I called three times and left callback number as they suggested - no one ever called back. Sent in appt request - no response. They obviously have too many patients and can't handle a simple appointment request - can you imagine what care you would receive if you ever got an appt. read more

This review is based on their scheduling practice: you call them, someone takes your details (after a long wait) and they don't call you back, even after days. I'm not sure what's happening and why the management doesn't take action when so many people are leaving poor reviews regarding this aspect. read more

After waiting a month to get an appointment from my primary doctor, I show up to the appointment. I was giving a list of things to fill out which was 10 sheets of paper. I did it. They called me by a wrong name, and I went back into the room to be examined I thought, I have a problem with having dizziness, so that's why I was there. They asked me if I would like to get my blood pressure taken I said yes I asked the question about the result and was given I don't know you would have to ask your Heart Doctor about that. So the girl didn't even know how to read a monitor.? After that a young woman approached and came in their room and asked me a few questions asked me to lay back to my head to the right to my head to the left, are you still dizzy? She replied I said yes. she looked in my ears and didn't give me any results of why she did not check my throat. She did not check my nose. She said need a check up to leave the room and go to speak to the girl down the hall. I thought that it was going to be done on the same day not to my liking she said when is it convenient for you to come back, I said I'm here now she said when would you like to make the appointment? It takes three hours I said you mean to tell me you charged me a co-pay today of $120 and then when I come back, it's going to be another $120 co-pay without a glitch she said yes needless to say I did not make the appointment because I thought it was ridiculous. Spending only 15 minutes with nothing to say for it and making another appointment a month away when I still have the problem of the ear, not a happy camper. I must say I was polite. I called back after I left. I was in the parking space and was told I could speak to a head, nurse or HR so I left my phone number for them to call. They never returned my call after three hours. I waited I called was told after a 20 minute waiting period on the phone. She's not here and no one will be able to speak with you what was that you wanted to speak to them about Well the gentleman before when I called didn't write anything down that I had asked for to be called back on par for course I think it is outrageous that we pay a co-pay and get no results at the time of visit, I understand you must make an appointment until you can get your desired recommendations, but this is outrageous. I did not wake up this morning and want to put anybody in a predicament, but they certainly did with me when I am retired and live off a very tight income. I do not recommend them at all. read more

Awful place, they do not care about patients. Want you in an out as quickly as possible. I've been suffering with ear issues and every single time I go, they just start talking about whatever to kill time during the visit and kick you out. ( NP Cassandra doesn't seem very knowledgeable or a very nice person, should probably think about doing something different... helping people doesn't seem to be it) TRASH. Do not recommend read more

Absolutely the very worst I have ever experienced Cannot get so much as a call back after surgery Noone ever answers the phone- courteous - but then no follow up at all- stay clear read more

They may have been good when they were in business, but they are gone now. We called there for days, at 941-366-9222, holding for an hour each time. Nobody ever picked up. We pressed 1 for doctors line, but still got no response. Finally, we looked at their website (see attached photo) and found another number to call. 888-412-9200 is what is posted on their website. But when we called it, it was a scam line selling medical alert necklaces and NOTHING to do with ears, nose, throat. So, they're gone with scammers buying their old phone numbers. read more

Silverstein Institute - Ear Nose & Throat Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

An entire year of antibiotics even though the CT scan ordered at first visit showed nasal obstruction all along. Despite visit after visit after visit, sometimes waiting 90 minutes in exam room before Dr entered, I would have to remind him of cultures done, the antibiotic resistance, the multiple prescriptions. He neither remembered nor found time to review notes despite leaving me wait 60-90 minutes. He'd clearly never looked at the CT or CT report. We discovered together that I was born without frontal sinuses. Oh-so-stupid me underwent surgery with these people. Despite zero issues with right sinus, they did surgery on both sides and then lied about it when I confronted them with post-operative notes. Told me the mistake was in the notetaking - right sinus untouched - LIES. I could go on and on but will summarize by saying they take zero responsibility for blatantly and egregiously incompetent care and lies. When you bring it to their attention, they show zero empathy or care and instead recommend you go elsewhere for second opinion when the damage is done, and done by them. RUN in the other direction. read more

Regarding the 1-star reviews, email or GO TO the facility with a letter requesting assistance. Paperwork and insurance ever-changing rules are mostly - if not always -the culprits here. Regarding surgeries and other suggestions doctors may have. Remember: Patients always have choice, by law. I CAN say that my calls were answered promptly, The hearing tests were extensive and informative. Everyone was polite, patient, helpful, and informative. I look forward to my follow-up and have an open mind regarding necessary tests/procedures. My neurologist referred me and he is top-notch. read more

I was treated so horrible by the admin staff before surgery that I decided not to have it done. I went to Shands/UF Health and was treated like a human being. The Silverstein Institute was a total waste of time, money, and wear and tear on my vehicle. I never met Herb (who has his head in the clouds marketing his blase' piano music and his mix of rubbing alcohol/white distilled vinegar ear cleaner). I had Dr. Jack Wazen and he had a horrible bedside manner. If you have major problems try Shands, Mayo, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, or the House Institute before this place! read more

after three attempts at making an appointment and kept on hold each time for 15+ minutes I gave up tryin. Better luck to the others but suggest you try another office that can afford a recepionist answer a phone call instead of leaving patien on deaf ears!!! read more

This place has the worst customer service. I would give it 0 stars if it was an option. When leaving a message for a call back, no one returns your call. After numerous calls and voicemails left, no one has returned my call so I had no other choice but to find another ENT. Please avoid this place if you actually want someone to give you a call back when you're having issues. read more

Well organized scam. Fancy facility and friendly staff. But don't expect any clear answers from Dr. Silverstein except suggestions to get a bunch of expensive and unnecessary tests. Oh, and he'll try to sell you his individually branded ear care package too. They slammed me with $1000 for a basic ear infection by pretending they didn't know what the issue was and asking me to come in the next day, and the next day, and the next day. During this time, Dr. Silverstein continued acting confused and stumped, asking me to get a fancy hearing test - which had nothing to do with my condition (the results were normal). He then tried to get me to do a $3,000 surgery to reduce the pain, even though by the third day it had gone away. When I said I didn't need it because my pain had gone away, the clerk suddenly became rude. Dr. Silverstein may have been a good physician back in the day. But, my experience with him was very poor. He didn't seem to know what he was talking about and forgot me and my condition even after seeing me the day before. He seemed more concerned with getting as much money as he could out of me than solving my problem. That's probably why he dragged out a simple ear infection over 4 days. It would have gotten much worse had I not put a stop to it. Every patient I saw coming in was a senior citizen. It makes me wonder if this place is simply taking advantage of more vulnerable people with health coverage. This has honestly been the worst medical care I've had. read more

I called 3 days before my appointment, and was on the telephone for hours on hold waiting and waiting for anyone to answer the telephone. I left a call back 2 days, and received nothing. Worst customer service for a doctor's office I've ever experienced. Will not use a doctor where I have to drive over to make an appointment b/c no one answers the telephone. Shame on you. read more

Impossible to get in touch and make appointments. Don't answer phone, don't return calls from call back line, Don't respond to web site requests for appointments. read more

Don't come to Dr. Wazen expecting outside the box or creative thinking. I came to him for a second opinion when my endolymphatic sac surgery at Univ. Miami made my Meniere's symptoms worse and not better. In addition, it caused a new complication, patulous eustachian tube syndrome. He had no ideas about the cause or treatment for either complaint. Rather than reviewing the extensive test results I sent him for our first consult, he insisted on having an (unnecessary) MRI done to see if I had acoustic neuroma, a kind of tumor. Even though I had intermittent and not the sort of continuous symptoms that would suggest that sort of tumor. The report he wrote on that first visit was almost entirely devoted to disclaimers of having said anything to suggest that there might be answers. I followed up several times with his staff to make sure they got the MRI results on CDs that I sent them with tracking. No response. Minutes before the second consult staff finally called to say, results not received. Yes, they were, I said, and sent them the tracking. Oh, they said, it was sitting around never opened or uploaded. Not confidence inspiring. Only on the second visit, with the unnecessary MRI report in hand, would he review my other test results. He had no ideas or suggestions. Instead, he told me to go a doctor whom he named in Boston for the eustachian tube issues, and promised he would send an email with the referral, copying me. I got no email, and nothing further other than a bill for the second consultation. read more

I suffered from vertigo and Silverstein Institute was phenomenal in providing care for me with the Epley process which over time eliminated the vertigo. That along with their extensive hearing and balance testing I highly recommend them. read more

Went on a referral. Said they could help me. They did extensive testing. With a lot of out of pocket expense Tests not covered by insurance. Some are said to be experimental. A lot of time and effort on my part. To be told the same diagnosis I already had and there was nothing they can do to help. Had a meneires diagnosis before the tests and the same now. I believe a lot of the tests they do they use for their research. Can't get any support from office on symptom relief. I asked for another appointment and the answer from theportal was they had an appointment already for 2 months out. no help from this office at all. Wouldn't waste my time. A local ENT will do the same if not better. I have reaf that their Gentromiacin approach is very aggressive also read more

So most importantly, I got an excellent medical outcome here and really that's all that matters. That said, I'm looking forward to First Physicians dragging this wizened group into the 21st century. Their procedures are haphazard. Their handouts and other collaterals are amateurish, full of misspellings and typos, and give contradictory and ambiguous information. They never return calls on time or do what they say they will do when they say they will do it. I have to call them each time they say they will call me. Like many practices run by tired old men, they didn't get the memo that things have changed in the health care world. The organization exists to make the doctors' lives easier at the expense of patients. In my case, recently, protocol dictated that I needed a post-op follow-up appointment in one week, but my clinician discovered that the doctor's schedule was tight, so he suddenly revised his assessment, telling me that a TWO week follow up was what I needed. SMH and 1st Physicians are better at this stuff than Silverstein's group so I look forward to getting the same medical outcomes with better patient service going forward. read more

They are very quick to steer you into surgeries. They don't offer other alternatives. Dr. Nyak and his staff have failed three times on three separate visits to call in prescriptions to my pharmacy. They are very difficult to get a hold of, do not return phone calls, and display very little compassion for patient care. read more

Having now been to both the Venice location (much smaller) and the Sarasota offices, I'm a fan of Venice. Admit we won't make the drive, but I was completely under impressed with the front office here (and this is the driver for the rating - not Dr. Rosenberg who we really liked as well as his associate Mario.) When we walked in, the two ladies at the desk did not even look up to greet us, there were very engaged in a conversation between each other. When I continued to stand there, they finally looked up and just said "Sign in and have a seat." How about a welcome, a smile or something that indicated they cared we were here? When its your time to be called, an assistant comes out of the area where the rooms are and yells loudly down through the waiting room for the patient. This was very annoying and just not classy. Then, after we waited 15 minutes past our appointment time, I approached that same front desk to ask how far behind the Doctor was running. All I was told was we were the next up - which gave me absolutely no indication of how much longer we had to wait. This front office team needs some serious customer relations training. I'm guessing they were hired to help those of us who come here, otherwise they wouldn't be sitting out front, right? The doctor and his assistant are 4 stars, but its hard to even come close to that with the front office as bad as it was. My experience at Venice was nothing like this. read more

I really dislike giving the practice one star but I'm mad as hell as I can't get anybody to answer the phone or call me back. I've been a patient of the practice since 1972. That is not a misprint. Yes, 50 years since I started with Herb Silverstein, and decades later and since then Seth Rosenberg. Top-notch physicians. But if you can't reach anybody and schedule an appointment, what good is the history you have with the practice. First Physicians Group has killed the caring and professionalism of the practice. read more

While I am NOT a patient, I am the personal assistant for someone who is. I cannot begin to explain how completely rude the admin people are in the facility. Three times I called to finally get a live person, and this guy must have made the decision when he woke up to have a crappy day (it is a personal decision we make for ourselves each and every morning). He was huffing and puffing like I was asking him to do something outside of his JOB DESCRIPTION, and then coming back to me with snarky, rude, and pushy directives. My boss can go to these people all he wants, but you will never see me walk through those doors and give them my money. Horrible customer service! read more

Once upon a time I thought he was a good doctor but he ended up being my worst nightmare! Dr. Wazen convinced to to have my fourth sinus surgery in his office, in the chair and wide awake too! He made promises that he could never have kept. It was only to feel like the cleaning and clearing after my prior surgeries. 'NO Pain' he said! I've since had two additional sinus surgeries, by the BEST and when I tell these doctors as well as their PA's, they are shocked! They are speechless! The pain was torture, I was an emotional wreck for a very long time after that episode. I heard each and every snip, my eyes couldn't open because they were watering so badly and the pain was beyond imagination. He had the balls to send me to collections for such a minimal amount. There was no way that I was going to pay him one more cent! In less than two months later, I was finding other options for doctors, the polyps were not only back, but I was in worse shape than I was before he tortured me. Be very careful, this man seemingly can make a bad decision and make it sound like a good one and then end up not caring about you at all. I should have sued him! read more

Yesterday I took my elderly friend to an appointment for her hearing aides. When I dropped her off at the front of the building with her walker I assumed she could get in easily to sit and wait for me. Not so!! The front door entrance to the Silverstein Institute is a manual very thick glass double door!! There was NO option to use an automatic door opener!! She struggling to get in and was frustrated by the time I got the car parked and met her. I am appalled that this is the situation going into such a building!! read more

Terrible management, terrible place to go and to work. The owner Dr Silverstein does not care about his patients, he doesn't even listen to them when he's in the room. He makes faces and rolls his eyes at the patients and makes inappropriate comments. Do not go here. read more

I have been a patient with Dr. Wazen at the Silverstein Institute for several years now. He is a caring, compassionate doctor who really takes the time to make sure all of your issues are addressed. The staff and nurses are professional and the office is a comfortable place. I go to the Sarasota office, but the doctors work in all three, so patients in Venice and Lakewood Ranch have access to the same high level of quality care. read more

I am so impressed with the entire friendly helpful staff. I recently had surgery with Dr. Rosenberg and I could not be more pleased. I have also been having botox injections in my throat with Dr. Gniady with great results. I wish I had found them sooner. read more

Writing this as I sit with my Grandmother that's waiting to be seen by Dr. Silverstein. She had 4 hours of vertigo testing this morning which made her extremely sick (threw up 3 times). And then had an appointment at 2 with Dr. Silverstein. She was extremely nauseated, pale and hadn't eaten anything all day since she had thrown it up earlier. My grandmother is 82 years old let me add. We waited in the waiting room that was completely filled with other patients. It was 2:30 and the front desk woman came over and announced that Dr. Silverstein was an hour behind schedule. This is the SECOND time I've been here with her and the SECOND time this has happened. How can you let an elderly woman that had testing that they know has the potential to trigger her vertigo and make her sick, have to wait well over an hour for her appointment?! When we finally got called back, Dr. Silverstein spent about 6 minutes total with us, and still don't have answers. The kicker is he wants her back in 3 months for repeat testing! Yeah, no thanks. The poor things has been miserable all day. She wished she never did it. read more

I'm compelled to write this review to hopefully prevent others from experiencing the same issues that my friend did previously this year (2016). My friend suffers from tinnitus and has been seeking help for many years. Despite mixed reviews, he decided to make an appointment at the Silverstein Institute . He was told that he could not be seen right away and that the first available appointment was several months out. His tinnitus was becoming worse, so he patiently waited as his hopes outweighed any skepticism that he had at the time. Something he sorely regrets now. He was put through a battery of tests. One test in particular was a series of high decibel, loud tapping noises that, unfortunately, has actually caused a spike in his tinnitus and has only worsened over the last 3 months. In addition, he has developed severe headaches, anxiety and sleepless nights. His condition is much worse now than it was before he went in. I'm frankly perplexed why these tests were administered, and saddened that no follow up advice or therapy has been offered to my friend. He's attempted to get follow up from the Institute, but thus far has only received his test results and empty, bloated promises that "it will get better". Please, if you are a tinnitus sufferer, think long and hard about trying out the Silverstein Institute. In my opinion, a general ENT would be a better route to take. read more

I have seen Dr. Gniady two times at the sarasota location and to my dismay he treated me like a second class citizen. It was not my choice to see him the second time, but I thought maybe he was having a bad day the first time, not so!! He is rude and non caring about what you are experiencing. Acts like a prima donna without proper etiquette. I am sorry I wasted time there. read more

Sent to Dr. Gniady by my pulmonologist for discussion of trans tracheal SCOOP catheter placement. Dr. Gniady was very nice and seemed knowledgeable about the procedure , I've done a lot of research on this method. I was introduced to his scheduling person, my insurance pays 100% and they just had to assemble a little "team". I waited 2 weeks and called the scheduler, she got back to me with "still trying to assemble the team" and believe me this procedure only takes about 45 minutes and isn't a big whoop. Longer story short - they never ever returned my phone calls. It got to be a joke, I'd call and leave a funny message saying it would be just kind of cool if someone called me back and told me to get lost. I feel AETNA was ripped off for payment and my co-pay was a rip off. Just be honest and say you can't do it, finally found a wonderful Dr. Jean in Lakeland, Harvard graduate and John Hopkins residency. It will be done the 30th. I really do want my money back as it was a colossal waste of my time when I could have been finding a doctor who actually could do the procedure. read more

RUN, don't walk, away from this place!! Absolutely horrible experience here - so bad that it prompted me to write my first Yelp review ever. They claim to be experts in Tinnitus - something that I have had for almost 10 years. The doctors largely contradicted each other, don't offer anything new, are difficult to communicate with and largely ignore you once you leave. Worst of all, they put me through a series of hearing tests that they claim they regularly put their Tinnitus patients through - including a loud test called an ABR. My Tinnitus spiked through the roof after that test and has not gotten better in 3 months! It's at least twice as bad now, impacts my sleep, causes headaches etc. - something that I never had before going here. Do not go here! You will be sorry if you do. read more

Purchased hearing aids for $3500 one of which failed after 6 months. No response from them after asking what to do. Contacted Unitron who told me to just bring them to another hearing aid service. Also, was billed twice for a copay which I had paid. Had to contact Medicare to assist since there was no resolution from the Silverstein Institute. Seems very much like as with most large organizations, the emphasis is on income not customer service. Be wary and ask lots of questions and get stuff in writing. Better still, find another hearing aid provider. read more