Appointments and wait times reviews

Had a great experience visiting Dr. Millstein for my knee pain. He came highly recommended and I could see why. He saw me at my scheduled time and didn’t keep me waiting. He took the time to examine and address all my questions and concerns. Dr Millstein prescribed a treatment right for me and didn’t have me go through costly MRIs that he didn’t see necessary.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

I someb managed to mess up my back pretty bad Memorial Day weekend. I contacted dr Bhalla's office on a Tuesday morning and got an appointment for the next day. He scheduled me for a MRI on Thursday. Got results Friday morning and the GOOD doctor said I needed surgery. My pain level on a 1-10 scale was approximately 17! He got his team together and managed to get me into the hospital that afternoon and performed surgery at 6:00AM the following day. When I recovered from the anesthetic the pain was gone. It's important to note the he had things on his agenda that took him out of the country but that did not stop him from making a follow up call to assure all was well. He also arranged for my release the next day. I'm grateful to have had a skilled and caring doctor. Hopefully I won't need his surgical skills in the future. Well, I had another problem with my lower back that required the GOOD doctor do another surgery in January. As hoped and believed, it had great results. I just left his office about 20 minutes ago for a follow up check and ALL IS WELL!! Thanx again!!

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Amandeep Bhalla, MD

excellent medical Appt, on time, professional and easy to understand options. Appreciate the high level of medical excellence.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Very professional and friendly. Same for the office staff. Made booking the appointment quick and painless, loved the ability to do forms online. Highly recommend!

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Wonderful to meet with Dr. Lee! He is an amazing, compassionate and highly skilled surgeon. We are incredibly grateful to have been referred to him by Dr. Huh. Dr. Lee's scheduler (E) did not follow through with calling us to schedule the surgeries - we left several messages and had to into the office to speak with the her :/

David Lee, 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!

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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.

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Hyun Bae, MD

I cannot recommend Dr. Garabekyan enough. He has changed my life. After experiencing many years of hip pain and immobility due to an unknown hip deformity, he was able to determine the cause, repair and reshape my hips. These past five years have been the most difficult in my life. I’ve gone through over 10-15 pelvic mris, failed numerous biologic meds, lost my career, and started to lose myself. I’m now able to walk longer periods without excruciating pain and limping. I suffer from psoriatic arthritis, but finding a solution to my hip problem has already given me hope for my future and that is a huge accomplishment in my book. Thank you Dr. Garabekyan for your patience, skill, hard work, and kindness. To anyone experiencing chronic hip pain, please don’t waste your time with anyone else. Make an appointment with Dr. Garabekyan.

Tigran Garabekyan, MD

My daughter was a new patient called Monday morning and they got her an appointment at 10am same day! Nice office staff and Dr. Lee was great!! Thank you!!

David Lee, MD

Easy to schedule given that the guy's a well known and highly respected orthopedist. Clear, expedient diagnosis and no-nonsense treatment plan. Terrific experience all around

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Dr. Khurana is the best surgeon and human being too. Don't hesitate. Doesn't matter if you have to wait or if staff takes time to get back to you. They are very busy helping others and will get back with you.

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Sanjay Khurana, MD

I was fortunate to be able to get a very quick appointment, and was very, very professionally greeted by front office staff and assisting medical professionals as well. Dr. Millstein remembered me from 9 years ago too at his former practice, which was unexpected. His demeanor was professional and very personal too. My knee issue was resolved very nicely too, which made me very happy because the downtime from playing tennis will be minimal. Very happy.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

I located Dr Bae's name during a visit with a man in a shop near Las Cruces NM. His wife had been to see Dr Bae and recommended him. This man lives in Whitefish Montana and I do not know his name. Wish I did so I could thank him. We drove to Santa Monica June 3 and met with the staff of The Spine Institute and came away very impressed and are scheduling my surgery for June 18. Dr. Bae was very helpful and fully described the work needed and the planned schedule and even offered suggestions for a place to stay nearby the hospital and his offices. I look forward to this operation. We arrived June 17, checked int Ambrose Hotel and the operation went as planned at St Johns. Was in hospital 2 days due to slight complication during procedure. Stayed in hotel nearby until June 24 when we met with Dr Bae and Dr Cano and were cleared to return home. Drove back to SF Bay Area. Stopped using Oxycodone after leaving Santa Monica and then Tylenol within a week and then only one Tylenol at bedtime. Numbness in lower body is nearly gone but comes and goes as expected. Local home nurse and PT were set up through The Spine Institute and they are headquartered here in Orinda. All visiting assistance has been wonderful. My wife was a wonderful nurse and recovery placed a lot of work on her that I had shared so it must be a team effort when serious operations such as back repair are considered. I had a Foley in use for 3 weeks and a complication occurred in that I went into septic shock and was hospitalized for a few days at John Muir in Walnut Creek. At first it was thought my back incision was infected so focus for 2 days was on that possibility, but it turned out I had an extreme bladder infection from the Foley. I setup a local doctor to perform the 6 weeks review in order to save another trip to LA and that was OK with Drs Cano and Bae. All was well. Walked as much as possible, first on my deck then around a local lake. Now walk a mile easily but slowly and use either my Hurrycane or a walking stick. One issue I had was the inability to release urine. Several doctors said they thought this was not related to my nerve pinch in my back. I felt it was. Turns out we were both right since after use of Flomax and the operation and after 3 months working with a local urologist I am back to normal. It has been 3-1/2 months now and slowly my legs are regaining sensitivity. It seems slow but with PT my balance and strength are improving. I feel the effort to work with The Spine Institute in Santa Monica was well worth the extra effort required.

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Hyun Bae, MD

Hands down some of the best medical care I have ever received. I've had back problems for almost 13 years, and I've seen dozens of the top specialists and surgeons in the Los Angeles area throughout the years. I came to Dr. Khurana in August with excruciating sciatica due to a severe herniation at L4L5 and moderate herniation at L5S1. I had had a previous microdiscectomy at those same levels almost 10 years prior which made things a little trickier, and the three surgeon opinions I got did not all agree on what to do with me. Dr. Khurana spent probably almost an hour with me in-office, and then another 30-45 minutes with me on the phone talking me through my options and what he would recommend if it were him or a family member going through the situation. Never once did he tell me I should see HIM for the procedure, only what he thought would be the smartest and safest course of action for me. Ultimately, I ended up scheduling a repeat microdiscectomy with him and am so happy with my decision. His office is easy to get ahold of, he is consistently on-time (even early!), and made the surgery scheduling process absolutely seamless. Dr. Khurana's PA, Elaine, could not possibly be more knowledgable or helpful. They've both been incredibly accessible to me both before and after surgery, answering all 1000+ of my questions thoroughly. Dr. Khurana does his surgeries at DISC, which felt like I was getting royal treatment compared to the two surgeries I've had at Cedars Sinai hospital. From my nurses to my anesthesiologist, I felt like both the facilities and the team Dr. Khurana uses were the absolute best.

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Sanjay Khurana, MD

THE BEST EXPERIENCE EVER! As one begins to explore replacing a knee it can be scary and brings on a lot of apprehension and questions. I started my search in YELP and did a lot of comparison and review reading. After all, you're replacing an integral part of your body and if not done right can leave you crippled. I ended up selecting Dr. Millstein for an appointment. Dr. Millstein was very straightforward, informative and organized. I felt comfortable with him right away. He gave me my options and I decided to move forward. Appointments were made. His office kept me informed and sent me documents and information when needed. The big day arrived. I had the normal fear and nervousness one gets prior to surgery and he talked to my wife and myself at length and answered all questions. We both felt much better. Needless to say he did a great job. I'm sure I came out of surgery with the best pain control possible. Cedar Sinai hospital was clean, efficient and very friendly. (Which you don't get the friendly part in most hospitals). I would recommend Dr. Millstein to anyone without hesitation. HE'S A GREAT SURGEON. Dr. Millstein, thank you for the new knee!! R. B

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Dr Millstein is an excellent doctor. I have seen him for a range of problems over the past 5-6 years including hip, knee and related issues. He's direct and explains things clearly -- and is never condescending! I frequently recommend him to friends and colleagues. Additionally, his staff at the front desk and the technicians are all friendly, professional and efficient. Recently, the front desk found a way to squeeze me in for an appointment because I was experiencing pain, even though the schedule was unusually packed as Dr Millstein had been in vacation. I recommend him most highly! On top of all of the above, he's a great guy!

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Eric S. Millstein, MD

The front office was friendly, not too long of a wait. The X Ray department was thorough, they gave me a cover for my thyroid. I would have liked them offering the protection without me having to ask. Dr Millstein is professional and will always find a way to help with out surgery as the first option. I have been seen by Dr Millstein for a few years and have always left happy.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

I have been suffering from neck/arm pain for the past 8 mos. I've been to 3 different "experts" & no one would write a Rx for me to go in for MRIs...even though nothing else was working: epidurals, cortisone, meds. As a prior gymnast & dancer, I know my body & I know when I started losing the feeling down my hands & then my fingers started to get freezing cold, the problem was a lot more serious than the doctor I was seeing was seeing. I finally demanded he write ard for MRIs on both shoulders & my cervical spine & through some research was referred to Dr. Khurana - who, after taking one look at all my tests, reports, etc. said I needed emergency surgery or I'd end up with permanent nerve damage. I wonder - if my previous dr had listened to me - would I be in the situation I now find myself? Of course, we can't look back, only forward & I am so lucky that I was directed to Dr Khurana, who went over everything with me in great detail & explained the surgery so that even my husband, who doesn't know anything about anything re: medical terms, procedures & the like, completely understood & felt 100% confident when we left. The surgery is pretty extensive: Dr Khurana will be fusing my C3/4 & then totally replacing my discs at C5/6 & C6/7 & any time one goes in for surgery, especially anything related to the spine, it is nerve-wracking, to say the least. But everyone in the office - from the front desk to Amanda & Elaine &, especially, Dr Khurana made me feel like I was in the best hands possible. My appointment was on a Wednesday & Jessica, who schedules the surgeries, called me the next day & was able to get me in w/in a week - pretty unheard of these days. I go in tomorrow morning & have been told that, while the recovery may be pretty tough, I am expected to feel relief from the excruciating pain I've been living with pretty immediately. I can't thank the entire staff for making a scary situation less so. If you're reading this & have any issues with your spine, look no farther....Dr Khurana IS your man!

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Sanjay Khurana, MD

Great patient care. Nice staff. On time and very efficient. Dr Millstein is knowledgeable, and has an excellent chair side manner. Highly recommend this office.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Dr. Bae had a consultation with my wife and suggested that she apply for an FDA trial of LimiFlex for her condition of spondylolesthesis. She was accepted and Dr. Bae performed the operation. It was most successful. In 10 days she was driving and 3 months out she is a very happy person. It surely was a better option that the traditional fusion that others had recommended. On one occasion we were stressed because we had to wait to see him. We were completely de-stressed when he came in with his charming self on a day in which he obviously had a lot of activity. We have nothing but high regard for this doctor.

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Hyun Bae, MD

Dr Eric Milstein is a fabulous sports Medicine Orthopedic surgeon. His availability, compassionate care for his patients as well as his up to date expertise in his field of specialty are unsurpassed by his colleagues. I recommend him and his office unconditionally.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Before Dr Bae I had seen 4 other back dr's. All told me I had stenosis in my L3-L5 region. All told me I would need fusion. I went through this over a 6 year period. I refused fusion since It would debilitate me for life. One of the earlier Dr's began to perform newer, minimally invasive procedures when a friend who happens to be a anesthesiologist told me to go see Dr Bae. I saw Dr Bae in Nov of 2016. I was more than impressed when he told me I did not need fusion. A Lumbar Laminectomy was his prognosis. I saw Dr Bae again in Jan of 2017. Surgery was scheduled for May 2017. Over the 4 month waiting period things changed and the procedure was changed. Still a Laminectomy but now 2 - 6" Carbon Fiber Rods and a titanium spring would also be implanted. May 15 2017 I went in at 1:30 pm for Surgery. I was in my hospital room at 6:30pm. At 6:30am the next morning I was walking up and down the hallways. I was released 2 days later. 3 weeks later I was back doing light work. Recovery was amazing. I was able to walk 1/4 mile at first, then 1/2 mile and finally a full mile. My only mistake was not going to PT when I was told to. A few issues but 4 weeks later I was a champ again. Dec 2017 I did a 2 mile walk/hike through the desert. I continued to improve. longer walks. less fear about having to park too far away to a store entrance. Sept 2018 I did a 8.5 mile hike through Malibu creek in 3 hours. I could not remember when I was able to go a distance like that with no pain. Dr Bae can be cold. However he was the warmest and patient man when it came to explaining everything to my wife. Before the surgery he made all the time needed. Lisa can be short. But they do care. The whole office staff cares. Amazing surgeon.

Hyun Bae, MD

Dr Millstein is very nice and genuinely cares about his patients. The wait time was way too long. His office help are not overly friendly.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

I had to have back surgery and I was referred to Dr Bae for a disc replacement. This surgery changed my life. I went from pure agony from the bone on bone damage to not feeling pain in my back anymore. I can’t wait to be fully healed and get my life back 100%. I can’t thank Dr. Bae enough for this amazing procedure. - Estella Sumaoang

Hyun Bae, MD