Southern California Orthopedic Institute

Good docs… I like the Van Nuys office better. It can be hard to get a quick appointment which sucks when you are hurting… I ended up going to the acupuncturist and getting better treatment.

Decent staff, somewhat difficult to get a hold of. I went to Dr. Spelts. He’s a nice guy but he doesn’t seem to know what he was is doing. I feel like he just uses medical jargon to sound like he knows what he’s talking about. He couldn’t give a proper diagnosis, he just recommended PT. I really question our healthcare system sometimes.

I really waffled between a 1 and a 2 here — this group is incompetanr! I’m very unhappy with my experiences with this group. First, I do like Dr Spelts, so understand it’s not him that’s contributed to the scathing review. It is the HORRIBLE office support staff and management team that are have exhibited the worst incompetence I’ve ever seen and I work in healthcare so I’ve seen plenty!
I was in a minor MVA accident last year, my primary care doctor recommended physical therapy on my neck when it continued to hurt 8 weeks after the accident. I did 24 sessions and would get a temporary but brief relief after the sessions. So in January I sought out the opinion of a physician in the SCOI group because 6 months after the accident I was still not better. I filled out ALL the paperwork for the treatment and advised them my med pay rider on my car insurance was primary. Gave them ALL the information they needed and listed my private insurance as secondary to the med pay. After receiving an explanation of benefits from my private United HealthCare insurance I call the med pay adjuster at USAA and she told me she had never received a bill from SCOI?! I then started about a FOUR month period of talking to the billing office, the billing office manager Rene Harking and various others to try and get this resolved to NO avail! I finally called Dr Spelts’ assistant Angie and threatened to file a complaint for fraudulent billing to the state because they continued to knowingly bill incorrectly. Finally I got a call back and they were going to take care of it. I had to schedule an MRI — I meticulously pointed out it must be billed to my med pay, gave them the name of the adjuster and phone number… thought everything was OK until the day prior to MRI when they called to confirm the appoint I asked what insurance did they have on it — guess what it was my Private policy AGAIN! I can celled the appointment and told them to let me know when the billing manager and MRI team had it all sorted out and I would reschedule. Weeks go by, I get a call and it «all set» they say… I do the MRI and guess who they billed AGAIN?! It just goes on and on… finally think I have that sorted out and went to see Dr Spelts for the results and guess what I got in the mail a bill for the copay from private insurance?! DO NOT GO TO SCOI — their support staff/​billing office is incompetent!

This review is for physical therapy office only. Avoid them the receptionist is the rudest person honestly that I have ever talked to. She flat out lies and has no respect or empathy for the hard ships of right ankle surgery and having your ride cancel. I don’t recommend them if she is who you are supposed to get you first impression fro

I broke a bone in my foot a few months ago, and this was the second orthopedic I saw. They were much MUCH better than the first. The X-​rays were a huge improvement, and I was actually able to see the small break in the small bone. They are also very friendly and laid back. The treatment here has been spot on so far. Doctor Castaneda knows her stuff. I look forward to healing with their help.