Yale New Haven Hospital Spine Center

DO NOT GO TO THIS PRACTICE! I had an absolutely horrible experience. They show no care for the patient, their concerns and discomfort. I called, in tears mind you, to find out if an MRI can be taken and I was told that my insurance won't cover and that if I was in too much pain I could go to the ER but the insurance still won't cover. The nurse showed 0 empathy. Not a single acknowledgement of my discomfort. She was all facts. I called my insurance and they explained it's a whole process. So I called back to ask the practice what is the minimum amount of PT I need in order to get an MRI. I need to know if there is anything we can do to get this MRI done sooner. The nurse sent me a message through the portal, she didn't even have the decency to CALL me back. And didn't even answer my question. She simply copied and pasted the notes from my consult where the PA recommended PT. I wrote a detailed explanation of my issue and the amount of pain its causing and reminded her she hadn't answer my question about PT/MRI and I asked a new question what did the note mean by "I have discussed all treatment options with the patient" when the PA only discussed physical therapy as an option. A different nurse answered the message and I complained that it seems they are not actually trying to help me. I am trying to understand this whole insurance thing and I am trying to find out if there is anything we can do to get around it and I get NO feedback from them and NO empathy for what I'm goin through. Their answer: they copied and pasted the recommendation from my consult (AGAIN!). So, based on her copy and paste response, it seems that PT, stretching and yoga comprise "ALL" treatment options. Really? The nurse DIDN'T EVEN acknowledge my questions about trying to get the MRI done sooner. Didn't even acknowledge my complaint about how their practice is making me feel and how little care about my pain they have shown. Even if there is nothing they can do about the MRI. Can't they say "I am sorry you are in so much pain. We would help you get the MRI done sooner if we could but we have to follow protocol" but NOTHING??? Not even a small acknowledgement? Their jobs isn't limited to protocol, it is to show care to the patient and to help them walk through extremely painful situations. I wish I could give 0 stars

Pain Management - Don't waste you time. You'll never get an appointment. I was put on a waiting list for severe neck pain. 2 months later I got a ph one call saying they could schedule me for an appointment in ANOTHER two months. So that's a total of 4+ months after my original office visit. Completely useless - glad I could find physical therapy outside of the Yale network.

Dr. San Juan is an amazing physician. She is very knowledgeable but more importantly she listens and truly cares. My lower back pain is completely resolved under her care. I highly recommend this wonderful physician.

Over worked me in therapy then discharged me . Also injection went bad when dr sticked me to deep( edit [2024]) 2 out of there therapist was professional and the desk workers were professional as well , 1 unethical doctor an 1 therapist actions shouldn't make the co workers look bad .

I had a great experience with Dr. Raju and his team. Everyone from the front desk to the operating table is extremely pleasant. Although the wait to be seen after my lumbar MRI was longer than hoped for, they can’t be faulted for being extremely busy during a pandemic, when people like me who put off elective procedures are resurfacing in droves. Scheduling and communication with the office has been great - after my intake I was able to schedule an epidural injection within several days, which was a huge relief! The procedure went very well and it was definitely one of the more interesting experiences I’ve had. Previous shots that I received elsewhere seemed rushed in comparison to this, and I swear I don’t recall other providers using live imaging to guide them. Dr. Raju was great at explaining everything simply as we went along, and it was fascinating to hear all the medical jargon about x-ray angles, spinal anatomy, etc. I really appreciated all the headsups he gave that I might feel tingling or pressure, and updates on progress towards completion. I highly recommend Dr. Raju and the practice!

The patient wait times are intolerable. Patient centered care is non-existent. Pain management side of the house presumes everyone is 'drug seeking' as evidenced by their intake questionnaire, which interestingly I cannot get a copy of, even though I've requested several times and which they refused to give me at final appointment. Here's the kicker-after degrading you and treating you with what can only be described as hostility, you have to return for any pain management, which could be a wait of several weeks. Everyone here would benefit from cultural competency and active listening skills training. Do not expect person centered care here-it is beyond their skillset. This review would be zero stars but alas, Google needs at least one.

I was a former spinal surgery patient with this practice, after 4 years the operation that was performed on me failed. I called after severe pain and not being able to stand or walk, I was treated as though I never existed and was told I could have an appointment on October 25th six week wait. After making the appointment, a week later received a call that I would have to reschedule for November. I do not know what has happened to Yale but the staff who works at this spinal center is absolutely horrendous. I have never been treated by anyone on the phone as I have by this staff. It is no wonder my surgeon left this practice. I would give them not one star if I could.

Everyone working here is extremely friendly, upbeat and helpful. I can’t comment on the other physicians, but Sarah Coffin, a PA there, is great and takes whatever time she needs to understand her patients' needs. Yale as a whole has a great network of different doctors and the best part is all of them are linked, meaning they all have easy access to all of your medical records, appointments, etc. You can also access your test results, appointments, information, and even message a doctor directly from their mychart app, which is really handy. The one huge negative for this particular practice is the parking lot. The enormous lot is always full, except for dozens and dozens of spots that are empty but reserved (tow away). At a minimum, it’s a very, very long walk from the back of the huge lot, as that’s your only shot of possibly finding an open spot.