Virginia Spine Institute

This review is not for a specific doctor but for the actual practice and my experience with them this morning when trying to make an appointment for my mother.
My mother has a bulging disc in her neck and is suffering from some significant symptoms. I did an internet search for the best spinal doctor in the Northern VA area and came up with Dr. Schuler. I read all about how he is so well known, is the doctor for the Redskins, published papers, etc, etc, etc. I called to inquire about how long the wait would be to see Dr. Schuler. The next question from the customer care gal was «Is your mother over 65?» Puzzled, I replied «Yes, why?» She said that because of that, my mother would not be able to see Dr. Schuler but would need to see Dr. Hasz. Again, I asked why and she said because Dr. Schuler has «thousands and thousands of patients and Dr. Hasz was their doctor for Medicare patients.» I was annoyed because I feel like my mother deserves to have the same level of care at 67 that a 65 year old is entitled to but never-​the-​less, I asked what Dr. Hasz’s earliest appt was. I was told April. What? Today is Jan. 18^th and they don’t have any appointments available until April??? Obviously, I declined making an appt since my mother needs to be evaluated sooner than 3 months from today. I shared my frustration with the customer care gal before hanging up.
I was very disappointed in the outcome of my phone call to Virginia Spine Institute. I guess this just goes to show how much medical practices have become more about making money (i.e., what insurance you have determines who you get to see and how soon you get to see them) than about compassionate care for a patient in need, no matter what their age.
In closing, if the VSI has so many medicare patients for Dr. Hasz to see that his first available appointment is 3 months out, then maybe they should consider hiring another specialist to handle the medicare patient load. Seriously, my parents have paid into Medicare their entire lives and they can’t get into see a top-​rated specialist because their «insurance» isn’t good enough… even though they also have supplemental insurance in addition to Medicare. I’m sure that VSI is a great practice with great doctors if you are young and have insurance other than Medicare but if you are of Medicare age, don’t bother calling them unless you can wait 2 – 3 months to see a doctor. Sad.

I am beyond impressed with the Spine Institute and Dr. Schuler. The facility was clean and well run. The facility has everything anyone could need in regards to their spine health– surgeons, radiology, pain management, physical therapy, and research– all in one place.
Dr. Schuler and his PA, nurse, radiologist and office managers took their time to listen to me and provide thorough explanations. They showed compassion and care. But the most impressive piece was the flow of the entire experience; everyone I met with worked together and efficiently. There was no more then a 10 minute period where I was waiting to be seen.
I was seen first by the nurse who asked me about my medical history. Next, the PA who completed the physical exam and asked more extensive questions. I then went for x-​rays. And lastly, I met with Dr. Schuler and the PA and nurse together. Dr. Schuler reviewed my x-​rays– both current and past– and discussed them with me, did a physical exam, and asked me questions. Together the three of them laid out a plan of attack and reviewed it with me. They didn’t push medication or surgery. They offered a wide range of possible treatments.
I highly recommend this facility for any spine related health issues.

Va Spine Institute is the best spinal care you will receive in the United States as far as I am concerned. After enduring many appointments with other surgeons who misdiagnosed me, I finally found my way into Va Spine Institute and it was a breath of fresh air. From the time you walk in, to the time you leave, it is a great experience all around.
Dr. Good is my spinal surgeon and has performed two surgeries on me. The first he fused and stabilized my L4-​L5 discs about two years ago. A year after my first surgery he removed the screws and rods to relive some discomfort I was having. He has brought me back full circle into the wonderful and active life I was enjoying before my back injury. I couldn’t be more happy with the results of my surgery and the outcome all together. He has very good bedside manners and is very compassionate. I had a few complications after my surgery (not due to Dr. Good) & him and Va Spine Institute were there every step of the way!
I have also seen Dr. Bharara who is the pain management specialist at Va Spine Institute. He has worked with me over the past several months in coming off of some pain medications. He is really smart and has done wonders for me in getting me off the medicine and back to a more active life. He is very encouraging and I always feel really motivated to go out and do great things after my appointments with him. He exerts such a great energy into Va Spine Institute!
Overall, I highly recommend this practice to anyone who is in need of spinal care or pain management. They all work together as a team to get you better & back to an active life. If I could give them 100 stars… I would!!!

Terrible practice from many aspects. Dr. Schuler will not remember you when you have follow up appointments. This practice essentially goes against the oath all MDs take after receiving their license. They are not in it to help the patient, it is a money making business. They have you go through a series of physical therapy and pain management with injections, etc (normal prior to any surgery; but not normally this expensive.) They are private therefore they do not accept insurance. Each visit is 100 – 200 $. The balance grows with every visit and it is very disorganized and unclear where your money is going. Then a month or so later after everything is processed you owe 2000+ dollars. Then they tell you you need surgery. I have paid nearly 9000 $ and this does not include my injections from October which have not processed yet. My last visit with Dr Schuler he re-​introduced himself and asked me the questions what did I do where does it hurt etc from the very first visit. They love to cut and love to take your money. I will never let them touch my spine. They have made it worse, if anything, with injections I more than likely didn’t need. Go to a real MD. I will be going to Mayo clinic to see real spine specialists. I have heard wonderful things about Dr Patel with commonwealth orthopedics as well.

I was very pleased with the care I received. It’s clear that the doctors and PAs are experts in their field. Dr. Subach thoroughly explained everything – scan results, diagnosis, treatment options, prognosis – in a way that was clear enough for a non-​expert to understand but not at all condescending. Everyone I encountered was friendly and professional.
The only reason it’s not 5 stars is that they’re an out-​of-​network provider, so they’re expensive. If they took my insurance, I’d do my physical therapy there in a heartbeat.

I love these guys. Dr. Schuler is great, the PAs are great, and they performed an emergency surgery on me that has renewed my faith in medical science. The care here is first rate and everyone from the front desk staff to the billing department to the x-​ray tech were as wonderful as Dr. Schuler and Thao, his PA. I received a thorough evaluation (one which my PT should have done three months prior) and quick and decisive action, which resulted in my surgery. Their follow-​up is first rate as well.
My only quibble is with their arcane system for dealing with insured patients. They are an out-​of-​network provider, and I don’t understand their discounting system at all, but the billing department has always been forthcoming about anticipated charges and coverage.

My experience with the Virginia Spine Institute several years ago was occasioned by severe lower back pain which, on reflection, was probably caused by stress during the time that my elderly mother was in her final days. The Dr’s. and PA’s recommended surgery to relieve pressure they diagnosed from herniated spinal discs (a condition which, I understand, exists in most people over 50) One PA even told me that I should have at least exploratory surgery since «it could be cancer.» Fortunately, I chose physical therapy. After a month or so the pain disappeared and I have been completely pain free since then. I am acquainted with several people who have had problems following surgery at the VSI. While I am sure that the surgeons there must be highly qualified, my personal experience leads me to suggest that one should exercise extreme caution before submitting to expensive and intrusive surgery and try physical therapy, message, yoga, plenty of time, and any other means before being rushed into risky surgery.

I had suffered from back problems for over 20 years. I had a laminectomy performed by a recommended doctor in Leesburg, Virginia. It was unsuccessful. When I went back to this doctor and he told me that I had degenerating disks and that there was nothing else he could do. I was issued a disabled parking placard by my family physician as a result of his diagnosis.

After doing research on the internet I was drawn to Dr. Schuler with the Virginia Spine Institute. He said that the original operation was ill-​advised and performed a disk fusion of L4 and L5 with my consent. The results were nothing short of miraculous! I was very impressed with the compassion and follow up treatment offered by the clinic. I was in tears from the relief I enjoyed as a result of his treatment.
This clinic has it all — a competent staff, physical therapy, a research staff that keeps them on the cutting edge of modern techniques, and a pain management division.
This is an outstanding place to turn to for first class treatment.

I had 2 discs in my neck (C5 & C6) that were fused during surgery as a result of a car accident that was performed by VSI. I have nerve damage in my left shoulder and had been experiencing numbness and tingling and loss of strength before my surgery and I am pleased to report that my pain has dropped from about a 7 or 8 to a 1. The VSI also provided me with physical therapy which I did a lot of for 3 months after surgery. I am very happy with VSI through out this whole process, which involved several steps before we opted for surgery.

J Virginia Spine Institute. As a result of the operation, I have severe pain, I can no longer work or live a life without chronic pain. Since the operation I have been given narcotics (oxycodone) for the intense daily pain. I am now on disability for chronic back pain and under the supervision of a pain management doctor. My life is miserable with the daily pain and the inability to make a living to support my wife and dependent child. The doctor at VSI thought my pain was due to the hardware in my back however after another operation in November of 09 he removed the hardware but it did nothing to alleviate the pain. I was informed by dr Cohen at John Hopkins hospital that VSI did not do the proper test (discography) to determine the origin of the pain before he operated on my back. If I had known this I would have had the test.