The last thing you want to do when you are on vacation is tear your Achilles. But if you are like my husband, and have such an unfortunate experience, I hope you are in Seattle so you can be taken care of by the wonderful people at Seattle Orthopedic Center. They were super accommodating and got us in for a consultation right away. Everyone we met from the receptionist, to the doctors to the nurses, were all friendly and helpful. Dr. Reed was fantastic! He explained everything in detail and scheduled the surgery as soon as possible so my husband could get on the road to recovery and get back home. On the day of the surgery the anesthesiologist, physicians assistant, surgical nurse and of course Dr. Reed all met with us individually, introduced themselves to both my husband and me, gave us a thorough explanation of their role and the procedure, and did everything they could to make us comfortable. The surgery itself went well and we were given really clear instructions - verbally and in writing - about what we needed to do post surgery. Again we were met with kindess, humor or professionalism every step of the way. My husband keeps joking that we should visit SOC again. I like them but hope this is a one and done relationship! read more

They Refused to schedule an appointment I tried to schedule and appointment today ,not sure if they are too busy or just not accepting new patients, if thats the case say that first instead of wasting 15 min of my time collecting info Save time and go elsewhere read more

Got a hip preservation surgery done with Dr Downer. 5 stars for him and his careful approach to my surgery. Also consulted with Dr. Shafer and am very pleased with his approach to my back issues and making sure that my care path for the pain I was experiencing was fully understood. All the rest... needs work. My major complaints: 1: impossible to get my scheduler on the phone. Left voicemail after voicemail trying to get in touch, only after digging through old papers was I able to find a direct number that got me on the phone. The attitude of the people answering the phone is poor and caused unnecessary stress pre-operation. The scheduler was helpful once getting in contact, but it should not have been that difficult. 2: called 3 times (yes, 3) before my surgery to make sure they had tall crutches for me. I am a person of exceptional height and i made sure to call ahead of time to verify that crutches for me would be available and was blown off as if it was a stupid question. On the day of my surgery, they came in and said that they didnt have tall enough crutches for me. Had to buy some online and went home with a walker that's too small and now have to haggle with insurance to get my crutches. They were rude to my caretaker when they attempted to ask about the crutch situation as well. In general, the support staff acts like doing their job is an inconvenience. If you value a fully supportive care experience, it could be hit or miss here. I am extremely happy with my choice to work with Dr. Downer, but I have learned that his expertise comes at the price of flaky support staff. read more

Awful experience! waited 1 hour after my scheduled time to see the doc and it was a brusque rushed visit, no apologies. This was exactly what had happened the first time with this provider but I had forgotten about it. Stereotypical surgeon bedside manner, shook hands and then it was a whirlwind and over. I could see him stiffening when I started to ask a question. Probably because the outcomes of the procedure were not as expected? There was zero compassion. You just know when you don't want to go back to a provider because of their demeanor and this was one of those encounters. The front desk and MA were definitely more personable and interactive. And I agree, the one scheduler who answers the phone is likely overworked, but boy she was a ding-dong and rude to boot. The confirmation text message was for the wrong clinic! When I called back to check she was indifferent and unapologetic: well, 'our message system is wonky' sometimes! What?! I could have gone to the wrong clinic and missed my appointment altogether. Who hires and trains these people?? And...I am a medical provider myself, don't expect special treatment, but I like to be treated the way I treat my patients which is not in this manner. Humility should be the bedrock of the bedside approach, but providers like these give all docs a bad name. I apologize on behalf of this provider to patients and caregivers who have been been at the receiving end of such impersonal and condescending interactions with a doc. read more

### Review of Pro Alliance Surgeons in Seattle, Washington My experience with Pro Alliance Surgeons has been absolutely appalling. The office staff is incompetent, and the customer service is abysmal. Every time I called, I had to wait a minimum of 20-45 minutes just to speak with someone, whether it was to schedule an appointment, ask for records, or anything else. It didn't matter what day or time I called; the wait was always excessive. Other patients have echoed the same frustrations. This place is impossible to deal with. You can never get a scheduler on the phone, and their corporate policy on patient treatment is atrocious. I specifically requested my records be sent through the portal twice and even spoke with Christina to ensure they were sent to other providers. They promised they would send them, but they never did. To make matters worse, I had my records sent from an out-of-state surgeon via FedEx with a tracking number addressed to Christina, the office manager. Pro Alliance Surgeons in Seattle received the package and even signed for it by M. Daniels. Then the records got lost and were never uploaded to my chart. I ended up having to get the records sent to me personally and hand-deliver them. This place is essentially a cost-cutting, profit-driven nightmare. They are understaffed, unprofessional, and their primary concern seems to be nickel-and-diming patients rather than providing quality care. After constant battles with them, being put on hold, and not having my records forwarded, I decided to cancel my surgery and flew to Colorado to the Steadman Clinic. The Steadman Clinic is top-notch, responsive, and genuinely cares about their patients. After reading numerous negative reviews, I completely agree with everyone's complaints. The staff is rude, understaffed, and unprofessional. I did some research and discovered that the office manager was a bartender for 20 years before taking over the Ballard office. What experience does a bartender have in running a medical office? If they can only hire bartenders and not medical professionals, it speaks volumes about the type of organization they are. Clearly, other medical professionals do not want to be a part of this organization. In conclusion, I do not recommend Pro Alliance Surgeons to anyone. Stay away from them. Instead, consider the Steadman Clinic in Colorado for first-class service and care. read more

I had an 8:00 AM appointment that I had made two weeks in advance. I had an X-ray of my fractured thumb that was provided to them when I made the appointment. I arrived 20 minutes early. At 7:50 AM a very large bag arrived from Starbucks. It was carried into the back. At 8:00 I was escorted into a patient room. I sat there by myself for 30 minutes waiting for the Doctor. After 30 minutes of waiting I walked out to the front desk and asked for a refund. I am not sure how the doctor could be backed up with other patients by that point since I was likely the first appointment of their day at 8:00 AM. I never saw a Doctor, so I can't begin to comment on the level of care. I just know the low level of professionalism and disregard for the patients time is unacceptable. I think the Starbucks coffee took priority. I would not recommend. There are many other very good Orthopedic doctors in the Seattle area. read more

I had shoulder surgery here for a rotator cuff tear in July 2020, and it went fine. I have no problem with the doctors or front office staff. But the person who did my billing was awful. Pre-operation I had to get an MRI, and during surgery they put me under anesthesia. Orthopedic Specialists uses third party providers for these services, and the billing department never passed along my insurance to either. As a result, the provider that did the anesthesia billed me the entire amount without going through insurance first. When I called billing at Orthopedic Specialists, the lady I talked to was unsympathetic, didn't own the mistake, and told me my only recourse was to call the anesthesiologist office. I got that handled, which was a bit annoying, but tolerable. Then I had an issue with the imagining provider because they didn't even have my address to send me a bill, so I was tracked down by a collections agency! Again, the lady in billing at Orthopedic Specialists spent most of the time justifying her error and told me to contact the third party. After multiple back-and-forths with this provider, I still don't know what's going on, as I haven't received an EOB or bill yet. What's worse is that this whole situation has probably dinged my credit score. read more

(1) Note that all 11 docs listed on the web site are men. Not cool in 2022. Obviously they know better but want to keep it this way. (2) Note that if you had X-rays done elsewhere they tell you on the phone during scheduling that is okay. Then when you have had your x-rays sent over to them via the Swedish patient record system, they claim at your appointment that they cannot find those x-rays. When your original x-ray place confirms that they did send the x-rays, SOC claims oh they can only accept x-rays from elsewhere anyway unless they are brought on a CD (it is 2022, who know what a CD is?). "Sorry you were misinformed when you scheduled this appointment" -- what???? Then they tell you the only solution is to have new X-ray done by themselves (which of course generate extra money for them). Avoid this place. read more

I went into the Seattle Orthopedic Center yesterday, and met with Dr. Weil, a very nice and professional man. After speaking with him I was eager to proceed but then I went to sit down with the scheduling coordinator who went by the name of Danielle. While halfway through my paper work she asked me "Are you done yet?" While I was trying to look up previous doctors visits to give accurate information. Then, while helping me, she got up, walked away and went to chat with the previous patients in the lobby. I began to leave but then went back to check if we were done and told her that she seems "to be in a real hurry to get me out of here." Then I asked her if she needed anything else, she replied saying sharply "No that will be all." Her attitude with me was so curt and unnecessarily rude and completely unprofessional that it left me with a severe stress headache due to the anger I felt over being treated with such passive-aggressive animosity which let me know that Seattle Orthopedic Center is NOT a place of healing. If they tolerate this behavior then how can I trust them to cut me open? I am cancelling all of my seven future surgeries and I will never be going back. I'm not paying to be treated like dirt. Not one extra dime of my money will be going into Danielle's pocket. NOT! ONE! DIME! read more

It's unfortunate that a doctor is not just based upon his work, he is based also on his staff. And his staff have made me NEVER EVER want to step foot back into their office. Let's start with the fact that I'm new to Seattle, and needed to find a new doctor. Was referred to this office by a fellow patient. And I have been blessed with amazing orthopedics throughout my life. So the standard I hold for doctors is high. I had recently broken my elbow, and needed to see a doctor as soon as possible. So I called SOC and was immediately put on hold. It sincerely bothers me when someone at a call center picks up a line and automatically puts you on hold without bothering to ask if its okay to hold. Moving on I made an appointment for 3 days later as that was all that was available. They do have a free underground parking which is def a plus in a city like Seattle where parking can be so hard to find. Like most office's now a days be prepared to wait. I had an appointment at 3:30, and I did not see the doctor until 4:15. But after talking to the doctor I did like him. His name was Doctor Weil, he assessed my broken elbow and informed me of the procedures that I would have to do. I was then casted by a nurse and sent on my way. The next morning I woke up with NO feeling in my hand, my fingers were numb and stiff. SO I again called SOC and told them the problem. And they fit me in that day to get recasted. The reason for the recasting? The nurse had casted me to tight and had stopped the flow of blood to my hand. NEVER once an apology either. WHICH did bother me a little bit too, because this is more time I had to take off work to fix a problem that should never have occurred. Mistakes happen, so we get over it, and I did. NOW this is what ended my relationship with SOC. I had strict orders from doctor Weil to make sure I got my cast off 3 weeks later as to not have any problems with my elbow becoming overly stiff. AND I called to make another appointment to get my cast off. After talking to the receptionist for awhile and going over the need to get in as soon as possible she assured me if I drove to the other office in Ballard I could get that cast off on Friday. (it was currently a Wednesday) I quickly accepted this appointment. On Friday I again took time off work, and drove down to the office to find they were CLOSED!!!!! WHAT how could they be closed if I had a set appointment? AND NO I DID NOT MIX UP THE DAYS. Now you maybe thinking oh she made a mistake with the date of the appointment. HOWEVER I talked to the receptionist in detail about me coming down there in two days for my appointment. And she agreed with everything I was saying, EVEN made sure to tell me parking on Friday's can be very difficult. Needless to say I left their CLOSED office SO LIVID. Not only had they booked my appointment wrong, but I had wasted gas and my work time to drive down to closed doctors office. Sincerely frustrating. Upon the next business day I called the office and explained my headache and all they could do is shift the blame from one person to the next, and including trying to pin it on me OH NO YOU DON'T THIS IS NOT MY FAULT. And they were so rude to me. As if it was my fault because they had a mistake. I can be the most forgiving person alive, however if you don't even attempt to apologize that is wrong. I've worked in customer service all my life, you simply cannot treat people that way. And it has made me NEVER want to deal with an office as incompetent as this one. ALSO I told all this to doctor Weil upon him removing my cast and his reaction just summed up my already loud feelings. Which were simple HE DID NOT CARE. So I refuse to spend my hard earned money on a doctor who doesn't care about his patients. New or old. If you are looking for a doctor please heed my advice DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THEM. read more

Seattle Orthopedic Center - Cast that was wrapped so tight it had to be taken off because I had lost feeling in my hand. - Orthopedists Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Dear SOC, You fixed my ankle. You fixed my elbow. You sent me to a bomb-ass PT. You sent me to an incredible Spinal Surgeon. You also have The. Hottest. Doctors. On. The. Planet. 'Nuff said. xxo, Liana PS...wait times are 0-5 min, doctors are genuine, staff and p.a.s are amazing. PPS...free parking read more

I just had an appointment with Dr. Weil at the Ballard location (6/3/2020 at 11:45am), he was suggested by mother who has been a patient of his for some time. I would like to start by saying I am hoping I just came in on an off day. I got to my appointment on time. Paper work turned in. finished up the second set of paper work in the room. Dr. Weil didn't come in until 12:15. I can understand running late it happens. When Dr. Weil came in he seemed incredibly uninterested in what was happening with my hands almost like trying to just get done to move on to the next thing. I tried to explain I was in constant pain. We went through some basic movement tests. Then he has me hold my hands in a certain position for about 15-20 seconds. I let him know where it hurt while he wrote some notes down. I tried asking some questions and in a very roundabout way he did not answer any of them. He then said he was going to prescribe an anti-inflammatory, some sort of a hand physical therapy and we can follow up in 3 weeks to a month. Then said if it helps he doesn't even need to see me again. Next Dr. Weil stated I can go to the front desk and they will help you with the prescriptions which seemed odd to me especially for a PT referral. He walked out and that was the end. I have no clue or any better idea of why my hands are hurting so bad. Previously I had been told I could have minor Bi-lateral carpel tunnel but that was a year ago and was not confirmed. There was no suggestion of what could be wrong, why the pain could be worse, no sort of suggestion or even a guess as to what the issue was. I was not given a visit summery or told where I could get the information in a MyChart portal of some kind. Literally no documentation of the visit what so ever. I was feeling irrelevant to him as a brand new patient. More like a 9 minute time filler in his afternoon since that is about how long the appointment lasted. The medical assistant came in and said she would take my clip board and I asked where to go and she replied "out the way you came" and walked off. Thankfully I saw the lobby sign and went in that direction. I made my way to the front desk and let them know I needed to get my prescriptions. The gal at the desk was very confused and didn't know what I was talking about. So she called back to find out about the PT prescription and she repeated "oh he wrote it but didn't send it yet?" She then said if you want to have a seat we can get that for you. I waited and I needed to get back to work. I came back up to the counter and asked about the prescription she called again and they said he was off with another patient and would send it when he was done. At this point I just felt like this appointment was a waste of time and as a new patient I wasn't worth his time. I asked if they could email it to me and she said no but they could mail it due to not having secure email. I am standing right there and had been waiting. At this point I have no idea when it will arrive, no referral in hand and in a lot of pain still with no answers or even a guess. Next I asked about my anti-inflammatory prescription and she said they send it electronically. She said they are sending it to the QFC on Roosevelt. I did not even ever once mention that QFC. I had asked for the one on 145th and 15th not on Roosevelt. If there was confusion no one asked me they just assumed. Thankfully I was able to correct the pharmacy. At this point I am in tear at the reception counter. No answers, no paper work or summery in hand and just feel like I was rushed and not valued as a new patient. I left the office in tears and so upset. I am now home with no clue when I am going to get this PT referral via mail. I am so disappointed in the experience I just had and was left feeling invaluable as a patient. Also with nothing to show for this appointment. I took time out of work, had to request vacation time and was looking forward to my appointment that I had to book 3 weeks out. My mother had suggested him very highly and said he can help especially since I have been in so much constant pain with my hands. I understand that there is a lot going on in every ones world right now. That is why it is important to be aware of your actions and your words. You never can be certain of the impact it has on others. read more

I came to SOC for an ACL replacement. Dr. Franklin was kind, informative, helpful and all around a joy to have as a doctor. I trusted him fully before my surgery and now, a month out of surgery, I continue to trust him with my check ups and rehab analysis. My recovery has been quick and as painless as I can expect. The staff is incredibly friendly and scheduling a follow up appointment is as easy as it gets. I would recommend SOC and Dr. Franklin to anyone with knee troubles, they will sort you out! I would also say that Megan, the surgery scheduler, does a fantastic job at making patients (even first time surgery goers!) very comfortable and goes over every detail at length. I really enjoyed working with her. read more

They were helpful with my foot fracture. Gail the nurse practitioner was awesome. The X-ray guy is funny and cheerful.

Surgical infection from ACL procedure. Staff didn't take it seriously or let me come in until it was time to be hospitalized for five days. Multiple surgeries elsewhere to clean up their work and on IV antibiotics for months. I felt they were extremely arrogant and financially-motivated. Do your research and go to a place that provides and require antibacterial cleansing the night before (at a minimum). Their bottom line can't be bothered with doing the right thing for patients. I was honestly told by the surgeon that it ($2 wash and staff-training) is too high of a cost to reduce risk. Infectious disease doctor was appalled. I hope they change their practice. read more

I've been visiting the SOC for nearly two years due to an injured ankle. The team here takes great care of you! And I especially appreciate the care provided by Dr Mark Reed. He is thorough, caring, and knowledgeable. While I'm still undergoing treatment, the team has been quick to continue to pursue solutions and help coordinate care with other medical providers as needed (PT, imaging, etc.) I can't say enough good things about the people and the level of care I've received. Great location, cheerful & bright clinic, and free underground parking are just the icing on the cake! read more

I hardly ever write reviews but my experience here blew it out of the water. I was actually A bit nervous because I've never had surgery and just imagining it freaked me out. I had bunion surgery (and later on will have the other-side done as well.) From the front desk, nurses, anesthesiologist, staff, and Dr. Reed my first experience undergoing surgery couldn't have went more smoothly. I am glad I chose Dr. Reed and would trust him with any kind of surgery regarding feet or ankles. I forget the name of the Anesthesiologist but she did a top not job. What a great team! 110% recommend. read more

This is a great ortho group that I had visited before for my knee. I had high expectations for treatment by Dr. Weil. I saw him a year ago about my degenerated thumb joint which had become extremely painful. They did an Xray, and he said surgery was my only solution, but he would do a steroid injection at the joint to help. He did not do it under fluoroscopy, and missed the targeted area. My thumb then became painfully unusable. The problem was solved when I saw a different physician who did a PRP injection. My joint is still degenerated, but I can now use my thumb. I will continue to do PRP injections to postpone surgery as long as I possibly can. I just now spoke with my son, who had an identical experience with his thumb and Dr. Weil . Normally I wouldn't write a negative review, but I now feel terrible that I recommended this doctor to my son who will now have to seek out a different doctor for his care. read more

This was the worst medical experience in my 37 years on the planet. My 3-y.o. son broke his arm on a Wednesday and we ended up in the Swedish Hospital ER in Ballard. Top-notch. However, they then recommended us to Dr. Ruhlman, who they said was at Swedish. This is evidently only partially correct, as we ended up seeing him at Seattle Orthopedic. Showed up 15 minutes early for our appointment, as requested by the office to fill out the necessary paperwork. Then waited 55 minutes in the waiting room with my son and his broken arm, and my other son. Finally, a nurse took us to our exam room and asked us a few questions. But that's not the end of the story. Another 50 minutes passed until Dr. Ruhlman decided to show up for our appointment that had been scheduled to start an hour and a half before he managed to get to see us (not counting the 15 minute early arrival). He was in the room less than 5 minutes. We then waited 15 minutes to get into x-rays. Dr. Ruhlman came back in to tell us everything looked good and that my son was ready for a hard cast. Then it gets better. He left, nurse came in and lead us to the casting room, which doubles as a janitorial closet complete with garbage cans and cleaning supplies. She calls for another nurse to help her out, because casting an arm is a 2-person job. When she can't find anybody to help, she asks me to hold my son's arm perfectly steady while she wraps it, scolding me along the way when I'm not holding it to her liking. Believe it or not, this was the first time I'd been asked to help cast an arm, as I had no prior medical training other than CPR/First Aid. I was under the impression the whole time that my son's arm was going to be all messed up because I had failed as a cast assistant. I never thought I'd find myself in that position, and kinda thought we were there to have professionals do that kind of thing for us. Overall, we were at the doctor's office for nearly 3 hours, and spent about 30 minutes under the care of Dr. Ruhlman and his staff, 15 of which I assisted with casting of my son's broken arm. You'd think they would offer some sort of a discount or work-share program for my work in their clinic. But no, they don't. read more

August 2019 I left a negative review for this clinic and specifically about Dr. Jonathon Franklin. Now I have discovered that what he diagnosed as arthritis is actually osteonecrosis. New diagnoses is from the same MRI that Dr. Franklin used. Unreal. I can't help but wonder, did he look at the MRI or x-ray or did he see older woman and automatically default to a diagnosis of arthritis. Dr Franklin also said, "Nothing can be done." which is not true. A partial knee replacement to deal with the necrosis can be done. read more

After over 10 years of increasingly chronic hip pain, and several doctors, I was finally referred to Dr. Downer. Three friends of mine all had surgeries at this clinic and each one of them raved about the experience. I simply cannot recommend them enough. Upon my first visit, xrays showed that my hip had socket was basically bone on bone, and Dr. Downer explained very plainly that a replacement was a 'when' and not an 'if' for me. The handful of other persons I then met with: a physical therapist, my assigned scheduler, my nurse, and all of the front desk ladies were the friendliest and most helpful I've ever experienced in a medical instutution. They communicated with my insurance to give me the most accurate run down their coverage and my cost before the surgery so I knew what I was in for without having to talk to them myself. My surgery was performed as outpatient, and even though it was a full replacement I was in and out of the clinic with in 7 hours. Unbelievable. All follow ups have been just as great as the very first appointment. I am now one month from the date of surgery, and my recovery has been faster and more comfortable than I ever could have imagined. If you have any bone issues, see these guys first. read more

If I broke my leg on the sidewalk, PLEASE take me somewhere else. You could be get to any hospital or doctor in Puget Sound get treated and released before these Money mongers will see you. Over an hour in the exam room followed by a Super rushed 3 minute follow up. And 100 dollar bill for the privilege. I'd live with the pain before I would subject myself to such a bad experience again. read more

I've now seen 1 doctor, and 3 different physical therapists. I liked them all! Being injured isn't pleasant, but the pain management treatments I had (for over a year) really helped me get through that time. They physical therapists are super nice, great to talk to while you get worked on. I had x-rays, and the doctor was able to show me on a computer screen just moments later. I would have loved to have a copy of the file to take home, but I forgot to ask. Wish they'd offer that type of thing! I appreciate the parking garage, but wish it had more spots that are wheelchair accessible. Although all of the spots are close to the elevator, people use the two marked disabled spots even if they don't need the wheelchair loading space (this is true anywhere, though). So, more spaces for the wheelies, please! Front desk staff is efficient, and they will remember you, so be nice. read more

Wednesday March 29th I fell and fractured my wrist badly. Friday March 31 I had surgery on that wrist. The entire staff at SOC were great, and were very attentive to helping manage and minimize my medical anxiety. I can say a day later that my arm is doing well, and my pain feels well-controlled. read more

Physical therapists are mostly good but doctor appointments are chronically late whether in the 45th St or Swedish Hospital location. Last visit dr was over 30 min late while the 1 on 1 time with dr was less than 10 min. They need to be better figuring out their scheduling. read more

I was referred to Dr Shapiro with SOC to repair my torn pec major tendon. I reviewed him separately because I think his performance merits its own review. I had an overall good experience with the 6 months that I made periodic visits surrounded by my surgery. It can be a little confusing to some who visit both their offices, but the staff is mostly pleasant and scheduling was efficient. I used a separate physical therapy clinic for no compelling reason other than wanting to be a little closer to home. The facilities are modern and well kept. I can't speak for the other doctors of SOC, but of all the staff, PA's, and Dr Shapiro, I would recommend using them for your ortho needs. read more

The Front Desk and all the staff were fantastic to me! I went in for knee surgery, they were able to help me quickly and give me the care I needed! They are also a very organized and professional staff. Their billing department is lovely, my knee is looking awesome! This is my second time back in, once for a fractured fibula. Both experiences have been well worth my time and I believe this establishment deserve every dime! I would recommend DR. Rhulman with confidence! His right hand partner Lisa was also very caring and super helpful!! read more

If you need a little knee surgery, this place is perfect. Dr. Franklin is an excellent surgeon and has a gentle and warm bedside manner. He is thorough in communication and patient with his patients. Pun intended. :) Seriously, I had a knee repair here and from the receptionist, MRI, and surgical staff and nurses, I felt I was in great hands and great care! You can see Dr. Franklin at this location or at the Swedish in Ballard. Be careful with your knees...but if they ever need fixing SOC is the place to be. Plus, they offer physical therapy (my therapist has been great!) on site, so you can get things completely taken care of and back to normal in a nice and new facility with their own parking! Sweet. read more

Just had my MRI today, on my knee. While this is not a happy thing, I can only say very nice things about the people at this place. From check-in, to a wait of under 2 minutes, to a very charming nurse who explained everything and really calmed my nerves by being friendly, to the doc who injected my knee with just about no pain, to the friendly MRI techs, it went really easily, painlessly, and quickly. I think I was there less time than I was at the initial doc appt!!!!!!!!!!! read more

This review is mostly for Dr. Downer. I felt the nurses, receptionists, and the scheduler were great. The woman who setup my CT Scan was fantastic. I wish I knew her name. She kept me updated and made sure I was scheduled promptly. She called me personally and was just very kind! During the first visit I was in tears as I explained what I was experiencing. Doctor Downer offered no sympathy, whatsoever. He was very honest about options, which I appreciated, but the overall visit was very negative. I don't believe he cares about patients, but is more arrogant and does this because he enjoys doing procedures, not because he likes to help people. During the second visit, which lasted about 5 minutes, he told me there was no surgery he could perform on my hip and that he was bummed because he really enjoys doing surgery. He then told me that I was a complicated case and that I needed to lose weight, even tho I am less than 5lbs over a "normal" BMI. At the end of the appnt he finalized by telling me I could "bounce ideas off of him from another doctor." Why the hell would I do that? If you fit into the normal box of having a clear-cut case, Downer might be good for you. If you have anything complicated going on, look elsewhere. He doesn't perform injections, nor does he refer. read more

I love the Office and found the staff very helpful, but I had meniscus surgery last fall by Dr. Peterson and now find I have more pain in my knee than ever. Follow-up appointments have yielded that I now have cartilage damage and can only look forward to a knee replacement for relief. I'm a middle aged guy who is in good shape and has always been athletic so this outcome is devastating. I live with pain everyday, have a hard time sleeping, and can't play any sports without severe discomfort and knee instability. Please look around at other options for a surgeon. read more

What can I say about Dr. Joel Shapiro other than the entire process from consultation to recovery has been a breeze. Between his bedside manner and infinite listening ability to your questions and concerns, he has made my shoulder surgery extremely comfortable. I would highly recommend Dr. Shapiro without hesitation. read more

Holy Cow this place was fast! I walked into the waiting room and it was packed so of course I think I am going to be waiting forever...they actually pulled me into the back for my appointment 10 minutes EARLY, and I was out of there in 30 minutes & the doctor was great.. (I saw Dr. Watt). The only thing I would say is I wish their MRI scheduled was a little quicker. I have to wait a full week to get in for an MRI and then have to wait another 3 days after that for the follow up appointment.. Overall- 4 stars. read more

This place wasn't terrible but it doesn't deserve 5 stars, and I only say that because I did end up leaving to get my surgery done elsewhere after having 3 appointments here. I tore my ACL in the right knee in 2011 and it's a pretty serious injury with a lengthy recovery. Now, having done it again in 2017 in the left knee, I came to Seattle Orthopedic "Specialists" because it was the nearest location to me. I feel like in my past experience with the same surgery the doctors were a lot more serious about explaining to me how things were working and what it would take to recover. In my experience at this office in Seattle, I did not feel like I received that same amount of attention. I had to ask the doctor to see my MRI scan, and my x-rays. I know most doctors appts aren't very long, but mine were extremely short here every time, I was out by 20 or so minutes and on one occasion I didn't even get to ask all the questions I needed to without the doctor (Doc. Watt) extending his hand out to shake my hand goodbye in order to get to what he needed to do next. The main reason I decided to leave is because after 3 appointments (1 in which was an MRI, so I didn't see the doctor) Doctor Watt decides to tell me that he wouldn't be the doctor actually performing my surgery, because he's retiring in October. He introduced me to another doctor (Franklin) who supposedly is really good and does these types of surgeries once a week, and I don't doubt it but I was thrown off so much that a place as professional looking, and sounding as this one would allow a new patient to get comfortable with a doctor after 2 or 3 appointments and then a few weeks before surgery drop the bomb that said doctor wouldn't even be the one operating. That's crazy to me. All in all, didn't feel like the service was great and that's pretty important when you're cutting someone open. read more

Don't go there! It is terrible place. Based on MRI results, I needed a serious surgery for my ankle after road accident. Doctor referred me to this clinic. Today I made a call to receptionist to make an appointment. Receptionist was extremely rude. After every word I said, she either screamed "what??" or interrupted me. I cannot tell that for sure but I suspect she was drunk (at 9 am!). If they have such receptionsts, I am afraid to think what kind of doctors they have. She told that the clinic refuses to treat patient if he was in a road accident because of issues with insurance. I explained that I have my own medical insurance and there is no matter what accident caused my injury. After that, receptionist argued, screamed and interrupted me. I realized that either she works here recently or she just doesn't know what is she talking about. Many times she refused to spell here name. I asked to connect me to her supervisor and asked the name of the supervisor. She refused to provide supervisor's name. Then she connected me to voicemail of another department and dropped the phone. Fortunately, I scheduled surgery in another clinic. read more

Dr. Ruhlman has performed two surgeries and is about to do another. He is amazing. The system set up both in Wallingford and Ballard STINKS. I have never been seen less than 45minutes after my appointment time either location. These folks don't seem to understand that appointment times are not just for the convenience of their practice. Patients have places to be after as well. This is just not reasonable. I'd like my co-pays back! read more

I have never been treated so rudely over the phone by the scheduling coordinator. Will not even schedule because she was such a horrible lady. read more

I cannot articulate how grateful I am to the wonderful staff at SOC and especially Dr. Downer for their expert and attentive care over the past two years. Dr. Downer worked with me to explore all possible treatment options prior to replacing my hip, and I appreciate his efforts to find non-surgical intervention. He could have just scheduled me for surgery and probably had justification to avoid step therapy, but instead he tried other treatments which, unfortunately, proved to be less effective. When we finally made the decision to replace the joint, he spent a great amount of time talking to me about the surgery, recovery, and how my life would change. I was impressed at how much he cared about my health and quality of life. While he was not enthusiastic about replacing a major joint on someone under thirty, he was honest about what he thought was going to give me the best quality of life. I was in a catch-22 - too young for a hip replacement but also too young for such advanced joint degeneration. I am glad we picked my quality of life, as my new hip has been a total champ ever since - including childbirth! I appreciate and respect the amazing care I have received at SOC and with Dr. Downer and his fantastic staff. read more

I received a clavicle surgical repair done by Dr. Scott Ruhlman. He did an excellent job. After 6 weeks it is healing well and the x-ray shows I am on my way to a full recovery. I had asked for a referral to a PT since I had a lot of soft tissue damage from a cycling crash. No problem. I came into my followup visit and showed him all the areas of soft tissue damage on my left side related to the injury. He listened attentively and gave me some good comments, encouraging me to proceed with some strength training. He told me that he would renew the PT prescription if I need it following the first series. I will see him again in 2 months. So far so good! read more

I went in to Dr. Watt's office for a torn ACL diagnosis and was a little put off by his interaction with me. It was my first visit to his office and the first time meeting him. I have to say that Jerry Seinfeld would have a hayday with this story. He is a close talker. He was in my personal space and way too touchy, and by touchy I don't mean examining. I don't think Dr Watt meant any harm, but I think he needs to know his boundaries. He even tried to hug me after the examination was finished and re-entered the room without me saying it was okay to come in! I was literally about to change clothes! Definitely not appropriate. Sorry, Dr Watt but I had to find another doctor read more