Dr. Halbrecht is simply the best. LOOK NO FURTHER! He operated on my right rotator cuff several years ago from a sports injury. My outcome was perfection. I did precisely what he said to do to ensure full recovery. I was back doing push-ups, weights, lifting, everything and more I did prior to surgery, and only with a magnifying glass can you see 3 pin scars, basically no scarring. Further, my right shoulder hurt, I had to see a shoulder doctor close to my location. He recommended PT 10 weeks 2 X a week said it was a complicated, rare injury intimating surgery if PT didn't work. I saw Dr. Halbrecht today, he gave me a cortisone shot, would Not recommend PT, said I may need another shot would be fine back to training! Thank you Dr. H!! read more

I have a fractured tibial plateau near my knee from being the pedestrian in a pedestrian vehicular accident. I got an MRI at Dr Halbrecht's office and then went for a first consultation with the doctor. Dr Halbrecht seems like a perfectly competent doctor and I'm sure his medical advice is sound. It's his communication style and "bed side manner" that I didn't connect with. I asked about something the MRI technician told me and he responded "oh mri technicians don't know anything about this". While examining my knee he put a lot of pressure on it which hurt, without giving me a heads up saying "this might hurt a bit". He was incredibly brief and didn't share with me any advantages and disadvantages of recommended treatment options. Any one of these may not be a big deal, but all of these together was a signal to me that i'd prefer a different provider. If Dr Halbrecht were my only medical option, I would use him, since again his medical advice seemed sound. However since he estimated it'll be ~6 months for treatment, I chose to switch to see a different doctor for my treatment. read more

Sprained my knee during skiing, and came to Dr Halbrecht's for a closer examination and advice. Dr Halbrecht is knowledgeable and approachable. His practice has in-house X-ray and MRI machines, which saved me the hassle to make additional appointments. The front desk assistants are also very helpful and responsive. Very happy with my experience here so far! read more

Very expensive, and cold hearted doctor who was in a rush, condescending and does not want to tell you anything in depth

Once you get in to meet him... the experience is great! He's super friendly, knowledgeable and knows how to talk to patients when explaining the complexities of the problem. So... three stars for Dr. H. The office is unorganized. There's a misscommunication between the front desk, the assistant who walks you in/out and Dr. H. You know that scene in Ferris Bueller where Grace is fumbling around on the phone, trying to be Ed Rooney while he's getting off the other line? It's that kind of scene. As long as you know you're supposed to go to the X-ray room or whereever, just go yourself b/c know one else knows but you and Dr. H and he's gone by then. That type of stuff. read more

Doctor was not helpful, billed me for a significant amount when they told me there would be no out of pocket charge. Terrible experience. Do not visit read more

As an athlete and physical therapist I can't say enough good things about Dr. Halbrecht. While my MRI showed several problems with my knee, it was unclear as to which was the one making walking painful... I had had a knee surgery months earlier at the Steadman Clinic (in Vail where I'd lived) and came out of surgery with a new pain that I'd never had before. The pain left me unable to walk, work, or engage in sports normally. It was the first time in my life I felt totally defeated. Having heard great things from patients about Dr. Halbrecht, I consulted with him as soon as I returned to the Bay Area, desperate for help and answers that my surgeon in Colorado couldn't provide. After thoroughly looking at all my tests and listening carefully to where my symptoms were, Dr. Halbrecht determined which procedure would likely help me the most. I knew the moment I stood up off the operating table that he'd fixed the problem (and that it wasn't the arthritis that my previous surgeon had mistakenly blamed my post-op difficulties on). For the first time in 9 months I was able to walk without nagging pain. Having had five surgeries in my lifetime, I've come to appreciate that Dr. Halbrecht's ability to listen, his depth of knowledge and experience, and technical expertise are a rare gift. I can honestly say that I doubt I would be doing as well as I am had I seen anyone else. I feel exceptionally grateful to get my life back. My experience with his entire team has been positive. Rather than lots of fancy marketing and pro athlete posters, I had the privilege of working with a doctor who spends his time on what matters - perfecting his craft. read more

I met with Dr. Halbrecht a few years ago regarding a frozen shoulder issue. I had a very positive experience at that time. I recently had a knee injury so I went back to Dr. Halbrecht's office to get examined. I met with Allie, his assistant. Just like Dr. Halbrecht, Allie is very professional and personable. Allie took an X-Ray, asked me a series of questions, conducted several tests during my knee examination, and ordered an MRI. I had a long list of questions. Allie took the time to listen to me. I didn't feel rushed, and Allie had a true genuine interest in helping me resolve my knee issue. I met with Dr. Halbrecht the following week to review my results, and It turned out that I tore my meniscus. He explained my MRI findings and he discussed my options. He suggested a knee arthroscopy procedure. Their surgery coordinator, Sarah, was fantastic in scheduling me the procedure, handling my insurance claim, and processing my paperwork. Sarah made the "behind the scenes" aspect of the procedure painless for me. The procedure went very smoothly, the surgery center was professional, and I appreciated Allie's follow up call. Both Dr. Halbrecht and Allie are very knowledgeable, patient, and easy to talk to. The whole team at IASM is top notch. I never felt like a number. Their whole team is friendly and very professional. I would highly recommend them. read more

I saw Dr Halbrecht for a single visit after shoulder dislocation before deciding to find another orthopedic surgeon. In my brief visit I felt the doctor was pressuring me towards surgery that would be more lucrative for his office, he was incredibly brief and failed present my other options and the relative advantages and disadvantages they posed. After the visit, I was billed incorrectly for extra services I didn't receive and it took several calls to his office and billing provider to resolve. I can't speak to the quality of surgical care, but visiting this office I felt more like I was being sold on a surgery than offered the best options to weigh for my personal circumstances. read more

His office balance billed me - which is illegal. I found Dr. Halbrecht through my insurance's website bc I wanted to make sure he was in-network. At the office I paid my copay, and afterwards his office billed my insurance, had the claim accepted, was paid the in-network contracted rate for that visit by my insurance, and then they billed me the rest. Which is illegal in California. They should know better. The law isn't new. I bet it works, tons of people probably get the bill in the mail and then just pay. Or refuse and get sent to collections. I contacted the office and was asked to give my name and a phone number to reach me. No explanation, no idea what happens if I ignore their "payment due date", no idea when they'll call me back. I guess I'm supposed to call them every few days to check. read more

***ALERT*** I received a letter via certified mail from Dr. Halbrecht threatening to sue me for my review. I quote: "Please accept this letter as official notice that we intend to file a defamation law suit against you in response to the defamatory comments you posted on the website Yelp. Your lengthy posting is riddled with unprivileged statements impuning Dr. Halbrecht's professional credentials which constitute defamation per se and subject you to a law suit without the need of proving specific damages from your comments. However, Dr. Halbrecht has agreed that if this posting is removed from Yelp.com within one week of the date of this letter and is not reposted on any other website or republished in any other form, he will not initiate any action. I urge you to have the defamatory comments removed immediately." Signed by Dr. Halbrecht himself. Everything in my review is true. It looks like I am going to be sued because Dr. Halbrecht did not like my review. If anyone can supply me with legal advice, it would be greatly appreciated. In Beauty and Truth, Christy S. read more

This doctor seems to feel that his only job is to decide if you need surgery or not. If you don't need surgery, he immediately loses interest and has nothing more to say to you. I came to see him because of a torn hamstring and pain. He took a look, said "yeah, you tore it and it's really not bad enough for surgery." He acted like he was being good by admitting that I didn't need surgery. He was about to leave the room (after about 2 minutes) when I stopped him and said "What should I do to help it?" He partly turns around and says "You should stretch it and do some exercises." Then he turns around again to go and I stopped him again. "What kind of stretching and what exercises? Can you tell me what to do?" He partly turns around again and says "Um... yeah, I could show you, but there really isn't room here, and I don't want to get down on the floor" Then he really turns around and walks out. Total time: 4 minutes. Total charge $250. Total treatment: Nothing The guy is a jerk. Stay away. By the way, notice that many of the positive reviews are from Yelpers with very few reviews. Are they genuine or not? The decision is yours. read more

I found it very frustrating on my first (and only) visit to Dr. Halbrecht. He hardly talked to me at all, and spoke into a handy tape-recorder. I felt that his bedside manner could definitely use work. After that appointment, I went to see another doctor all together as I was very dissatisfied with the appointment with Dr. Halbrecht * I did receive a response from Dr. Halbrecht after writing this review. He said he has changed some of his practices to better suit his patients. While it doesn't change my opinion of my first and only visit, I value that he cared enough to write back and invite me to come in for a follow-up in hopes that I'd change my mind. That's what Yelp's all about - right? read more

I've traveled around a lot, lived in 5 cities, and have had 5 total surgeries both in the USA and abroad. I highly recommend that you pass on Dr. Halbrecht. He doesn't answer questions or explain things unless he thinks he's going to be able to do surgery on your. read more

I went to Dr. Halbrecht and my first visit was great. He injected my joint to help alleviate pain and had me come back for a follow up visit. I did, but another area of my ankle was in pain so he suggested I have and MRI in his office. I declined and asked if it would be okay if I did the MRI with a radiologist that is fellowship trained in orthopaedic MRI imaging. He hesitated and said it would be okay. I had the imaging done and the radiologist recommended that I have an image guided injection. She contacted Dr. Halbrecht to get an order for the injection and he refused to write it up. He was not interested in her recommendations and report on what is actually wrong with my ankle and had no interest in collaboration, which is key to ensuring that people heal. He did mention to me that he thought that having a fellowship trained radiologist take and read my images was "turf war" stuff. My comment to that was -- "Wouldn't you be frustrated if a radiologist came into the operating room and started doing surgery on a patient?" You would think that he would trust the word of a top radiologist in orthopaedics. She is also the radiologist in chief and well known worldwide for her expertise in this field. Obviously not enough for him. But keep in mind that this is not about him, but about my ankle. Next time you visit an orthopaedic doctor ask them their opinions on who should be reading your images and also see if collaborating with other specialists is a philosophy they subscribe to. Unfortunately, Dr. Halbrecht does not believe in this philosophy. I do not plan to use his services ever again. read more

I had to wait for 45 minutes to see the dr. on my first visit - the only visit so far - but my suffering was ameliorated by one of his staff coming to apologize twice, each time asking me if she could get me some water or some magazines. Seeing the doctor was perfectly pleasant. he listened to me and gave a thorough description of my ailment. this was a far better experience than that which I'd recently had with another orthopedic surgeon. Thank YOU, Dr. Halbrecht! read more

I had a severe injury to my knee a few years ago and have seen numerous surgeons and other such practitioners of orthopedic medicine. Dr. Halbrecht and his staff are the very best and I am happy to be in their care. I needed to schedule two MRI's and they were able to get me in the very next day. The tech was kind, gentle and performed my two MRI's in significantly less time than the last one I had at California Advanced Imaging; where they did only one knee, not both. I can't say enough for the level of professionalism and care I have experienced here. read more

Overall, I would send anyone and everyone to Dr. Halbrecht. I think many of the negative reviews on Yelp are overly sensitive and a bit contrived. Personally, I don't need a loving, cuddly doctor. I care more about someone who is smart, experienced and can make informed decisions. All qualities I believe Dr. H lives by. I adore the staff in this office as well. Everyone is crazy supportive, flexible and very nice. Something I do appreciate in people who are responsible for scheduling, MRI's, etc. Also, Dr. H's PA, Shawn, is a total rock-star. Super-relatable, fun to talk to and good balance of experience and eagerness. I had my knee surgery 3 weeks ago. I don't think I was at all prepared for the first week of recovery. And I totally blame myself for not really researching or talking with others who have had a similar surgery. But the doc and his team were great about post-surgery care. They even took me a day earlier than originally scheduled for my post-op appt. b/c I was dying to shower. And they called to remind me to do my exercises. So cute! In order to get 5 stars in my book, I would like their office to run a bit more on time. I find for the most part, when I go to see the doc I wait 30 - 45 minutes. And I would also like them to prepare people for life after surgery (i.e., what "off crutches in 2-3 weeks" really means...) Overall though, I AM a fan. read more

Dr Halbrecht and his entire staff are professional, friendly, timely, efficient and thorough. I'm recovering from surgery of a meniscus tear and have been completely satisfied A++ with his practice. My tear was due to an injury in the gym and the knee pain prevented me from running and it hurt to kneel etc. Dr. Halbrecht was straightforward with his diagnosis and treatment and was able to squeeze me into surgery the next day to accommodate my tight schedule. You are greeted at the door with a smile, never a wait and though they are busy they have streamlined the Process. I'll keep you posted on my recovery as surgery is a scary event and it's good to read feedback on others experiences so hope this helps! read more

Consulted Dr Halbrecht for a knee issue after being referred by a well-regarded surgeon for a second opinion. I was scheduled for one week later. I appreciated the hospitable and professional staff. The office is well run, very well-staffed. They have fluroscopy/XRay and MRI in-house (low resolution, I would recommend imaging outside), which can be helpful. The office wait was short and I was led in to the exam room. Dr Halbrecht and his PA entered shortly for the consultation. Altogether affable and good bedside manner, didn't seem rushed, which I appreciated. The PA did seem rather uninterested, and Dr Halbrecht allowed him to leave halfway through my consultation. Dr Halbrecht addressed all my concerns and reviewed his recommendations for treatment before turning away for a dictation, presumably for future transcription. read more

Dr. Halbrecht is kind and compassionate and goes beyond the usual to help his patients heal. My husband and I have been seeing Dr. Halbrecht for many years and many surgeries. My latest is a foot problem and I feel that Dr. Halbrect truly understands and is doing his very best to help me heal. read more

So, I just got a call from a collection agency, calling on Dr. Halbrecht's behalf. They were asking about a delinquent bill. I expressed my concern, because I haven't seen the good doctor in several years. She informs me that this is for service that was performed in 2008, but they didn't start billing me for it until 2011! (After I had long since moved and my mail was no longer being forwarded, so there's no way for me to have gotten the bill.) I guess it's just another example of them working on their own time and screw you if it doesn't work for you. I haven't seen him in 4 years and he's still providing bad service. read more

I'm fairly accident-prone, so I've seen a lot of orthopedists and other doctors in my life. I love to stay in touch with my doctors and their staffs because I am so grateful for the care I have received. However, I felt that Dr. Halbrecht had terrible bedside manner. He never even learned how to properly pronounce my (last) name before quickly pulling out his tape recorder and diagnosing treatment. Which--surprise!--was surgery. I had 2 pins in a joint to stabilize a fracture. When the first pin started to exit the bone (sorry, kinda gross), my long-time orthopedist in DC was able to remove it within minutes, in his office, without invasive surgery. After I moved to San Francisco and the second pin did the same thing, I went to see Dr. Halbrecht. He insisted that a non-invasive procedure was not possible, and instead I had to miss 2 days of work to recover from the (full anesthesia) operation. When I came in to see Dr. Halbrecht a second time for carpal tunnel pain, he walked into my appointment very upbeat and excited... until I explained that he had grabbed the wrong chart and my bone fracture was taken care of. He very quickly left the room and sent in one of his assistants to give me immobilizing braces for my wrists. This-by the way- is not a solution for carpal tunnel. I agree with one other reviewer's assessment that Dr. Halbrecht and his staff do not provide any sort of therapy beyond surgical intervention. I was savvy enough to INSIST on it, but I know there are people out there who do not even know the benefits of PT, so they end up left without a recovery plan when they leave the operating table. I think that is unconscionable for a surgeon to do, especially because most PT clinics require a doctor's referral before treating a patient. So it's not like patients can always seek out quality physical therapy on their own. The ONLY reason I am giving Dr. Halbrecht more than 1 star is because his people referred me to Golden Gate Hand Therapy, and they were absolutely fantastic physical therapists. But that is for another review... read more

I was refferred to Jeffrey Halbrecht, MD from my doctor regarding a shoulder issue. I contacted his office on a Friday and was schedule the following Tuesday (2 business days later) which I was impresssed given I didn't have an emergency or urgent need. On occasion when I have gotten a referral it has taken months to get an appointment as a new patient. Bravo! Dr. Halbrecht scheduler was very friendily and professional in ccordiating my appointment and referred me to their web site to complete my new patient forms and history. The Web site was very good and I completed my forms prior to the appointment and electornically signed them which would expedite my office appointment. Upon arrival the receptionist said they had received my completed forms and was friendly and professional. I was actually 15 minutes early for my appointment, however, the Dr. Halbrecht staff quickly move me along into the x-ray room and took several x-rays of my shoulder. The techician was professional and helpful (I have never had a broken bone in my 51 years and had little first hand expereince in the process) in guiding me during the proceedure. She then escorted my to an exam room and I awaited for Dr. Halbrecht. Dr. Halbrecht entered the room with a smile and was very engaging about his gathering my history and shoulder issue. He provided me his medical assessment, we discussed various courses of treatment and I was very impressed his approach. During my visit Dr. Halbrecht preformed a minor procedure and was very compassionate and appropriately using humor durign the process which I appreciated. I was appreciative he demonstrated for me specific excerices to address my shoulder condiction and we discussed specific follow-up treatment. I must confession I am a certified healthcare executive and Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and have worked with thousands of physicians & surgeons as a hospital CEO and executive at medical centers in the East Coast until 1999 when I "retired" after 25 years running hospitals. I have live in San Francisco since 2001 and I am very impressed with my experience with the quality of care I have experienced here. I especially impressed with Dr. Halbrecht medical knowledge, patient interactions,his personalized patient education and in my case his use of appropriate humor as we spoke. Dr. Halbrecht is a very talented surgeon and most importantly in my case provided excellent care and treatment. I look forward to my next visit in a few weeks to follow-up. I highly recommend Dr. Halbrecht to any of my family & friends. read more

Dr. Halbretch a top-notch surgeon (and I should know, he's operated on my elbow and my knee, twice!). He's friendly but also a no nonsense type of guy, and aggressive with the recovery process. He likes to see results and will give you the extra nudge to keep up with your at-home exercises and physical therapy. A year later from my elbow injury and 4 months later from my second knee surgery, I am fully functional and doing the activities that I love again. Also, Dr. Halbretch's staff is awesome, always smiling and helpful. P.A Sean is a wonderful addition to their team, he was always available to answer my questions throughout the recovery and very kind. read more

I came to Dr. Halbrecht's office wondering if I was silly for coming in, and left feeling much more knowledgeable about what's wrong with my knees and knowing some next steps. He was able to explain to me why my knees have been hurting for years, showing me using x-rays and a model of a knee what was going on. He didn't patronize me, and he was happy to answer all of my questions. I really appreciate how pleasant my experience was with him and his staff! read more

An old childhood friend who is an orthopedist in California recommended Halbrecht. I have had 3 surgeries performed by Jeff (2 knee, 1 shoulder) and avoided 2 surgeries due to his consultation and insistence on PT. Jeff has performed everything I expected from a surgeon. And he's super friendly, explains things well, spends time with you and is not in a rush to move on (perhaps that's why some of the commenters have experienced long waits; for me its a double edged sword - I'd rather wait and see the busy surgeon than try my luck with an idle doc) I'm astonished at some folks expectations are so high, and those who have poor results - all i can say is ... really? Something as complex as a shoulder repair has probably 50+ variables affecting how well you, a non-doctor 'perceive' your surgery went - age, state of your ligaments, bones, previous injuries, your personal dedication to post surgery and phys therapy routine - and dont get me started on the range of quality you get from PTs..). Its some mind numbing combinatorial equation that simply can't be distilled into a 1 star, or even a 5 star rating. This is akin to having my child write a brief for a supreme court case. So go ahead, be glib and snarky on your Yelp reviews! But be cautious when something as serious as a professional reputation is being graded by what is the equivalent of texting your vote for the wolverine juggling act on "America's Got Talent". read more

I've needed to write a great review for Dr. H and his staff for a while. I had my knee scoped last year and they did an amazing job. When I had El Kaisero, they told me my knee problems were in my head. Finally I got on a PPO plan and when my knee became as swollen as a basketball Dr. H handled it quickly and perfectly. I'm the biggest baby when it comes to surgery and needles and doctors - the staff treated me with kid gloves. Not only was the process a lot less traumatic because of the staff but when my expensive PPO refused to pay for part of the surgery (after it had been fully approved by them) Dr. H's staff went to bat for me and everything worked out perfectly. Thanks again Dr. Halbrecht and team! My knee works perfectly now. REVIEW PART 2 Once again Dr. H totally came through for me. I was riding my bicycle to work and got my wheel caught in the MUNI track and shattered my elbow into tiny pieces - VERY painful. Halbrecht put my elbow back together (with cool twisty wire and some pins) and I'm good as new. Trust me when I say that I was the BIGGEST diva/cry baby and Dr. Halbrecht and his staff patiently addressed my concerns and complaints. 5 star experience all the way. read more

I never had any surgery before having arthroscopic knee surgery with Dr. Halbrecht. Before choosing him I met him, and he gave me his opinions on ways for me to proceed, leaving it totally up to me on how to proceed. When I had some misgivings on how to proceed with anesthesia, he again gave his opinions on how to proceed, and left it up to me on what the way I wanted. Dr. Halbrecht is very personable, and it was easy to feel at ease in his presence. He gave me all of the information I needed to make my informed choices, and I received excellent care. The operation took about an hour, and the healing is taking several weeks. I was given all the information I need to prepare. Throughout the process I was contacted by Dr. Halbrecht or his assistants to make sure things were going well, and I knew that I could call if I needed anything, or had any questions or concerns. Now, about 6 weeks after the operation, I am able to do almost anything I could do before my injury. And if I keep doing my physical therapy exercises -- which I will -- I will continue to heal. I would recommend Dr. Halbrecht to anyone who is considering knee surgery. read more

I've had the misfortune to have two knee surgeries in the last five years. (The first to correct an abnormality, the second resulted from an auto accident.) Dr. Halbrecht performed both surgeries, and I have always found him to be professional, knowledgeable, and patient with my questions. And in both instances, I regained my former level of activity and ability to participate in my preferred sports. Each time I knew I had an issue, Dr. Halbrecht did not rush me to surgery. He recommended physical therapy first. If physical therapy didn't work, we could consider other options. In the end, the decision to have surgery was always mine, and in my case, surgery was required for both instances. It's very convenient that he has a physical therapist on-site. Although I didn't use them for my last recovery, Janet was still involved in what my PTs were recommending, and in the recovery of my mobility, range of motion, etc. Although there have been a number of personnel changes, I always like the staff. They are nice people, and always do their best for the patients. The only times I've waited past my appointment time are when there are emergency cases, and I can deal with that. (I'm thankful it isn't me!) The surgical center he uses has a tiny, tiny waiting room, and that's the only negative I can say about it. The staff there is topnotch and super caring. Dr. Halbrecht stops in before surgery to see how you're doing and to explain everything again. I do recommend that if you need surgery, you speak with Dr. Halbrecht about any exercises you need to do before you start your post-op physical therapy. One more thing: the best orthopedist in the world can perform your surgery, but if you don't do your post-op exercises or physical therapy, you're going to have a difficult time recovering your former level of activity. read more

I've been a patient of Dr. H's for almost 5 years now and have had a great experience! I played soccer in college, so I had done a lot of damage on my knee. Dr. H has always gives me personal attention and has a very realistic about treatments and recovery, which I really liked. After my last knee surgery, I was able to do a 5 day trek to Machu Picchu and I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro on a 7 day trek. Both trips required a lot of training, which I had no problems doing because Dr. H had done such a good job on my knee. I would not have been able to do the treks without Dr. H! I would highly recommend Dr. H!! read more

I'm a physician and Dr. Halbrecht surgically repaired my torn meniscus last year. Within a week after the surgery, I was gardening, and my knee continues to remain pain free. If you need knee or shoulder surgery, wouldn't you want to go to the person your doctor's go to? Dr. Halbrecht is knowledgeable, accomplished, and a very talented surgeon. I recommend him daily, to my patient's, friends and colleagues. read more

Ooooo my god! He is very very fast and smart human being and very educated doctor. He's really caring about people. And he really does what he can. I had two appointments with him and I was absolutely satisfied every time. I really appreciate him read more

I had a great experience! I finally hope to have some answers that 2 other orthopedic surgeons couldn't give me. Also the staff is friendly and you are greeted with a smile! Thank you Lindsey Brody read more

I hate to admit it, but I am a repeat patient of Dr. Halbrecht's. I originally went to see him in late March of 2008 after doing some damage to my ankle while playing rugby. When I explained my situation to Vadim on the phone (swollen ankle, black foot, numbness in my toes) I was seen within an hour, xrays taken and read, and a plan in place. We waited a few weeks (due to my crazy work schedule), then I went in for an outpatient surgery. Let me tell you, I was amazed by both the staff at the surgery center, and the staff working with Dr. Halbrecht. I received almost daily calls for the first week or so tracking my progress. I saw him in follow up and he was just as personable and kind as he was prior to the surgery. His staff know me by name, and took amazing care of me. Fast forward to October 2008. My other ankle is suffering from instability (yay rugby!). Went in to see him and we made a date to fix it in early December. Second surgery is as amazing as the first. My boot came off today, and I am almost completely healed. I know that I have another 6 weeks of physical therapy to go, but I am completely confident on my prognosis. I'd have to say that Dr. Halbrecht and his team have completely blown me away by how great they are. I would have no hesitation in referring my friends and family to this great physician. read more

Updating since I just had knee surgery again with Dr. Halbrecht in October 2009. He did a great job and I'm recovering (also my meniscus). He also did the MRI right in his office, which is new. I was injured on a Friday out of town. I arrived on Saturday and he talked with me on the weekend and then saw me for an MRI on Monday and an appointment on Tuesday. Now that is great service. He operated a week later and I'm back on my feet now. In late 2003, I tore my meniscus, a muscle in my knee, through a sports injury. I researched doctors who perform this type of surgery and came up with a short list of three. Upon further research (including the input from other doctors), Dr. Halbrecht emerged as the clear choice. In January 2004, he performed a repair of my meniscus. The way I was injured presented doctors with a choice: to repair the tear or cut it out. Cutting it out is simpler for doctors. Dr. Halbrecht was able to repair, as opposed to cut out the tear, and my recovery is better as a result (for instance, I set my personal record for a triathlon the year after the surgery). Dr. Halbrecht clearly explained the choice to me and was very professional. Incidentally, I had another positive experience with Dr. Halbrecht in 2000. I strained my rotator cuff in my shoulder by waterskiing. I went to five doctors, all of whom recommended surgery. When I saw Dr. Halbrecht as my sixth doctor, he explained that shoulder surgery is especially tricky and he examined me. He recommended recovery through physical therapy instead of surgery and my shoulder has recovered well. I was surprised to find a surgeon who recommended against surgery when five other doctors had recommended it but he was right. In summary, Dr. Halbrecht is world-class. read more

I was sent to Dr. Halbrecht by my previous orthopedic surgeon. I injured my knee when i was 22, tearing my acl, mcl, lcl, and meniscus. Everything healed up fine, however I basically lost about 20% of my meniscus. Over time (the past 10 years) of continuing to compete in extreme sports and basically go hard on a weekly basis, my lateral meniscus was basically gone and i had starting wearing away cartilage on my bone. I was sent so Dr. Halbrecht for his experience with meniscus repairs and transplants. His staff is super friendly and all very knowledgeable and caring. Dr. Halbrecht did a very thorough investigation into my knee, more than any other doctor ever had previously. I immediately felt comfortable and it was evident that he is extremely intelligent and probably one of the best, when it comes to knees, and specifically meniscus. So the plan was to do a meniscus transplant and a carticel (cell graph ) implant. Halbrecht is one of the only doctors doing this, and he was very well informed about the procedure and why it was necessary to do both, not just the meniscus transplant. I am now about 6 weeks out after my 2nd and final surgery with Dr. Halbrecht, and me knee is feeling better every day. I have now had 4 surgeries on my right knee and out of all of them this one had the least amount of swelling and i regained my range of motion faster than any previous surgery. I am very pleased with the results at this point. This was a very critical surgery for me and at my current state i am very happy with the results and look forward to being able to squat down with out pain in my knee anymore. I would highly recommend Dr. Halbrecht. read more

I have had two procedures now with Dr. Halbrecht, shoulder and knee, both successful for me to quickly get back to athletic life. And, along the way, I have so valued the way Dr. Halbrecht communicates the issue and options. Dr. Halbrecht's office is an impressive team, a wonderful experience from start to finish, in their communication, warmth and respect for your time. It was easy to give a top rating for the whole experience, and I'm grateful to have been referred to Dr. Halbrecht for these two injuries. read more

I first saw Dr H in '99-'00 after he repaired the botched job some Kaiser butchers did on a friend's knee. I was suffering from a weak shoulder after a bad motorcycle accident in '87. After multiple subluxations and dislocations, I finally got it fixed. The results of Dr H's work have been outstanding. The Dr was very thorough in describing everything about the procedure, what was being fixed, and what to expect down the road. I was so impressed, that I have gone back to see him for other joint injuries, and have always been impressed with his knowledge and ability to assess the injuries, and how to treat them. My office experiences have been hit and miss, but I know he's a very busy Dr. There have been times when I would have preferred to see him rather than his vastly less experienced - and less qualified - interns/residents/PAs, but I know how busy he is and can't hold that against him. For this same reason, I also forgive him for never remembering me when I see him, even though it's been quite a few times over the past decade. But then, I'm not going in to socialize with him, and it's not like I'm one of the professional athletes or sports figures he treats. I'm just an average accident-prone adrenaline junkie. I've found Dr. H to just as often be engaged and personable as he has been seemingly aloof and impatient. But he's one of the best in his field, and I trust his skills implicitly, which is why he's treating me once again for another shoulder injury. The other shoulder this time. - - - - - - UPDATE: I've had another great experience with Dr. Halbrecht. This time it was for pain in my knee related to my IT band, which was stubbornly not healing with current treatments. Dr. Halbrecht and crew did a thorough diagnosis of the knee to make sure there was no structural damage, and to rule out any problems that might exist besides IT band issues. It was very helpful that they had all the equipment necessary on-site - MRI machine included. They identified the problem, helped with the treatment, and the problem seems to have gone away. Yay! For what it's worth, he remembered me on these last visits now. read more

I have been to see Dr. Halbrecht a few times as of late. My podiatric surgeon recommended him. When I checked Dr. H out on Yelp I was disappointed with what I saw about "He only wants to see you if you need surgery." I thought..oh boy here we go. Well he has been helping me to do everything BUT get surgery. He even recommended another alternative for something he usually gives surgery for. So for those who thought like me, I want to say...check him out, you might be pleasantly surprised. I also have to say that for someone as good as him, I rarely wait in the waiting room, which is fantastic! He is also a nice guy. read more