Richard Burg, MD

Long wait time to see this doctor then sent me to get an MRI. I’ve been trying to schedule a follow up with him to get the reading on my MRI and they wanted to do it almost 3 weeks out. In severe pain and wasn’t willing to see me within a reasonable time. Thought it was very irresponsible that he would want me to wait that long before finding out what is going on with my neck/back. I’m going to try to find another doctor ASAP.

Worst Office STAFF and MEDICAL ASSISTANT (Marissa) I have had to deal with. When you call you sit on hold for at least 5 - 10 minutes each time. The doctor referred me to another Doctor for Injections and due to that Doctor not accepting my insurance, they had emailed Dr. Burg's scheduler in the office making them aware of this. I waited a month, due to Covid, thinking it was taking longer than usual for that office to contact me. I started making phone calls to find out that the Pain Management Doctor's office had sent the notice, but no one had try to contact me or find another Doctor. I had to make phone calls to several other doctors before finding one and then had to proceed of asking for the referral to be sent to the new doctor. Had three injections, followed up back with Dr. Burg, who then ordered a CT Myelogram. I was referred to Envision Imaging and was told they only do this type of test in Bedford, which is and hour and a half from where I live. Called the office… again, set on hold as usual and explained to the office what was going on. Was referred again to Methodist Hospital, who was trying to schedule the wrong test and read the Imaging Order wrong. Called Dr. Burg's office again, set on hold for 7:42 minutes and was told the imaging test order was correct, but they failed to read in the comments regarding the CT Myelogram. Was told to leave the MA for Dr. Burg, Marissa a message, did so on a Friday afternoon and wasn't called back until Tuesday at 8:48 am. Explained to her what was going on and she stated the office and Methodist Hospital read the Order wrong. Marissa was short and rude, I explained to her I would not be back and was going to another Doctor. She said that was fine and would tell the Doctor and hung up on me. I have left two messages for the Director of Patients, Frieda, to contact me and have yet heard from her. Dr. Burg's office and staff rush you through like cattle, they rush when speaking with you and have NO compassion when it comes to their patient's. If you have the time to do their jobs and make phone calls, find your own referrals and do the leg work, than good luck.

Dr Burg removed 2 herniated discs in my lower back and by doing so gave me my life back. I now walk talk with ZERO pain. He is a no nonsense person and doesn’t sugar coat anything. I appreciated his straightforward nature as I knew what I was getting myself into with the recovery process. Thank you Dr Burg!

Burg "performed" my back surgery over 2 years ago and I still cannot walk without a walker and I am in constant pain. But here's the scary part - - I did not use or need to use a walker until AFTER the surgery! And my Pain level? It is "off the charts" now, compared to what it was before Burg. If you have beentold you need back surgery, or any type of surgery, PLEASE thoroughly research the surgeon (as well as the other surgeons in the same group/practice/office as the surgeon you are thinking of using), ALWAYS get a 2nd opinion regarding the need for surgery, then listen to your "gut". I didn't know very much about Burg before my surgery, but if I had listened to my "gut", I'm 99% sure things would have turned out differently- obviously better. A friend of mine had a very negative experience with one of the doctors in the same practice as Burg, plus I had heard several unsettling comments about a couple of the other doctors in practice with Burg, as well as, OrthoTexas in… general. These occurred over a span of 3 to 4 years prior to my first appointment with Burg. And although the last 2 examples given above were comments I had heard, and I didn't personally know those involved, I definitely wish I had spent more time thinking about the above comments, my friend, doing more research & listening to my gut!!!

Terrible bedside manner!!!

It’s customary to be informed of everything when you are preparing for surgery. So I thought, until I went through the pre-op process at Ortho Texas with Dr. Richard Burg. I was scheduled for ACDF Surgery a few weeks ago. During the process his very nice surgical coordinator called me to reschedule my pre-op apt for another date since Dr. Burg would not be in that day. I kindly rescheduled. When I showed up to my pre-op apt, Dr. Burg did not meet with me. I was highly confused per the reason I was rescheduled was so that he would be in attendance. I was met that day by a RUSHED Nurse or CNA who literally decided not to go over any information other than “a lady is going to come in to fit you for your neck brace and then you can go.” In just a few days the Doctor was going to be cutting my neck open! Why wouldn’t she be going over pertinent information with me? Shouldn’t someone have covered me on what to do before surgery, restrictions after, etc? I was extremely puzzled and on the… verge of tears that she was rushing me through a day I had been anticipating for weeks as if I was literally just another number. I interrupted her abruptness and said “ummm will I be off of work, what’s the turnaround time on recovery, what should I know about what will happen pre, during, and post-surgery?” To which her response was verbatim, “yea it’s all on the paper I just gave you.” I was dumbfounded that they would treat a patient this way prior to surgery. I was legitimately confused on why I had a pre-op appointment. I toiled over this the entire week and asked a college buddy who’s an MD what she thought of my experience. She was in total conjunction with me and said this was completely not customary and completely unacceptable. I still proceeded to plan mentally for the surgery. When the hospital called to go over information for day of surgery, the secretary started to talk to me about my current medications or vitamins I was taking. I advised her as I advised the ladies at my pre-op apt at Ortho Texas that I was taking pain meds, fish oils, multi vitamins, and an anti-inflammatory med. She asked me if the Dr’s office had told me to stop taking them… When I told her “no”, the sound in her voice was daunting. She admitted that typically the Doctor or Doctors office would have advised me not to take fish oil or anti-inflammatory med b/c they were both blood thinners. Now here I am, about to have major surgery with a Doctor who did not meet with me prior, stuck me with his rude, rushed, and unprepared Nurse/CNA and now the hospital is telling me I am on blood thinners. Over the weekend, my spirit would not rest as I couldn’t fathom having surgery under this type of leadership. I begrudgingly called to cancel my surgery because nothing seemed to be sound advisement. To date, NO ONE has called me from the office to ask what happened, if I was ok, or why I cancelled. Interestingly enough, I went to Walgreens to grab my sons flu medication and I told the pharmacist to cancel two prescriptions I dropped off the week prior that was prescribed for my surgery that I never picked up. The pharmacist said, “oh no worries Dr. Burgs office already called to cancel them.” The moral of the story is, they didn’t care about me as a patient and never bothered to call and figure out what made this patient so unhappy that she cancelled surgery. But they had time to call Walgreens to cancel a prescription. I was just a number and I am so thankful that I had the discernment to not allow a lack luster Doctors office to operate on me. To them I was clearly just another patient in the books, but this is my life. Ortho Texas Staff, be compassionate and caring as if you were preparing a loved one for surgery. No one deserves to be rushed and disregarded when they are preparing for a major operation. Please coach your staff to not refer to a paper with bullet points when a patient is sitting right in front of you. I should have collected my own co-pay and advised myself.

He didn’t take the time to listen to my issues and I waited to see him longer than he took the time to see me. He was rude and I will never go back

My experience of Dr. Rick Berg was upsetting as I felt he talked down to me telling me about the surgery he could do and was sarcastic and very discouraging. I never want to see him again. He told me all of the worst case scenario and I left his office very upset and angry with no resolution whatsoever.

He was fast and efficient, and didn't cost a lot.

I came to Dr. Burg as a referral from my PM/R, who had been treating my neck problems. Dr. Burg was extremely kind and compassionate. He was thorough in reviewing my MRI and with his history and physical, and then with explaining my diagnosis and surgery recommendations. My problems were severe enough that surgery was needed to relieve pressure on my spinal cord and I was scheduled for surgery the next week. Dr. Burg made sure I knew that if my problem worsened before surgery, to call and he would meet me for emergency surgery, if needed. My surgery ended up being complicated and double the normal amount of time for that procedure, but Dr. Burg took his time to do it right and the results have been amazing. On follow up visits, he took more than enough time to assess for any problems and through my whole experience, he was extremely personable and caring. If I should ever need any more procedures, I will definitely be back and if anyone I know has need for a spinal surgeon, I would… highly recommend him.