Dr. Hopkins is a great doctor. Caring staff, thorough follow through. I highly recommend him.

Dr Hopkins is the best Orthopedic surgeon I've ever had to deal with. He's a wonderful person and great surgeon. He operated on me and everything was very successful. I have nothing but the most respect for his knowledge and skills. I highly recommend him for any Back or spine disorders. His bedside manner is impeccable. Thanks so much for all your help. Jack Span read more

Doctor Hopkins gave me the confidence I needed to fix a serious spine injury after a car crash. Trusting anyone to touch your spine and your nerves is not an easy decision. I visited with several spine surgeons in Los Angeles, and Doctor Hopkins was the only doctor that took a very conservative and calculated approach. He answered all my questions and made me feel comfortable from the initial consultation and during the entire process. Doctor Hopkins wanted to make sure that surgery would be the answer and the cure for the pain I was suffering. The surgery was a success! After almost 2 years of lower pain caused by a car accident, I am very happy with the results that Doctor Hopkins accomplished and I highly recommend him. read more

I was recently in car accident and my lawyer referred me to Dr . Hopkins , He was caring and very gentle while examining me because he saw I was in so much pain , he is a very knowledgeable Dr and I'm so pleased to be seen by him and the staff were also very nice and on top of everything. read more

Oh my God Dr Hopkins is the best he help me so much I'm not in pain everyday without surgery yay. I will refer anyone and all who need help with backs and necks etc... kisses and hugs 5 stars from me read more

I saw Dr. Hopkins in 2014 for back and neck pain after an awful car accident where I was rear ended at 50 miles an hour. The only time he had a good bed side manner was when he realized I needed to have surgery/fusion. My neck surgery was great in February 2015 and even the nurse had stated I had the "Dream Team". Fast forward to my back surgery in July 2015-what a nightmare!! He cut me in the back on Thursday and then was extremely late to cut me in the front on Friday. I then was in the hospital for 5 days and he NOT ONCE CAME TO CHECK ON ME or even send another Dr!!! I finally demanded to be released. Double back surgery is no joke not to mention my left thigh is still numb to this day and I am having extreme back pain again. Did I mention how when I went to his office for a check up afterwards with my walker and my niece driving me that he made us wait for over an hour. I was so UNCOMFORTABLE and when my niece went to see what was taking so long he was too busy taking pictures of his new front desk person Brittany!!!! SO UNPROFESSIONAL!! I have no idea how this quack is still practicing medicine... read more

1st visit was enlightening. The doctor was pleasant, easy to confide in. His staff was friendly and helpful in keeping my appointment time. The office location is on a busy street, with little to no street parking available, so bring cash to pay for underground structure parking. Round 2 is creeping up fast. I hope the exams the Doctor scripted provide what he needs to pinpoint my problem. read more

Dr. Hopkins is a life saver. When I first walked into their office, I walked in with help due to neck and back pain. I was miserable because I was in so much pain. Dr.Hopkins took the time to make sure he did everything he can to give me back my health. After my surgery and recovery, I am feeling better and happier. I can walk without all the pain I had, I can read without neck pain and I can finally be the mother to my kids that they knew before my incident. I would highly recommend Dr. Hopkins, he truly is an amazing doctor and a human being. read more

Thank you Dr. Hopkins for giving me back a quality of life. After being rear ended by a woman texting my life took a turn for the worse. Dr. Hopkins's carefully examined me. Got to the bottom of my problem pretty quick my neck was unstable In certain positions. It was broken. Now I have back my quality of life . Thank you Dr.Hopkins Gay Shapiro read more

Exceptional and conservative. My father-in-law saw Dr. Hopkins after suffering for years with debilitating lower back pain from standing at work. Dr. Hopkins quickly identified the issue and worked collaboratively with my father-in-law to create productive lifestyle changes that helped him to avoid surgery altogether! I highly recommend him. read more

So far so good with Dr. Hopkins . I was a little , I'm lying I was a lot worried when I walked into his office . You know back surgery and all got me that way . But , I was soon put at ease by the professionalism of his staff and cleanliness of his office . Not to mention the confidence and knowledge of Dr. Hopkins . I feel like that last sentence should have gone first lol. Anyways , he did a couple of test on me and determined the best solution for me . I'm convinced that I will be in good hands . I have tons more to say but I'm a stop right here . If your going to see Dr . Hopkins or are looking for a great Dr. trust me you will be happy u chose him. Alex read more

I had been a patient of Dr. Hopkins since 1995. He has done 4 surgeries on my spine. I recently called his office for a consult. I was told he didn't take Medicare. I asked the receptionist to tell him that my husband was a doctor. He had always told me to say that. Weeks later I called the office again. He wouldn't see me! I understand not taking Medicare but after all this time I expected at the very least, a phone call from him & maybe a recommendation for another surgeon! ! How Rude! How hurtful! Shame on you Dr. Hopkins! read more

I saw Dr. Hopkins for lower back pain in 2006. After reviewing my MRI results, he said surgery was the best option. I felt very uncomfortable with the pressure I got from him to move forward with surgery, so I sent the MRI images to my old college friend who is a renowned back surgeon on the east coast. He said there was NO REASON to jump to surgery and gave me alternative therapies (exercise to strengthen surrounding areas, small amounts of medication as needed, movements to avoid). Fast forward to 2021 and I am perfectly fine. I am so glad I didn't go with Dr. Hopkins' suggestion, but I will never forget how uncomfortable he made me feel when I pushed back on jumping to surgery. read more

It's been almost five years since my successful spinal fusion; Dr. Hopkins literally saved my life. Before I met him, I suffered for 21 years in severe pain 24 hours a day. No doctors throughout the US (no exaggeration) could figure out what, let alone how, to help me. Now, I remain pain free. I cry every time I think about how lucky I am. Going to Dr. Hopkins was the best decision I ever made. Thank you for your hard work and brilliance; YOU PROFOUNDLY CHANGED MY LIFE!! read more

What a wonderful and pleasant experience seeing Dr Hopkins and his gracious staff. I was seen for severe back pain and his staff waited no time in getting me an appointment. Upon my arrival, I was immediately brought back into his office and reviewed my films with me in terms I could understand. I'm am doing so much better thanks to Dr. Hopkins. I recommend him to anyone seeking spine or nerve care. read more

Dr. Hopkins is without question the best medical doctor I have ever known. He is caring, good-humored, and gentle. He keeps up in his field and is passionately devoted to giving his patients the best care available. In the early 1990s, he worked with me for two years trying every means he knew to help me avoid surgery. When he had finally exhausted every other type of treatment, he said surgery was the only thing that would alleviate my pain, so in 1995, I had surgery, and have remained pain-free. In 2016, he identified and treated stenosis in my neck that could have led to total paralysis. I feel he has give me my life back--twice! He is an amazing diagnostician, and goes the extra mile and then some. I am so grateful for all he has done for me. read more

Scam scam scam. This guy is a fraud and a great scam artist. I was in a motorcycle accident where I badly injured my knee. After getting some MRI's and having major knee pain I was recommended to this joke of a doctor. I make an appointment and get to his office on time. After waiting 15 minutes they tell me to go in where I get directed to a room with a bed. I ended up falling asleep on the little bed for about 50 minutes (not exaggerating with the time) before Scam artist Hopkins finally decides to make his grand appearance. He kept asking me how much my neck and back hurts and I kept telling him that my knee was in pain. Even after telling him my knee was the problem he kept feeling my back and neck.... after the third time telling him my knee is the issue I think the light bulb in his brain finally lit up. His response was "oh... I'm not a knee specialist, you have to go to a knee specialist". Ends up being the biggest waste of time that I could think. Here is the kicker... he charged my insurance $3900 which the insurance came and got $1900 out of my pocket. $1900 for me to see this scam artist doctor for 5 minutes so he can tell me he doesn't know anything. Hopkins only goal is to fill his pocket. If you actually care about your health and well being do yourself a favor and actually go to someone who wants to help you. Hopkins you're a joke of a doctor. Edit: If you'd like you can contact me or I'll be filing a grievance with my insurance 1/1/2018 read more

Wouldn't be walking or able to use my arms if not for surgeries on my neck and back. I have been seeing Dr. Hopkins since at least 2004. An Oak Tree fell on me leading to multiple surgeries over the course of many years on my neck and back. Grateful to live my life and to be be able to do almost anything I want. Dr. Hopkins always had a neurosurgeon to assist him on my surgeries to make sure nerves weren't damaged. His staff has always been most accommodating and extremely pleasant. THANK YOU DR. HOPKINS read more

Dr Hopkins is truly an amazing person and the most knowledgeable doctor I've ever met. He is a gifted surgeon!! He changed my life!! 10 years after my lower back surgery ,I'm still doing great!!! Thank you for giving me a pain free life!!!! read more

This review is based solely on the lack of professionalism of the office staff. Dr. Hopkins is technically an excellent doctor, but his office staff is terrible! They have called twice at the last minute to cancel an appointment and couldn't offer another one for at least a week or more. We may not be spine surgeons, but our lives are also very busy and we rearrange our schedules to accommodate appointments only to have them cancelled at the last minute. One time we were at the office and waited more than an hour for Dr. Hopkins to show up. We had to finally leave before seeing the doctor and where told that if if we left, we would be changed for the appointment anyway! Wrong answer......if we did business that way, we would have NO clients! So....if you can put up with the scheduling hassles, then go to him, but otherwise, there are many other very qualified doctors who aren't so arrogant! One comment about Dr. Hopkins worth mentioning....after our surgery, he did not even stop to check in on us or give a report to our family. This is NOT good in our opinion because we had to find out from the nurses about how our surgery went! We mentioned this to him in the follow up visit in his office and didn't get much of a response..... read more

Great surgeon, but unethical at best. I was in a serious accident and he performed a cervical laminectomy on me in January 2015. He got paid by Medicare and then billed me $2,000 for post-care. When my case settled, I personally went to pay him and he told me that his "billing office made a mistake" and my bill was 3 times higher, to wit: $6,000! I demanded a copy of the alleged "bill" he was referring to and he refused to give it to me. His "billing office" told me that he personally prepared the bill. After more than 7 demands for a copy of my "bill", I still have not received one. I'm filing a complaint against Hopkins with the California Medical Board!! read more

I am AARP age and have played many sports over the years. Over the 10+ surgeries that have been performed on my body, it is DR. Hopkins that I always remember and refer to others... He has performed 3 spine surgeries on me over the last 10 years. His skills are unrivaled and I know this because all my other doctors referred me to him, as well as I am now in the best physical condition due to his skills. He is truly the best, and the only Doctor I would trust with my life...hands down! read more

Dr. Hopkins saw me two years ago. I had tried every modality, nothing was working...surgery was the only alternative left. I interviews Stanford, weren't interested in my case...recommended physical therapy, I had already tried that...interviewed the top guys at UCLA and Keck USC...impressive, but were they going to be cutting on me, or the residents? Then discovered Dr. Hopkins....what a contrast. On our first meeting/examination, I asked if he wanted my MRIs? He told me to get up on the examination table and said, let me see if I can assess your situation...he manipulated my legs...then left for a reading go the MRI. He returned and said, "I can help" you in an extremely confident manner. This guy is brilliant, excuses confidence and has an impressive CV. He did the surgery at St. John's, in by 5:00 AM, out by 4:00 PM the next day. The following day I went for a brief walk...I would sleep again, sit again. I will never forget Dr. Hopkins...I have referred 2 other friends to the Dr., both having great results. I referred 1 other friend and the doctor said he couldn't help him. The Dr. will walk away from business. My friend had another doc do the surgery, and a year later he is still recovering. If you can get in to Dr. Hopkins, just do it. read more

Dr. Hopkins was extremely knowledgable and had great bedside manners when dealing with me as a patient. He took the time to explain to me my condition, and after examinating me adivised me not to have surgery but reduce the amount of exercises and work related to my back. Unlike other doctors who are quick to perform surgery, he was not that eager to do what was not necessary. He also avoided giving me strong pain pills, instead advised me to get rest and avoid heavy lifting. I followed his advise and my back is back to normal with no more pain and discomfort. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Hopkins for about 5 years now. After seeing multiple orthopedic surgeons after a car accident who dismissed my low back pain as something that would resolve on its own, Dr Hopkins spent time to truly get to the root cause of my pain. He is attentive,caring, and extremely detail oriented. He has always been patient with me, trying multiple medications/treatments, before he ever recommended surgery. I thought I would have to live with pain for the rest of my life, but I am now 2 years post-op and have ZERO low back pain. I highly recommend Dr. Hopkins! He saved my life! read more

I came to Dr Hopkins in 2014 with constant numbing and pain my neck. No one ever took the time or breath to figure out what was going on. He not only took the time to listen to everything I was going through but I have never felt alone through this struggle. He is absolutely amazing and also as I have struggled with my recovery he has been there with me every step of the way. I would recommend him to anyone who not only wants an amazing surgeon but someone who listens and fully understands everything you are going through and want for long term.goals. DR HOPKINS THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. read more

This man is a charlatan. A Narcissistic, money hungry crook. He performed spinal surgery on me...a double fusion, from which I awoke with a numb left foot that has never woken up. He refused to take any responsibility for it. I have had extreme back pain every since, and have been in and out of pain management for this Failed Back Surgery Syndrome and have developed severe further degeneration of my spine since. My recovery was a 3 month nightmare of pain, horrible spasms, and numbness. When the spasms were so bad I had to scream, my family member called him, and his response was, "So what do you want me to do about it?". He did the surgery without having his billing person agree on a price with my insurance since he was out of network, and then came to me for full payment of his $57,000 bill AND the bill from his co Surgeon, another moron, except he was paid as his office had made the arrangements with the insurance for payment. He never visited my room after surgery and never updated my family who was waiting. All the nurses in the hospital said he was a nasty and impossible person to work with and I saw him scream at them numerous times. He would constantly brag about his education and his Ph.D in Biology (who cares?) and talk about his yachts and boating as I sat in pain. I was told while lying on the surgery table by the nurses that he has like 7 surgeries lined up every morning. He is CUT HAPPY and doesn't believe in physical therapy before or after surgery. He says its a waste of time. He uses scare tactics by telling you you may be paralyzed if you don't have surgery. He makes sure that you never see the radiologist reports for your MRI's and CT scans because he writes the reports HIMSELF to support his unnecessary and excessive surgical recommendations. He is a Dr. Frankenstein, and I would urge ANYONE to stay away from this guy. read more

I first met Dr Hopkins in 2009, after dealing with low back pain, on and off, for years. After trying everything I could to address the pain, including yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, massage, and finding only temporary relief, I went to Dr. Hopkins for his opinion. After an MRI, it was determined that my L-3/4, 4/5 discs were completely desiccated and causing me such intense pain, I was unable to do the things I loved doing the most. Dr Hopkins performed a bi-lateral lumbar fusion in June of 2009. I was up and walking the day after and began my life again, without the debilitating pain. I returned to my tai chi practice after 6 months and yoga a short time later. Unfortunately for me, genetics failed me again and I returned to Dr. Hopkins in April of 2015, with degeneration and bone spurs of my cervical spine, with mild to moderate spinal cord impingement. Definitely not something to ignore, so I put my spine in the competent hands of Dr. Hopkins once again. My cervical spine was fused at levels C-2/3, 3/4, and 4/5. I spent one night in the hospital and was sent home the next day. My recovery time was shorter this time and I was back to my normal routine within 6-8 weeks. The staff in Dr Hopkins office has always treated me with the utmost care and respect, through both surgeries and recoveries. Were there long wait times? Sometimes. That's not surprising, though, as he takes his time with his patients. Explaining every detail, answering every question, never once did I feel like I wasn't his top priority while I was there. Who knows what the future brings, but one thing I can say with utmost certainty, if I ever need spinal surgery, I will look no further than Dr. Hopkins. read more

This Dr can get as many friends as he likes to comment, but the truth is that he is CUT happy. I already had a Harrington Rod and then he wanted to fuse my neck too. If I had, my pain would be worse. He spent most of the visit telling me how great he is, his great university, his published articles--yada yada (ME ME ME), and when I told him that yoga was maintaining my pain and without it, I would be on meds and zonked daily for the pain, he told me, "Well, that is stupid!" Well, that was 15 years ago and I am still doing yoga (apparently he has no clue how great yoga is for stretching and maintaining a straight spine and gaining flexibility) and many doctors since have told me that I made the right choice. Didn't need his cutting my neck and fusing me so much that I wouldn't be able to move! Yoga and PIlates were maintaining me and it isn't stupid. Dr. Hopkins might be medical school smart, but he is stupid about a lot of other things and closed minded. Thank God I didn't go with the recommendation of Dr. Cut Happy Surgeon. Dr. H, you were and are SO wrong! Keeping the body in alignment and stretching is KEY! I hope you have learned something since then while you are bragging about your articles! read more

I was set up for an appointment with this Orthopedic doctor by my attorney for serious back injuries as a result of a car accident . It is very unfortunate to say that this Dr. is very unprofessional. The waiting time is a NIGHTMARE. They made me wait for 2 hours I am guessing because as Dr. Hopkins stated, I am a LIEN patient. I called my attorney while I was in the patient room and the Doctor overheard my conversation. I told him I did not appreciate having to wait 2 hours and he basically told me "GET OUT OF MY OFFICE" and "GO SEE SOMEONE ELSE" he pretty much tossed my patient file some documents fell out. It is also very unfortunate that this Dr. who is in the Encino area would treat LIEN patients like this, as garbage, because he feels he may not gain anything out of the services if there is no settlement on the case which means he would not be paid for hi s services. As if my situation was not bad enough, he got very aggressive and anger while making his verbal statements. I hope if someone reads this, that if there is a need to see an Orthopedic, that they do not get referred here. Specially on a LIEN matter. This doctor does not deserve to be recommended. POOR AND UNPROFESSIONAL SERVICE. read more

I had an amazing experience with Dr. Hopkins. It was my first time ever having surgery at 29 and on my spine so it was very scary. Dr. Hopkins was very comforting, informative ( I am a bit type A so getting all the information to fully understand the procedure was imperative), and he did an amazing job. The incision point on my neck does not stand out significantly so you can hardly tell I had spinal surgery. I followed his instructions and my recovery was easy. The procedure itself was an ease, I just felt like I took a nice nap on an operation table around a lot of friendly nurses and woke up in a nice recovery room. It was not as terrifying as I assumed because of Dr. Hopkins and his staff. He followed up after the post op to ensure that I was still in great shape recovery wise, which shows his investment in his patient's wellbeing. I honestly could not have asked for a better doctor, he was awesome! read more

Don't consider this doctor. Horrible and unacceptable. This doctor puts you on medication he recommends and then when you have major side effects he sends you back to the GP. Really? Along with that he charges fees after you have been with him for months - suddenly the charges are not covered. Really? And, then you pay your charges and the office loses your check and you have to prove that you have paid it. Had read this previous to accepting him as my physician. So,,, major problems with their accounting system (or lack of one). Please do not consider him as your physician. Don't do DIET DRUGS - especially Qsymia - Brain quivers, heart palpitations and racing, numbness in feet and hands - AND memory issues!! Take care- read more

Dr. Hopkins is wonderful!!! He is caring, thorough, appreciates the input of his patience, catches a lot of important things other doctors miss or don't give credence to. I had a great experience with him and his staff. I highly recommend him. He's just the best! read more

It's been 23 years since Dr. Hopkins performed my back surgery. Despite following his instructions to the letter, ever since 2 weeks post-surgery my side effects have been far greater than those related to the condition that caused me to have the surgery in the first place. I have had pain every single day since then, requiring ongoing non-narcotic medications, doctors appointments, various modes of treatment including but not limited to expensive injections not covered by insurance, massage, acupuncture, ongoing physical therapy sessions, counseling for the pain, etc. My diagnoses include failed spinal syndrome and chronic regional pain syndrome. I had great confidence in Dr. Hopkins before the surgery as he came highly recommended. Despite his inappropriate sense of humor before surgery in saying things like "you don't want to have to take muscle relaxers because you won't be able to finish sentences" and "If you have to take Feldene, don't get in an accident or you might bleed to death, ha ha ha", I believed him to be an excellent surgeon who would have my best interest at heart. Instead he made light of my post-surgical pain, told me to "double" my walking after one week when he already had me walking a mile a day, resulting in terrible leg pain which persists to this day. I can only sit for short periods of time. He said it was not surprising that I had extreme sensitivity in my legs as they had "roughed up my nerves a lot." Despite following his limited instructions to the letter, A year later when I finally got his attention and told him the pain was unbearable, he referred me to a pain clinic where they use different modalities to help chronic pain pain, then when he found out they were giving me physical therapy he had a fit and ordered them to stop. Most surgeons agree that physical therapy is essential to the recovery process. I'm bothering to write this review in hopes that someone may be spared what I go through on a daily basis. I have been unable to work for many years due to the pain, yet my condition has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of medical treatment. I went from being extremely athletic to someone who has to be constantly cautious and limited in my activity. There is so much more I could go into here but I would just recommend to anyone contemplating back surgery, don't use this surgeon. Possibly consult a neurosurgeon about the procedure you're contemplating as I'm told they are much more careful in handling the nerves, and really give physical therapy a chance before having surgery. read more

I was at wits end and couldn't stand for more than 10 minutes as I was in terrible back pain. I had resisted surgery, but enough was enough. Dr. Hopkins was referred to me by another doctor. I met him as well as 3 other top Orthopedics in Los Angeles from some of the most well known spine/back groups. I was amazed at the recommendations as all were different. Although not as well known as the other doctors, I engaged Dr. Hopkins to do my back surgery. He was the one doctor who recommended we not do fusion immediately as it could be done later if what he wanted to do wasn't enough. I had surgery in December and almost immediately felt better. In February I was skiing, in March I was riding my horse, and in April, I was competing in rodeo and playing tennis again. Today I saw the doctor and advised that I have been completely out of pain for months. He released me totally and I thanked him big time and told him he saved my life. I strongly recommend this fine man!!!! I wish I could thank him more than this testimonial but at least I can do this. When looking, pls do a favor to you and your family and see Dr. Thomas Hopkins. read more

I had been dealing with pain in my lower back for so long that I had gotten used to living with it and just assumed that it would never go away. At 80 years old, I can say with absolute certainty that I have never had a physician get to the core of my health issue so quickly. Moreover, I have never had a doctor explain what was going on so succinctly (and believe me, I have seen a lot of doctors!) Dr. Hopkins also instructed me to request the generic version of my prescription medication. When I went to have it filled at the pharmacy, it cost only $7.00 out of my pocket. I am thrilled to report that within 2 days of taking the prescription, the pain was gone. I feel terrific, and as a result I am able to enjoy my Zumba classes at the YMCA all that much more. It is rare to find a doctor who can get accurately diagnose the issue, provide recommendations for saving money on prescriptions, and explain in laymans terms what is wrong in a single office visit. I am grateful for Dr. Hopkins' care, and incredibly impressed with his expertise. read more

Dr. Hopkins was awesome!! I took my daughter (17 years young) there for a second opinion for a discectomy. My sister recommended him because he performed neck surgery on her several years ago with a terrific outcome. He was kind, thoughtful, very knowledgeable and he made my daughter and I feel like she mattered as a patient, not just another procedure. He spent more time with us than any doctor I've been to recently and I appreciated that very much. We definitely did not feel rushed. I went in with a long list of questions, most of which I didn't even have to ask because he answered them in our conversation. I did a lot of research on discectomy surgery so I went in there quite informed and I have to say I came away from this appointment very, very pleased. I feel confident in Dr. Hopkins and have decided to change to him as my daughter's physician and will have him perform the surgery. I know my daughter will be in the best of hands!!!! read more