Dr. Russel Dale Jelsema, MD

3rd child my skin was burning! So naturally I screamed and he told me to shut up. He’s a garbage doctor

I had an appointment with Dr. Jelsema regarding our baby measuring small for dates. I was nervous going into the appointment because I was worried about the cause and also had preconceived notions of "specialists" possible not having a friendly manner. It was very unneccessary to worry! He spent nearly 45 minutes discussing our case and explaining the situation. He clearly communicated in a very professional manner and encouraged our questions. We felt very confident in his expertise. He was running a little behind schedule because of a meeting that ran late, but he did not make us feel rushed. I would highly recommend Dr. Jelsema.

Not only was he wrong in every diagnoses he repeatedly tried to get me to terminate my pregnancy! He is rude and hard to talk to. He could rarely answer my questions. I had to request copies of my records just to figure what he was saying was wrong with my baby. In letters he wrote to the referring doctor he states he went over things in derail with me, but in fact refused to discuss most issues. I would never reccamend him to anyone.

I initially had frustrations with Dr Jelsema because he seemed unconcerned about pretty much everything and I felt like he disnt give me any info and lacked a plan. However, when I began to have significant complications at 32 weeks, Dr Jelsema was out of town for three days and I had to see an associate of his instead; I was honestly the most calm person in the room - I couldn't believe that a MD could be so panicked and so incapable of handling my situation!! When Dr Jelsema returned, he saw me immediately and promptly admitted me to the hospital. Thereafter, he made confident, concise decisions about when the baby needed to be delivered based on the risks posed to both of us. He isn't warm and fuzzy in general, but when push came to shove, I had no doubt that I was in the care of the most competent expert possible. He doesn't coddle you - he tells you the absolute truth regardless, but I will tell you that when it became an emergency, he knew exactly what to do; he never… hesitated and every staff person both in his practice an at the hospital followed his instructions without question. I didn't need a hug and a smile to fet me through that - I needed to know I had the best doctor.

We where told by Dr. Jelsema one of our twins would not make it (baby had little to no fluid). We went in every week for an ultrasound and was told every week he would not make it. I started bleeding at 18 weeks gestation, they got me in right a way to see Dr. Jelsema but, he just asked me why I was there and there was nothing we could do and I could miscarry both babies that night. (but I didn't) Later, when I started leaking noticable amounts of fluid, he didn't believe me. When I told him I was having a lot of contractions, he told me it must just be from stress. When I had another bleeding episode I went to the ER (21 weeks) I was told there is nothing they could do and they where not going to be a hero (another dr. from his office) I was in the hosp. for about a week until the bleeding stopped.We never saw Dr. Jelsma once. I started really leaking a lot of fluid at 29 1/2 weeks and new there was something wrong. So we went to the ER again. The Dr. on call admitted me...later they… talked to Dr. Jelsema...he sent me home! Three days later I went into labor, by the time I got to the hosp. they couldn't stop it and our twin boys where born by emergancy c-section. Both of our boys did make it. One of our boys came home at 5 weeks old, our other little fighter that we where told would not make it is still in the NICU, but he will make it. I just think if Dr. Jelsema would have got me on hosp. bed rest and IV fluids we could have kept these boys in much longer and our son would not be going through as much as he already has. We have not heard from or seen Dr. Jelsema since our boys where born.