Dr. Joe Young Kim, MD

I saw him back in 09, I think, when he was at comprehensive pain management in baton rouge la. My first pain Dr. He listened to me, to my fears and suggestions, since he left ALL but 1 Dr at this group has left including the Dr/ owner leaving a 4+ Dr group with only one. Who was awesome. He's got too much on him now and seems short and instead of fighting for u he has started just going with the flow and doesn't have time to call w/c back to get procedures approved anymore. Sad. But Dr Kim is one of a kind. Wish I could still see him.

I went in to see Joe Y Kim a few days ago. Having just moved here and being on opioid treatment for over 10 years from chronic back pain, I needed a doctor that was concerned about my health as I was running out of medication since my recent move. It seems obvious that this clinic's procedures are designed for the first time patient who is not on opioids. I say this because if you are already on pain management this place WILL GUARANTEE your about to go into withdrawal and SUFFER GREATLY for absolutely no reason at all all for some wild procedure. So, I had a great doctor in California who cared and it showed, over my ten years seeing my California doctor I did miss a few appointment or something came up, they knew the DANGERS of opioid withdrawal and would squeeze me in the next the day. This place would leave you cold turkey in a heart beat. I used to take morphine 100mg 3x a day for at least 8 years. This was causing my testosterone to decline VERY low. I needed to reduce my… medications so I came up with a plan after a lot of research. I set out on a plan to hopefully (I didn't know if it would work without trying yet) get off pain meds completely and supplement with Cannabis. I used the cannabis to help with the minor withdrawal effects and to help with the increased pain from lowering my dosage. It worked great, I was able to lower my consumption of pain meds 70%. Great right? You would think any doctor would support this. My wife had a job offer in Washington. We moved to this area and I found Waters Edge to be the only clinic within about 100 miles. They had 150 patients in front of me. I called to let them know I was about to run out of medication and instead of any concern for the patient I was told that I wouldn't get meds because they saw I used Cannabis. I was told I had 150 in front of me. I had to go to orientation first, and then this is the big one, I was told they do not give out medication on the first visit anyway. As with anyone facing severe opioid withdrawl it immediately caused me severe stress and I had to fly back to my California doctor to avoid this. someone who couldn't do this they would have allowed them go straight into withdrawl as if that was their intent. We will show these drug addicts whose in charge or maybe if it isn't bias then maybe its an overly exaggerated fear of doing their job, despite the CDC instructing that doctors should not let fear of doing something wrong cause them to hurt us the patient. I finally got in 4 months later... I was driving 140 miles until I got in to see KIm. I can almost guarantee if you have been on something for TEN years that has worked great for you, Dr. Kim will change it just to show his amazing power and authority over you. Pain clinics have no right to tell you that you cannot use marijuana a LEGAL substance in the state of Washington. Especially when using it TO LOWER OPIOIDS. The FEDERAL website for the CDC says that cannabis could be the solution to opioid "epidemic". Anyway, I do not need Dr Kim to prescribe it to me, he acted like he could not, however hundreds of doctors prescribe cannabis EVERYDAY. I never suggested I wanted him to prescribe it but any question I asked he said because it is a schedule one drug... This doctor would rather me escalate my opioid, causing me to also inject testosterone once ever 2 weeks, he would rather me increase the harmful dosage rather than let me continue what is best for my own health which should be 100 % my choice. The worst was his willingness to allow me to go into withdraw. Over my 10 years I have seen 3 doctors not counting Kim. EVERY SINGLE DOCTOR GAVE ME OPIODS ON MY FIRST VISIT. I went to school for two years in Colorado and when I got there I immediately got an appointment and was continued on my dosage. But no, Waters Edge makes you jump through hoops and do a worry dance for them first.. Orientation, Physic evaluations, drug screen on first visit... etc... They will let you risk your life with severe withdrawal for some wild procedures. I will be protesting this place.

Joe Kim (notice I left out Dr.) He is not "honestly concerned about relieving pain" as advertised. He does not care about you. Only your $$$. Do not make an appointment. I read all the negatives but dismissed them. Should have listened.

I do not even know why I went to him. He would not listen to my symptoms. He just tried to write a prescription without any examination or anything. He clearly did not know what he was doing.

My 61 year old wife had an referal/appointment with this doctor on the advice of her IM. My wife's back pain has been managed for over ten years with methadone and loritab for break through pain.He proposed a course of treatment that he admitted was rigorous and extreme.He would drop her methadone by 25% and take away the break through drug. He would require her to go to a Pain Psychiatrist. Eventually she might have to undergo a "drug holiday" free of opiates in advance the combination of drugs he would try on her. When asked if he would guarantee the combinations of drugs would control her pain, he offered no quarentees.He explained that the government (DEA) was restricting opiates and would continue that into the future. He said that patients who had longstanding relationships with doctors that prescribe opiates will be left without an option when their doctors retire or die. He said that clinics that prescribe opiates are being closed and licences are being lost. The examples he… gave were in FL at "pill mills" and did not include any conventional pain clinics that I could identify.Dr. Kim also mentioned concerns about cardiac toxicity with methadone.===+To sum it upDr. Kim had no credibility with me or my wife. No compassion or comfort from him. In fact he rarely spoke to my wife addressing himself to me.His was a take it or leave it mentality. From his initial declaration that his proprosed treatment would be too rigourous and extreme for her, to his expectation that we would turn over her care to a practitioner who shrugged and offered no guarantee, to his requirement that she see a Pain Psychiatrist (what in the world is that?)I saw a doctor who was more concered with possible future changes in the law than in how to assure a 61 year old patient that he would not let her suffer.The man seems to favor a long and drawn out (and supposedly profitable) process without guarantee rather than a compassionate one that has historical success but doesn't require as many visits to his clinics.My wife's situation probably in the extreme minority of pain management folk. Our hearts are with you that are hurting, perhaps this practitioner is just right for you.He certainly wasn't for us.

I hate that he moved and is no longer here. I haven't found a suitable replacement yet. The other doctor I saw at the clinic he was at is terrible. I have tried two other clinics and can't find the same level of professionalism and caring. His move has left a big void in the lives of all of his patients here. I do hope he is happy on his new location. He certainly deserves it.