Texas Back Institute

**Justin** · 09-05-2009 10:14 AM

About Texas Back Institute

From the beginning, the goal to perform as a center of excellence, integrating the best of science and education with the best business practices, has served Texas Back Institute well and continues to be the backbone of Texas Back Institute’s success. More than 30 years later, Texas Back Institute is the most academic private practice in spinal care and is the largest freestanding multidisciplinary academic spine center in the world. Utilizing the latest technological advancements and medical breakthroughs, leading and participating in numerous FDA trials, developing surgeons through its fellowship program and employing an expert medical team and compassionate support staff, Texas Back Institute remains dedicated to helping patients get back to life.

Texas Back Institute
6020 West Parker Road, Suite 200
Plano, TX 75093
United States

Phone: 972-608-5000
Fax: 972-608-5020

**KBear** · 09-05-2009 02:01 PM

This is where I go and I really like them. The wait time is never more than 5 or 10 minutes. Then, when you get to the back, you may wait another 5 minutes for a doctor. I'm usually in and out within 30 minutes. Everyone is friendly and helpful.

**KBear** · 12-15-2009 09:06 AM

Once a year, D Magazine (which is large Dallas monthly publication and a very respected magazine) hands out awards for Best Doctors of Dallas awards. Dallas is a very large medical destination, with many doctors in this area. To be one of the few who receives this award, is a very high honor. Also, it is very unusual for so many doctors in one practice to be awarded this award. You may see 2 or 3 from one practice win the award, and that is still a big accomplishment. I was stunned to find that 11 of their doctors won this award. Many, if not most of these doctors are repeat winners, and have won consecutively for 4 or 5+ years.

From the article: "How We Did It: D Magazine mailed a letter to more than 4,800 local doctors, encouraging them to visit dmagazine.com to cast their votes for the Best Doctos in Dallas. We asked them to name two physcians they would send their patients or loved ones to in 40 specialties. Only those with a valid Texas medical license were eligible. An outside marketing firm tallied the results, and a panel of esteemed local physcians reviewed the list prior to publication."

The Texas Back Institute physcians who were awarded for 2009 are:

Doctors Awarded for Spinal Surgery, there were 14 doctors awarded in this category:

Jack Zigler, M.D.
Richard Guyer, M.D
Scott Blumenthal, M.D

Doctors Awarded for Orthopedic Surgery, there were 29 doctors awarded in this category:

Shawn Henry, D.O.
Michael Hisey, M.D.
Daniel Bradley, M.D.

Doctors Awarded for Pain Management, there were 14 doctors awarded in this category:

Rey Bosita Jr., M.D.
James Cable, M.D.
Ralph Rashbaum, M.D.

Doctors Awarded for Physical Medicine, there were 10 doctors awarded in this category:

Sharon Gibbs, M.D.
Nayan Patel, M.D.

**Justin** · 12-15-2009 09:59 PM

Thanks for posting this information for others to read!

**WPKat** · 03-19-2010 09:08 PM

I am so excited!

I just heard from the Texas Back Institute and they "believe it would be worthwhile for [me] to be seen at TBI." They cannot say telephonically what they can or cannot do for me, but I know many of you have received great treatment at TBI, they perform minimally invasive procedures, and they seem to lead the way on new spine surgical techniques as well. I believe it would be well worth the money it would take to travel there. Do you agree?

Because I cannot sit longer than 15 minutes without major pain, however, I am not sure how I am going to swing an all day flight all the way from Anchorage, Alaska to Dallas, Texas. I could buy an extra coach seat so I can lay down when we are not taking off or landing, but I would have to make arrangements with the airlines. I guess whichever one that decides to be accommodating will get my business

Does anyone have any suggestions about travel?

Also, please cross your fingers that my insurance will get on board.

I guess I shouldn't count my chickens before my eggs are hatched should I? But for today anyway, I deserve to be happy and I refuse to worry about it.

Thanks,

K

**scduggan** · 03-19-2010 10:31 PM

Thanks for your post Kathy. This just makes me feel even more lucky than before about having my surgery with Dr. Zigler. They are so top notch at TBI.

K, Good luck and don't worry about counting the chickens. It will work out. I think the idea about the two seats is really smart. They will take awesome care of you should you decide to go.
CD

**WPKat** · 03-20-2010 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by scduggan

Thanks for your post Kathy. This just makes me feel even more lucky than before about having my surgery with Dr. Zigler. They are so top notch at TBI.

K, Good luck and don't worry about counting the chickens. It will work out. I think the idea about the two seats is really smart. They will take awesome care of you should you decide to go.
CD

CD,

Of all the places I could go in the U.S., aside from the Mayo Clinic, I really wanted to hear that the Texas Back Institute would be able to help me. The fact that they feel it's worthwhile for me to go down there is music to my ears.

One blunt doctor said I was "never going to get better ... only worse" and that "my ONLY hope was the spinal cord stimulator (SCS)." His off-the-cuff remark nearly crushed my fighting spirit. It was a kin to pulling the rug out from under my feet and kicking the day lights out of me. Talk about hitting a person when they are down. To add insult to injury, it sure didn't help that my insurance company denied the SCS five times before finally approving it today.

For those of you who don't know, I spent many years studying three different styles of Karate (not at the same time though). At 48, I was one tough cookie and in the best shape of my life. I was just 3 levels away from my black belt. I kept the young students on their toes, made the black belts sweat, and could take a punch with the best of them. I was in a Karate tournament, and won, just a few months before my back surgery. When the pain hit, however, it sent me to my knees. Even then, when the pain subsided I was back in class. I had no idea what was wrong with me even though I saw plenty of doctors over the course of two years because of intense radiating back and bladder pain. I kept going to class until the pain went completely "off the charts" and sent me to the ER, which is when I was finally given the results from my MRI report. My point is ... I am no shrinking violet.

I believe that when one is knocked down, you don't stop fighting. I ran out of options for treatment up here and all I heard was that nothing could be done ... I had little to no hope ... This was as good as it was going it get. I was definitely at an all time low (thank God for counseling). But then ... one day I just decided to seek help elsewhere. If they can't help me here, maybe somebody else can somewhere else. The worse they could say is that they couldn't help me. No harm, no foul.

Don't get me wrong, I am not expecting miracles here. Perhaps TBI won't be able to give me my whole life back, but even half of it would be a Godsend. It's just feels great to have a little hope again!

I would like to pass on some positive energy and encourage others who may be at their all time low to seek help anywhere and everywhere that they can. You may not have a solution today, but you may find one tomorrow.

K

**Cindylou** · 03-20-2010 12:54 AM

Way to go Kat! I love a fighting spirit!

Shame on that doctor for smashing your hopes and dreams. He should retire. That was the absolute worst piece of advice he could give anyone. TBI is a stand-up place as you've seen from the many posts and from Kathy's posting of statistics. When I lived in Texas I went there and used to see Dr. Blumenthal. They are top-notch guys. My very best to you and I hope you get some semblance of relief with whatever they propose for your treatment plan. Everyone deserves a shot at pain-free living, or something close to it. Hang in there. Somehow I know you will!

**Justin** · 03-20-2010 01:05 AM

The Texas Back Institute is a first-class spine clinic. It's staffed with great surgeons that have many years of experience under their belts.

Question for you: what insurance coverage do you have?

**WPKat** · 03-20-2010 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Justin

The Texas Back Institute is a first-class spine clinic. It's staffed with great surgeons that have many years of experience under their belts.

Question for you: what insurance coverage do you have?

Justin,

TriWest Prime.

My husband served his country in the Air Force for 26 years and retired as a senior master sergeant. He paid his dues and so did I (considering he was gone over half the time). Although I certainly cannot complain about our insurance premiums, they are very particular about coverage off base. Absolutely everything has to be preauthorized. Because their payout ratios are notoriously low, many doctors either will not accept you as a patient (much like the medicare crisis) or they will force you to pay over and above what TriWest allows.

I am really hoping my insurance won't railroad me on this one.

By the way, I also received a letter yesterday from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota letting me know that I have been accepted and have been put on a (rather long) waiting list for an appointment. Amazing! I must have an angel looking out for me right now

I just have a feeling that everything is going to work out and I'll be in Texas soon.

I love good news

K