St. Clair Hospital? (Pittsburgh: live, office, health)

[creepsinc]

I'm likely going to have neck surgery in the near future. My diagnosing orthopedist is affiliated with St. Clair Hospital, which is where the surgery would be performed. Several months ago, when I got the diagnosis, I got a second opinion at Allegheny General and tried physical therapy and their pain clinic to try to avoid surgery, to no avail. My experience with the St. Clair doctor (and office) was uniformly positive, and my experiences with Allegheny were almost all negative (except the PT office, which was fine if ultimately futile), despite what I've heard about the two hospitals being the exact opposite. Does anybody have an opinion of St. Clair based on personal experience? Surgery at Allegheny would be more convenient logistically based on where I live, but sometimes you have to go with your gut feeling, which is leading me back to St. Clair.


Thanks in advance.

[Copanut]

Prior to its financial meltdown 10 years ago, I would have said AGH. Still not crazy about St. Clair, heard too many horror stories. You best go with your gut.

[Hopes]

Pittsburgh is losing bragging rights---the healthcare systems are going to Hell.

Sorry I can't offer you any advice. I just wanted to wish you the best of luck with your surgery. I hope it brings you some pain relief.

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Prior to its financial meltdown 10 years ago, I would have said AGH. Still not crazy about St. Clair, heard too many horror stories. You best go with your gut.

Feel free to share a couple of the worst ones you've heard. I'd like to hear them.

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Pittsburgh is losing bragging rights---the healthcare systems are going to Hell.

Sorry I can't offer you any advice. I just wanted to wish you the best of luck with your surgery. I hope it brings you some pain relief.

Thanks! I hope so too. It looked like the PT was going to work, but I don't want to go through it every few months. I'd rather just get it over with. A coworker just got the same surgery (anterior decompression and fusion, yay!) and said it worked wonders.

[Hopes]

Have you considered going to the same surgeon who did your co-worker's surgery?

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Have you considered going to the same surgeon who did your co-worker's surgery?

I have, but he's at AGH. She also went to a neurosurgeon, which might be better since it involves my spinal cord. I plan on asking LOTS of questions next week, which I didn't do the first time since my head was spinning. This will be my first (and hopefully only) surgery. I made it 36 years, not too bad.

[Hopes]

I would NEVER let an ortho operate on my spine!

I understand having negative experiences with AGH; however, it's the surgeon that counts when it comes to surgery.

IMO AGH has the best neurosurgeon in town---Dr. H. D. Jho.

Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery , Minimally Invasive Spine and Brain Surgery, Endoscopic Spine and Brain Surgery

[Hopes]

Hae Dong Jho, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Neurological Surgery

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I would NEVER let an ortho operate on my spine!

I understand having negative experiences with AGH; however, it's the surgeon that counts when it comes to surgery.

IMO AGH has the best neurosurgeon in town---Dr. H. D. Jho.

Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery , Minimally Invasive Spine and Brain Surgery, Endoscopic Spine and Brain Surgery

Thanks. I'm going to try to get him to refer me to one. If he won't, that will be a huge warning sign. I'm mostly going back to the person who diagnosed me, getting my pain meds refilled and taking it from there. Everything I've read about this surgery says I should have a neurosurgeon perform it.