Piedmont Physicians Athens Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

This is our first preliminary visit for orthopedic surgery 👨‍⚕️ it’s easy to get an appointment and quick to get in. The parking lot is packed but the facility is large ... has a wheelchair ramp and is easy to access. Inside, even though there is traffic it's not crowded. Our visit is early morning... The facility is clean, calm, and pleasant... the office staff are all helpful and pleasant… not too much of a wait. So just to update this review… we are 3 weeks past surgery and we couldn’t ask for a better team … this is an A Class Team and a professional show … we went through a pre op class so we knew what to expect and what would be required … Erin is the P.A. for Dr. Gaunder and you couldn’t ask for a more empathetic, knowledgeable, thorough care … they are wonderful!!

My after visit notes were full of lies. There was no lengthy conversation. I was simply told knee replacement surgery was the only permanent solution but I could get injections if I wanted. I wasn't offered any today either. I was given an appointment with Dr. Gaunder on Friday to discuss the surgery. My notes say that I was told I would have to lose weight before having surgery! That was never mentioned. I have been suffering for at least 8 months with numerous knee issues, mainly due to martial arts, and you lie in my notes! Why? Does quality of life not matter if you're overweight? I sincerely hope Dr. Gaunder is better than this person was. Niceness is great, but lying is unethical and rude.

Went to see Dr Eric Gordon for a shoulder issue. They did the initial x-ray, then he told me I had some arthritis. I asked him how much arthritis, and he replied ‘I’ve seen worse’. I told him, repeatedly, that isn’t the issue I’m experiencing, and he just sat there. I asked him if he was going to order an MRI (any 5th grader knows you can’t see a soft-tissue injury with an x-ray) and he said ‘NO’. Huh? I asked him why not, and he wouldn’t give me an answer. Then he said if it got bad enough one day I should consider shoulder replacement. HUH?!? Then he says ‘if you do, I’m your guy’. LOL you’ve GOT to be kidding me!! I went to see another doctor who ordered an MRI, and guess what? I have a torn rotator cuff and a frayed labrum. The audacity of Dr Eric Gordon to recommend a shoulder replacement should get his license suspended. What a joke. I’m assuming because it wasn’t a complete tear it wasn’t obvious to him, but why on earth would he not just order an MRI?? The only thing I can figure is he was going to have do a little work to figure out what was wrong, opposed to a complete tear would be obvious, so the faster he shuffled me out of his office, the faster he could see someone else coming in behind me that had something easier to diagnose. In other words, Dr Eric Gordon is lazy. So don’t let the Georgia ‘G’ logo on the building fool you into thinking you’re in good hands, it’s just another fast-food practice.

This office is well recommended when I walked in the building, Katelyn in orthopedics gave me a warm welcome. Katelyn was very helpful she went above and beyond to assist me. Positive attitude, Very Professional. Highly Recommended

Dr. Alexander Graf is incredible!!! He exceeded any expectations I had for my son’s hand surgery. Dr. Graf is precise &timely exactly what you want in a surgeon! He was able to quickly get my son in for a much needed surgery. The surgery took less than 20mins, Dr. Graf placed two pins in his hand, and now two months later my son has full recovery and is ready to play sports again. Thank you Dr Graf for your incredible work!!! I highly recommend him for any orthopedic need!

If listing yourself online as an urgent care facility, please have a working phone line and clear urgent care hours listed on your website . I tried multiple times to hold of someone this morning to make appt and then decided to just bring my father over (30 min drive) after he was injured in a fall since it said urgent care. We arrived at 11am, after looking at us as if we were in the wrong place and having to ask for assistance, we were told they could not see urgent care patients until after 2 PM. No additional guidance was given other than “we could return at 1:45 to be seen at 2 or go to the urgent care across the street, but they would just turn around and send us back to them”. Also reported to us that phones “were messed up” and “had no idea what their urgent care hours say on website but telling us that they are not until 2”... Offered no assistance to help make an appointment or guide us on how to (in order to establish my father as a patient—remember your phones are messed up and not all folks especially 78 year olds book online). At minimum could have kindly guided us go to local Piedmont emergency room or the other non Piedmont orthopedic urgent care in town (was also told their wasn’t one). Thought it was very unprofessional and rude to give someone who was obvious pain no actual assistance if you were claiming to be an urgent care facility. My son and I are both established patients and we will not be returning.

I was referred by my PC doctor for knee problems. The staff reminded me the arrival time was 45 minutes (10:45 am) before my appointment (11 am), which was very confusing. When I finally found the office about 25 minutes BEFORE the appointment, the staff already CANCELED my appointment due to "NO SHOW". She won't let me checked in because of the cancelation. She claimed that the paperwork took at least 30 minutes to fill. She rescheduled it and gave me the paperwork to fill before the next time. These paperwork were just the typical stuff which did not take 30 minutes. I finally made the rescheduled appointment 35 minutes before my appointment (7:55 am for 8:30 am 1st appointment). The docctor was late. I waited about 50 minutes (8:45), 15 minutes passed the schedule, for my name being called. The nurses took me for testing quickly. Doctor came shortly and spent less than 10 minutes with me to discuss possible treatments. He was fine. This was the worse experience I had with Piedmont. The patient cannot be late for the arrival time, but doctors can be late for their first appointment of the day. The paperwork should be available via email, My Chart, or on website. Patient's time is also valuable. Piedmont needs to improve the management.

I had my right hip replaced by Dr.Gaunder and his team on January 17, 2024 and cannot say enough good things about him the entire experience. All the appointments and communication leading up to surgery was amazing as well as the day of surgery and beyond. When I had questions or concerns I called or went on the portal and received a response almost immediately. I had my other hip replaced years ago and the recovery with this one went much quicker. I am cleared from PT and back to playing a full 18 holes of golf. If you want the same results, call their office now! First class service!