Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance East Tennessee - Fort Sanders Regional — Local services in Knoxville

I have suffered from an incurable disease my entire life. I have had treatment for this since I was a teenager. I have never come across an orthopedic surgeon who was as apathetic and unwilling to spend time listening to me to help create treatment solutions as Dr. Wells. It felt as if since he couldn’t operate on me, I wasn’t worth spending time with. His PA had much better bedside manners than he did. The PA listened to me thoroughly, investigated the pain I was describing, and showed me the details of my X-rays. Dr. Wells spent exactly two minutes with me and in that span of time, he encouraged me to go to a GI specialist and physical therapy without even asking any questions about my pain or history with the illness. It felt as if he wanted the problem to be someone else’s. Everyone in the building that I interacted with was nicer than Dr. Wells: administrative staff, xray technicians, his PA and a nurse. I scheduled a follow up appointment while being pressured to, but I have since cancelled it. These doctors also love to say that their patients should stop seeing chiropractors even after being told that chiropractic care is the only thing giving me any relief. On top of all of that, the doctor put in a prescription to my local pharmacy without even telling me. I wouldn’t have even known it if it wasn’t for pharmacy text messages that I get from Kroger. Dr. Wells was dismissive and has turned me off from ortho surgeons forever. I’ll deal with my illness in the way that they think I shouldn’t even though there is concrete evidence in my X-rays showing that chiropractic care has...

My name is Kris Koehne, Ph.D. I had an appointment with Dr. Burns last week. Dr. Burns completed surgery on my right thumb last September. I went to see Dr. Burns because, during the past 3 months, i have been experiencing increased levels of pain in my right thumb. Dr. Burns greeted me with a big welcoming smile, which set the stage for a pleasant visit. We agreed on the medical protocol of Dr. Burns administrating me an injection of steroid to reduce the inflammation and pain of surrounding nerves. An exception skill that few doctors do, but Dr. Burns always does it: before Dr. Burns even touches my right thumb and hand, he tells me what is coming next. For example, during the injection, Dr. Burns said, "Your going to feel a little pain." Then He said, "You will feel some pressure. Next, I am going to pull on your right thumb, but just relax your thumb and do not try to resist my pull. Now, a bit more feelings of pressure. And now we are done". Before Dr. Burns did anything to me, he explained what he was going to do next! Now, this professional skill of informing patients before anything is done, is to me, the highest level of mature, experienced, professional moral and ethical standards, bar none!! Dr.Burns, MD, stands tall on my ladder of professional integrity and character, because he sincerely cares for his patients.

Plus, Dr. Burns has quite the sense of humor.. and, i have never met Dr. Burns wife, but i know she really loves her husband... and enjoys buying him unique and...

Physician, OR nurse, office nurse where wonderful. However the registration staff and Office Manager at their new surgery center did not understand member out of pocket max nor do they know how to use the Blue Cross cost estimator tool in Availity for accurate collections. They were rude, forceful and said they would cancel my surgery if I did not pay there expected amount. An amount off of an inaccurate estimate and not to mention they only offered two options for payment. Either a application through a third party vendor or my back card on file at there leisure. They would not listen to my explanation related to medical revenue cycle management and how new claims would be applied that very week to my out of pocket max.. which would in turn change the amount they said I owed/there currect estimate and leave me chasing them for a refund on a payment plan they locked me into. They chastised me with unprofessional comments such as "sorry you have financial difficulties" embarrassing me in the lobby at check in. my finances were not the issues. A in network contacted provider can pursue up front collections...however it must be done correctly, professially and services should not be denied just because the billing collections are erroneously aggressive. I guess we know now what TOA is concerned...