Recommendation for a diagnostician in the US?
 

I've read all the glowing reviews for Dr. Baumbach, but I'm wondering whether anyone can recommend a good diagnostician in the States.

I have a 30 year old L4/L5 fusion that's shot, and there doesn't seem to be anyone but scalpal-armed specialists to see for an opinion. (You know the saying, when the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.)

While I recognize that surgery may be the only viable option, I'd really like to feel comfortable that the opinions I get are from doctors with broad enough backgrounds to evaluate my condition and all viable options fairly.

Any sightings of this sort of unicorn anywhere in the wilds of the US healthcare system?

Diane

Hi Diane and welcome,

I'm sorry you need to be here but glad you found us. I've never heard another neuro acclaimed on this forum but justed wanted to pop in and say hi :)

Hope you find what you're looking for, Dale

Thanks for the welcome, Dale.

I've been lucky in that it's been a very long time since I've had to give my back serious attention. The internet didn't even exist when I had my surgery, so having a resource like this forum available to me this time around is pretty awesome. Just not sure the medical care has gotten all that much better in the intervening years . . .

Diane

Diane, wish I had some help for you; but don't. What area are you in? Glad you found us, Kathy

Where do you live?

I'm in New York, so tons of good doctors in the area, but it seems that everyone is a specialist. I just don't know how to figure out who's got the right vantage point and motivation to see the whole picture and give a holistic, unbiased assessment.

And maybe I'm too picky, but it puts me off to call for an evaluation appointment and be asked 1) are you a candidate for surgery, and 2) what insurance do you have? before they so much as ask my name or offer an appointment. I understand that medicine is a business but, seriously, is that supposed to make me comfortable that I'm going to get an assessment I can trust? Uh uh. I feel like an easy mark being lured in by the carnival barker. No thanks.

There's no shortage of top-notch surgeons here in NY, but I want to fully explore any non-surgical options I may have before heading down that path again. Surgeons, understandably, want to talk surgery.

I'm willing to travel, if need be, but would prefer to stay in the States if possible, since I imagine that would make both the insurance and logistics easier to manage. Please let me know if you have any ideas!

Thanks,

Diane

Maybe a physiatrist would be a good option for you? That is who I see for my pain management and who suggested ADR. He was good at explaining my situation and explained my options. Also, I am at Texas Back Institute, which is like a Super Wal-Mart, one stop shopping. They have pain dr's, accupuncture, physical therapy, injections, surgeons and any other kind of back dr/procedure you can imagine. I really liked it because your dr's are all communicating with each other, and I felt they were more open to various treatments. Because, like you said, a surgeon generally wants to do surgery!

Kathy, the way you describe Texas Back Institute, sounds very much like how the practice I go to operates...Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, in Raleigh and Durham, NC. Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, P.A.

I do like how they operate, and my PM doctor has been awesome. She definitely went through all my options, making sure I tried everything I could, before I was ready to consider surgery. And she is very open-minded too, I think that is a very good thing in a pain management doctor.

Diane, what kinds of problems are you having now, that you want to see someone? I think that might help in determining what type of doctor you might want to see. I've never heard of Dr. Baumbach, but that's not saying much, as I'm certainly no expert in medicine.