Paul J Montalbano, MD

Maybe a good surgeon, although my outcome has not been positive, doctor definately needs a lot of work on social skills. Very full of himself. Not willing to discuss other options or possibilities for my recovery. While I was always on time, there was a long wait to get into an exam room and at least a 30 to 45 minute wait for a 3 minute consult. Tough to sit that long with back injury. Not willing to listen to concerns regarding my recovery. Seemed focused on a timeline when things should happen, instead of realizing that patients recover at different speeds. Went in with one serious condition, had surgery and now have ended up with a disabling condition, which he thinks is made up. Tell that to my leg that doesn't function anymore. Office staff is rude, except to themselves. We were treated as if we were the bubble gum from the bottom of their shoes. Be cautious in your selection. Seek a second opinion before making a decision. If you are having back issues, read up on the condition called FAILED BACK SURGERY.

This has to be the worst experience I have ever had seeing a Dr. Left work on my time, to my scheduled appointment where I waited 30 minutes in lobby and over an hour past my scheduled time in an exam room... I finally went out and complained, when right after he came in... spent all of a minute with me, thru my MRI result that I brought on a chair and told me I needed another MRI of the Lumbar that the Thorasic MRI I brought was of no good to him.. never even looked at the images on the screen of my spine that the medical assistant brought up.. What a JERK... Told me I needed to see a General Surgeon to see as I was also complaining of pain in front which a pain specialist told me was from nerve issues in my back... He had the gall to tell me it was a hernia.. I will NEVER NEVER go back to him and am going to tell everyone I know to Not go to him Worst BEDSIDE MANNER ever. Never said sorry for being late. Very full of himself and I really think he is in the wrong profession, He is out for the money and money only not to help anyone. Truth hurts Dr.. doesn't it? Maybe you should step off your high horse and take a spoon full of your own medicine.. JERK

I have a family member who had a brain tumor removed. We waited 2 hours for the consult and he spent two minutes with us. At the surgery, he was late, when we waited to speak to him about how things went, we waited an hour in the consult area to get 10 minutes with him, 5 of which were completely nonmedical related. He never addressed any family members, only one of us. Then sends the patient out with only one consult from PT and a total of 2 days in the hospital with zero advice regarding care at home. Denies a referral to neurorehab 3 times after falls and patient confusion. In the meantime, at our follow ups, listens to our concerns, and completely ignored them. Spent 5 minutes with us, then leaves the room after telling us he would be right back. This is about as bad as it gets. He has a great skillset but by far the worst bedside manner, arogant full of himself, attitude I have ever witness. And take it from me, who is a medical professional who deals with jerks all day long, but he takes it to a new level. Get a second opinion before doing anything with this guy!! Or be ready to turn him into the medical ethics board, like everyone else has!

He has to be one of the worst doctors I've met. He seemed to do an OK job with my spinal fusion but during the 6 days I was in the hospital following my surgery he didn't visit me once. The only time he stopped by the hospital was on the day I was being released so he could sign the discharge papers. I have over 15 follow-up visits with him and he never spent more then 2 minutes in each visit and rarely spoke directly to me. My wife attended all appointments and he would only speak to her. What kind of doctor does a 4-level spinal fusion and doesn't check on the patient at the hospital. In addition, how do you know if the patient is doing better if you don't listen to what they say. He tells me I am fine now and when I tell him my back still hurts terribly, he ignores me. He won't let me see another doctor because he says I am fine. Worst doctor ever. Be careful agreeing to have him as your doctor especially if you are in a workers compensation case because once you see him you won't be able to see anyone else and he will say whatever the insurance company tells him to say. He owns the hospital where the surgery was done and he owns the imaging company where the MRIs were done. He is in the back pocket of the insurance companies and he will do and say whatever they tell him to say. WATCH OUT!

My case had been misdiagnosed by another doctor. By the time I ended up in St. Al's ER, I couldn't walk. Dr. Monteblano accurately diagnosed the problem, had me moved when St.Al's OR became backed up due to a car accident and operated that afternoon at St. Luke's. I was up and walking the next afternoon. I am very happy with the outcome. He was always considerate and treated me and my husband every well.

very poor follow-updoes not return callsnot personable

my wife waited more than 36 hours on a backboard with a neck brace and was denied a sip of water or even a sliver of ice, while we waited for Montalbano to review xrays and c-scans. when he finally graced us with his presence, he spent less than one minute with her, answered none of our questions, and didn't touch the patient.maybe a good surgeon, but a poor excuse for a human being

Dr is not a title this "doctor" deserves! I had a microdiscetomy and not to mention three other surgeries with this Doctor. I waited hours to see him He spent a total of ten minutes with me and spent HOURS operating on me.... I have sought out other care as my symptoms have not resolved and I know he botched my back as I have other real Doctors explain to me. BEWARE of Montalbono! I would NEVER let him touch me again! There is a reason he lost his privlages with St Als! Look up lawsuits and his name he works for the insurance company and his goal is NOT to give you your life back to make money! I REPEAT DO NOT LET HIM TOUCH YOUR BACK Y

I found this really appropriate to post for all those patients that have experienced Dr. Montalbano's put downs or his retaliation from a Supreme court case: "On the other hand, the record shows that the proceedings were instituted for valid reasons. It discloses that Montalbano had previously had repeated behavioral issues in the hospital setting. Disruptive behavior by a physician can have an adverse impact on hospital patient care and can give rise to limitation or removal of a physicians hospital privileges. See Miller v. St. Alphonsus The Fair Hearing Panel recited numerous alleged conduct violations on the part of Montalbano dating back to 2001, a number of which were found to constitute policy violations, some of which resulted in corrective action. The complaint that gave rise to the present proceeding resulted in a finding by the panel that Montalbano had engaged in disruptive behavior with regard to a patient who desired to fire him. The panel noted that during the pendency of the proceedings on that matter, Montalbano had filed complaints against three other physicians, which were found to have been in retaliation and to be conduct negatively affecting the operation of the hospital. It seems apparent that the Hospital had good reason to take action regarding the allegations of disruptive behavior and that the proceedings were not merely a pretext for stifling competition."

Not only did we wait forever to see Montebano, but when we did see him, he mostly spent time talking about how much money he made rather than diagnosing the problem. a complete was of money and time.

Montalbano likes patients that heal fast, don't have much pain, that don't ask too many questions. His appointments last two minutes and then he figures out a way to leave the room before he answers questions. God help patients that fall outside his cookie cutter approach. If you need an MRI at Sage, he's all over it, because he owns it. It's ridiculous. Don't give one cent of you money and don't trust him with your health.

Dr. Montalbano likes to take things out-a friend told me. I went to him with numbness in my arm. He told me I had two disc needing repair. After surgery, he did not tell me, I found out on my own he took out a vertabra, fuzzed my disc making 5 discs fuzzed. I have been told by numerous docs not to have 5 fuzzed. I discovered my missing vertabrae on an xray. When I asked him why he took it out he just said because it had to come out. He has not answered any of my questions. He has a terrible bedside manner and he only spent a few minutes at a time with me. I went to another doctor for a second opinion and he was flabbergasted at why Montalbano took out my vertebrae and fuzzed me. He neeeds to be stopped.

He is rude,arragant spend no time with patients.He is rude to hosptal staff.He doesn't talk to you,or even want to hear what you have to say,or ask.Doesn't admit to wrong doings.I wouldn't send my dog to him......TOTAL CLASS A JERK!

The doctor had a great personality, for the 2 minutes I saw him on visits. He would practically run out of the room as soon as he could leaving many questions unanswered. I was lucky and my surgery wasn't a complete flop. I will admit my symptons are better, but I had 2 back to back herniated discs and only took care of 1.

Dr. Montalbano is kind, caring and an excellent surgeon. I highly recommend him and cannot thank him enough for restoring my mobility and eliminating my pain

Dr. Montalbano is a horrible Dr. If he is your Dr. for the workmans comp case be very careful. Get an attorney before everything is done because it might be too late. He will screw you over. He operated on my back (herniated disk) and after that my back and leg symptoms got way worse. After the surgery arachnoiditis showed up and surgery can be one of the causes for it. There is no cure for that. This Dr. just listens to what the insurance companies tell him. He spends no more than 2 minutes in the exam room with the patient.