The List

Castle Connolly and Chicago

Per our arrangement with Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., we have removed our Top Doctors list from chicagomag.com. We posted that list, first prepared exclusively for Chicago’s January 2008 issue, as a supplement to our January 2009 feature How to Deal with a Medical Crisis. Castle Connolly allowed us to keep that list up on our Web site for only three months.

That doesn’t mean you no longer have access to the list. While supplies last, copies of the January 2008 issue are available from Chicago at our customer service number: 800-999-0879. Castle Connolly, which publishes a number of national, regional, and metropolitan guides to doctors, posts its entire list on its Web site: castleconnolly.com. Generally, however, you will have to pay to use the list. Go to castleconnolly.com/membership/index.cfm to learn how you can enroll as a premium member, which, depending on how much you pay, allows you online access to the full list of more than 20,000 doctors nationwide for either a day ($9.95), a year ($24.95), or two years ($34.95). You can also enroll as a registered member, which provides you, free of charge, limited search capabilities of the list (approximately 20 to 25 percent of the list).

Working with Castle Connolly, Chicago will publish an updated list of approximately 350 Chicago-area doctors in its January 2010 issue. That issue should be available on newsstands on about December 17, 2009. We will also post the list at chicagomag.com, but again, only for a limited time.

 
 

Comments are moderated. We review them in an effort to remove offensive language, commercial messages, and irrelevancies.

Reader Comments:
Old to new | New to old
Comments, page 1 of 2 1 2 Next »
Feb 14, 2008 08:20 pm
 Posted by  Anonymous

spinal stenosis

Apr 1, 2008 12:10 pm
 Posted by  Anonymous

My son is currently receiving treatment for leukemia by two of the doctors you have on your top doc list. Dr. Hayani and Dr. Salvi have demonstrated to my family that they deserve to be on this list. Dr. Hayani and Dr. Salvi are not only excellent doctors they know how to communicate with the children on their level. It feels like these two doctors really understand and care about the childrens needs and will do everything they can to make them feel comfortable each time they visit the clinic. My family appreciates everything they have done for my son. I would also like to say that all of the nursing staff at Childrens Hope Hospital in Oaklawn Illinois are also top notch. Thank you so much for everything you have done for my son.

Dec 25, 2008 09:51 am
 Posted by  bim

m

Jan 3, 2009 03:22 pm
 Posted by  Joe

Dr. MICHAEL ROSENBERG is listed. I guess you do not take into account that 700,000 people every year are damaged by LASIK.

I have seen a psychiatrist since having LASIK done by him. I was NEVER informed about pupil size, dry eyes or medications that can effect vision. I was told that I should use Alphagan P off label EVERY DAY, when a reputable study done at Texas Tech University shows that daily use for night vision causes tachyphylaxis. I was NEVER informed that the moon would never look the same, clothes in my closet would glow and the glare from surgery would be a daily distraction.

You list Dr. MICHAEL ROSENBERG as a top surgeon but he has had a very negative effect on my life.

Jan 10, 2009 04:40 pm
 Posted by  monica

My family had a negative experience with internist Jorge Balandrin. He had way too many patients and I thought he was more interested in making a name for himself or generating income than caring for his patients. He was my dying father's internist in 1999. When my father was diagnosed with his condition he was new to this area (south suburbs) and he didn't have a doctor, so Christ Hospital recommended Balandrin as a good internist. I'll never forget the time my father was in pain, extremely uncomfortable and we had to wait in his office for 3 hours before getting seen by Balandrin. The office was packed with patients, all of whom had appointments like my father did. I asked the nurse to please consider that my father was on time for his appointment, he was in pain and he needed to be seen right away so he could go home. She said the others in the office had appointments also and we had to wait. We were seen 3 hours after our appointment time.
At that time the end was near for my dad and he didn't want to make any changes, but I'll never forgive Balandrin and his office for their lack of sympathy for my father.

Jan 11, 2009 08:39 am
 Posted by  Anonymous

Dr. Everett Vokes is a very well-known name in the field of head and neck cancer. I personally worked as an RN at the hospital he is affiliated with and when my father was diagnosed with h&n cancer over 5 years ago he was the first on my list for my father to see. His attitude and lack of empathy during the consultation was disgusting. He repeatedly refered to my father as "the patient" to me directly in front of my father. Dr. Vokes also made the bold prediction that if my father did not choose his hospital and his protocol (which, by the way, has yet to be published with any substantial success numbers)my father would not be alive in 2 years. It is now 5 1/2 years later and my father is still very much alive and while the road has been a bit bumpy, he has a great quality of life. Dr. Vokes may be great in a lab but his bedside manner is absoulutely horrible.

Jan 11, 2009 06:05 pm
 Posted by  Anonymous

I have been going to northwestern doctors recommended by you for quite sometime. Though some of them are clinically good, their attitude and behavior stink. They think they are above everybody. They never see patients in time. There is always 3 hrs or more delay time. This is a chronic situation and you should consider that when evaluating doctors.I also feel that they are overpaid. I am an engineer by profession and when I see that these doctors use all kinds of equipments and machines designed by engineers for these guys ( doctors) to use them as just end users, it kind of bothers me how they make several times more than engineers. Most of the doctors don't even know how to use sophisticated equipments to generate diagnostic results.Its about time they come back to earth and serve people.

Jan 12, 2009 02:50 pm
 Posted by  carolp95

Dr. Matthew Ross is listed again as one of the top neurosurgeons in Chicago - he is an exceptionally skilled surgeon and an amazing person. I went to Dr. Ross after 2 different diagnosis for cervical spondylosis with myelopathy.We were confused, scared (told not to fall, climb ladder, have car accident etc.) and exhausted by the time we were referred to him by our friend. He spent over TWO HOURS with us on our first visit using demo spines and white boarding explanations of the what and why he would solve two problems with one surgery. Surgeons are rarely known for personality, patient education, compassion or bedside manner. Dr. Ross gets A+ for all 4 classifications along with A+ for skill and the outcome of his surgery. He will always be the number one doctor for me and many of his patients. He changed our lives for the better.

Jan 15, 2009 09:35 pm
 Posted by  Anonymous

Dr. Tom Mustoe, Northwestern Hospital, is repeatedly on the list of top doctors in the Chicago area nand rightfully so. His bedside manner, expertise in plastic surgery and willingness to listen are together, unique to find in one doctor. I did not have cosmetic surgery to enhance a body part but to regain something lost to cancer. I will never forget how beautiful he made me look once again. Consult him if you ever need a plastic surgeon! My surgical results look the same as they did almost 6 years post op.

Jan 25, 2009 07:21 pm
 Posted by  miller

catalona is as good as it gets. although a little busy with international speaking engagements he imbues respect for his dedication and commitment to prostrate cancer. peter miller

Jan 28, 2009 01:13 pm
 Posted by  Dan

My life saver is Dr Mark Talamonti.Back in March of 2008 he performed a liver resection. In other words he removed 70% of my liver and thanks to him and his team I a alive today. There are no words or ways to fully express what i owe to this man. He is truly a master in his choosen field. I wake up each morning and thaak God I can live another day. I then thank God for people like Dr Talamonti. It is coming up to my one year mark and with each visit to see my doctors I am told I am still cancer free. I can only say thank you. You are in my prayers.

Jan 30, 2009 11:22 am
 Posted by  pgutchewsky

My husband and I have been seeing Jorge Balandrin for many years and have learned along with his other patients to call in advance of scheduled time and come in when the staff tells you to. He is very busy at the hospitals he is affiliated and is very attentive to his patients when he is with them either at the hospital or in his office. He looks at the whole person and asks questions beyond just what you are there for. I am sorry for the family member above whose father had to wait and felt he was neglected but I wonder if the dad felt well cared for once he did get into see Dr.Balandrin and that is why he chose not to change. I know when I leave his office I have been spoken to as a person, if I have a prescription it is well explained to me, and due to back problems I have needed pain meds called in for me and he always follows up with me.

Feb 20, 2009 01:45 pm
 Posted by  chris c.

Almost all the internists on the list are out in the suburbs, are there any top docs IN the city?

Mar 15, 2009 09:59 pm
 Posted by  cespal1

You guys need to update this list. Several of the Northwestern faculty listed are deceased. Many of the others are quite old and no longer see patients.

Mar 17, 2009 08:14 am
 Posted by  gladiator

This is the same list as last year.

Mar 25, 2009 09:30 pm
 Posted by  sheba367

couldn't find the list for the top doctors in chicago

Mar 29, 2009 11:39 pm
 Posted by  mriosoccer

hello

Apr 7, 2009 05:50 pm
 Posted by  former subscriber

I sent an e-mail in January saying that i had bought the magazine and was unable to get the list. So now it's April, i still have the magazine, and i'm supposed to PAY MORE?????????? some of us look at the list because we're sick, not because we're vain and want to see if our good buddies made it this year.

Thanks SO much for your initial response and for making it impossible to get any help. We're glad you care so much about the health care of those who live in the area.

And no, i'm not a robot. if i was, i'd have fixed myself and not tried to look for your list to get help.

Aug 26, 2009 08:28 am
 Posted by  kettle2

Dr. Balandrin is and EXCELLANT doctor, and yes most times youu have to wait...but, he is an Excellant Doctor and he treats each patient with dignity and respect. Takes his time with each one...like as if you were the ONLY patient there. He helped my husband who was terribly ill and I will be eternally greatful. Lady one bad experience "waiting", its OK to wait ....if you want QUALITY CARE.

Jun 10, 2010 10:37 am
 Posted by  nygal

Whoever is trying to charge poor, sick and desperate people seeking doctors for a referral is very unethical and immoral and just a bunch of opportunists if you think you can try and charge people to simply get a list of top doctors. There are other ways to know who the top doctors are instead of paying a bunch of money-hungry opportunists who are likely paid by these doctors to have their names on a list.

Comments, page 1 of 2 1 2 Next »
Add your comment:
Verification Question. (This is so we know you are a human and not a spam robot.)

What is 3 + 7 ? 

Advertisement