Benjamin I Song, MD

I had a unfortunate accident walking my dogs; broke 5^th meta in foot and fell on wrist and severed it. I went to Hollywood Presbyterian emergency. They admitted me, it took 36 hours before surgery. I met Dr. Song my gut gave me a bad feeling right off the bat. I did not know I could deny and ask for someone else. Three days in hospital, follow up appointment set for 2 weeks later. (I had a hard time getting to see him before leaving hospital; told them I was not leaving until I spoke to him again. He put plaster cast on my leg to my knee, and on arm above my elbow. When I aw him I told him this was too much cast and he gave me a look and and said it is not coming off.
By the time 2 weeks had come and my elbow inside the cast was becoming a problem and feeling infected; the night before my 2 week appointment that was set; after 6 pm they called and cancelled my appointment; claiming insurance issues. Any surgeon that works on someone, has 90 days following to take care of them without insurance issues. The receptionist told me to get my own x-​rays, pay for them and bring it to them. and did not set another appointment. I freaked… told her my elbow was becoming infected in the cast and the casts were loose and needed to be taken off and changed… she said the cast stay for 6 weeks and they will not be changing them. I called my Primary and HealthNet. They were not pleased and said that Song’s office was not correct in their practice, they were wrong and got me to a specialist within 24 hours.
The Ortho Center In Pasadena were upset I had not been seen sooner and removed both cast and took x-​rays (shocked at the old method of casting and how over the top amount of casting on me; as well as they should have been removed in one week and splinted. or smaller lighter weight cast put on in the first place. and would not comment at all about my wrist that day, only said foot looks good; I could see by there actions something was completely wrong. That day they rescheduled me to see a hand specialist on the following Monday. This was a Friday.
They wanted me in very early for some reason. Then seeing the first specialist was horrified and sent me to another hand special within an hour. That day they scheduled me for another surgery for 2 weeks later now because of Dr. Benjamin Song had set my wrist all wrong.
By this time the 2 weeks it already healing harder and stronger the wrong direction… I should have been a 4 to 6 more weeks recovery, but no. Now to re-​break and reset took me into another new healing phase that is so painful and the therapy is far longer… and much time and money and work lost. My left wrist, I am left handed and a hairstylist… can you imagine. I am reporting this bad Doctor everywhere I can. I have had so much problem with this it took me time to put my writing down.
This originally happened July 29^th 2015, I am now in my second phase of Therapy… still have 40% more to go to be back to normal function. It is Nov. 22, 2015
I met a women by accident a couple of weeks ago and she is an auditor for hospitals and I told my story… she said I have to report him… that is what she does is audit these behaviors with doctors in hospitals and was auditing at the time Hollywood Pres. God brings the right people along at the right times.
Now on my way to another surgery I get a call from Song’s office On August 17^th to schedule me a follow up appointment… They were willing to let me rot for weeks in the same casts… Oh My God. I informed her I was scheduled for another surgery because of his bad work and would not be seeing him again; she didn’t seem to care much.
And his score is a negative –0 he owes me now… had to put 1 to write review.

Dr Song, very kindly. he makes me peaceful few days ago. My brother went to the injured knee gave too warm for a given patient was relieved.

I agree with the previous reviewers. I would in all seriousness recommend leaving the hospital if Dr. Song is your surgeon. If you can’t walk, crawl. He botched my Grandmother’s surgery, refused to admit there was something wrong during repeated follow up office visits even though the issue was clearly visible by simply looking at the limb, and only after I got a second surgeon’s opinion did he note that a problem existed — but refused to fix it. After two years of crippling pain my grandmother is too weak for surgery, bed ridden and in pain. The last doctor I spoke to at Hollywood Presbyterian admitted that this is what happened, but said — and I quote: «what do you want me to do? He’s going to be the chief of staff.»
Awful doctor. If you value your health stay away!!!
Edit: My grandmother has now passed away. She never walked after Dr. Song’s botched surgery. She turned from a healthy, vibrant woman to a shell of her former self in near constant pain. Keep yourself or your loved ones away from this butcher.

AVOID THIS DR!!!
I cannot believe how rudely Dr. Song treated me at Hollywood Presbyterian. I was brought in to the emergency room and he was the doctor on call. If I had a choice, I would not have chosen him to treat me.
While I was bed-​ridden in my hospital room waiting to be seen by Dr. Song, he came in and took my father and boyfriend out of my room and pointed and joked to me to «stay there» while he showed them my x-​rays down the hall and went over my treatment options. He had them decide for me the procedure he wanted to do. He NEVER spoke to me once about my treatment, even though I am an adult and I was conscious and not loopy from pain meds.
After my surgery I woke up in the recovery room and asked if Dr. Song was going to speak to me about the procedure. I was told he already did. Supposedly he spoke to me while I was still under anesthesia?! So unprofessional! I guess if you are female he will refuse to speak to you.
To top this off, the wrappings and unsupportive bandages and sling they put on me were a joke and were not going to help me heal. After being released from the hospital I went to see a real orthopedic doctor.

Agree. He’s nice but his staff sucks. He’s treated me for two broken hand bones. They made me pay for the x-​rays when they were covered and still haven’t refunded me. Small-​ass office, very unprofessional. Stay away!

I wish I had read the review by the perivous person. I had surgery performed by Dr. Song. He is a good surgeon but no bedside manner. I am asking Dr. Song why is my leg not working after cast removal and surgery. He simply says, need physical therapy. My leg swells and the is pain since cast removal, he ignores my complaint. Finally 4 weeks later, I am at my wits end and start to cry because I don’t want to cuss them folks out. My leg still isn’t working, he is stating I can return to work without and restrictions. I’m still on crutches and my leg is still swelling. I hav a job where I am at the computer in a not so comfortable chair, having to walk long distances throughout the building, up and down stairs. There is not place for me to elevate my leg at my desk but this is not a concern for the surgeon. After I loose it in his office, he wants to send me to a vascular surgeon! I have no history of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure. The only disorder I have is asthma! My PT explained my muscle isn’t working fully, therefore swelling will persist until I get some muscle movement. Guess what she was right! We worked on muscle strengthening exercises I have some quad activity now and the swelling and pain are not as bad. She thinks I’ll be feeling great in the next 3−4months. I should be 100% in 9months. Dr. Song never ever took interest in my condition. As long as the surgical site was good and the cast came off, he took no further interest in my well-​being. I am very disappointed.
His office staff isn’t very helpful. You are charged for any and everything provided. I understand medicine is not cheap any everyone in the business is trying to find monies whereever they can but DANG!!! My company’s short term disability requires a form be filled out at each doctor’s visit to inquire about the progress of the injury. The office neglects to tell you it is a $ 15 charge per form. The short trem disibility department is welling to take the ingfrmation over the phone but the office decline to make the phone call. You guess it, a non-​monetary transaction would have occurred. To obtain copies of your chart, which is written so badly, typing of the doctor’s note is recommended (by the staff), which is a $ 35 charge per page. So every time I entered the office I had to ensure I had $ 15 dollars to pay for them to complete the same form yet again with the same information LOL!!!
I hope I can spare someone else this nightmare!!!

It is not fair for me to rate Dr. Benjamin S. Song himself because I only had a consultation with him for a bunion removal and he appeared to be very knowledgeable, but I cancelled my surgery due to his front office staff. His office staff especially a Ms. Kim was extremely rude and his staff made feel like they didn’t know what the heck was going on in the office. I called one day and talked to Ms Kim and asked if I could get a price quote for my surgery and she did not want to give me ANY price quote for the surgery. That is when I realized something can’t be right. I also asked what the price would be for the hospital and anesthesiologist and again Ms. Kim said I can’t give you a quote, but you call the hospital and get the information yourself. At this point I am thinking I am paying for this surgery (not cheap) and I have to do everything myself. What is his staff being paid for? Oh, I know to be rude! I called a third time to see if Ms. Kim managed to get a price quote and she yelled at me over the phone and treated me like I was bothering her, but at least this time I was able to get a simple quote. My surgery was set for December 8^th and the office never told me what time I was scheduled for the surgery. My last phone call to Dr. Songs office just ended everything including the surgery. I called Ms. Kim to advise her that my company required a letter from Dr. Song releasing me from work and Ms. Kim’s answer to me was «no». Dr Song will not write that letter until the day of the surgery. What? My company requires a letter BEFORE the surgery; so, that they can plan ahead (I am a flight attendant and they have to find another employee to cover my trips one month ahead). Surgery is stressful to begin with and I feel that Dr. Songs office staff made the situation a million times more stressful and I felt so much relief to call Ms. Kim and tell her that I was cancelling my surgery not because of Dr. Song, but because of her rudeness. I do not recommend any surgeries from Dr. Song because of his unacknowledged and rude staff.