Appointments and wait times reviews

Staff is always so warm and welcoming Office is very clean Prompt appointments

David Lee, MD

First driving into parking lot, very convenient right next to the door and to the elevator up to the office. That doesn't happen in Long Beach, CA. Entering the office I was greeted with a smile and a warm welcome. I was early to the appointment, but I was brought back to the exam room less than 10 minutes after I arrived. Dr. Bhalla entered right behind me and he had studied my chart, knew why I was there and got into the important things. My back is beautiful! The surgery was late December 2016, before the operation I could barely walk. I was in terrible pain, even sitting or laying down. What good work was given to me, my recovery with physical therapy and following directions I was up around by April and no trouble since.

Amandeep Bhalla, MD

The staff was friendly and I didn’t have to wait extremely long for my appointment.

Allyson Estess, MD

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

Hyun Bae, MD

Jennifer greets me very wamly and asks how I am doing. Always a smile on her face. Dr. Esters is extremely knowledgeable and personable. She takes time with me and always concerned how I am. She makes me at ease and comfortable. The wait time from checking in and seeing Dr. Estessis extremely minimal. Very appreciative.

Allyson Estess, MD

ACL Reconstruction & Meniscal Repair Success After consulting with several orthopedic specialists about my ACL and meniscus injuries, I ultimately chose Dr. Ramkumar—and I am so glad I did!! During my first appointment, his approach stood out: as clear, detailed, compassionate, and above reproach. He took the time to explain every option available to me, answering anll my questions, and immediately gave me confidence in his care. His entire support team deserves recognition. His Nurse Practitioner was attentive and reassuring throughout the process. The Surgery Coordinator made the pre-op scheduling seamless, and the front desk team was consistently welcoming and efficient. A special shout-out to the Disability Forms Specialist as well—quick, knowledgeable, and kind, which made dealing with the paperwork stress-free. The pre-op process was impressively thorough. Dr. Ramkumar’s comprehensive website laid out everything I needed to know—from the days leading up to surgery, to what to expect the day of, to post-op recovery protocols. That kind of accessibility and detail truly made a difference in helping me feel prepared and empowered. A few days after surgery, I had a minor concern and messaged his office—Dr. Ramkumar responded almost immediately, which speaks volumes about his dedication and attentiveness to patient care. Thanks to his clearly communicated physical therapy protocol, I am pleasantly surprised to be back to most of my usual activities just 4 short weeks after surgery. I never expected such progress so soon, and it’s a direct result of the quality of care I received. To Dr. Ramkumar and your incredible staff: thank you for guiding me through this journey with expertise, efficiency, and genuine care. I’m beyond grateful.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

We started treatments about 3 weeks ago, my father is 89 and had a severe right shoulder fracture. Brett is an excellent professional physical therapist. Sessions are always on time, improvements in range of motion started already, my dad said that the pain is slowly diminishing and my dad trusts Brett completely.

Brett Pugh, PT, DPT

Dr. Bhalla is an excellent spinal surgeon and he has an excellent staff. The staff got me in earlier than my original appointment because I was in a great deal of pain. The surgery coordinator did an excellent job of facilitating the process leading up to the procedure. Dr. Bhalla has been excellent from start to finish, taking the time to carefully listen and explain my situation to me and answer questions. There was a great deal of follow-up post surgery. The entire atmosphere of the office and Dr Bhalla 's. very professional demeanor created an environment in which I had complete trust and confidence in him as a person, in his professional abilities, and in his office staff. I am extremely grateful that I had such an excellent person and doctor for my surgery and care.

Amandeep Bhalla, MD

My appointment was on his first day in the new location so I expected delays. Waiting room was full but ended up only waiting 30 minutes. All things considered not bad.

David Lee, MD

The best Dr ever! Waiting for surgery schedule. In terrible pain

Sanjay Khurana, MD

After years of dealing with chronic numbness and tingling in my arms, I finally found relief thanks to Dr. Ortega and his incredible team. From the moment I walked in, I felt welcomed, heard, and taken seriously. I had tried everything—physical therapy, cortisone shots, rest—but the symptoms persisted. Dr. Ortega took the time to review my MRI in detail, explain my condition thoroughly, and walk me through all my options. Just weeks later, he successfully performed surgery to replace three damaged discs in my cervical spine (C4–C7). I’m now just two weeks post-op and already feeling a huge difference. While there’s still some soreness from the recovery process, the intense pain caused by spinal cord compression and disc herniation is gone. This review may be a little early, but I couldn’t wait to share my gratitude. Once I’m fully healed, I look forward to writing an update—but for now, I’m just excited to be getting back to the active lifestyle I’ve missed for so long. Thank you, Dr. Ortega, for helping me take my life back.

Brandon A. Ortega, MD

I never had a long wait and he always takes time to answer our questions.

Brandon A. Ortega, MD

Very helpful and never a long wait

Brandon A. Ortega, MD

The office is very clean & fairly new. Front office staff for appointments & filing of disability paperwork are extremely nice. Nurse visits for wound care - they are cautious to not cause any pain when cleaning, changing bandages or removing staples/sutures. Dr. Ortega has a great bedside manner in clinic & hospital. Surgery was scheduled to be a fusion, based off an MRI. An X-Ray was done in office & he found he could do a decompression vs fusion & gave me the choice. I went with decompression based on the possibility of issues with other discs down the road. PAIN: Has been minimal if any, including surgery. Elena, his scheduling assistant has been very accommodating with scheduling appointments, surgical approval & dealing with my hectic work schedule. The office has its own PT room. In the past 12 years of dealing with Sciatica, and PT, I have never been in such a nice PT location. The PT doctor & therapists are all very nice, knowledgeable of their job & make sure you are comfortable and not in any pain. Prior to my surgery I did a lot of research of spinal orthopedic Dr’s in my plan before choosing Dr Ortega. I highly recommend Dr Ortega if you are considering spinal surgery.

Brandon A. Ortega, MD

Friendly staff. Didn't have to wait long

Brandon A. Ortega, MD

Dr. Millstein’s offices are beautiful and my wait time was short. He and his staff were welcoming and efficient in all aspects of my visit and my X-ray was conveniently accessible on site. The doctor listened to my concerns and explained the options. I would highly recommend Dr. Millstein.

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Dr Lee was very attentive and took the time to figure out the best option for healing my injury. Didn’t have to wait long either which is always a plus.

David Lee, MD

I have had the pleasure of being a patient of Dr. Millstein since 2023. He has improved my quality of life immensely. I’m 67 years old and have bad knees. With Dr. Millstein’s recommendation of physical therapy along with cortisone injections I am able to function without pain. He is so kind and considerate, extremely knowledgeable! I highly recommend him! Do not hesitate to reach out to his staff for any questions you might have. They are all great! Make an appointment today and start enjoying your life with less pain and more joy. If I could rate him higher than 5 stars I would. 💫

Eric S. Millstein, MD

Dr. Office staff was very helpful in accommodating my need for an appointment. Dr. Khurana explained my options in treatment. Unfortunately I later was advised he is no longer on my employers W/C physicians list and I need to start over with an approved listed Physician.

Sanjay Khurana, MD

INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE – Dr. Wassef, Jason his assistant and Mason from the Stryker MAKO team were amazing! Dr. Wassef is a highly respected and sough-after joint replacement surgeon and I am thrilled with the results. I have had several different kinds of surgeries but never experienced the level of technical detail from the medical evaluation, surgery analysis, pre-op training materials, nutritional recommendations, surgical preparation, exercise training videos and Dr. Wassef’s post-surgical care. I had a severely compromised knee with bone spurs and a second knee that was not much better so I scheduled to have both knees done about 12 weeks apart. I have had some friends and family members have different experiences with joint replacement so I decided if I am going to do this once I wanted the best surgeon I could find and did extensive research. Based on Dr. Wassef’s recommendation I committed to strength training before the surgery to help with the healing process and was amazed at my recovery. The support staff was very professional and you can tell Dr. Wassef is highly respected at the surgery center based on the number of comments I received about this patient outcomes.

Andrew Wassef, MD

Hip Replacement So, your hip is hurting bad enough that you finally need to get it checked out, but you're not sure who to see. That was exactly the situation I found myself in. I knew I wanted a surgeon who specialized in the anterior approach rather than the posterior, since the recovery with the anterior method tends to have fewer limitations. While I was researching, I came across reviews for Dr. Prem Ramkumar. After looking into his training and current practice, it became clear that he was a standout in the field of hip surgeries. He was exactly the kind of doctor I was looking for—someone who used modern techniques to ensure the best possible outcomes. I made an appointment, and within two weeks, I was meeting with him. After reviewing my case, which included hairline fractures, arthritis, and bone-on-bone rubbing, Dr. Ramkumar agreed that I was a good candidate for a total hip replacement. We scheduled the surgery a couple of months out. During that time, I followed the instructions given by both Dr. Ramkumar and Long Beach Memorial. There were daily exercises—nothing too strenuous—but I’m sure they helped my recovery. When the big day arrived, I met with Dr. Ramkumar before the surgery. He reassured me that everything looked good and we were ready to go. Later that day, after the surgery, he came to check on me again to ensure everything was progressing as it should. I could tell he was genuinely invested in my case. That same day, I was able to walk to the restroom with a walker, use the toilet independently, and go up and down a few steps. By the end of the day, I was cleared to go home and was discharged. After the surgery, I stuck to the post-op exercises Dr. Ramkumar recommended. In the first week, I walked around the house and outside with a walker. After that, I graduated to using a cane. Now, almost three weeks post-surgery, I’m feeling fantastic. I’m walking two 1-mile walks a day and continuing with my exercises. I can’t recommend Dr. Ramkumar enough. His expertise made the entire surgery nearly pain-free, and I honestly can't believe how well I’m doing at this point in my recovery.

Prem N. Ramkumar, MD, MBA

My daughter & I visited Dr. Estess to take care of my daughter's ganglion cyst. From the moment we walked into the office, we experienced a warm, caring, and superior staff: everyone from assistants at the front desk, the x-ray technician, Dr Estess' assistant, and Dr. Estess' herself. Dr. Estess took the time to explain everything to my daughter and me and to offer care options. My daughter suffers from anxiety disorder and while she was anxious in the outer waiting room, once she met the x-ray tech her anxiety subsided. She remained relaxed throughout the rest of the visit. We are completely satisfied with the care my daughter received and highly recommend Dr. Estess and her staff.

Yelp^®

Allyson Estess, MD

Dr. Michael Port truly setting the standard in patient care. It’s rare to find a doctor who not only listens, but really hears you. Dr. Port takes the time to understand concerns, answers every question with patience, and never makes you feel rushed. His calm, caring presence and attentiveness make all the difference. Am so so grateful to have someone who brings both heart and skill into every appointment and have been with me through all of each of my surgeries. Compassionate. Thorough. Present.

Michael Port, MD

Had such a great experience with Dr Millstein and his group at the Commons Clinic. Everyone was so warm, and also efficient. No waiting, no wasted time. And everyone is just very nice. Dr Millstein is SO knowledgeable. He took time at our appointment to explain everything including next steps and a potential treatment plan. Would highly recommend.

Yelp^®

Eric S. Millstein, MD