Holzer, Donald, Md - Center For Pain Management

I have multiple issues I won;t get into....all legitimate severe conditions. After 3 years of my PCP refusing to refer me to Pain Management an opportunity to apply for a slot opened up. Now don't get me wrong....if you're a drug seeker.....or some type of gamer you're in for a rude awakening.... Regular urinalysis of patients......pill counts both randomly and at each scheduled appointment plus other security measures I wont get into. HOwever for the truly injured or sick this facility is a godsend......Dr. Holzer is by far THE MOST knowledgeable professional I have EVER had the pleasure of dealing with. He listens.....and responds accordingly....you might not get some super powerful drug but you will get pain relief...proper diagnosis.....excellent procedure options and super courteous staff. My only warning....do NOT walk in and expect to be treated or given special treatment.....do not harass,degrade or disrespect the staff....they are their to save your ass not kiss it. DO NOT demand..... DO NOT try to short fill or doctor shop.....PCPM WILL pull a PMP and boot you. more

Does anyone realize that this center has NO charity or benevolence programs? In other words, people unable to get insurance just have to suffer. Norfolk has a pain management center for indigent patients, but does not accept patients from neighboring cities. Thanks a lot, Portsmouth. Way to drop the ball! more

I have fibro, and have extreme medicine allergies, so I am not easy to treat. The staff and Doctors listen, and CARE....I have also issues with brain function, nerve damage, bad disks, the list goes on.\r I don't feel like a number there, and they work with you...my only complaint is often my insurance on treatments that require preapproval is slow, yet they do stay on top of that, and is not in their hands.\r I highly recommend Center For Pain Management, it may take awhile for an appointment to be seen at first, yet after that there are no problems.\r Another note, is they don't just hand out medications, they may start off on lower a dose, and that in turn let meds work longer ( for often our bodies do not respond after time) and in the long run less is more.\r Pros: people listen, do treatments to keep at a minimum Cons: Insurance companies (yet not there fault) more

I have several fractures in my back that was received in the line of duty while I was in the military. Since I was discharged I have been going here. They have listened to my problems and have actually tried to make the pain as minimal as possible. I do not like the fact that I have to take a ton of pills, but that is what it comes down to. \r If you think that you are receiving sub-standard services my recommendation would be to get medical treatment in the military. I promise you that you are receiving the best of care here. No matter how long it takes to get seen.\r As to missing an appointment and getting dropped from their care... that has not happened to me. I have missed one appointment; granted it took 3 weeks to get seen again, and was late for one appointment. They worked with me and got everything straight. I am sorry to the two people here who have had bad experiences here. But like I said before go get treated by the military. Pros: Great staff and doctors that actually listen, not military Cons: Having the insurance company state what can and cannot be more

I suffer from fibromyalgia and am in a great deal of pain most of the time. I've not had insurance for almost a year, so I've either been in the bed or on the couch because there's not much else I can do. I finally got Medicare on November 1, 2009 and contact this office a week earlier to make my initial appt. The person that takes appointments told me that once they had my paperwork, I could get in there in a matter of days. They told me I had to have my PPO release my records, which I did. Also, that they could'nt verify my insurance info until November 1, 2009. Okay, I understand all of that. Since the beginning of November, I have call the office back OVER 10 times, each time to be told they are short staffed, they have my paperwork and I will hear back from them within a couple of days. I've called and called and gotten the same excuse except today I was told they had been short handed due to the Thanksgiving holiday! I told Rene ( who is the person that I've spoken to all along) that answer was not acceptable because they had the documentation for 3 weeks before that. Now, today she tells me that there are no avaliable appointments until January, 2010. This doesn't do me any good since I'm driving 1,800 miles to Texas after Christmas. I'm in so much pain, that I am not even able to pack my belongings. I've been waiting for an appointment so that I can be able to FUNCTION! This is absolutely ridiculous...don't take your business to them. Cons: I've been trying to make an appt for over a MONTH! more

The accounts receivable risk manager will have you dropped out of the practice if you miss a payment or if you miss an appointment or you are late for an appointment. She acts as if she is working with well people but they are actually people in severe pain and they are on heavy addictive medicines that make it where you are sometimes confused. Then after you are on heavy medications that say right on the warnings that you must have a doctors care to go off of them she leaves you out there with no doctor to help you. She actually sends you a page from the yellow pages for you to find another doctor. The doctors are really nice to you but don't get on the bad side of the risk manager with no heart. Pros: Good Doctors Cons: Risk manager kicks you out without good reasons more

After recovering from strep group A-invasive,domestic violence, lucky to be ALIVE- after a complete stranger assaulted me....I also had contracted Reiter's Syndrome, PTSD, arthlagia ...... I ALSO found myself pregnant at age 41-WOW??????? The specialists were excellent, cortisone injections, and meds+a healthy life style helped me in a tremedous manner. I felt like a ""Jock"", after my first injections, and wore a T-shirt stating: ""The Pain Stops Here"", very true! Toooo bad that they thought I broke the narcotics contract, when in reality I was, plain and simple beaten within life and death by my estranged husband. He also liked to destroy everything, including medications, in our household-I never HAD the nerve to tell them. Yet they were great, until the insurance was pulled, due to his misconduct , the Norfolk Ship Yard fired him. Little did I know that not only beaten, in denial (ended up in the ER several times), that I'd loose my insurance, yet got away with my son and life. Thank You-Now without insurance, going to the local ER in a small town has dubbed ME?, as a ""drug-seeker"",-HELP!! Sorry for the run on story, but the Doc's were very professional, and the staff, + compassionate- Suz more