Dr. Jankowski performed spinal fusion surgery on me in January 2020. Based on that experience I can say that I’m as confident as a non-medical person can be that his judgement, advice and surgical services were of the highest professional caliber, making use of the most advanced medical technology available, and I would, despite a few criticisms mentioned below, strongly recommend Dr. Jankowski to others in need of spinal surgery. Before and after my surgery he explained things thoroughly, and he patiently answered all my questions. He’s friendly and engaging, and I never felt rushed during appointments. When Hoag hospital advised me that I must be released from the hospital after my surgery, and I resisted their suggestion to enter an unaffiliated rehab nursing facility because of the bad things I’ve heard about them, Dr. Jankowski went out of his way to have me admitted into the Hoag acute rehab center, a terrific facility. His successful intervention on my behalf was greatly appreciated.
As mentioned above, I had some complaints about the communication skills of Dr. Jankowski and his office. Their follow-up on scheduling and pre and post op deliverables and promises were frustratingly slow and poorly managed, sometimes taking two or three phone calls to remind them of the follow-up I was promised. I get the sense that some of this may have been the result of Dr. Jankowski’s desire to satisfy his patients, as it was apparent that he puts in long hours, and he may innocently promise more than his busy schedule will allow. There were miscommunications in scheduling my surgery, which were extremely disconcerting for a patient who was in significant pain and anxious for surgery at the soonest possible time. Despite these frustrations, I eventually received everything I was promised, except the daily post-op hospital visits (which I’m not sure I needed anyway) and when, in my first post-op office visit with him, I voiced my complaints to him by way of what I characterized as constructive criticism, he graciously accepted it as such, apologized for the slip-ups, and promised future improvement.
Repeating what I said at the outset, if I ever need another spinal surgery I will overlook the administrative shortcomings and unhesitatingly make him the first doctor I call. I will also add that I met one of his other patients in his office during my post-op office visit. She had recently had fusion surgery by Dr. Jankowski that sounded far more complicated than mine, and she had nothing but kind words for him.
