When my spine doctor initially recommended I try to make an appointment with Jason Attaman for a bilateral nerve ablation, I vividly remember the hesitation in his voice. In fact, I recall him speaking the word "hesitant" in the same sentence as Attaman's name. My spine doctor mentioned two other clinics, but he said I could probably get an appointment sooner with Attaman than with the other two; he was right. The other two clinics were scheduling months out, so against my better judgment, I contacted Attaman's office.
The initial appointment in September 2021 was easy to set up, and as I look back on it, I question the reason for the appointment. It was by video, and I learned very little other than that Attaman wanted me to get a second diagnostic nerve block (I had already had blocks on both sides) before he would do the ablation.
From September through December 2021 on, communication with Attaman's office was a nightmare. God forbid I should miss a call from them while I was at work or wait a day to respond to an email they sent in the late afternoon, because it would take weeks to get back in touch with them. I suspect most of Attaman's patients, like me, are in considerable pain. The communication difficulties, under those circumstances, were agonizing for me. Every communication, in particular with "Jiji" would require multiple calls, voicemails, emails, and emails to others in the office to try to get her to respond. Aside from one medical assistant named Mina, it was almost as though Attaman's office didn't want me as a patient.
Eventually, three months after the initial appointment, Attaman performed the procedure, but only on one side, despite his office telling me he'd do both sides in the same appointment. So, two months after my nerve ablation on one side, I had the pleasure of dealing with his office to schedule the other side. That procedure ended up happening in February 2022.
So I had two separate procedures with Attaman. Did they work to relieve my pain? Not at all. If anything the pain was worse even months after the procedures. Does this mean Attaman did a bad job with the procedure? I have no idea. However, with any other doctor, I would have gone back and discussed the results and tried to figure out next steps. This sounds dramatic, but dealing with Attaman's office was so traumatizing, there's no way I would see him again.
Also, although I don't think personal attacks are helpful, and each person experiences others differently, suffice to say, for me personally, I was put off by Attaman's bedside manner.
In the fall of 2022, I requested that Attaman's records for me be sent to my doctor's office. They didn't send them. Surprise! Eventually my new doctor's office called them, reached someone, and got the records. When she talked to me about dealing with Attaman's office, I could hear the frustration in her voice.
I had largely forgotten about Attaman until December 2022 when I received a bill from him for $600. I noticed that the visit dates were wrong on the bill so I called his office in mid-December and left a voicemail for "Jackie." Can you guess what happened? Yep, no return call. So at the beginning of February 2023 (still no return call), a year and five months after my first appointment with Attaman, I just sent him a check. Two weeks later I got another bill. I called Attaman's office (haha, yes I'm a glutton) and chose the option for calls from other physicians. When I told them what I needed, I was transferred again to the mysterious Jackie. There was no way I was leaving another voicemail for this person who had been ignoring my first voicemail for a month and a half. I called again on the physcian's line and demanded to know whether my check had been received. The person on the other end was able to confirm receipt within one minute of me calling.
Dear god, let me forget Attaman's name! If I could go back, I would absolutely have waited to schedule with one of the other clinics/providers. So should you. read more