Dr. Kevin Emerson Coates, MD

He operated on my finger and fixed it like nothing ever happened.

I had previous rotator cuff surgery with a wonderful surgeon who has moved away so I ended up going to Dr. Coates simply because he is affiliated with WFBMC as is my Primary Care Physician. Big mistake. The first surgery was over seven years ago and that shoulder is still almost completely pain free. The shoulder Dr. Coates operated on has shown almost no improvement. I should have followed my instincts and walked out after the first consult when he told me that he didn’t think it was possible that I had a tear because I didn’t seem to be in enough pain, but that he would order an MRI if I insisted. I did. After he looked at the results he decided that I might have a partial tear and surgery was optional. I asked if there was anyway the partial tear would heal without surgery and the answer was no. So I decided to have the surgery and guess what? I had a full rotator cuff tear which required, according to him, much more extensive surgery than what had been planned. The entire process… was far more painful than my previous rotator cuff surgery and the results have been extremely disappointing. I am in pain always, can barely lift that arm above my head, and cannot hold my arm up long enough to blow dry my hair. Most days my husband has to help my fasten my bra. I wish I’d traveled four hours to my previous surgeon.

I had a surgery by this man to repair a slap tear in my shoulder and was treated very poorly. He told me before and after that I would make a full recovery, which I did not. My pain is much worse now then before the surgery. The worst part about it was the service and attitude I had to deal with. When I went for a check up 6 weeks after surgery I complained about there still being pain in my shoulder. I was told that the pain was due to scar tissue and that with physical therapy I would hear a pop, and then I will be pain free. After completing 2 months of physical therapy, (which was delayed because dr.coates sent it to wrong clinic originally) I went back in to complain about the pain still being there. As soon as I finish my first sentence about what I was still having trouble with, dr.coates stops me and tells me he recommends another opinion and that his assistant will schedule me to see someone else. This was his way of giving up on me, which was fine. But after taking time off… work to make this appointment, I had other questions that needed answers. I brought up the whole "scar tissue" question and he looks at me and says he has no idea what i am talking about. Fantastic! As I attempt to ask is he can at least schedule me for an MRI, he completely ignores me and slams the door behind him as he walks out! I have never even heard of any doctor treating a patient like this in my life! I felt completely ignored and not taken care of, as well as frustrated that I could not get an MRI scheduled. I told three of his assistants that I still had questions and wanted to speak to him, but they all came back and said he was refusing to talk to me. A perfect example of a poorly trained doctor just willing to do the minimum work required.