Patient Testimonials

My experience with Dr. Owen O’Neill and his team was a very positive one! Dr. O’Neill made me feel so very comfortable. And I am SO thankful he got my surgery done on January 31, 2020 – or I would maybe still be waiting due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. I would absolutely recommend this surgery/treatment to anyone suffering with hip pain. I would highly recommend Dr. O’Neill to anyone/everyone to do this surgery. Improvements to my daily life are so great! I can walk now without any help – no walker or canes! I can walk up and down step with no problems and am back in my exercise classes! His staff were also great! Anne was so wonderful with her help with scheduling and answering our questions! And Mitch was so kind during my visits.

I first saw Dr. Marek for my broken knee cap, a shot in my hand for my trigger finger, then trigger finger surgery and when my daughter broke her arm. Since it’s been a few years, of course I need to go back for my other hand and about to call today. In other words, my family and I are doing all we can to keep Dr. Marek busy! Ha, and we trust him implicitly.

On May 28, I hurt my right arm and shoulder while pulling too many weeds in the garden. When Alleve plus constant alternating of cold and hot packs provided no relief, I was fortunate to get an appointment with Dr. David Anderson. Dr. David Anderson was friendly, compassionate, patient and quite helpful in reassuring me after X-rays that my problem was from normal age-related wear and tear. A cortisone shot gave me the relief I needed within the next week. I’m now delighted to take my future orthopedic problems to Dr. David Anderson!

I want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Wulf and his team for the excellent care I received a little over a year ago. Several years ago I had a TIA (mini-stroke) and fell directly onto my right shoulder resulting in a torn rotator cuff. It went undiagnosed until my visit with Dr. Wulf. Just by manipulating and feeling my shoulder on the first visit, he told me I had a very large tear and it had been there for a long time. I was thrilled to learn the surgery could be done arthroscopically. It has been a little over a year since my operation, and as a 73-year old, I cannot believe how normal and strong my shoulder feels. The results were far beyond my expectations. I just finished washing all the windows in my house and had no pain during or after such strenuous activity. One thing special about Dr. Wulf is his positive and caring bedside manner. He always looked me directly in the eye when communicating and took my concerns seriously. His skill and expertise as a surgeon are beyond compare. I would recommend him to anyone.

Forty years of back pain from an Army injury. I had various tests performed by another non TCO provider and was told basically to learn to deal with pain. Dr. Davis reviewed the MRI, identified the problem and operated. The procedure was minimally invasive with only a one inch scar on back. My pain is reduced by 90%. He’s great!

Dr. O’Neill is a fantastic surgeon. I would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone needing orthopedic care. He is extremely knowledgeable as well as compassionate and kind. I underwent a total knee replacement on 3/2/20 with much anxiety prior to surgery but after meeting with Dr. O’Neill and his team I felt so reassured and confident going forward. Dr. O’Neill was very attentive during my care suite stay and with my follow-up care. Dr. O’Neill was readily available with any questions I had during my home recovery. The EXCEL program is a wonderful program with great care from nurses, physical therapists and Dr O’Neill. I am SO SO glad I found Dr. O’Neill and went with the EXCEL program instead of the hospital route. PT staff were great and the RNs and coordinators kindly took care of my requests promptly. My recovery was great as well. At the end of week one my flexion was 110 degrees and 140 degrees by beginning of the 3rd week! I am now able to walk without pain! Dr. Owen O’Neill IS THE best surgeon. I can not recommend him highly enough! #1 Physician.

I had Dr. Gerlach repair both of my hands late last fall and I could not be happier with the results. I suffered for years and was having a hard time riding my motorcycle due to the numbness and pain. Dr. Gerlach was very down to earth and explained what my options were. He was very thorough and made me very comfortable in the decision to have the surgeries. He performed the right hand first and about a month and a half later my left. I am happy to report for the first time in years I am able to ride without the pain and numbness I had been experiencing and it is much more enjoyable as I do not need to use my cruise control as much. I have told my brother to go see him and would recommend him to anyone. Thank you very much.

I was a senior at Lake Superior State University playing division 1 college hockey for the school when, during a hockey game, I tore my ACL. The injury ended my season right away, being already halfway done with it. I still had an opportunity to play after college and needed to get back before camps started in the summer for exposure. My family doctor referred me to Dr. Andrea Saterbak with TCO with high remarks for her work. My first impressions during a pre-surgical meeting absolutely blew me away and I knew she would get me back. Dr. Saterbak and her team along with all of the TCO staff gave me all the tools and support to bounce back after the injury that ended my college career. Dr. Saterbak’s reputation is remarkable and I learned firsthand why. After sticking with her protocol and procedures, I am back to feeling where I was before my injury, if not better. I am able to make it to camps and tryouts to continue my hockey career. Dr. Saterbak and her team resemble exactly what it means to be professional, knowledgeable, and compassionate. Thank you to Dr. Saterbak and her team for helping me get back to playing the game I love.

Dr. Maura Hartigan was so kind, and gentle and loving and understanding and efficient and it was a wonderful visit, and so good to my Mom. We know the shot given takes time to benefit the patient and we are confident this will help mom, but we also are so thankful Dr. Hartigan gave us hope that if this did not work, we could return and maybe have some options. Thank you Dr. Hartigan and God bless you and the staff.

Zina and all of Mom’s children

To Whom It May Concern:

I would like to take this opportunity to commend the staff at Twin Cities Orthopedics. On May 22, 2020, I tore a hamstring tendon while on a run. This injury resulted in me requiring surgery to reattach the tendon and the accompanying physical therapy. My experience with TCO has always been positive, from the staff at the front desk, to the doctors and their staff, to the physical therapists. On this occasion though, my experience with the clinic seemed to be even more positive in many ways, with several of the staff, one in particular that I would like to bring attention to, going “Above And Beyond” what I have come to expect.

The day after my injury I walked (was wheeled actually) into the urgent care at the Burnsville facility. I was seen very quickly, and the physicians assistant was thorough in assessing my injury and ordered an MRI for my leg. I went downstairs to the MRI imaging office and was warmly greeted there by Aga, who told me that due to it being the Saturday of Memorial day weekend, it would be nearly impossible to get the required pre-authorization for the MRI from my insurance company until Tuesday. She said she was going to make some phone calls as well as put in the request electronically and would contact me when she had more information. No more than 15 minutes later, she phoned me saying that no one was available at the insurance company, but she would continue to try and at the very least contact me Tuesday morning when she should have an approval and a time available for an MRI. I asked Aga if there was a way I could schedule an MRI prior to having authorization, if I paid for it myself and then received reimbursed from the insurance company once approved. She informed me that would be a possibility, but the availability of locations would be limited with that option. She said she would look into it. She phoned me about 10 minutes later and said nothing was available that day but something might open up for Sunday. The next morning she phoned me with a time available that afternoon at Edina. I was thrilled she was able to make that happen and get the process going. This only could have happened because of Aga’s determination to swiftly move forward with my care.

The staff conducting the MRI were very professional and went out of their way to see I was comfortable during my MRI, as there were very few ways I could position my body where I wasn’t in a high degree of pain. I also was pleasantly surprised to see Aga was working the desk at the MRI imaging office. She escorted my wife to the billing office to pay for the procedure. Afterwards she said she had been looking at available appointments with Dr. Holm, who I normally see at TCO, but that he didn’t have anything available on Tuesday. I told her I preferred Dr. Holm, but considering the pain I was in I wanted to have results as soon as possible and I would see a different Doctor if I had to to get in as early as possible. Aga, on her initiative, texted Dr. Holm’s patient coordinator Kelly to see if I could be fit in. Kelly responded immediately, on a Sunday afternoon, saying to come in at 1:00 PM on Tuesday. This coordination truly made me feel cared for and important.

On Tuesday Dr. Holm gave me the results of the MRI and as usual, thoroughly explained my options, as well as expected recovery times and recommendations for how I could most thoroughly return to my pre-injury status. On his recommendation I decided to have a surgical repair. He said it would be best to perform this surgery as soon as possible, and he turned me over to his patient coordinator Kelly. Kelly set me up with a surgery time in two days, and coordinated an immediate Covid 19 test, as well as a fitting for a leg brace so that I would have the brace available before my surgery. She was extremely efficient.

On Thursday I had the surgery. The entire surgery staff, from the admitting nurses, to the nurses in the surgery and recovery rooms, the anesthesiologist, the nurse anesthetist, and of course Dr. Holm, were all very professional and accommodating, as well as very thorough in explaining how my surgery would unfold that day. On my discharge my wife and I both were very thoroughly briefed on what medications I should be taking and how often, what activities I should and should not be doing, and other important general information. The following day I received a very nice follow up call from the nursing staff, and the following Monday, a follow up from Dr. Holm’s physicians assistant Aaron, as well as another phone call from Aga to tell me that my insurance company had indeed approved the MRI.

I am early in my recovery, but considering the good results I have had in the past with Dr. Holm, along with what appears to be very professional therapy so far with my physical therapist Jonathan, I am quite confident I will make a full recovery. Getting through this whole process from my injury on Friday to surgery the following Thursday would not have been possible without Aga, Kelly, and Dr. Holm. I was so appreciative to get the recovery process going as soon as possible. I don’t normally write letters expressing my pleasure with services, as I expect professional service as a matter of course, but because of my experience in this case, specifically with Aga, who went way beyond what I would ever expect, I wanted to express my full gratitude.

Thank You Sincerely,
David E.