Tom is a consummate professional in all aspects of the business. His greatest skill is the ability to listen. His bedside manner is unmatched and his communication skills are top notch! Tom is very patient and detailed in his explanation of the procedure both pre-op and post-op. When we needed his advice after the operation he was always there to answer the phone. Caring, knowledgable, re-assuring, kind and gracious Tom really goes the extra mile to make sure you are well cared for and understand the procedure. Completed a meniscectomy for my wife and a meniscal repair for my son. read more

I had a frozen shoulder, my second in the last 10 years. MRI confirmed the Dx. Two weeks prior to this post I had the arthroscopy with MUA (manipulation under anesthesia). After the nerve block wore off I had and still do have a great deal of pain. I never had a lot of contact with Dr. Welle himself - some pre op, the day of surgery, and a post op. I believe everything's gone to plan. Everything was explained by him personally as well as two PAs. The way I see it working at Sutter is the physicians do the surgical procedures while the PAs manage the cases - communications, Rx, meet with the patients. For example, the PA issued a nausea patch to wear behind my ear 2 days prior and the day prior to surgery. Anesthesia makes me nauseous and I had that experience this past November for bladder surgery. The PA manages my pain meds and has written the Rx for them. Any questions I have gone to the Sutter portal and communicate directly to the PA. Like I said, Dr Welle himself has had several meetings with me for Q&As. No problems. No attitude problems, no communication problems, and so forth. This was my 3rd orthopedic experience on myself and 6th orthopedic experience overall between myself and other immediate members of my family. I had no problems at all. I had and still do have complete trust in Dr. Welle and his staff. If you understand how Sutter works then things go smoothly and as expected. Use the Sutter communication portal (MyHealthOnline.org. or something like that) after you've become an established patient and they respond within a reasonable time. read more

I just got back from seeing Dr Welle. I thought I should put in my two cents, to balance another person's negative review. That negative review scared me. But Dr Welle seemed fine to me, straight forward, balanced, professional. I went to see him about a self diagnosed distal bicep tendon rupture. He confirmed the diagnosis. However, my online research seemed to indicate this condition should certainly be addressed by surgery. The doctor says he does about 8 of these per year, but suggested I also consider a non surgical therapy. He gave me a balanced assessment of the pros and cons of each (some loss of strength with non-surgical...the usual risks that go with every surgery.) He even called in his colleague, without me requesting it, to give a second opinion. All in all, he seemed competent and professional. read more

Two appointments related to knee pain. I found Dr. Welles apathetic, dismissive, and a poor communicator. He took little interest in my case after determining there was no need for surgery. His advice consisted on learning to live with the pain and adapt activities to it. read more

I saw Dr Welle about 6 months ago for my Chronic Knee pain. He took Xrays and explained that my knees are totally shot and I should have them replaced. He said he doesn't do that and could refer me to someone that could. I found his professionalism and bedside manner to be great. He gave me a Cortisol shot in both knees which did offer some relief, but I still need to get them replaced. Nice and professional guy, I highly recommend him. Eric Lamascus read more

My experience with Dr. Welle began after I fell and went to Dominican hospital to have my separated left shoulder repaired. As he entered the examine room, he told me his name and then told me that "at your age we don't normally do surgery" and was very arrogant. Now there had not been an MRI done, so he did not know what damage I had. He asked me to raise my arm, and I couldn't. He told me I might have to live with this. He then told me I needed to go to Physical Therapy which I did. He did not examine my shoulder or any other movement I may or may not have had. I believe he was in the examine room, maybe 5 minutes. I am a 75 year old female, I wondered at the time if he would have told a seventy five year old man this! Second visit I saw his PA, and she was very nice but thought I was doing very well and would not need an MRI. Third visit I saw Dr. Welle, and he seemed surprised I was back and again told me that at my age they normally didn't do surgery. He had not read the Therapists notes on my progress, as it was not going well. I asked him if this would heal on its own and he said depended what it was but maybe not. I asked him for an MRI and I felt he thought I didn't need it, so on his the way out of the examine room; I guess he said ok, because they handed me a paper to have one done. This visit lasted several minutes. No one from his office called me with the results until after I was able to read it on line. About a week later the office called to make another appointment for me to see Dr. Welle; I made an appointment but began my search for a different doctor. When I found one from many recommendations, I went on line and cancelled the appointment. Just to be clear I had no choice but to have surgery, as I had 3 full tears in my rotator cuff that would never have healed read more

Dr. Welle has done three surgeries for my family, two shoulder surgeries on my wife and a hip surgery on my mother-in-law. I am extremely grateful to Dr. Welle for those surgeries. For my wife's first shoulder surgery the anesthesiologist told me that he had been doing surgeries for 30 years and that Dr. Welle had the best hands he had ever watched. The hip surgery that Dr. Welle performed on my mother-in-law took most of a day.... Dr. Welle started early in the morning and finished some time in the afternoon, again I am extremely grateful to Dr. Welle. I was talking with the prep nurse, for my wife's last shoulder surgery .... she said "if I ever have to have this kind of surgery I will definitely HAVE Dr. Welle do it...." I highly recommend Dr. Welle. read more

Zero stars, but not possible. Would bring score down for 2, zero star reviews.. Pre-op he's professional. Didn't expect post-op nightmare doctor, especially as I'd had him in 2003, @ I had no needs post op, so I didn't know he was like this. Discharge nurse told me to take pain meds before pain became bad, same day as surgery, and that I should be expecting a call from my doctor later that day to check on me. Never got call and pain began, so I took the meds. Unfortunately they made me so nauseous I threw up (this didn't subside). At 8 p.m., called Dr. Welle through Sutter. He told me he couldn't help me change meds because he was "not near a computer and wouldn't be until the next morning." Nothing else offered. Silence. I didn't know what to do. I suggested that I might have something at home, previously prescribed for shoulder pain, like Norco, and would that be okay to take? I said I wasn't certain, though, that I'd find anything. Dr. Welle told me that should work if I found it and if not, he "could help in the morning."He didn't offer to get a doctor who could help me. My night was extremely painful& nerve block wore off by 4 a.m. The medicine I'd found from 2011 didn't work well at all. I asked my husband to call Welle in the morning for me (I felt he was rude in tone & manner), and he also had impression doctor didn't care at all. When meds hadn't been phoned in by 11, we called Sutter & his P.A. She apologized because Welle had gone into surgery and not gotten my meds in. My husband not type to complain or make any kind of stink, and didn't make any stink or complain, neither am I, nor did I. P.A. gave me another medication but because I had taken Excedrin p.m. in the night (so much pain, no sleep) I had reached a limit of acetaminophen in my system ( liver damage or liver failure). I hadn't known Hydrocodone has acetaminophen (old med & not listed on bottle), also. Result: she said I could only take a half a dose of the pain medication. So far pain mgmt was really very very bad. I tried to get used to the alternative medicine, but it also made me sick. This is very common I was told later. Sunday evening a doctor friend informed me that anti-nausea meds exist, and I should call and get some pronto. I didn't want to call Welle--for more of his rude, indifferent attitude, and 'inability' to help Friday evening. I called Sutter and asked for the on-call doctor, saying that I did not want to speak to Dr Welle, if possible. He was the on-call doctor. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I didn't have alternative. Maybe he'd had a hard night Friday and it would be different Sunday evening. He called me after they contacted him, and didn't sound like he wanted to be on the phone at all. I excused myself for disturbing him and said I was having difficulty with the pain medication--still very nauseous & could he please prescribe an anti-nausea med? He kind of cut me off and said, "Well in our "numerous conversations this weekend I've told you about anti nausea medication" (we hadn't had numerous conversations--I was avoiding him because of the way he spoke to me on day 1, this was 2nd conversation)...He cont'd , "but you just wanted to mess around with you're meds." Quote. Tone very rude, condescending, insulting. And false. Due to his NEGLIGENCE ( not offering to get me an alternative med, Friday , or a Dr who could) I'd had to use my own medicine, which didn't work. I had had to use my meds out of desperation, obviously. He makes fun of patient, who is very much miserable, and in need of help! I realized this was crazy, he sounded abusive/negligent, and I said," Do you want to help me or not doctor?" He replied that he didn't know how I would get meds at that hour (9-10 pm). I asked if "on call" doctors don't use certain pharmacies, regularly, and he said, "They close and change their hours all the time I'm not going to look for a pharmacy. If you want to do that, you can hang up, do the research, call back the service, they will call me and I'll prescribe it for you. " I didn't call back. For more of the same? I was in tears, sick, and in pain. This guy gets paid a ton of money to mistreat his patients after surgery. He doesn't care and gave me the impression he bizarrely hated me, post op, anyway. Had to ask myself--just wants surgeries? Afterwards, you are on your own! Positive reviews, here, not post-op. Two asides, I get along wonderfully with all my doctors, nurses, P.A.'s and their office staff. Always have. I don't like to "bug" any doctor, just get basic, necessary post op care. I ended up calling a friend who is a nurse and got help. I wasn't going to chance speaking with him again. Heather Bristol, Welle's P.A. is wonderful. Dr. James Spiegel, same practice, also great. I hope lots of potential patients read this and do NOT see this Doctor. He should not be allowed to do post op care or be an on call doctor. read more

1 * for the nice building but as for Dr welle no stars I had shoulder surgery from him and after months of pain after what I thought was a new injury to the same shoulder later finding out same injury it just never got fixed right I asked for an MRI he refused after begging him and doing multiple cortisone shots he finally agreed to the MRI telling me nothing's wrong so I went three more months of believing him finally seeking a different opinion from a shoulder specialist which read the same MRI that Dr welle ordered at that point he requested I be rushed into surgery within two weeks because the MRI showed extremely bad rotator cuff problems .... See more reviews vitals.com. and healthgrades.com read more

Dr Welle did my knee arthroscopy for a meniscus tear 2 weeks ago and I am recovering pretty good. Dr and Heather Bristol (PA) are very straight forward, professional and answered all my questions and concerns pre surgery. I even thought about not having the surgery but after getting all my questions answered by Heather I was convinced to go-ahead with the surgery. The staffs who prepared me on the day of the surgery, the anesthesiologist and recovery nurse all did an amazing job. I am so glad I did it and my knee is healing well and I am walking without any pain in just 2 weeks. read more

Dr welle treats me currently and is a VERY good Dr. He is NOT mean at all ! He's professional. I appreciate Dr Welles care very much and would reccoomend him to anyone. read more

I saw Dr Welle after a sports injury to my left shoulder. I am a health care professional and was familiar with Dr Welle because he did shoulder surgeries on 3 of my friends who are competitive weight lifters. Those surgeries were all excellent as I was responsible for the post surgical physical therapy rehab. Dr Welle was personable and professional and did a thorough job at checking the MRI and taking X-rays and telling me all of my options. I have recommended him to friends and clients. read more

Diane B. is right. Dr. Welle is a Horrible person. My wife's knee was swelling up after surgery. It turns out she was bleeding internally. I had to bring her in in a wheelchair. Dr. Welle was on call. We waited hours and he never came. I went to where the nurse said he was to try to get him to help my Wife. While I was talking to the nurse at the desk he came in and started yelling at me. read more