Dr. Ruth and Erica are amazing. They saved my fingers!!!! After an accident and a poor wound cleansing in the ER, I ended up with MRSA. Thought I was going to lose my hand. Thanks to Dr Ruth, after multiple surgeries, my hand and fingers are all in tact. read more

Dr. Rives is a great hand surgeon. I highly recommend coming here and the x-ray technician here is hilarious. I definitely think that Dr.Rives sees many patients every day and he is always nice. He does have a script when he says hello but he makes sure that his patients are recovering well and he does an all around good job. The support staff are also very good and so are the ladies in reception. read more

Associated Hand Surgeons - Reception desk - Orthopedists Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I would not recommend to work here at all. They don't care about their employees and don't train. The lady in the front desk like to look up patients and find social medias and I'm pretty sure that's a HIPPA violation, right? read more

Dr. Bherman is great. The scheduling system definitely needs some revamping. I waited 2+ hours and for my scheduled FaceTime appointment I was rescheduled twice because they were overbooked and overwhelmed with appointments. read more

I ended up going to Associated Hand Surgeons after I injured myself trying to cut an avocado and the blade sliced across the back of my hand on the knuckle, severing a tendon. I was currently 7 months pregnant and they got me in for my surgery and took care of me. They managed to do my surgery with local aesthetics and prescribed Tylenol for the pain. After some physical therapy, I have complete use of my hand. They are all so nice and professional and Dr. Berhman did great! My scar from the surgery isnt bad at all. Wonderful people and absolutely recommend them if you need help with a problem with your hand read more

Associated Hand Surgeons - Orthopedists Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

They are the best! If you injure your hand, see them right away. My doctor was Dr. Rives. The best. The staff at AHS is great too! I injured my thumb (cut of my entire thumbnail) and went to Cottage Emergency. The "hand specialist" doctor at Cottage did a great stitching me up. At the Emergency I could tell he didn't want to be there. But, after that, he didn't want to do any more work on my hand. He would have, but he was so uninterested in doing any other work, it was pathetic and noticeable. Have him stitch you up, but then go to AHS. Dr. Rives was at first unsure if my injury would heal. But, he said, "I never say never." My thumb is healing and just got the last pin removed today. I don't feel like AHS tried to milk the job, maybe a tad. But, the main point for me is they were not quick to go to surgery. They gave my thumb a chance to heal on its own. And it did. Dr. Rives watched it and explained how to keep it healing. He was easy to ask questions and easy in response. A great doctor. ** Side note = both Cottage Dr and Dr. Rives said they were not sure my injury would heal on their own. But, Cottage Dr was wanting to do surgery. Even suggesting I cut my big toe off and replace my entire thumb. Even Dr. Rives thought that was way too extreme. Dr. Rives gave my body a chance to heal on its own, and it did. He didn't just want to go to surgery. That's how doctors should be!!! I see Dr. Rives in a month, not in two weeks, like usual. So, he sees its healing and have passed the point I need to see him so often. Again, he's not milking the job. I cannot say enough how glad I am to have found Associated Hand Specialist, especially Dr. Rives. He let my body heal on its own, avoided surgery, and is just a plain great doctor who knows his stuff. If you ever injure your hand, get to Associated Hand Specialist as fast as you can! They will get you healed the correct way! read more

The front office staff is nice and professional. However the scheduling needs work. I waited over an hour for my appointment, and had to leave before even seeing the doctor. I have made an appointment elsewhere, where I know my time will be respected. Also if you are chemically sensitive don't go here. They use some sort of very strong air freshener that's absolutely overpowering. read more

Dr. Rives and his entire staff are fantastic. Michelle at the front desk was friendly and personable, Angela the x-Ray tech was knowledgeable, quick and very kind as well. Dr. Rives himself is probably the most honest doctor I have ever spoken to. I fell about 6 weeks ago and broke my finger. He told me I had three options, and that surgery was probably the worst idea. It was so refreshing for a doctor to NOT want to force a procedure just to be doing something. The entire appointment took less than an hour, including x-rays. I highly recommend this office and Dr. Rives and I don't normally do reviews. read more

Had carpal tunnel workers comp surgery with Dr Rives without a glitch.all appointments leading up to surgery were fast and effective, including the attempt at dealing with the symptoms without surgery. Great place, staff and Drs. read more

Giving Dr. Behrman a "one star" for a review for an attentive quality doctor is being generous. He may be a decent hand surgeon but without a doubt he is an extremely disassociated surgeon. He performed my first hand surgery (as I would absolutely never allow him to do my other hand) & the first night after my surgery, he was the "on call" doctor but would not take my call & only allowed his PA to "deal with my issues". I was terribly sick from the pain killers & did not know what to do. He would not take my call. After I could not take the opioids for pain, as they made me so sick, he prescribed 800mg of ibuprofen 3 times a day. To simplify this review, I was admitted to ICU as my blood count went from a normal 13 to a dire 8. I was bleeding out & was in ICU & administered two units of blood. When I finally saw him many weeks later & I told him what had happened ... he said "that's too bad". Bottom line, I do not care how great an actual surgeon he may be, but he is an absolutely uncaring & disconnected surgeon. I clearly would never ever seek him out ever again. read more

This is a review of Dr. Adam Rives who works at Associated Hand Surgeons in Santa Barbara, CA. I'm sure there are good doctors at AHS, but I didn't get one. I have a trigger thumb & sore wrist (painful!). I was recommended to Associated Hand Surgeons by a person at the urgent care I went to. The doctor I asked for was not taking new patients, so I was given over to Dr. Adam Rives. He gave me 2 options - surgery or cortisone injection. I chose cortisone as I have had wrist problems before and it worked well. These shots hurt and need to be administered carefully and gently. Dr. Rives came in (too) soon after I'd had the numbing agent and hurriedly gave me the shot. He was not at all careful or concerned for my comfort (Others I've been to have been measured, gentle and slow, plus the numbing agent was given time to work). He put the needle in hard and then pushed the cortisone in super fast. I cried out and immediately felt faint and sick. My thumb went numb, turned completely WHITE and swelled. I went into an immediate hot then cold sweat and had to put my head between my legs so I wouldn't pass out. I was there for half an hour like that before I could even hobble out, and then had to sit in my car for another 20 minutes before I could even think about driving. Dr. Rives seemed detached and made me feel like I was just a job he didn't want to do. I will not follow up with him in a month as he suggested. OR EVER. To add insult to injury, I had major facial flushing the next morning from the shot, which never happened before. If you go here, please research the doctors carefully before you make your choice. This guy shouldn't even be on your list of considerations. read more

It is rare that one finds an orthopedic doctor's office where they genuinely care about your injury and do their best to get you in to see one of their doctors as soon as they can. I fell off of a treadmill and broke my distal radius bone and immediately went into shock and knew something was very wrong. The pain was unimaginable. This happened on Saturday so of course I went to urgent care and was put in a splint and then proceeded to go to a previous orthopedic doctor's office where they tried to reset my bone, casted me and weren't able to get me on the schedule for surgery for over a week. I was referred to Associated Hand Surgeons at which time I called on a Friday morning and was able to be in the Santa Barbara office within a couple of hours. Dr. Rives actually could have operated on me that afternoon however I had driven myself there and would not have been able to drive myself home. I scheduled the surgery for the following Monday morning and I am recovering very well and I'm not even one month post-op. I continue to see him every couple of weeks to see how I'm progressing and because I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do which is resting, icing, compressing and elevating, my recovery is really going well. I start occupational therapy next week and again, I highly recommend Associated Hand Surgeons to anyone that has a hand or wrist injury. This office is top notch!! read more

Dr Berhmann was wonderful surgeon. Glenn was great! But WHY am I listening to everyones medical issues, requests with these ladies on the phone. Isn't this a HIPPAA issue? Can't they be in back? I have heard about medications, attorneys, referrals, requesting Doctor records etc. This is really crazy that I can hear this? On top of it, why is the wait 30 minutes ++ every time, if you spend extra time with patients, maybe schedule bigger blocks of time, seeing less patients. read more

My daughter broke her hand while we were out of state and I needed a consult from Dr Ruth's office. They were so accommodating and went above and beyond to work with the emergency room to form a plan. They were able to get her in the next day for surgery. From the person who answered the phone, to everyone in their office, to the physicians assistant to the Dr Ruth himself I cannot say enough nice things about how they handled my situation. Even once we got in there they treated my daughter so kindly when she was really scared. They helped me take a really crappy situation and make it positive. I don't write very many reviews but this really deserved a good one. read more

First off I want to say thank you for getting my son in on short notice to have his arm placed in a cast. All of the staff were friendly and the office has a general great vibe. Erika Carleton was amazing with my son and Dr. Behrman did a fantastic job. I would not hesitate to recommend this office. Thank you! read more

Dr. Montgomery has the worst bedside manner I've ever experienced. I was also surprised that he would suggest surgery without even taking x-rays of a fracture that was reset in the ER...how can you come to a clinical judgement and suggest surgery without looking at a fracture after force was applied to it? Then he acted like he couldn't be bothered to answer any of my questions about surgery and literally spent about 2-3 minutes in the room with me before rushing out and then billing my insurance almost $500 for that shitty "consultation". When I decided to see if I could meet with a different surgeon in the practice I was told that the doctors don't "share" patients and explained that I didn't feel comfortable preceding with surgery with Dr. Montgomery and requested to see Dr. Ruth instead. I was told that he was very busy and would look over my chart and then decide if he would take me on as a patient. The office said that they would let me know, yet I never even received a call back. read more

Like everyone else has said, their front desk staff is really rude. Had the same experience as Keith where I wasn't even acknowledged upon walking up. I had to just wait in awkward silence till someone finally decided to ask me what I needed. This occurred during my first visit. I came to see Dr. Montgomery, who was pretty friendly, although he seemed busy and didn't really stick around long. He referred me to another specialist for some testing. Unfortunately that specialist didn't take anymore blue shield patients, so I had to look up another one through blue shield. I played a long game of phone tag with Victoria, the lady in charge of referrals, and after a few failed attempts to get in contact with the doctors I told her about, she told me I had to come pick up the paperwork and get it figured out myself. She wouldn't even take another phone number, and basically rushed me off the phone. Basically their customer service sucks, but hey what's new in this country? read more

I started having issues with my hands going numb and I was referred here. So far everyone has been fantastic and there has been progress with each visit. The staff has been super accommodating and friendly. Also, the receptionists are on point. read more

Everyone on staff so far has been pleasant and professional, as has Dr. Ruth. As with any office the doc is in and out fairly quickly, but if you show up to an appointment with questions he will take the time to answer them. Dr. Ruth performed my endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery and everyone made the experience very comfortable. I'm now 3 months post-op and the hand is feeling great! read more

Receptionist staff all have attitudes and don't give you the time of day. They don't even acknowledge you when you walk up to the front desk. I have been to this office for Dr Berman 3 times. The first visit I waited for 3 hours after having fasted for 15 hours. After showing my dissatisfaction with them, my second appointment I was seen instantly. I am currently sitting in their office waiting yet again. I've been sitting in their waiting room for the past hour and still no sign I'll be going in any time soon. This office seriously needs to improve their customer service and scheduling. Waiting for over an hour for a simple 10 minute appointment is ridiculous. On a good note, the physician assistants are all very nice and quick to get things done. read more

I have been in the hand rehab world for 20+ yrs and have seen the patients for surgeons up and down the west coast from San Diego to San Francisco. This is my go to team when anyone asks and where I have sent my fellow therapists. I also went here for treatment myself with a great outcome. Can't say enough great things about them. For those who complain about the wait I'd merely say that if you find yourself in a clinic where there isn't a wait time you should wonder why. No one wants to eat at the empty restaurant and some things are worth the wait. Also, they're surgeons and emergencies/complications happen that can always affect the schedule. When it comes down to getting the best to fix something that needs their skill level you are in great hands. read more

I went to see Dr. Ruth for a hand issue. Today I was lucky enough to have him give me my cortisone shot in my thumb. PAINLESS!! His nurse's Erica was on vacation. She's given me my shots before, kudos to her!! She's a keeper!! Would have no problem recommending Dr Ruth anytime. Absolutely LOVE the doctors BOWTIES!! read more

I highly recommend Dr. Ruth and his staff. When my two year old son broke his arm they were able to get him into the Santa Barbara office on a Friday before the weekend. Everyone was kind, courteous and professional. We had our follow-up appointments at the Santa Ynez office and again everyone was exceptional. The receptionist's, the nurses, the X-ray tech and Dr. Ruth were all amazing!! Hopefully we don't have anymore broken bones in our family but if we do we will absolutely be going back to Dr. Ruth! read more

I guess common courtesy, professionalism, problem solving or sympathy towards patients are not in their vocabulary. Westside Clinic referred me to AHS. I called to make an appointment, gave them all relevant information which of course included me reading verbatim from my insurance card the type of insurance I had. Made my appointment for 2 almost 3 weeks later, came in today, and upon inspection of my insurance card- oh we don't take this type of insurance. Really? That would have been useful information 3 weeks ago... Called Blue Cross and sure enough, this group not in my network. I asked the receptionist if I could speak to the office manager, just to say it would be helpful in the future if you reiterate to your staff the importance of double checking/confirming this simple question. She said sure, another receptionist who said she answered my call said I told her I had Blue Shield. I said very doubtful as I always have my card on hand and let them know everything they need. She then said Westside Clinic told them Blue Shield, and basically argued with me about who said what, rather then saying, I apologize for the inconvenience, anything that would show an ounce of concern that I had basically wasted my morning, and yes, still in pain. Am I wrong to calmly ask for everyone to take a moment to cross their t's and dot their i's? Apparently there's some weird culture of healthcare receptionists who haven't a clue how to speak to patients. I called Westside Clinic, asked why they would have referred me to doctors who weren't in my network, considering they make a copy of my card every time I go them, and if they would kindly double check to make sure they're referring to the proper doctor. The woman who answered at the call center at Westisde Clinic, goes on of course mentions nothing about the inconvenience, then resolves to blame ME for not double checking when I made the appointment if what Westside Clinic gave the correct info, what? I didn't know I had to double check a scheduler's job? Isn't that that person's JOB to make sure they place me with the right network? I don't know if there's a shortage of competent people in this town who can perform basic tasks like making appointments, but lesson learned for me- don't assume these high school grads know how to READ... read more

First off, I think Dr. Ruth and PA Erica are both very competent and professional. I would recommend going to them if one were able to see them without the Associate Hand Surgeons front staff. Without fail, the reception staff has been rude and dismissive. This has happened over 4 office visits and another 8+ phone calls. I'm not sure what their problem is, but if there is an office manager I truly hope they see these multiple reviews and address this problem. Despite the expertise by the doctors, I'm hesitant to recommend this company simply because dealing with the front staff is such a distasteful experience. Try calling sometime. Chances are you will be rushed to go on a lenghthy hold, then interrupted and sent to voicemail if you have a question. read more

After 31 years as a firefighter I needed several repairs ! I had 20 orthopedic surgeries , Associated hand surgeons did 9 They did a great job ! The front desk staff is awesome !!! If your hurting they get you in , the nurses ? Top notch ! fellow Veteran X-ray tech - great Doctors and OR staff the best They are a credit to their professions read more

First thing I noticed when I checked in was the very friendly staff that treated me with kindness and exceptional quality as I was waiting to see the doctor. I had pains in my arm and they were able to pinpoint the issue and were able to find the source of my pains. The quality of their commitment to help and make you feel welcomed was very well felt. The staff and doctors worked hard to find the issues I had and were the reason I have to recommend them. They are great and I appreciate their help in making me feel better. read more

Don't waste your time, because he just doesn't care about you in any way shape or form. He is overbooked for every minute of the day and after you wait 45 to 1.5 to be seen, it will be like pulling teeth to get any information from him. He will allow you to ask questions but will answer in a condescending way. So instead of being informed and educated on why you are hurt or in pain, you leave with more questions than you started with. Had he shown any interest or compassion I might feel different, but he just sat there and stared then replying with his flippit answers. I have just made a appointment with another Doctor, who hopefully will give me the information I waited so long for. As I write this, I know Dr. Montgomery could care less about his reputation or how he offends people with his rudeness. Repeat....do not waste your time, he won't think twice about you. read more

Dr. Rives is amazing. He is extremely concerned with my well being and explains all options in detail. I have received some injections from him as well as a complex surgery on my thumb and wrist. Everything went perfect! I highly recommend him and his staff. Everyone is kind and professional. His p.a. Alisa is also incredible. I would recommend Dr. Rivas to everyone! I know that I am in great and secure hands with him and his entire office staff! read more

Husband had fingers ripped off by a drill at work and was sent here for surgery and follow up. Dr Rives refuses to treat with pain meds after a traumatic injury and that is bad medicine to allow a patient to continue experiencing pain. The Receptionists were even shocked that he was being sent home with an anti-inflammatory and nothing more for the actual pain of having your fingers ripped off your body. Not all patients should be treated the same as people feel differently with their pain and not everyone is a drug addict. Its not OK. read more

I visited the Associated Hand Surgeons as a patient of Dr. Robert Ruth on Marc 14th 2019. I was very pleased with the reception I received at the front desk. Everybody was very pleasant and helpful. I was called by Greg, the X-ray technician, who helped me with the new patient questionnaire. After and X-ray of my hand, I was seen by Dr. Ruth who was very caring and gentle. He suggested, after seeing my X-rays, that a cortisone injection may help or the other solution could be surgery. He suggested that I should think about it. I was very pleasedwith his suggestion. I went home and decided the injection would be my first choice. I made an appointment today to have that done. I was very impressed with everything and I highly recommend this practice to those in need of a hand surgeon. read more

I take my wife to their office in Santa Barbara about every other week. The Doctors are great, but the reception staff are rude as hell. They slam our paperwork on the counter and constantly roll their eyes at us when we have a question. Being a retired Army Soldier and a business owner, I would really recommend replacing these people. Just after spending 10 minutes in your office with them ends up ruining my whole day. read more

Had 2:00pm first appt. with Dr. Behrman. I arrived early to complete the necessary paperwork. When he finally entered the room at 2:50, he did not introduce himself nor the other staff member lurking near the door. He started with "what brings you here." I told him that before we began, I felt compelled to tell him that a 50 min wait without explanation was unacceptable. He mumbled a dissmisive "well, we get busy sometimes. Let's talk about what wrong with your hands." He apparently hadn't reviews my chart or the xrays. Wrong. My time is just as valuable as his. If he had given a sincere apology, I would have proceeded. But he didn't, so I told him I'd find another hand doctor, and walked out. In my opinion, Doctors (and other professionals) get away with making us wait unreasonably because we let them. Sometimes we have no choice. But I do have a choice, so I choose to pass on the Associated Hand Surgeons. read more

Well, when my wife's finger got crushed at work she was referred to these guys through her military insurance because they didn't have a specialist on base to take care of the finger. Unfortunately, this guy doesn't seem to be a specialist either. I don't give out one star reviews lightly because it takes a whole lot of bad to crush my glass half full kind of view of establishments, so here's why I would like the Yelp world to know about the terrible service here and avoid the same experience that we had. On her first visit, after the accident the "specialist" grabbed her finger, which was sliced almost completely off at the tip, moved it around roughly, and dismissed her almost immediately after telling her she was fine. The nail, sill attached at a tip "would eventually come off" he went on to tell her and when she asked about stitching the gash or about the floating pice of bone that had detached itself in the accident he responded with "it'll heal on it's own." A FLOATING PIECE OF BONE HEAL ON ITS OWN! Idk about the rest of humanity but apparently my wife now has the super human ability to RE-grow bone tissue. I have never in my adult life met such a worthless person. This man must have graduated from Kellogs Medical School and received his degree in a SPECIAL K cereal box. read more

I went to see Dr Ruth about a month after being diagnosed with an ulnar neuropathy by my neurologist who warned me to be compliant with his recommendations in order to avoid having hand surgery. The reason I saw Dr Ruth was at my physical therapist's recommendation to get guidance about the appropriate brace I should be using. My initial impression was that the office clerks were rude. I was given the expected paperwork to fill out, but writing was very difficult for me. I had a long wait in the office, but still hadn't finished the paperwork so the assistant filled it out for me. This made me wonder why they even had me try. Dr Ruth put me in a huge brace for 6 weeks. Upon return visit with rude staff and long wait, Dr Ruth asked me if I wanted surgery without giving me any explanation or recommendations on what to consider in making my decision. When I said no to surgery he shook my hand and left the room. I had to raise my voice to get his attention about future recommendations ( he was clearly finished with me since I didn't "want" surgery). He told me to continue with the horrible brace at night time. As it turns out that brace caused me to sustain a rotator cuff injury that has been very painful, put me on LOA from work and is requiring surgical repair. I managed to avoid hand surgery to repair my ulnar nerve thank goodness, but am in worse shape than I was prior to seeing Dr Ruth. Not at all a good experience to say the least. I cannot recommend Dr Ruth or his office staff. read more

Waited 70 minutes and decided to bail out. Rescheduled for future date. While the wait is annoying, the real issue is the lack of communication that the doctors are running behind. At check-in we were told that it'd be a few minutes vs. having the reality of the schedule communicated with us. We found the front desk staff to be pleasant and helpful in rescheduling. read more

If my review were based solely on the excellence of the medical staff in the OR and the good work done by Dr. Ruth, it would have been five stars. I had CTS surgery performed in 2014 on one hand and was so happy with the surgical staff that I returned two days later to bring them a group gift. When I called about a year later to schedule a new appointment for my other hand, I ran into one rude, unprofessional and obstructionist action after the next by the front office staff. I was already aware of the culture of rudeness on the part of reception and it was so pervasive that I had to realize it was not only sanctioned by, but likely also promoted by Dr. Ruth. You can't have your people behaving like that all day every day and not be aware of it. In fact, the staff were instructed to not even schedule appointments with Dr. Ruth until they personally checked with him. I was informed by the office manager of a local cardiologist that this was an effort to sift out patients with what Ruth might consider insufficient insurance coverage, of which I am not one. However, no matter how long I held on the phone, or how many calls I made to supervisors and even to the surgery center downstairs, I could not succeed in making an appointment with him. At some point I no longer wanted to try and when one of the office managers finally returned my call I was not interested in taking it. Dr. Ruth is in mid-career in a much sought-after specialty and is focused on creating the highest possible profit for his practice. As a patient you will suffer from this approach and though it may not be medically-related suffering, it is still very unpleasant nevertheless. I need the surgery and will have it with a highly rated physician not associated with Ruth's group, and I can assure you he will not even mind that he lost my business. read more

Part II -Saved By Loretta but Only Marginally Her gracious apology for our wait is good customer service. Thank you, Loretta. Dr. Montgomery, patients like to see you wash your hands before you treat them. You were speedy and we appreciate that. We'd appreciate less than near 120 minutes in your office for a treatment time amounting to all of 10 minutes. read more

Well, I've had a long relationship with Associated Hand Surgeons (their SB office). I went there several years and was misdiagnosed with tendinitis, did physical therapy and everything. Another doctor discovered it was just a cyst irritating my wrist. I've been a regular patient for my fight with de Quervains tendinitis (yes, actually tendinitis this time!) for the last two years. I've had two surgeries; still in recovery for the second. Try all options before you go down the surgical road!! First: don't expect a very compassionate or caring environment. This office is very busy and you feel more like a number rather than a human. With the BRIEF time you do see your doctor, be on the offensive by being very clear with your symptoms so they get it, and don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions about your diagnosis and treatment. They may be rushing around, but it's your body and your money. Second: another reviewer is right about the reception staff. They are not friendly. At all. Don't let it get to you though! All of us patients are in it together :) Lastly: if you are told to get therapy at the hand therapy center, you're in luck! They are privately owned and operated, not affiliated with associated hand surgeons, but are in the same building. The ladies there offer superb service, are attentive and will make up in the care and compassion that may have been lacking upstairs! read more

Yes they are very busy, but what counts in the end is having a quality doctor/ surgeon. Highly recommend going here, great service and top-notch medical expertise. read more