Dr. Marco Antonio Alcala, MD

Saw him at AHN. I have a calf tear that he completely mis-diagnosed from the MRI results I had done. Said that I had just a strain and not a tear. Started Physical Therapy for which I have been going for a month now with very little improvement. Went to UPMC at the Lemieux center for a second opinion. Turns out I have a high grade calf tear, Its been 9 weeks since the injury and still cannot walk without a walker. Its not healing well. I recommend you steer clear of Marco Alcala.

Dr Alcala and his staff have made a huge improvement in my life since beginning treatment in Fall 2018 for concussion disorder. He and his team of excellent AHN specialists work as a team: physical therapy, vestibular therapy, speech therapy, and others monitor progress and set measurable objectives. I suffered my injury 9 years ago and had begun to believe I had Alzheimers until Dr Alcala’s diagnosis. He is the very best, and he genuinely cares about his patients.

Extremely thorough concussion and neck injury treatment.

My husband and I and Son were hit by a Ford F-150 truck that a policeman later told me was driving through a restaurant at about 80 miles an hour. You can just imagine what a person hit at that speed and then let alone a head injury would go through. For almost a month I thought I truly was going to need to be hospitalized. I could not sleep. I was nauseous and could not eat. downing caffeine like crazy because I was exhausted and sort of in a shocked state for awhile I just could not think!!!! Each time I had to make a decision the headaches would be worse. The lights started to hurt my eyes and I walked around with earplugs in my ears. I had so much to deal with, as my husband was in the ICU and I felt as If I were crumbling and could not go on. The headaches were so tremendous and I would start crying and couldnot stop. I started getting panic attacks and had trouble with my eyes for awhile. I was stretched so emotionally thin I thought I would snap. After… a month of symptoms getting worse I went to my pcp who referred me to Dr. Alcalá From the moment of that first appointment when Dr. Alcalá explained what a concussion entails and what I needed to do in regard to brain rest my anxiety and confusion and even some of the disorientation was alleviated. Dr Alcalá and his staff in my humble opinion (of being a Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Administrator for 16 years) is summed up in one word. EXCELLENCE The greatest of reasons for this is I that I was not just a number and was truly treated as if I mattered. I remember during that first visit how kind and caring everyone was. I could not even find my way out to the reception area after my appointment. I could not remember six or so words from the verbal test. I was still with a headache and about half sick to my stomach and almost going out of my mind literally at that time because I did not know for sure if my husband would walk again. Despite even some of the other tragedies in my family at the time and all I was experiencing, Dr Alcalá and not just some but All of his staff were capable and I really valued their professionalism combined with a disarming and caring manner. During those first few months when I would have headaches days on end or have anxiety and still could not sleep I would call at the Cool Springs Center. Eric and Denise were so caring and would continue to patiently alleviate fears and give recommendations and have Dr Alcalá intervene. The interdisciplinary care team that has been established including physical therapies, pschycological and psychiatric care opthamological care, chiropractic care and more even including interns that he was training....I cannot day enough about the knowledge expertise and good care each displayed. I even regained faith in AGH, As I had a list pages long listed from the patient advocate of AGH Trauma unit and the treatment or lack there of. Even after one year I think to myself after the negligence I had experienced in those hours of trauma unit; “ Well, if they have Dr Alcalá on staff, it must have just been a fluke 18 hours that I had experienced at AGH. Quite honestly both Dr Vialago and Dr Alcalá have restored my belief in AGH again as being a hospital that I may refer. The only reason I had not gone to some of the referred professionals of Dr Alcalá were because of the way I was treated in the trauma unit. And I did not want to deal with any disciplines related to Agh at that time. All of the professionals tha Dr Alcalá had referred me to whereby I had contact were consistently the same....professional outstanding in knowledge and expertise AND CARING....and yet VERY COGNIZANT of patient rights hippa laws patient confidentiality etc. Today I rarely have headaches. My eyes are not as sensitive. I am finally sleeping better. My short term memory and focus has come a long way still needs to continue to improve AND WILL I AM SURE And I can drive up to about three hours with little or no difficulty and without getting lost. My depression and anxiety levels are so much less than before and I actually am starting to leave the house several days a week for sometimes 5 hours at a time. I am sure to soon be 100% and I credit that to Dr Alcalá and his staff along with Dr Tim Schmitt, Chiropractor and Dr Lardo Psychologist. Thank you for being so many of us from a concussed state back to living normally again. I refer to the community at large when I am asked about the concussion clinic And will always be grateful for all that you do in making such a difference in the lives of many, I am sure Sincerely, Desiree L. Caballero

Dr. Alcala was extremely professional, very courteous and provided the proper treatment. I was very satisfied with this appointment.

I was unfortunately very unimpressed with my experience with Dr. Alcala at Doctor's Express. I went in per the recommendation of a few friends instead of going to the ER after my bronchitis wasn't improving hoping I could get an X-ray to clear up my concerns of pneumonia. Dr. Alcala's poor bedside manner was immediately apparent. He stood with his arms folded, laughed at my answers to his questions, often exchanged looks and smiles with his PA while I was talking, and kept laughing at me when I was trying to talk (I haven't had much of a voice in the past week). I genuinely felt like he was talking to me like he thought I was stupid and knew nothing about my own body. I had originally been taking an antibiotic from a previous prescription but stopped taking it after a nurse and pharmacist recommended that I speak with a doctor and gave an X-ray first. Dr, Alcala asked why I stopped taking it. I explained, and he laughed again. Dr. Alcala told me he'd follow up the following afternoon… regarding my X-ray, but I never heard from him and had to call myself. The woman at the front desk told me someone was supposed to call me and she wasn't sure why no one did. The rest of the staff at Doctor's Express was delightful, but I'll not be returning or recommending it as an Urgent Care so long as Dr. Alcala is there.