Dr. James Hale, MD

We returned to Dr. Hale after my mother underwent a second back surgery that left her in severe pain and struggling to walk. Because he had done her original fusion and had such a strong reputation, we trusted him to give us an honest assessment. I brought her most recent CT and MRI scans, along with lab results showing a GFR of 17—the morning of that second surgery—indicating she was not an appropriate surgical candidate at the time. I also presented the report showing that a Coflex device had been used directly above a prior fusion, something that multiple sources list as contraindicated. Dr. Hale spent only a few minutes with her, glanced at the scans, and said everything looked fine. He offered no comment on the labs or the contraindicated device and simply recommended outpatient therapy. After her condition rapidly declined, we sought a second opinion from a top spinal surgeon at HSS, who reviewed the same imaging and said she was in urgent need of surgical intervention at that… time. Unfortunately, by then it was too late. My mother is now wheelchair-bound, on dialysis three times a week, and unlikely to survive more than six months. She will live out what time she has left in pain—and in torment—knowing that those she once trusted to protect her instead looked the other way. From where I sit, it seems doctors protect their own, even when a patient’s life is on the line.

If you are looking for the best orthopedic surgeon around then Dr. Hale is the one to go to. Not only is his surgical expertise exceptional but he is also a compassionate, highly ethical physician. He is a gem! Another advantage to having Dr. Hale as your doctor is you don't have to go into NYC to be his patient. He has an office conveniently located in Teaneck, N.J.

I had 2 surgeries with Dr Hale turned out great so happy with the results his fantastic skills and compassion make him the best at what he does he's a blessing to anyone who goes to him

Dr. Hale was extremely thoughtful with how he helped with a severely extruded L4/L5 disc. He spent considerable time reviewing the images, educating us on the anatomy and answering our innumerable questions. We was empathetic, confident and as other have said - we never felt rushed or pressured into any treatment. He provided his recommended approach and suggested that we seek a second opinion so that we felt confident in next steps. On the day of the procedure, Dr. Hale was again conscious of our anxiety and made the entire experience far less stressful and his approach helped immediately.

No go don’t go horrible doctor

Office Staff made a HUGE mistake. Had an appointment in May cancelled for a medical emergency and then the reschedule with the wrong physician! Mind you the other physician was great but I wanted to see an expert and I got a physicians assistant who is great but still not the expert I wanted to see.

Dr. Hale is the best doctor I have ever had. I was in extreme pain for 3 years and could hardly walk and three other doctors misdiagnosed me. I had a ...

Dr. Hale spent considerable time with our family answering questions and explaining my husband's condition and the treatments. We never felt rushed or pressured into any treatment. His conservative approach gave us reassurance that he had considered all aspects of the case and of the specific patient. He made himself available to us for questions, phone calls and visits.

One o the best of seven doctors I met with

The ability for me to stand up straight and walk normally again is a credit to Dr. Hale's expertise. I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Hale to everyone who has back issues.