Appointments and wait times · Patient experiences

Hyun Bae, MD.
Appointments and wait times reviews.

45 five-star reviews for Dr. Hyun Bae discuss appointments and wait times. Patients describe Dr. Bae as professional, caring and kind. Their stories also speak to compassionate care and clear explanations. Read their words, learn what mattered to them, and bring the questions that matter to you to your next visit.

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Hyun Bae, MD

A person behind your care

Get to know
Hyun Bae.

Dr. Hyun Bae is a nationally recognized spine surgeon known for pioneering motion-preserving solutions for the neck and lower back. Rather than defaulting to spinal fusion, he focuses on advanced techniques like artificial disc replacement (ADR) to protect movement and help patients return to active, pain-free lives.

Patients often describe him as a miracle worker—not only for his surgical expertise, but for his warmth, clarity, and compassion throughout the process. Many report being pain-free after surgery and appreciate his ability to explain complex procedures in a way that’s easy to understand. His team is equally known for their professionalism and prompt, supportive care from start to finish.

Fluent in English and Korean, Dr. Bae brings deep experience, a calming presence, and a strong belief in doing what’s best for each individual patient.

Outside of the OR, he stays active with golf, snowboarding, and playing pickleball with his daughters.

Cervical Artificial Disc ReplacementLumbar Artificial Disc ReplacementMulti-Level Disc ReplacementMotion PreservationMinimally-Invasive Techniques

Meet Hyun Bae at Commons Clinic ↗

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An appointment involves more than a date on the calendar. These reviews describe scheduling, availability and time spent waiting.

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In their own words

Care feels personal.
So do these stories.

These are individual experiences. A topic mention does not establish who performed a procedure, medical suitability or a typical result.

This collection shows written reviews rated 4 or 5 stars that mention appointments and wait times. You can read every rating and written review on the full clinician profile.

47 written reviews

Highest rated first · Newest within each rating

From the front office staff, the nurse practitioners, and the Doctor, super professional. On time and very concerned with my treatment for my problem.
J
Google
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Hyun Bae, MD

Everything was on time and well organized.
RH
Google
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Hyun Bae, MD

I was very impressed by the staff's helpfulness and pleasant, professional demeanor. The office has a new relaxing design feeling and is very clean. No long wait time and Dr. Bae took the time necessary to explain his observations and recomendations for treatment. He doesn't take medicare, but I guess if your that good, you don't need to.
GS
Google
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Hyun Bae, MD

From my first call with August, who assisted in scheduling and preparing for an appointment, throughout the entire check-in process, everyone was kind, informative, and patient. I am a very concerned and anxious Mother, due to the pain my son is currently experiencing. When Bernadette was examining Nicholas, she was thorough, kind with her examination, and very informative, and clear when answering our many questions. Dr. Bae gave his description and diagnosis after studying Nicholas’ MRI, and we could clearly see the extent of Nicholas injury, and intervention would be needed to repair. In making the decision for an epidural and surgery Bernadette and Dr. Bae were patient and very informative as we were making decisions about an epidural and surgery. We grateful to be working Dr. Bae and his staff to get our son healed.
CE
Google
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Hyun Bae, MD

Very professional and friendly Everything was on time and really do care for their patients
AS
Google
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Hyun Bae, MD

the office staff was friendly and Dr Bae was on time and super freindly as well. He explained what my issues are in a simple way for me to understand
JW
Google
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Hyun Bae, MD

I can honestly say I’ve never had a more pleasant experience while dealing with a Doctors office. From the original scheduling calls to meeting with Dr Bae everyone has been kind and professional. I believe you can tell alot about a Doctor (or any employer) by the attitude of their staff. Everyone I’ve spoken to or met (including Dr Bae) have been very upbeat. It seems like the entire staff is happy to be there and to care for you as a person and patient. I got stuck in traffic on the way in from LaQuinta. Called the office to let them know and was told not to worry they’d see me when I arrived. Spent maybe 5 min waiting on arrival. Once in the room I had 1 nurse, 1 nurse practitioner enter immediately and Dr Bae with in minutes. Because of this efficiency I was back on the road within the hr. Dr Bae and his team explained my problems and came up with a plan they I totally agree with. I finally feel like my problems can and will be fixed. Looking forward to being able to finally move forward.
RH
Google
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Hyun Bae, MD

Arrived at the office, short wait, staff was personable, friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. Dr, Bae was friendly, sincere, intent, and explained what the images of the MRI revealed and what is causing the pain in my neck. More recent tests are required to accurately diagnose the injury. My doctor strongly suggested I go see Dr. Bae. Best advice I've gotten in a long time. He and his staff are absolutely the best. Thanks Glenn
GV
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Hyun Bae, MD

Dr. Hyun Bae is one of the best surgeons I have ever had. Professional, intelligent impeccable bed side manner. He is by far a Top Orthopedic/Spine Surgeon in So Cal. My first opinion physician was a surgery hack and my 2nd was Dr. Bae. He was a watch and wait until I really needed it. Love him.
MS
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Hyun Bae, MD

Professional, direct, no pretense. Recommended follow-up consult after new test result are in. Appointment made for next week.
SA
Google
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Hyun Bae, MD

Dr. Bae is very professional, yet down to earth, and comforting. Spinal surgery, in and of itself, is a rather daunting thought, but his expertise, thorough research of my case, and the way he explained the process, and recovery made my decision easy. Surgery has been scheduled, and I’m looking forward to having a healthy and working spine.
LT
Google
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Hyun Bae, MD

The experience was first class. The person who checked me in was kind and professional. The appointment started on time. The doctor’s assistant who brought me to the room was very good. The offices are bright and light! Dr Bae is the very best.
JB
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Hyun Bae, MD

Amazing staff, from start over the phone following the in person appointment with Dr Bae was great !. very attentive professional and kind Dr Bae has great bedside manners explained everything and took the time, highly professional and extremely knowledgeable I have scheduled surgery with him and I feel assured.
AG
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Hyun Bae, MD

The doctor was very compassionate in addition to being a true master of the surgical craft. The scheduling process was quite easy and staff extremely polite and helpful.
YP
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Hyun Bae, MD

Dr. Bae is a wizard. I had 2 cervical discs replaced with artificial ones. It has gone completely smoothly. He made sure that I made it into his schedule. St. John's, where he performed the surgery, was terrific. His PA is great. I highly recommend him. We have recommended him to friends who have been similarly happy.
GR
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Hyun Bae, MD

Not sure why anyone who left bad reviews felt they needed to do so. I ended surgery after a vertebrae spontaneously collapsed. He took biopsies of that vertebra, and put in 4 screws and 2 rods attaching the adjacent vertebrae. Also did a vertebraplasty, where medical cement is injected into the collapsed vertebrae. The initial assessment was a one hour and 10 minutes surgery, but actual time was over 2 hours. I am extremely happy with Dr Bae. Two doctors I had consulted spoke very highly of him. And, if you check his background he has multiple awards for his work. I am flummoxed by the (few) negative reviews. One thing I can tell you is that Dr. Bar is very direct and straightforward. Some might read that as disinterested, but he spent a lot of time with me at my pre-surgery appointment, called me the night I was in the hospital, and insisted I come back in on day 3 for another follow-up meeting, and he has been very pleasant to speak to. One thing to be aware
LK
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Hyun Bae, MD

A great reputation proceeds Dr. Bae. I'm just now being scheduled for surgery....accompanied by a high level of confidence. More will be revealed.
JL
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Hyun Bae, MD

Amazing surgeon and staff. We were able to get an appointment within days of calling. My husband was in really bad pain and unable to walk and Dr. Bae examined him and his MRIs and got him scheduled for surgery within days of our initial visit. The surgery was a success and my husband's on the way to recovery. Great follow up by the doctor and his entire staff. Highly recommend!!
BS
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Hyun Bae, MD

I fell off of my Ladder at my mountain home. At the time I didn’t realize I had broken my spine…Not a lot of pain at first. I consulted with some doctors at the time, but they all said that after surgery I could experience some pain so I decided to wait and see how I would heal. As time went by my legs started bothering me. My Doctor friend referred me to the Surgeon Dr Bae. My doctor said Dr. Bae was the “best”. After consulting and research I was confident to have Dr. Bae do the surgery April 2022. The surgery went very well and there was little pain …Excellent work. I am very pleased with my total experience, including Cedars Sinai Hospital, UCLA Hospital . I agree with My Doctor friend…Dr. Bae is the best!
DA
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Hyun Bae, MD

Incredible results from an incredible spine surgeon! Dr. Hyun Bae possesses a completely different level of understanding and surgical skill-set that elevates him well above his peers in his field of expertise. Just look at his resume, it's clear why he's considered the best spine surgeon in the U.S. by those who've had the pleasure of being repaired by him. It wasn't by chance that I went to Dr. Bae, I researched spine surgeons in the U.S. extensively and interviewed several before concluding Dr. Bae was clearly the most talented surgeon I could select. And he didn't disappoint me! The entire staff at The Spine Institute Center for Spinal Restoration is very professional and highly efficient. This included scheduling my appointments, working with my insurance company, coordinating my surgeries and all follow-up appointments, including phone calls checking on my recovery progress. Tackling my complicated issue required two separate cervical spine surgeries. The first consisted of a posterior laminotomy, medial facetectomy and foraminotomy at level C7/T1, followed 3-weeks later with a complete 2-level anterior disc replacement at levels C5/C6 & C6/C7. State of the art titanium/polymer artificial discs were securely implanted, providing me with a full range of motion and pain-free use of my neck. Both surgeries were performed at the Advanced Surgical Center of Beverly Hills on an outpatient basis, which would have been unimaginable just 5-years ago. Amazingly, my disc replacement surgery began at 7am and I was in my vehicle being driven home at 1pm the same day, wearing only a soft neck brace for the ride home, which I never needed to wear again. My recovery and pain management has been way better than anticipated. In fact, the most difficult part of my entire recovery has been forcing myself to take it easy to give myself time to heal, simply because I feel so good. It's only been 7-weeks since my second surgery and I honestly feel like I can physically do anything without pain or limitations. I'm patiently waiting for Dr. Bae's clearance before returning to my regular workouts, active lifestyle, and pursuit of competitive golf. My recommendation to anyone in the U.S. searching for the finest spine surgeon available to diagnose and perform spine surgery on them is to include Dr. Hyun Bae on your list to interview. Resist the urge of selecting your spine surgeon simply based on geographical conveniences. Travel if necessary, your spine is too important.
MH
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Hyun Bae, MD

In early 2017 I slipped on some ice and suffered a stable fracture of the L1 vert. Once the trauma of the fall settled and I thought I could return to normal, I soon discovered I'd never see normal again. The fall changed EVERYTHING, as most traumatic injuries do. I was also suffering from a bad knee I believe was exacerbated by the fall. About a year and a half after the fall, I went to see Dr. Bae on the recommendation of my Dr. He took a look at my MRI and noted I had a bone spur hitting the nerve someplace below the L1 where the break was, something others had missed (bulging discs, not much to do about it). He assured me this was easy to fix and I'd be good as new. BACK SURGERY!!! AHHHHH!!!! I was terrified. He noted that while I had some disc degeneration, he felt my spine overall looked no worse than someone else's my age, or his even, which made me feel good--he's young. Anyway, in November 2018 I had surgery to fix the bone spur. I've had several surgeries in my life and I woke up sick and out of it every time. This time I woke up like I just had the best nap of my life. I was up and going to the bathroom shortly after I woke up and I was home a few hours later. The office follow-up was great, and I thank Lisa Cano for her kindness and thoroughness during a small rough patch about three weeks post surgery. I'd been feeling a little blah and I could tell I was retaining water throughout my body. I just felt...swollen. I got a massage, and while the masseuse was very careful around the incision, she moved things around, as massage will do. A few hours passed and as I got up from the couch to go to bed, my back was wet. Long story short, the incision opened up and was leaking fluid. I immediately called the office (around 9pm, so it was the exchange I got), and Lisa called back immediately, asked me to take a picture, then told me how to cover it, etc. and had me come in the following morning. Dr. Bae was extremely concerned, said he'd never seen this so far out post surgery. He was NOT dismissive or cavalier, which I appreciated. His concern actually made me calmer about it (we can address the psychology of that another time) He swabbed for infection, then dressed it and sent me home with dressings and orders to take pictures after every dressing change. Within a day or two he called and said he wanted to go back in and surgically put a drain in. I finished a round of antibiotics he normally gives post surgery, and he put me on a second round. I was very against going under again, and within a few days the incision began tunneling. It was clear I had an infection but it wasn't bad enough to make me ill-no fever, no pain to speak of, just a little uncomfortable and a lot unnerving. He finally prescribed a different, stronger antibiotic and within a couple of days the tunneling stopped and the incision closed. These things happen. Drs work diligently to prevent infection, but it happens. The competency and care I experienced with Dr. Bae and his PA Lisa cannot be overstated. I was not worried for a second, and when I objected to going under again for the drain, Dr. Bae was firm that we shouldn't wait too long, but he didn't push. I sent Lisa gross pictures of the wound and the bandages every day, and it was enough to ruin the strongest of stomachs. Her communication was right on, and frequent. Saving the best for last, my back is good as new. The only negative was that with a repaired back my knee situation came to the forefront and proceeded to cause me suffering the back couldn't hold a candle to. I got that taken care of in September of 2019 (see my review of Dr Andrew Yun). I cannot say enough about Dr. Bae and his staff. He is just wonderful and he'll be my go-to if any future issues arise.
JD
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Hyun Bae, MD

Dr. Bae Review I had surgery with Dr. Bae and it literally ruined my life. After seeing Dr. Bae periodically and trying some pain management procedures, Dr. Bae suggested a fusion surgery at the age of 27 due to an injury from a motor vehicle accident. Throughout my time seeing Dr. Bae I was deathly afraid because my condition was getting worse and worse and my quality of life was quickly deteriorating as a result. I was a very high-level athlete who was also attending grad school and working at the same time. I was afraid of the pain management procedures that were being recommended to me by my pain management doctor but had them done nonetheless. I kept Dr. Bae in the loop regarding the pain management procedures I had done and he said the lack of relief I had received from the different procedures indicated to him that it was time to go ahead and fuse my spine. Knowing what I know now, this was not correct and I feel he should have directed me to either try a different pain management doctor, or at least additional procedures, before fusing me at such a young age. When I woke up from the fusion surgery, I knew something was wrong. I have never felt such terrible pain in my entire life, even with all of the medications they were giving me to help ease the pain in the hospital. I don’t believe words can do that level of pain justice. I was supposed to be out of the hospital in 1 to 2 days. While I was discharged after 1 to 2 days, I got home and was there for about 30 minutes and then began having incredible difficulty breathing. My girlfriend took my temperature and it was over 102°, Which combined with my incredible difficulty breathing, led to the hospital insisting I rush back to the emergency room to be readmitted. The hospital insisted that someone from my family drive me because they believed an ambulance would take too long in light of the severity of my condition. The hospital kept me for observation for 3 to 4 additional excruciating days and during that time it was discovered I had an infection in my lungs as a result of the surgery and I had blood coagulating inside of my lungs and chest, causing the extreme difficulty breathing. I felt like I was drowning on land, I don’t know how else to describe it. About 4-6 days after the initial surgery I was rushed into an emergency surgery for a pneumohemothorax (I believe that’s what it’s called, not 100% sure). When I woke up from that surgery I truly wished they had just let me die. The pain was indescribable. Like nothing I have ever felt in my life and as an athlete I have had numerous acute injuries over the years. After completing a total of somewhere between 10 to 14 days in the hospital as a result of my “successful” spinal fusion, I was discharged back to my home. For the next 3 to 4 months I could truly barely function. I went from someone who could do well at any sport or activity my entire life to being almost completely unable to care for myself across the board. The way Dr. Bae had explained my recovery would go and the way it actually went were worlds apart. MY PAIN LEVEL NEVER IMPROVED. MY PAIN ONLY GOT WORSE AFTER SURGERY. Following surgery my pain sustained at a level of 8/10 to 10/10. I thought I could not live with the pain I was experiencing prior to surgery, but compared to the pain I feel now on an every day basis, even years later, I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO SOMEHOW GO BACK AND NOT HAVE ALLOWED DR. BAE TO PERFORM MY FUSION SURGERY. During my last appointment with Dr. Bae following surgery, he told me “I don’t know what to do for you. I think you need a spinal cord stimulator. And you will need to see someone else for that.“ Essentially telling me he was done with me....great. Since then I have tried countless additional pain management treatments and procedures to no avail. As any reputable pain management doctor will tell you, a spinal cord stimulator is an absolute last resort, especially for someone my age (27 at the time of surgery, 30 years old now). Length and content of this review were heavily edited to meet the character limit.
MW
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Hyun Bae, MD

If you need back surgery, you cannot find a better surgeon than Dr. Bae!! My diagnosis was spinal stenosis. My symptoms were pain in my right hip and leg, plus muscle weakness. I am 78 years old and was nervous about back surgery, so I opted for steroid injections in my back, and this reduced the pain for a couple of months, but did nothing to help the weakness. Then, four months ago, I had been sitting on my couch and as I went to stand up, I leaned over to one side and must have twisted my back, when suddenly I was in immense pain and was unable to move my right foot! I went to the emergency room and had an MRI and was told I needed surgery! This is when I called Dr. Bae's office and was told to send my MRI disc and was given an immediate appointment after talking to Dr. Bae's assistant. I saw Dr. Bae on Friday, and watched him review my MRI - his comment was "wow, you need to have surgery, and we can do it on Tuesday!" I was sent nearby for an immediate second MRI and giveen my pre-op instructions for checking in to St. John's that Tuesday. I walked out the next morning with no pain. My leg weakness is steadily getting better with therapy and I was able to return to playing badminton in 2 months! Dr. Bae has literally saved my way of life. I could not walk without a walker when I had my surgery. Now I am walking my Border Collie and playing badminton!
JM
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Hyun Bae, MD

Dr, Bae changed my life!!!!! After seeing several outstanding back surgeons across the country, I chose Dr. Bae for my decompression back surgery after he explained in detail all of my options. On my first appointment I was using a walker and in severe pain...for over 6 months. I was nervous to have back surgery but he gave me confidence it would all be successful...and it was! The day after surgery I was walking normally and pain free. Its now been three months and trusting Dr. Bae was the best decision I've ever made. This 70yr old grandma now feels like she's 40 again.
MW
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Hyun Bae, MD

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