Dr. Michael Thomas Barger, MD

Dr. Barger is phenomenal he’s patient, he is compassionate and very caring as a doctor for your patient needs. I’ve seen him for numerous years and he always spends extra time (which is rare for most doctors) explaining in detail my medical issues with me as his patient so that I can understand easily. I would recommend him to anyone.

Quality of care is good and he answers any and all questions. He is much more knowledgable than my other doctors were about my specific conditions. My only gripe is regarding the long wait times to be seen at the office and the lack of front office timely response to a call.

Very arrogant doctor. I left his practice and now I'm doing better with my current rheumatologist. He needs to have more empathy towards the patients and a dose of humbleness. I feel like I was not getting the proper care. There is something mentally going on in that brain of his.

Wonderful doctor. Brilliant diagnostician, thoughtful and thorough treatment options, kind caregiver, great sense of humor, treats patients with dignity.

I don't know who these other reviewers are speaking of, certainly not the Dr. Barger I know. I have been seeing Dr. Barger for about 6 years now. I have never had a bad experience. I will tell you that it is hard to get an appointment on short notice, its a good sign if the MD you want to see is booked by the way. He sees patients at different locations in the area and therefore may only be at the location nearest you on certain days so being flexible is helpful. I have seen him at a couple different locations and will say the downtown office is the most busy and had longer wait times. If you make an appointment, keep it or you will have to wait for an opening which should be common sense. Also, yes he runs behind sometimes but that is because he spends time with you and listens, actually examines you and discusses treatment options with you. He is well worth waiting for. He is educated and experienced and it shows and for me that is reassuring, not intimidating. My favorite part… of Dr. Barger is he has a good sense of humor which I can appreciate as I am living with chronic disease and pain. Maybe not everyone appreciates a sense of humor and that is sad to me. A smile, laugh and a positive attitude can work better than any pill if you ask me. No, he hasn't given me a magic pill that cured everything but I know I have a partner in finding what works for me in Dr. Barger.

My husband has been seeing Dr. Barger for about a year for R.A. Husband says it's difficult to get an appointment, but has never complained about 'wait' time. He has complained however of this man's behavior and personality. He has no compassion, behaves like a pompous donkey and speaks down to his patients. The receptionist and staff are rude and today my husband got in an argument on the phone with this receptionist. My husband needed a refill on his prednisone, which he has been taking for a year. Any one that knows of prednisone, knows you cannot just stop taking this drug suddenly, it is a drug that is meant to be weened off of, or tapered down, before ending. We are in between changing insurances, only 3 more weeks until our new insurance coverage begins. Thank goodness for small miracles. :-) Dr. Barger was aware of this, and refused to refill the script two days ago. My husband's pain is unbearable, and he was starting to feel sick other wise, because he had no… prednisone. Mind you, he has been taking 6 pills a day for six months, he cannot and should not stop taking this drug suddenly. My husband called the office again today, Dr. works at the clinic on Saturdays. The receptionist was not only rude to my husband, telling him "it wasn't her problem", but she assured the doctor would be calling my husband back. Waited two hours, no call. My husband calls the office again, and this time not very friendly. He had enough of her crap, he wasn't going away anytime soon. My husband finally talked to the Dr. only to be told, he wasn't going to refill the script. My husband reminded him, he had already been out of pills for the past two days, and was not suppose to stop taking this drug like that. Dr. Barger finally told my husband he would give him enough for two weeks. Again, our insurance kicks in, in 3 weeks. Dr. Barger was aware of this, and this is what I mean when I say he has no compassion. Dr. Barger told my husband he would fax the script over to the pharmacy. Husband called the pharmacy an hour later, no script. Husband called again in another hour. Still no script had been faxed over. Husband calls office, it's closed!!! By this time, you can imagine the steam blowing out of my husband's ears.... he demands the answering service to get a hold of Dr. Barger, because he is going to sue this doctor, get ahold of the local media, and Mercy Medical Group. The script was at the pharmacy a half hour later. Bottom Line? This doctor has no idea who he is messing with, if it had been ME? I would be his worst nightmare. I'd be in his office first thing Monday morning and I would be talking LOUD. Those patients in his office would hear me loud and clear, then I would go outside and walk up and down in front of his practice, holding a sign. I cannot do this however, at the time I am 200 miles away from my husband and our home. This doctor lacks all it takes to be a doctor. I have no idea how he stays in practice, nor do I understand why he hasn't been disbarred. You cannot mess around and play games with peoples lives Dr. Barger. That's exactly what he did today with my husband and his health. Promised him a refilled prescription to feel better, and so not to go thru the withdrawals people do with that drug, and all along NEVER had any intention to refill that prescription!! Shame on this doctor for even thinking he is one because all he is... is a LIAR. Dr. Barger has NOT heard the last of us!!! Mercy Medical Group, our local media and FB will all be contacted.

I cannot give a review of drs performance because I left after waiting 2 hours. When I left I told the receptionist I had to go. Coincidentally she called the back office and they were ready to see me. Ha! I still left after waiting for 2 hrs. I would've been better off going to the ER.

I am so glad to read the other review as I thought it was just me. I came to Dr. Barger w/ such anticipation, having been told by an aquaintance how wonderful he was because he diagnosed her daughter's lupus when no one else had found out what was wrong. His paperwork was extensive so I thought he would be thorough as well.The last Rhuematologist I saw was so wonderful--I only changed because he no longer took my insurance. Though careful doctoring, he discovered a very rare bone tumor and did it in such a way that I felt I'd given him a gift. I had complete trust in that Dr.--to diagnose, treat and get to me to the best surgeon and then follow-up care w/ a specialist to treat the disease state that caused the tumor. So, I had no reason to expect any difference from Dr. Barger.He started the first visit by making snide comments about my not leaving enough room on the form for him to write on. I have an extensive history w/ multiple diagnosis and felt the need to be thorough. I… assumed from his history form that that was what he wanted.The ego and the mean-spirited humor of this Dr. shocks me every time I go. But up until now I felt it was my fault in some way. He has cut down every other specialist I see or have seen, but when he started in on my own Dr. Oz---my cardiologist, speaking of him personally in a way that was inappropriate, as well as uneducated and personal---it seems he needs to always prove he's better than any other Dr. At that point I began to worry it wasn't a problem w/ me but w/ him.After waiting up to 2 hours on a visit---never less than 1 hour, tho he does give me an extended visit as well, he gets on a subject---usually out of the range of his specialty, but gets my hopes up that he has an answer, and then, after using up all the time, tells me that isn't his field. What???? Why all the buildup? Is he bored w/ Rhematology?In the end, he does his recheck of my body even tho he knows that will set me into spasms---esp. after sitting in the waiting room an hour and then in the very uncomfortable room chairs another extended wait so that by the time I see him I'm already exhuasted and hurting, and then gives me the same diagnosis---no more than a person on the street could diagnose, and off I go to make an apt. to return in 3 months.Tho another one of my Drs. was concerned w/ my high C-Reactive Protein levels, Dr. B. told me that level was not a problem. In researching it I found it was exactly what he should have been concerned about. What is going on w/ this Dr.? The last 2 visits I actually got sick to my stomach at the thought of the apt.---not so much because it is a waste of time, energy and will only cause more pain, but because his joking (?) is so off the wall and mean. At first I thought he just had a dry humor--which I like but can be hard to get at times, but each time it just got more out there and ugly toned. I don't get it.I have given Dr. B every opportunity to show some empathy or at least be a doctor--tho I have to say he does love his computer, and loves reading thro my other doctors summaries, all the while asking me questions as he's reading the answers, as if to try and trip me up on something???? What's that about? I've tried my hardest to understand where he's coming from and see if somehow I'm not communicating in a way he understands. But it just gets more unbearable every visit.I have never written a review of a Dr. before, tho I would gladly write raving reviews on most Drs. I've ever seen and at the worst, only a so-so review. I am only writing this one because I feel so strongly that patients should be warned first. Maybe there are patients out there that he likes and takes an interest in to the point of actually doing some doctoring but I'm obviously not one of them, nor it seems is the other reviewer. I have never disliked a Dr. so much or felt one deserved to be benched as much as I do this man. Something is definately wrong here and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one feeling that way. I'd be glad to tell it to his face, ask him what's going on, except he is so intimidating and would throw me to the floor w/ his looks and snide-humor. I don't need that--I have enough to deal with.I had already decided not to go back and this review only makes me know I was right in that decision. I can't make up the year or so I lost by seeing him, but can only hope the next Dr. I see takes the time to sort out what I have and don't have and what I can do about it. My hopes are that Dr. Barger gets some help and learns how to have some empathy and to not build his self-esteem up by kicking the patient when they are already down.I'm sorry to have to write such awful words---I've never said such things of anyone before---I can't believe these words are coming out of me, but it is so true and i've been holding it in all this time.I can only hope that Dr. Barger gets some psychological help, and maybe then he can truly help his patients.

This doctor put his ego before any thought or desire to help me or my disease. The problems from his abundant prescribing and misprescribing meds has had very long-term adverse effects on my health. I would certainly hope one has a better option for treatment from him. Even leaving the health plan and joining another. Very serious problems here.