the car because he uses a walker and is connected to an oxygen tank that I have to roll by hand and I am 76yrs old.