Dr. Thomas L. Gillespie
#1 of 359
General Surgeons in
Phoenix,
Arizona
Staff
Punctuality
Helpfulness
Knowledge
St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center
350 West Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ, United States
85013
350 West Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ, United States
85013
6024063000
No Website Provided
Facility Affiliations
Dr. Thomas L. Gillespie's Credentials
Accepting New Patients
Yes, this doctor is accepting new patients
Biography
Thomas Gillespie MD, FACS is a graduate of Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is a Professor of Surgery at Creighton University School of Medicine as well as a Clinical Professor of Surgery at University of Arizona School of Medicine. He completed his undergraduate education at UCLA in 1991. He completed his surgical residency and has been practicing surgery in Phoenix since 2001. He is a board certified surgeon. He has been practicing robotic, minimally invasive, general and trauma surgery at Saint Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center since 2003.
Languages
- Spanish
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
- Arabic
- French
- Vietnamese
- Portuguese
Education
- Columbia University College Of Physicians And Surgeons (Grad. 1995)
Awards & Recognitions
- Teacher of the year Creighton University School of Medicine 2018
Insurance accepted by this Doctor
Other patients have successfully used these insurance providers, please call the Doctor's office to find out if your insurance plan is accepted.
Aetna
Blue Cross / Blue Shield
Cigna
Pacificare
I was referred to Dr Gillespie by my PCP for treatment of a double inguinal hernia caused by blunt-force trauma to my abdomen. Scheduling my appointments was very easy. Allowances were made for the distance that we had to travel from home, and the scheduling staff offered to keep me updated by phone and text in the event of cancellations prior to my scheduled surgery.
There were no delays at any stage of the procedure. We were asked to arrive 20 minutes early, which we did, and I was called within 5 minutes of my arrival.
Everyone with whom I had any interactions, from the receptionist to the intake nurse to Dr Gillespie and his assistant and their intern, treated me as if I were the Most Important Patient of the Day. At no time did I feel rushed or ignored.
In my first consultation with Dr Gillespie, he determined very quickly that I was not ready for surgery. I was still in considerable pain from the initial trauma suffered about two weeks prior, so he prescribed a six-week waiting period and an inflammation reduction regimen. Although I was initially disappointed, he quickly assured me that he was interested only in delivering the best outcome for my specific condition, all things considered, and my desire to “hurry up and get this over with” was not one of his priorities. I left convinced and enthusiastically determined to follow his guidance.
Everyone with whom I had any interactions throughout the procedure presented themselves in a thoroughly professional manner, as one would expect in a hospital setting. They were all dressed appropriately, identified themselves or each other to me, and showed respect for my privacy, especially during some of the more embarrassing moments of the pre- and post-op examinations.
While I’ve been exceptionally lucky, not having had that much experience with hospitals and surgeries, I found it very interesting that Dr Gillespie had meaningful, real-time discussions between himself, his PA and the accompanying intern while we were all together there in the examination room. I felt a bit like a back-row auditor at med school as they discussed between themselves my case, his diagnosis, and the actual surgical procedures that he was recommending. Way better than Chicago Med!
The procedure itself - robotic-assisted laparoscopic hernia repair - went perfectly, I’m told, and I’ve just completed Week Four of recovery. While I remain grudgingly committed to “doing nothing” for six weeks, I am virtually pain-free and haven’t taken any opioids or analgesics at all, not even Tylenol, for the last five days. I am forever grateful that Dr Gillespie delayed surgery for six weeks, allowing the pain and inflammation from the initial trauma that caused the hernia to subside, otherwise I would have been recovering from both the injury and the surgery at the same time.
Submitted Feb. 11, 2024