Dr. Thomas John Pfiffner, MD

If I could give this doctor a zero rating, I would. He has no bedside manner. He did not introduce himself or even refer to my mom by name. He has no personality. It were as if he didn't want to be there. I would not recommend him.

My first appointment with this provider was uncomfortable. He walked in and sat down with a body language that just said he didn't want to be there. I explained to him that I was coming to him for a second opinion on my back. I explained to him that I had already gone through all of the injections they had to offer and still had no relief. I also complained about uncontrollable muscle movements and memory problems. He ordered an MRI for my lower back, neck and head. My insurance fought approving the MRI'S. He was very short and and cold, as well as talking over me while I tried to give him my history. I came back for my follow up and I brought my boyfriend with me this time because I was uncomfortable seeing him alone again. He came in the room and had an attitude about me asking him to fight for the MRI'S. Then he said by looking at the xrays there wasn't anything of concern to note, just a childhood issue that shouldn't be bugging me now. He looked at me and said "well what do you… want from me?" I said that I wanted answers on what was going on. He said I answered you, but its not what you want to hear. I tried to explain to him that this was not the first time I've been through this and previous doctors have said there's an issue. He said something about pain management and I tried to explain to him that I've already been through all of the injections they had to offer, like I mentioned in my first appointment with him. He kept cutting me off and not letting me speak, but was directing the conversation more towards my boyfriend and was pretty much just talking to him. The next thing I know, Dr. Pfiffner is standing next to me, with his hand in the doorknob, yelling and pointing his finger at my boyfriend, inches from my head "this is my house!! Don't you yell at me in my house!!" By this point I'm in tears trying to get him to listen to me and he stormed out of the room. After about 20 minutes he came back in with a completely different tone saying that he looked at the xrays again and that it's a good thing he ordered the xray that he did because he could see that I actually had movement in my back where there wasn't supposed to be and said that he would suggest surgery. He tried brushing the whole thing off with comments like "well now that we're all friends again" and "they always get mad at the doctor". I was absolutely floored by his erratic and combative behavior. He reordered the MRIs for my neck and head and told me on that follow up that he didn't see anything and to just worry about the fusion surgery for my lower back. It's been a year and a half and my new neurologist cannot get his office to respond with the results of those MRI'S so they can review them. They've had to request a new MRI now. I'm still flabbergasted by my experience with this provider and his complete lack of bedside manner and hiw he just seemed completely ready to just dismiss me. I'm completely dissatisfied with the lack of "care" I was provided.

1. Confused staff. I’m primary caregiver. We found ourselves in his office & didn’t even make an appointment with him. We told the receptionist we wanted Dr. Thomas Cowan & she just heard the “Thomas” and set us up with Thomas Pfiffner. Wasn’t even the right specialty—neurology instead of physical medicine & rehab. (Upon leaving noticed the different name on his coat.) 2. Defective office systems. He asked for an x-ray we were “supposed to bring with us.” We weren’t supposed to bring it. His staff was supposed to have requested it. Nobody told us to bring anything. No word as to whether he eventually got the X-ray much less any results. 3. Non-responsive. After the consult we made many telephone calls & sent email through portal & didn’t get answer. Could never get a human on phone. Was supposed to get pre-authorization for a time-sensitive MRI, we checked with the health insurance several times & it STILL hasn’t arrived.

My experience with this doctor left me in tears. I came to him at the Dent Spine Center to hopefully diagnose some chronic pain I was having in my back, hips, and legs. His "introduction" consisted of him walking in and saying "so what's wrong with you?" and it all went down from there. First he berated me for not bringing my MRI results from another doctor even though his office told me not to. Then he dismissed any and all my concerns. He snapped, "what do these other doctors think is wrong with you" while I tried to explain all the specialists I've seen and tests I've had done. After about five minutes of him being condescending, he told me I need to lose weight and that's why I'm in pain. When I tried to explain to him that this pain has been here even when I was sixty pounds lighter, he dismissed me. When I tried to point out other solutions symptoms that might be linked, he acted like I was crazy and kept asking what I was talking about, even though I had written it all on his… paperwork, which he clearly didn't look at. He ended the appointment with telling me to lose weight and go to physical therapy. I left his office in tears. Listen to the reviewer below: if you are a woman, especially one who happens to be overweight, avoid this man. He will not help you.

Its kind of hard to explain my visit with Dr. Pfiffner. My visit with him was very weird to say the least. After having a work related injury I had a visit with Dr. Pfiffner and It was one of the most uncomfortable patient/doctor meeting I have ever had. First off, he walked into the room with no greeting and acted as though he was being forced to be there. His bed side manners are poor. He didn't even do an assessment of my injury. I traveled over eight (8) hours for my return visit and it was just as uncomfortable as my first. He didn't even know how to explained my results to me, is as if he was looking to me to tell him why I was in so much pain. I had to tell him am not the Doctor here and his "ok" was so condescending. I felt like I wasted my time and worst off than when I went to see him. Based on my experience with this Doctor I would not recommend him to anyone.

Dr. Pfiffner is condescending and rude. This was a horrible experience. I am never coming back.

If you're a woman especially, I would see another provider. This DR entirely avoided discussing my questions about whether endometriosis could be involved in my back issues and how we'd determine that (per experts in the field, it can be). He literally had his jaw on the floor after hearing how much weight I'd gained in a recent pregnancy, since all he cared to discuss with that I was currently overweight (which, of course, I knew and was working on, but you know, usually you gain weight during pregnancy). My pain is real, and likely not completely unrelated to pregnancy and/or hormones and I didn't feel he was equipped to help me. He gave me a brush off DX and referrals and I did not feel were suited to my issues. I'd request a different DENT physician if I return.

I'm sure he is a very intelligent man. However, he seemed very cold mannered. Like he hated his job or just plain didn't like me after first glance. Never smiled. Very stoic. Hoping I got correct diagnosis from him. If his people skills were better he would have received 4 stars not 2

Needs to work on people skills. Unfriendly, unwelcoming. Acted as if he had either just received bad news or disliked me on sight. I was in worse pain after my rough exam.

I am sure Dr. Pfiffner is a very smart doctor but he has no people skills and I felt as if he did not listen to my concerns. He talked to me for like 5 minutes and that was it and then just prescribed me medicine. Didn't have me get a head scan which I was surprised about. Went to a different neurologist outside of DENT and now i am scheduled for a head CT. Wouldn't recommend Dr. Pfiffner to anyone based on my experience.