Dr. James Ziegler Appel

I was referred to Dr. Appel after having a large mass removed from my breast. I had to wait a few months for my appointment which I didn't mind and during the wait I called to make sure that my insurance was accepted and I was told yes. The first thing I noticed was there were no portfolios of the his previous work.Also, all of the staff looked like they had just rolled out of the bed and did not want to be there. He comes in the room and brings a student with him and this was the first time I had never been asked if it was ok for the student to be in the room. It was a very hard visit for me to begin with. As we are getting ready to start I tell him that this is hard for me as I begin to cry and he backs up and says "do you not want to do it"? I told him yes but it was just hard he had no encouraging words for me at all. He has the student putting numbers in the computer as he is doing the measurements and the whole time she had the look of pure disgust on her face. It made me feel… like nothing, like her looking at me was going to make her throw up and it made the visit even that much harder. The whole time the look on her face never changed and I wanted her out of the room. We went over everything then he tells me that my insurance will not pay for anything even though my breast are no longer the same. One is bigger than the other due to having the mass removed. So, after hearing that I talk to him about other problem areas if I were to get a different insurance provider or just pay out of pocket. At the end I ask him about portfolios and being able to see before and afters of the work he has done. His response was "let's wait until my staff get the quotes to you then we can take it from there". To me that meant you are not going to be able to afford any of the procedures any way so looking at my portfolios will not be necessary. I do not understand why they even accepted the referral knowing that my insurance would not cover anything. When I do get ready to handle my situation I will not return to his office. I hope the next person that is considering going to this office has a much better experience and he really makes an effort on your behalf. I know for a fact that my insurance does cover the procedure I was referred there for with the correct documentation and effort from the doctor.

My wife went to this dr appel and he promised a surgery and good results... Then he calls my wife in the other day for the last consultation before the surgery and says he doesn't feel "comfortable" with what he has to do to reconstruct her breast. That she was a tough case and couldn't handle it. 2 Days later we receive phone call from his office saying we owe $1,000 for the 2 minute consultation that could have been done over the phone. A "nip/tuck" doctor only, beware!!!

Fantastic physician, staff, and results after dealing with a graft involving necrotizing faciitis. I wouldn't go anywhere else.

Very courteous and caring before the surgery. He spent an unusual amount of time explaining the surgery and reassuring me. The results of the surgery were disappointing, and I felt as if I had "used up my time". The office staff is always kind and polite. The doctor himself seems distracted and did not seem very interested in how I feel about my reactions, once the surgery was over and the initial healing process was over.

Best, most compassionate, caring doctor I have ever been to.

Great person/doctor, don't know of any other Dr. that gives you their cell phone

Wonderful surgeon and stagg

THE INITAL CONSULTATION GAVE ME 3 OPTIONS, EACH FOR A DIFFERENT AREA. AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION I CHOSE TO HAVE THE MOST MINOR OF THE SURGERIES, THE ONE THAT PROMPTED ME TO SEEK A PLASTIC SURGEON. VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME & SHARED THE EXPERIENCE WITH SEVERAL FRIENDS. WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT, DR. APPEL IS "THE" GO TO PLASTIC SURGEON".