Doctor Profile: Michael J. Garcia, MD

Dr. Garcia: I really make a relationship with my patients so that I can help them and coach them through the recovery process, particularly after surgery. What’s going on with the wrist? How’s that doing?

Male Respondent: That’s good. I’ve been in good hands with Dr. Garcia, and also some of the residents that also handled me.

Dr. Garcia: Make a fist.

Male Respondent: I’ve never had a problem with him. He’s been aces.

Dr. Garcia: Raise your arms up for me here like this. Good.

Male Respondent: They’re doing a tremendous job. I’m almost back on my feet.

Dr. Garcia: There are very few things in the upper extremity that can’t be fixed and improved upon. I like the fact that doing what I do for a living, most of these conditions are we can make people better, and people come in with significant limitations, and often they leave with significant improvement in function. And so watching these people get back to doing the things that they want to do is really, really satisfying. Does it hurt when I—?

Female Respondent: Yes.

Dr. Garcia: Right there?

Female Respondent: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Dr. Garcia: Then same thing here? What about these fingers? Do these fingers go to sleep?

Female Respondent: Mm-mm (negative).

Dr. Garcia: No?

Female Respondent: I tore my rotator cuff (01:00) on my right shoulder, so I started seeing Dr. Garcia. He’s very knowledgeable, very thorough with explaining stuff, what’s wrong and what to do. I have been seeing progress.

Dr. Garcia: Pretty good, man. That’s actually healed nicely.

Male Respondent: Dr. Garcia is very knowledgeable, and he seems to be a very professional doctor.

Dr. Garcia: This is finally providing you with a little bit of support, which is good.

Male Respondent: I’m very comfortable with his assessments, also with his treatments thus far.

Dr. Garcia: My goal is to always kind of treat the whole patient, not just the problem that’s in front of me. I want to make sure that they understand their problems, that they’re educated regarding their problems, and I want to make sure that they are sharing in the decision-making regarding the treatment plans. I’ve found that very successful. I think patients respond very well to that.