Dr. Joseph J Chen, MD

My experience was quite the opposite. He spent time explaining my pain and what I could do about it. I was happy that I didn’t need to have to think about surgery and could get better on my own. The mental stuff is hard to understand at first but really does work when you get the hang of it. Live-changing experience for me.

Arrogant, Uncaring, Rude, etc... Did not look at my MRI's, notes, chart, didn't look at what medications I was taking or what I was allergic to. I've had a lower back problem for more than 9 years. He spent maybe 7 minutes with me and all he did was a couple reflex tests. Announced that I had a muscle spasm. For 9 years. then quickly left.

Exact same treatment as other reviews checked range of motion very first appointment. Told me thelonger my claim goes the bigger the target on my back. I argued back and forth, I didn't care about the "target" on my back I wanted the issue fixed not ignored or masked. I then found out from other coworkers who went to him it's his normal practice to release you back to full duty without dealing with the problem. Be cautious when going to Mr.Chen as what he says to you, and what goes into your medical chart may not jive.

I was sent to Dr. Chen after being injured at work. I had been on light duty and restrictions with no progress. The physical therapy was making the pain worse. During the first visit I explained to Dr. Chen that I was having low back pain mostly on the right side. He had me make a few moves like bending side to side and forward. He had me lay on my back and moved my leg up and down bent my knee. I had a sharp pain when he moved my leg just right. He asked me asked me some questions. Shortly after he said that he could get my physical ability back to 95%. I was happy to hear that. My friend asked about the times I would be walking along and all of a sudden come to a stop in pain. I told Dr. Chen that I have a random extremely sharp stabbing pain in my lower back right hip. The pain would make me stumble. He explained that the pain was my nerve endings being fired up and I would have to learn to control the pain with my mind. I followed Dr. Chen's instructions. After physical therapy and… light duty I wasn't doing any better. I was getting worse. The pain was getting out of control. The more I exerted the more pain I had. I was stumbling more often. By the end of my work shift I could barely walk to my car. I was losing sleep. I was crying at work and falling asleep while driving home. Every time I went back to Dr. Chen I got the same story. The pain was in my head and I had to control it with my mind. No medication for pain. He told me I was depressed. No medication for depression. It was suggested that I should use walking sticks for walking long distances by the physical therapist on Dr. Chen's team. I was told to ask my employer if I could use the walking sticks at work since I was on my feet all night. Safety wouldn't allow the walking sticks. I was in so much pain. I wasn't sleeping. Dr. Chen asked me what would happen if he took me off all my restrictions. I told him I would be placed on a job that I couldn't do because of the pain and would probably be fired. I went back to Dr. Chen the last time and asked him about getting a leave of absence. I figured if I had no control over mind because of lack of sleep. How could I control my pain with my mind. Dr. Chen told me I would have to go to my personal doctor to get my leave. I explained to him that I already talked to my doctor and since the injury was work related he was the only doctor that could give me leave. He argued with me about the leave some more. I was so upset when I left his office. I had lots of pain at work that night. I was stumbling because of the pain. I just wanted to get off my feet. I wanted the pain to stop so I could sleep ay night. The next night shortly after I got started working I was told to HR office. I was handed a paper an told I was terminated. I was told that the reason was because of what Dr. Chen said and my stumbling in my supervisor's office. I later found out Dr. Chen convinced my employer that I was faking my pain. He twisted everything I said to him and used it against me. Now I have no job. I can't get a job because of my pain. I have anxiety, insomnia, and depression so bad I hate doing a lot of things I use to enjoy doing. Between my pain and emotional problems I have no control over my life. I can't support myself let alone my family. I am afraid of losing everything. I don't understand why Dr. Chen would destroy my life. I trusted him to help me. Now I still have the lower back pain and I am so confused and lost I don't no what to do to get my life back. I am also very angry. I believe Dr. Chen should pay for the way he treated me. I will never recommend him to anyone. I don't know if I will ever get over the traumatic experience I had under his care. I still cry because of Dr. Chen

Dr. Chen was selected by my case manager for his expertise in pain management, as I was in pain from injury (torn/separated internal oblique muscle, as diagnosed by Primary Care Physician) and my primary care physician was not available. My pain is NOT spine related, it is Muscle related to the right-side of my body. Dr. J. Chen tried to take over as he thought he was my new primary care. Dr. Chen made it clear to me that he heads a pain management clinic that lasts for two weeks, and that if I would agree to go through it, he would recommend it to the insurance company, if I did not, he would write a letter to the insurance company stating that I was at MMI and that would be the end of my care. I Failed the interview because of my answer to ONE of the Kiosk Interview questions. Dr. Chen then ordered a Lumbar MRI, wrote the diagnosis as no deformity noted, placed restrictions due to pain, and sent in his MMI letter, omitting the fact that his observation was based on a Lumbar MRI.… As he was going to place restrictions anyhow, I asked him to use the correct amounts, he did on some, not on others. He and I both knew that any restriction would cause the loss of my job, and it did. .. Through the three visits I had there, two were with Dr. Chen and in both, he had terrible manners, is condescending, acts out in a theatrical nature ( on several instances he would raise his hands, squint his eyes shut, purse his lips, lean his head back and shake his head sideways) Oh, and by the way Dr. Chen, when checking the functionality of a persons oblique muscles, ask them to lean from center to left, then to right, this checks the External Oblique, then ask them to rotate their upper trunk from center to left, then to right, this checks the INTERNAL obliques... something you never checked with me, is that because you already knew I can not rotate to the right any more?... So, Bad Mannered, Not Helpful, Theatrical, misinformation to the insurance company,

If you review Dr. Chen's bio on the University Hospital website, he is not renowned for his work in rehab. When I saw him, he was 2 hours late, told me to fold my legs and touch my toes and despite saying that I had a shortened muscle that would cause me trouble for the rest of my life (which he did no tests for), he released me back to work without any anti-inflammatories and without any restrictions. He is nothing but a rubber-stamp for company's to avoid dealing with workers comp issues. Without doing any testing whatsoever, he put down that I had reached maximum medical recovery and didn't need any further medical attention. In my opinion, he is a quack!