Lumbar spinal stenosis treatment in 339 Spine surgery clinics in Europe

Never go here, Please. Dr. Julia Brzoska promotes in Doctorlib reception of publicly insured patients, but they do not. They have unqualified personal on the front desk unaware fully of regulations. It wasted my time in such a delicate topic. They are another private clinic sustained by marketing.

Most Traumatizing Medical Experience Ever! While the Meo clinic might impress with its aesthetics and cordial staff, its administrative and financial aspects are deeply flawed: Lack of Transparency: I never received a clear financial breakdown for my treatments, and attempts to seek clarity were met with resistance. Billing Issues: A year post-treatment, I got bills escalated to collection agencies and court by PVS, an outsourced payment firm used by many of the clinic's doctors. The initial bills of approximately 3800 EUR more than doubled. Worse, the bills had incorrect patient details. Missing Medical Records: Despite continuous requests over two years, I've only gotten records from one out of the four doctors I saw. A recent visit revealed a mere two notes from 22 visits and a few prescription copies – no record of MRI/MRT scans, ultrasounds, cancer tests, or blood tests. Poor Communication: The clinic's staff claim that doctors operate autonomously and aren't answerable to them. The doctors, on the other hand, blame PVS, their invoice firm. PVS remains unresponsive, creating a maddening loop of non-accountability. Legal Issues: While withholding necessary medical documentation from me, the clinic keeps adding to my bills via lawyers. They know I need the documents for insurance, but continue to stonewall all communication attempts, even from my insurance provider. In summation, my experience with the Meo clinic has been nothing short of a nightmare. Despite promises of proficient service and clear English communication (given my expat status during the Covid lockdowns), I've received neither medical results nor proper documentation of treatments. Their blatant disregard and lack of support have left me feeling abused and overlooked. I warn potential patients, especially international and EU visitors to Germany, to be cautious before visiting this clinic! Expect zero documentation, no effective communication, and exorbitant bills. This clinic seems indifferent to the profound impacts such negligence might have on your life, expecting you to bear costs out-of-pocket despite insurance coverage. The only "documentation" you might get are bills from PVS that state amounts without any clear patient context. When reaching out to the clinic for help they clearly state that they aren’t responsible for any of “their doctors”… but at the same time advertise their clinic as a fully integrated medical institution that takes care of everything for you as their patent! It’s absolutely scandalous!

**EDIT TO RESPOND TO COMMENT*** While I understand the reply is mainly to manage reputation for people reading this review, I spent 35 minutes trying to 'rectify' the issue in the clinic and was met with eye rolls and sighs from unhelpful management. I understand there are protocols to follow in regards to billing, it is just a shame that this time it seems those protocols weren't adhered to and extra charges were added. I believe my email address and phone number are on file so I am happy to discuss further if you wish to reach out. ------ ORIGINAL POST Quoted €80-150 for a doctors consultation and after a 12 minute consultation was given a bill for €394,88. Was eventually discounted by €80 euros as was able to show I was charged for services I didn’t receive but still was grossly overcharged and my lack of speaking German was taken advantage of (one small example was my 12 minute consultation was charged as “Mind. 20mins” which the obnoxious manager tried to tell me means “under 20 minutes” and wouldn’t change). Even when you do the right thing and ask for a price upfront you still get ripped off. Please think twice before attending this clinic as they are not upfront at all and are very deceitful. The receptionist was good and very apologetic but all other staff dealt with were rude and unhelpful. The final explanation is “I’m sorry but the professor can charge what he wants and won’t change anything”. Be careful if you don’t speak German as you will likely get overcharged too.

Went to the ER one Wednesday afternoon, around 13:30. The receptionist saw I was in pain and explained I had taken the wrong password ( you have to press "Consulta Permanente"). She helped me with that and in less than 5 minutes I was called and directed for treatment. Waited about 40 minutes and was seen by Dr. Ramon Maldonado Acosta. Very kind, attentive and in no rush. At 15:00 I was already home, having been to the pharmacy as well. The hospital charged 73 euros. I think it was well worth it. I was in a lot of pain & discomfort. Staff & doctor were really nice.

Amazing service. After going to Loulé public and then Faro, neither surgeons were able to get the foreign body out of my toe and I was told to leave it despite agony and not being able to walk. I attended Hospital de Loulé in desperation for a competent Doctor to assist and I was privileged to have Dr Ruben as my surgeon. What a genius! 1.5 hours from initial GP appointment, xrays and surgery and the extraction was a success. Amazing, wonderful staff and beautifully clean, calm hospital. Thank you everyone for my incredible experience.

Staff are very polite, but to get through to the Hospital on the telephone is almost impossible. The recording is absolutely a waste of time, if you listen carefully it says ‘your call is important to us and we have recorded your number and we will call you back’ They never call back so you try again and wait for them to answer, which can be over 30 minutes .

Poor service

Normal care without differentiation, for example from a public hospital, in the dermatology service it was not possible to detect the origin of my father's skin problem, only after going to a dermatology consultation at CUF in Porto

I was received with professionalism and friendliness, I also spoke a little with a doctor and a nurse, they were very attentive

Terrible service. They have closed the permanent customer service, admission for appointments from 4pm onwards has to be done at the counter on floor 0 because the counters on the other floors are already closed, which greatly increases the waiting time. Even though I've been coming to this hospital since it opened and I live a 5-minute walk away, I prefer to look for another hospital.

Very unfriendly reception at piso 0. Sending back and forth. Technician late so far 0.5h (still not here) for a scheduled exam... so far great experience with HLuz but first at Amadora. Not anymore

Dr. Joana Rocha Pauletta was extremely rude, condescending and impatient. I waited 30 minutes although I had an appointment, and she seemed to be agitated from the moment I sat down. I made an appointment with her specifically because her profile said she speaks English. So I waited two months to see her. But when I got in the appointment she continued to not only chastise me for not speaking fluent Portuguese but she was very condescending and rude about it. She continued to communicate with me in Portuguese and then would get frustrated when I didn’t understand. Again, her profile lists English as one of her languages , yet she refused to communicate in English. I had several concerns that I needed addressed regarding perimenopause and her response to each concern was that I needed to see a general doctor. Additionally their website has an entire page about communication with international patients which makes her behavior and disposition all the more perplexing. Medical Tourism is when people travel for medical procedures, in which case, tourists are not expected to speak the language of the country they travel to. This was a Horrible horrible experience. If she does not want to deal with native English speakers she needs to remove it from her profile.

I feel robbed. I spoke on Instagram with Dr Paulo Morais (dermatology) about removing a mole in which I sent a photo of it. What did Dr. He told me what it was and that he removed it easily in 15 minutes in a consultation. However, on arrival at the Hospital Clínica da Luz in Amarante, they charged €75 before the consultation. I entered the office Dr Paulo Morais saw the sign again and said he would have to pay €270 to remove it. In other words, I had not mentioned this before, not having gone there prepared, I did not carry out the procedure and I still ran out of €75 in 5 minutes to leave to find out the same and I lost a morning of work. 😔😪 The situation is regrettable, Dr. Paulo Morais deceived me well.

Review of previous review for the reasons I will describe, although I chose to maintain some aspects. Private clinic where many quality professionals work, however the entire management of this hospital seems to be based solely on traditional, and very clear, objectives: profit! An institution of this nature must, in my humble opinion, regulate its procedures by ethics, above all. But that does not always happen. I do not accept scheduling a surgery with a stipulated price, in prior consultation, and being presented with a bill that ends up being more than double that amount. I paid, it's true, because I didn't take anything that could prove what I'm saying here, even though I had a document at home whose code differs from the one presented to me on the invoice. But the worst part was how quickly the mini-surgery took place. I ended up not extracting all the "signs" (or warts, which is what they are) planned for extraction, thus maintaining a greater risk of spread. Furthermore, he planned to carry out the action through cryotherapy, and not through scraping, which involved a lot of blood loss, marks everywhere, the impossibility of leaving and other constraints. This was not told to me in the preliminary consultation. The way in which we are "deceived", because, in my opinion, that is what it is all about, always begins with an initial consultation, which is long and during which sympathy hides the intention of the true final charge, which, in my opinion, does not take place of the doctor's will, but of the objectives to which workers are currently subject. Here I leave my honest opinion, with the intention that anyone who has a few seconds to read it does not fall into the same "trap". Requiring clear documents, budgets, for example, that stipulate final prices, is fundamental and ends up corresponding to a right enjoyed by users. That cannot be neglected! PS: Oh, and the date set for surgery cannot correspond to an appointment, let's face it! We should be careful, because if we refuse to accept paying for a consultation on that day, the final price will probably reflect this disagreement, due to some other excuse...

Incredible......I waited 70 minutes to be seen by Mr. Doctor José Miguel Freitas! I ended up giving up on the appointment as I was still waiting for them to call me! My Time is as precious as yours..... I will not use your services again!!!!!

What a wonderful hospital. We had a pre-operation visit today, and from the reception to having our nurse consult, blood tests and X-Rays done, each and everyone we saw, were so kind, and explained everything in detail as to what was going to happen step by step to make us feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible. I highly recommend this hospital. Thank you 👍

Referred by Luzdoc to Urgencias on Tuesday 31 October. Everyone we encountered was extremely helpful. Special thanks to Dr Issy and Dr Pedro who reassured me with their professional competence. Nursing staff were very caring. Waiting in such medical circumstances is expected and inevitable. All staff spoke English without any hesitation, for which I am grateful as unfortunately my Portuguese is not to that level. I thank everyone for their assistance and treatment.

Very nice people and very professional doctors at this hospital so the 2 stars are for them. I had a cut in my lip and needed stitches. The very friendly Dutch speaking doctor put in 4 stitches. Good job. But than came the bill. The treatment took 15 minutes, sedation and stitching. The bill: 1100 euro. A totally excessive amount of money for the work done. 2 Years ago I was here also for 6 stitches in my face and than I had to pay around 350 euro. There is something seriously wrong in our society if you wanna make that much money over the backs of people that need treatment. HPA, you should be ashamed. To the CEO of this place, try to look in the mirror and say out loud, 4 stitches 1100 euro, and than keep a straight face.

From the moment I arrived to when I left, the staff were amazing and I was made to feel so relaxed and comfortable, I was treated with such respect and dignity throughout my stay. The staff were wonderfully attentive, especially Ann Marie. From reception, porters, catering, cleaning, nurses, anaesthetist, surgeon, etc...everyone was fantastic and made my hospital stay a very pleasant experience. Wonderful staff, wonderful hospital.

I had a routine apt at the hospital today - I was greeted by a receptionist called Tina extremely polite and helpful she confirmed my appointment and advised that my consultant was on schedule, she advised I could help myself to coffee and I would be called shortly. After my appointment with my consultant - a very down to earth engaging and informative gentleman, I spoke to Wendy on reception - again extremely helpful and courteous lady who arranged a 8 week follow up appointment. The experience was smooth, to time and straightforward - thank you all.

Husband in for hernia op 26/10/23. Excellent care, especially (my outsider's view, only being there for several hours over 2 days) from Sheila and Sarah. Their patent experience, kindliness tempered with a no- nonsense approach to the tasks in hand and thorough good-humour made his stay a great deal less unpleasant than it might have been. Of course, those who passed in and out doing their duties; doctors, nurses, etc. were also very good and tirelessly upbeat. Not a grim face in sight! If I did emojis, there would be a line of happy faces. May I stay a day to test-drive and enjoy the well-balanced, toothsome food on offer! Thankyou all! Job for the Maintenance Team. Shower in ward 102 looks fine - all nice and clean. But from the inside, once the door has been slid shut, one sees that the silicone (whatever!) has badly perished and water gains free access to under the shower pod floor. Nice for fungi! Dive in chaps and get it sorted but not a la the railways!

I've just had a stay in Goring Hall Hospital for a hip replacement. The surgery was a huge success, and the level of care from everyone has been second to none. The rooms are private and very comfortable, the nurses are all amazing, and then the catering service from Granny Vivian is the icing on the cake (so happy and friendly, and each course served individually to ensure the food is fresh and warm)

Sally and Stephanie were both very professional and very friendly. Treated me as a normal intelligent human being, which was appreciated. And the blood test was sensitively done!! Thank you I can’t see how to write another review! So am adding to this one. Had my hand surgery yesterday, and it was made almost enjoyable! Lizzie was great and looked after me without fuss. What can I say about Granny Vivian?! Everyone needs a Granny V. When I said how much I enjoyed her tea, she brought me 2 more (very welcome!) mugs. Just delightful ❤️

I've recently had a knee replacement at Goring Hall Hospital. Whilst on my stay on the ward I was served my evening meal by Granny Vivian from catering. What an absolute delight this lady is. So thoughtful and caring to the extent of bringing the starter out first and following with the main course so it didn't get cold. She had a wonderful smile on her face but still remained very professional in her service. An absolute joy.

When I first came to this hospital, I was unsure of it as it is very small, a little dated and the car park is tiny. I have visited on six separate occasions now and the thing that sets this hospital apart, is the people who work there. They are exceptional. Everyone is efficient, kind and goes the extra mile to look after you. Today in particular, Marble, a member of the nursing team, took such superb care of me, I’m incredibly grateful. There had been a mix up with my paperwork by the consultant team but it wasn’t an issue at all, she quickly resolved the matter for me, going above and beyond, to make sure I could have the tests needed and my journey wasn’t wasted. She took such lovely care of me and was incredibly kind. What I also observed was that Marble was showing a member of the front desk team how she was resolving the matter so that they knew how to help patients in future-this natural, on the job training, striving to help the current patient but also making sure all members of the team can help future patients is what makes the level of service in this hospital so strong. This hospital is now my primary choice when my insurance company refers me, purely based on the wonderful team and individuals like Marble who make each visit so seamless.

The staff were friendly and hospitable. Was a nice time though the wait was long they took their time to explain the reason why it was that way and it was understandable. Good and efficient service.

One of the very best experiences I have ever had (at the Sudbury Eye Clinic, Brent Community Ophthalmology Service) even when compared to private facilities. The reception and nurse staff are second to none. Starting with a 2 day reminder for the appontment to booking the follow-up. Very clear with the process and triaging, initial checks, etc.. My appointment with the surgeon and her explanations and support were brilliant. Excellent all around. Thank you!!!! Wish all engagements through the NHS were similar.

Everything was perfect nursing staff very friendly and helpful. The ladies who arrived with tea and toast and also lunch were so friendly too. Thank you all for your care and attention. Merry Christmas to you all.

Highly recommended! From my first initial consultation with Mr Nicol who was extremely helpful and nothing was an issue to getting my surgery done. When arriving at the hospital in the morning I was welcomed and put at ease instantly. It was very reassuring and helped calm my nerves that Mr Nicol popped in prior to the surgery and explained what the procedure would involve and answer any questions. It also helped Andrew the anaesthetist popping in beforehand to chat things through. The staff are all very friendly and helpful from the admin staff, catering staff, domestics to the theatre staff , physios and those on the ward. There are too many amazing staff to mention individually but a big thank you to Donna in recovery and Lucy on the ward. I wouldn't hesitate on recommending anyone to use King's Park Hospital. Definitely 5 stars and higher if there was the option!

As someone who has never had surgery before the guys at Kings Park Hospital put me at ease right away. From the moment Emma met me to show me to my room Emma calmed me down. Hannah looked after me also and continued the great care keeping me at ease at all times right through to walking me to theatre and then the after care. The surgeon and anaesthetist both visited me prior to the op and again explained everything and had me in good spirits going into the op which for someone who was terrified of this day they done exceptionally well. Walking into the theatre everyone was so nice and helped ease my fears. The whole team who looked after me deserve a mention but there were so many. I wouldn't have any hesitation using Kings Park Hospital again should the need arise and would definitley reccomend them. Great service, great team keep up the excellent work. And the foods great too!

Everything about my experience at Mt Alvernia Hospital was first class. All the nursing staff were brilliant - very professional, caring and thorough. Nothing was too much trouble. The hospital was spotless.

I want to share my experience at Mount Alvernia hospital. I have been cared for by sister Daniela who has been truly first class in every aspect of my care. She is caring and knowledgeable and took very good care of my wound. I can’t recommend her highly enough.

Had a caudal epidural at this hospital yesterday. The care and attention that I was given from start to finish was exceptional. All staff, from reception, catering to nurses and theatre were wonderful. So kind and genuinely caring. Have been to this hospital 3 times now and would absolutely recommend it.

What a fantastic experience. I attended the Sarum Road Hospital for a full left hip replacement in September 2023. Communication from the hospital was excellent. My pre-op assessment was easily arranged and went smoothly. My consultant, Mr Hartwright was brilliant. He fully explained what would happen and made sure I had no worries. The operation and follow up consultations went really well. My stay at the hospital was very comfortable and I was looked after really well by all the nursing and other staff. Following my operation I undertook physiotherapy. Jen was brilliant and took me through a series of exercises to strengthen and mobilise my new hip. I'm sure she made my recovery so much quicker. Overall my experience at Sarum Road was fantastic and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to my friends and anyone else should they need treatment.

I feel I was looked after very well. A great surgeon, doing a hip replacement, and I recovered very quickly. The 6 months physio that you get as a paying patient gave support and encouragement..

I was very impressed with the service and the team. I achieved everything I wanted to achieve and found it very helpful having personal physio goals. Ashley helped me to stay focused when my motivation was low! Thank you

Recovering from a total knee replacement and could not have been in safer hands than at Beardwood. All the nurses who looked after me were a credit and nothing was too much trouble for them. I was very well looked after and I am sure will recover more quickly as a result.

Everyone from the receptionist through to the surgeon made my stay a brilliant experience. The nursing staff (different on all 3 days) were nothing short of being Angels. The catering staff 1st class. Please note your full English breakfast was excellent. The night shift team were brilliant, nothing was to much trouble. Overall a 1st class performance in my opinion, thank you so much.

Great hospital where I was well taken care of during my ankle surgery. The only slight criticism is please wait after knocking before entering the room, a couple of times the person came in straight after knocking when I hadn't given my consent, one time I was not dressed. Other than that I had a lovely stay and everyone was really friendly and nice.

I had the great fortune to have surgery and a 2 night stay at The Chiltern Hospital as an NHS patient. The whole experience was exceptional, I could not have asked for more. Surgery is never without stress, and every single member of staff could not have done any more to take care of me. Many, many thanks.

Amazing staff were fantastic couldn’t fault the whole experience. Now recovering hoping to make a full recovery. Your Nepalese nurse staff member I think Called nella was particularly thoughtful and amazing. Thanks

Service was amazing start through finish. Staff took the time to make sure I was completely comfortable throughout. My nurse Ram, surgeon Mr McElroy, physio Kate, antithesis Dr Bakhshi and all the other staff I interacted with on the floor were extremely patient, friendly, knowledgable and accommodating. Not a bad word to say, everyone made my stay at chiltern as comfortable as it could have been. Thank you

"Our experience with Nurse Tatiana was exceptional. She demonstrated genuine care, attentiveness, and professionalism in looking after our son. Her compassionate approach and expertise made a significant positive impact during a challenging time. We are grateful for her outstanding service."

I was really pleased with the care I received when I was in for my gastric sleeve with Aruna Mungasinghe. He was an amazing consultant who I trust and respect. He had a brilliant bedside manner and made sure that I was fully informed on all decisions. My surgery went really well and I’m excited for the future now. I would also like to make a special mention to Nana who was my nurse on the day that I was admitted/surgery. She really put me at ease. All of the staff from nurses to doctors to porters to cleaners were so friendly and all had a sense of humour which really helped me as I was alone due to the distance from my home to the hospital. You made things so much easier for me. Thank you

I recently visited The Clementine Churchill Hospital for a neurological consultation, and I was thoroughly impressed with the exceptional service I received from the staff. From the moment I stepped into the hospital, I was greeted with warmth and professionalism by the staff. The check-in process was efficient and seamless, and I was promptly directed to the neurology department. After my consultation, I visited the pharmacy department to fill my prescription. The pharmacists and phrmacy technicians were equally helpful and knowledgeable, ensuring that I understood the dosage instructions. They treated me with respect, compassion, and genuine care, making a challenging situation much less stressful. I would highly recommend this private hospital to anyone seeking quality medical care. Their commitment to patient well-being is evident in every aspect of their service. Thank you.

I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful reception (Fiona) she provided at Harbour Hospital professionalism, warmth, and attention to detail made a significant impact and contributed greatly to my experience at the Hospital Here ability to manage everything so seamlessly and with a smile was truly appreciated. It's people like Fiona who make Harbour Hospital a place of excellence, but also a welcoming and supportive community. Thank you Ihab Elsamannoudi

I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else. From registration to leaving everyone was amazing. They always are. Mr. Hilton is so nice, as is Dr. Wee. My nurse was Alison, I think. All the staff are just so nice and happy to chat and have a laugh. I hope I don’t have to go back, but if I do I know I will be looked after and happy.😘🥂

All the staff were excellent. They were friendly and incredibly supportive. From the consultant, Mr Harvey and anaesthetist, Mr Snow to all the nursing staff - particularly Karina, Margaret and Sally - there were many others, Vanessa, Abby and Bernard who all took such care. I felt very looked after. Thank you.

Medical outcomes so far seem very good. Surgeon, anaesthetist, theatre staff excellent. Ward staff generally excellent, but there were a couple who were a but grumpy (everyone has an off day). Equally one male nurse (Sule) was brilliant, which is what you need after surgery when you're feeling rough and vulnerable.

I was admitted to the care of Mr Roy Abraham and his team by NHS referral for a hysterectomy, everyone was really lovely and I felt very well looked after especially by the nurses during my stay. I had a lovely private en-suite room and even the food was good. 5 stars would recommend!

Well looked after by caring staff at all levels. Good food and comfy private room. Two minor niggles. The TV reception in the room was very poor. The fridge used to keep ice packs for swollen knees was inadequate which meant recommended application times could not be met.

Claire was excellent and most attentive. All the staff were amazing. The rooms are lovely (albeit a bit noisy road side but I was a day patient so didn’t matter). Theatre nurses were so kind. Ms Rajeswari saw me before, immediately after and before I went home and was most reassuring. Anaesthetist K O’Connor kept me chatting while putting me under so I never had any stress or tension. It was overall an amazing experience and makes me grateful for my private medical. Thank you all. Down to the sandwich and tea. Everything was perfect and ran so smoothly and got a phone call 9am next day to ensure I was ok. Thank you.

I was so impressed with my care at Princess Margaret. Every single member of staff I encountered were absolutely fantastic. Right from the receptionist on my way in, then the porter who showed me to my room, the lady who took my lunch order and then of course all of the HCA’s, Nurses, Theatre Practitioners etc. Miss Predolac was a star as always and my anaesthetist was also great at putting me at ease from the get go. Unfortunately I’m rubbish with names but I would like to do a special mention of the breast nurse - she was absolutely fantastic and tipped my experience over the excellence edge. Thanks so much.

The staff were all very professional and caring. The hospital was exceptionally clean. I was very pleased with the standard of care, it made the treatment less concerning. The post treatment call was also very reassuring and helpful. Thank you all.

Wonderful level of care from the pre op assessment all the way through my stay. Each and every member of staff I came across truly cared and did everything they could to make me and my stay comfortable. Also very welcoming to my partner who visited everyday.

Hospital staff made my treatment comforable, pleasant and cheerful. They show professionalism . Everything was up to date, prompt and done efficiently. Excellent treatment done by the surgeon and her team on my eye. I give my full credit to the staff and the hospital. Thank you.

My whole experience at Shirley Oaks was the best I could have expected. I was a patient at Shirley Oaks when it first opened in the late 80's and it has since then become my hospital of choice. From the senior nursing staff to the catering and housekeeping staff, everyone of them where extremely professional, caring and friendly. I enjoyed my stay on the ward. Many, many thanks to all who looked after me.