I called a cardiologist I had seen previously to make an appointment since I was having some chest…read morepains and had just had an abnormal EKG. He was on a long vacation, so I was referred to Dr. Pautz if I wanted to see someone quickly. Dr. Pautz took one look at me and pronounced my issue to be my gallbladder He refused to look at or answer questions about my abnormal EKG. This was before performing any tests, examining me, or asking me any questions. He then started asking me questions and performing an exam. I answered all his questions with a truthful no, and he got mad at me for contradicting him. After about 11 or 12 questions all answered with no, he very testily said, well, it's still your gall bladder. He referred me to get an ultrasound. He ended by saying the office would call me with the results. Besides his horrible bedside manner, bad attitude, jumping to conclusions and gruff demeanor, Dr. Pautz would not look me in the eye - it actually looked like he was staring at my breasts for most of the time. While I was getting the ultrasound, the technician kept asking me with a puzzled expression and demeanor - "the doctor said it was your gallbladder?" They kept doing the test for a very long time, moving me to more convoluted positions in an attempt to get every possible angle. After waiting quite a few days and not getting any call with the results, I called Dr. Pautz's office and they would not tell me anything about the test results. They insisted I needed to come in to see the doctor to get any information. I decided to call my original cardiologist since I really did not trust or like Dr. Pautz. The nurse from the original cardiologist's office called me back very promptly and gave me the results of my tests over the phone - absolutely nothing in the tests indicated any problem with my gallbladder. They expressed some surprise that the technician took 55 minutes performing the tests, saying it was much longer than they usually see a test taking. My only conclusion is that they kept trying to prove Dr. Pautz correct in his diagnosis, but there was no way to do that since his diagnosis was totally incorrect. I then had an appointment with the original cardiologist, who thoroughly and happily went over the abnormal EKG (which Dr. Pautz had refused to do). The original cardiologist then listened carefully to my description of symptoms, asked pertinent questions, listened carefully to my answers and referred me to a gastroenterologist because the symptoms sounded like an esophageal problem. I have since seen a gastroenterologist and had the appropriate tests and they determined the issue is definitely esophageal related, diagnosing a Schatzki Ring, a hiatal hernia, erosive gastritis, and GERD. I am now getting appropriate treatment for these actual issues. No thanks to Dr. Pautz, though, who was thoroughly wrong in his hair-trigger assessment and did not listen to any facts. Dr. Pautz's hubris, rudeness and irresponsibility caused many more weeks of discomfort, not being able to eat and extreme fatigue. I would recommend that anyone needing medical attention avoid Dr. Pautz.

I went to Swedish Hospital Edmonds at about 4:00 AM on Sunday morning with sever chest pains. The…read moredoctor on call was a Ralph Althouse. Me being the person I am, apologized when he showed up for getting him out of bed. Instead of being at all gracious, he snarled "Too late for that". My next interaction with him was a hurried explanation that they were going to do something. It was rushed and I probably should have pushed further. The took me away and did their thing. When it was done he gave a very quick, 30 second description of what they did and basically disappeared. At some point he also talked to my family. They said that they got feeling he didn't want to waste time with them. That was the last time I saw him. The nurses kept telling me he would be up at some point during the day but he never appeared. They kept getting instructions from him but he didn't care enough to stop by at all to explain anything.and some of them seemed to have the nursing staff (who were very good) confused. The next morning I was laying in bed and heard the staff complaining that this guy was't doing his job and discharging patients. From what I could tell, I could have been there forever before this guy ever showed up. I gave up and left the hospital. (Again the nurses and all were fantastic.) When I got home I checked online reviews and found them to be consistent in this regard. I also spoke to a nice woman from the cardiac rehab department and she stated that patients often express concerns about this man's lack of interpersonal skills. Honestly, if you want to be a doctor, you have to be able to communicate. No matter how technically good you are, if you can't make the patient feel confidence in you, you are a truly horrible doctor. If you have any choice whatsoever, do not go to this doctor if you want to feel at all like you are getting decent care. While he may have been technically good, the total lack of decent communication left me with no confidence in his abilities.

I've never wanted to judge a physician on his interpersonal skill especially when I'm more…read moreconcerned with my mortality. I have had two heart attacks and in both instances Dr. Althouse has been more than I could or should have hoped and I could only hope that anyone with a serious cardio issue could have a doctor of his skill. I loved his direct approach to the issues I faced and what I had to do to improve my prognosis, for me..his bedside manner was fine.

To start with, I had a horrible hospital experience with this guys colleague, Ralph Althouse…read more However, a wonderful woman at Swedish Heart & Vascular (where these two men work now) , insisted I needed to see one of their doctors so she arranged for me to see an Eric Grassman. I explained to him that I have had too man really bad medical experiences and don't have a lot of faith in doctors. Unfortunately, instead of trying to understand me as a person and deal with me, he took this uppity attitude that was basically "I'm a doctor so I am right." He came off as arrogant and uncaring. I tried to say good things when he explained what they actually did (which the original doctor did not do). When I tried to ask about research I have done on the medications they wanted to give me in the hospital (and he wanted to give me) he said "We are doctors and we know what is best". (Like doctors are somehow just superior to everybody else.) He vaguely explained why I needed to take one medication (though he did not explain why so many articles say it is bad, or why it shouldn't be mixed - again just "I'm a doctor - you have no right to question what I say".) He prescribed a second medication with no explanation at all. The second medication turned out to be rather expensive for my budget and since I have no idea why it was needed I am skipping it. Oh, and his other line was "If you don't take the medications I say you have to you will die". That is an exact quote. A bit melodramatic, a bit over the top, and I am pretty sure a line every medical care provider has used since the first shaman said "Take two roots and call me in the morning." No reason why I should believe him when I had already expressed to him that I had no faith in the word of a doctor. If I could give negative stars I would. If you have any choice whatsoever, do not go to this clinic. The non-doctor staff is wonderful, but that doesn't help when the folks that should know better are total jerks.

Saw this guy before I moved away from Washington State wasn't impressed at all. He starts out okay,…read morefrom that point he goes down hill and is rather rude with his findings if you don't agree with doing as he says. Glad I didn't follow his findings was told by another he was incorrect. On that note I wasn't impressed and wouldn't recommend him at all. Please for those who need a Cardiologist keep looking around.

Will violate HIPPA without regard to patient privacy. Will ignore patients while "Rooming", staff…read morewill ignore patient inquires. Find another Doctor, anyone...

We like it here. The staff is friendly and always polite. We love our provider and have also had…read moregood experiences with the urgent care staff. It's a huge bonus that they have urgent care- so many kid issues require last minute appointments and we've never had trouble getting in. Appointments do not feel super rushed. It's cleaner than most doctors offices I've been too. The only down side is during busy times (like after school) the waiting room is packed with sick kids sitting really close to you. All in all though, good quality healthcare is really hard to find these days, and they are doing it pretty well here.

Excellent center and doctor. Kids friendly facility lot of activities to keep engage the kids…read morewhile waiting for the doctor.