September 7, 2019, I was involved in a boating mishap. I went to urgent care where they sent me for an MRI. A week later, I went to an orthopedic urgent care where they read my MRI and, with an empathetic face, started apologizing to me. She told me I had a broken back. She immediately said to me that I would need to have a procedure called a kyphoplasty. When I asked if it was something she could do, she said, well, I have done it before, but I think you need to see a specialist. When I asked her for a reference of who she might suggest, there is only one; Dr. Norton and the Florida Spine Associates in Boca.
Upon arriving for my appointment, the next day, I sat in a large clean waiting room with comfortable chairs. Although I was in excruciating pain, I was listening to all of the conversations from people saying how excellent the practice is and that they have traveled from not only Florida, but from New York, Connecticut, and California so that they could be treated by Dr. Norton.
Hearing this provided me with some comfort. Once I saw Dr. Norton, he explained to me the procedure for the kyphoplasty.
The next step was getting the insurance to approve the procedure. As you would think, the response was “no.” This is where the back office of Florida Spine Associates shined. They called the insurance company, argued their case, and set up a peer-to-peer review for the next day. My procedure was scheduled within hours of their decision.
Both Dr. Norton and the Florida Spine Associates practice have changed my life. After the procedure, I was able to walk out of the office (out-patient procedure) with minimal pain. I was scheduled for physical therapy (available at their office), where I received.