Occupational Orthopedics

bad bad bad bad bad can’t rate any lower he says he’s for the workman’s comp person but all he does is go along with the insurance company if he can’t make money by doing surgery on you he washes his hands of you and kick you out. he would probably be a good I.M.E. (not independent medical examiner), (but a insurance medical examiner) doctor for the insurance companies. he throws you under the bus when not even your lawyer can pull you out. do you not trust him with the hair on your head.

I don’t ever write reviews but felt like I really needed to write one in this case. The only reason I gave it two starts was because the initial visit we saw the physicians assistant and she was amazing! My fiancé was hurt on the job almost 2 years ago now and after having surgery and having part of his muscle in his leg removed because of a fall at work causing compartment syndrome. His employer did not have insurance for workers comp so we are now dealing with the assigned insurance company! Back to the physicians assistant, She took her time to look over my fiancé and explained what was going on with him and was the first person to make any sense of his injury or even seemed to care since his accident. She gave my boyfriend a referral to physical therapy (that was signed by the doctor because she believed he needed it) and a work limitations note and made a follow up. She was amazing and we felt great about going back and finally getting the help my fiancé needed for his leg.
A week later my fiancé went to his follow up with the doctor and the doctor was unpleasant and rude. He didn’t look over my fiancé at all, just went off of old notes from Drs that were hired from an insurance company through workmans comp and ignored his PA’s notes. He told my fiancé he was fine and just needed to deal with it and he would not do surgery (which we never wanted in the first place. The doctor was with my fiancé for about 15mins and that was it.
After having such a positive experience with the physicians assistant we really believed in this practice but now I believe it to just be one to work with insurance companies and not help the people who are really in pain or having serious problems that occurred through a work related injury. This doctor is not someone I would ever recommend for helping people, he is in it to only help the insurance companies.

First let me say before anyone chooses a Physician they should be careful to review any possible information, and any warnings from past patients.
My ordeal is too long to go every medical detail of my care while under Dr. John DiPaola. Let me say that when Dr. DiPaola recommended I receive job retraining, and told me what the process would be. But he wrote the medical report up in such a way as to create doubt the insurance carrier could use to deny me retraining. Shortly after closing my case the carrier canceled my payments, and stated I was able to return to my old employment as a carpenter. Yet the work restrictions Dr. DiPaola sent me home with were very restrictive. He stated my pain was subjective without an objective bases. This after 3 surgeries on my biceps tendon (two surgeries by a previous surgeon), and one on my wrist for carpel tunnel release. To my lawyer Dr DiPaola release a form saying I was recommended for retraining. Then he flipped and sent a statement to the insurance company saying there were no objective findings for my continuing pain, and that I was able to return to my work without restrictions. Bear in mind that for these legal documents Dr DiPaola charges approximately 300 dollars for a short interview, then 200 dollars more for a signature. So double that when my lawyer, and the insurance carrier’s lawyer both do interviews.
in these legal statements there were incomplete information by which I legally would have no ability to rebut because in Oregon the right of injured workers to testify has been taken away from the State Legislature.
So I strongly feel betrayed by Dr John DiPaola. A physician should be working in the best interest of the patient, not the Insurance carrier. I still have mild to severe pain depending on what I do. I still have trouble sleeping at night. I am being treated by a pain management Physician who I feel actually is acting in my best interest.
To sum it up: in my opinion it is all about the money for Dr DiPaola. If he can milk a extra thousand for legal interviews, and signatures from each patient why not leave enough doubt in your medical reports to cause the carrier to deny retraining. You as the patient are put into a position where you cannot work outside the medical restrictions, and yet you have to make a living. Then your are driven to go to mediation and take a deal that leaves you with a small settlement, and no future medical coverage for your injury.
Beware Dr John DiPaola especially if you are an injured worker under workers compensation. Legally the attending surgeon has the final say, it is very difficult to fight even in the review process.
I have received two responses from two others who have had bad experiences with Dr. DiPaola. I cannot stress how important is is for you to find the right Dr. if your injured on the job. Once you go with Dr. DiPaola your basically screwed. He will side with the workers comp carrier because the is way Oregon law is structured. The carriers are his bread and butter, not the worker who is injured. He is not accountable to you as a patient only to the carrier whether it be a private or State carrier. When you go to a Dr for an on the job injury, record every thing he says. He records everything you say, and he will use it against you. He should have to read you the Maranda Rights like a policeman does when your arrested, because in the eyes of the workers comp, your the enemy! The Dr’s for the large part serve the workers comps carriers. There are a few good doctors out there who will look out for you or at least attempt to be objective. In my opinion Dr. Brad Lorber is one of the best. He is compassionate and he knows how the system works.