This is specifically about Dr. Jonathan Clabeaux. ...

This is specifically about Dr. Jonathan Clabeaux. Maybe he will work for you, maybe he won't, but he's quite questionable. I am quite young and have osteoarthritis in both hips, so I need bilateral hip replacements. I saw Dr. Clabeaux and he told me that he would be unable to do my surgeries because Virginia Mason has an overall policy of not doing surgery on people who are overweight because of infection risk. He specifically explained that because SOME people who are overweight have post-op complications and SOME of their insurance won't cover those complications that VMMC has a blanket policy. Well, I just learned this is NOT TRUE. I ended up finding another surgeon and had a very successful surgery/recovery.

Infection rates for orthopedic surgeons are online and Dr. Clabeaux has a low infection rate, but it appears he is turning away patients who HE feels would change that rate - as in FAT people. He actually told me that I could "use a cane". I am in my mid-forties, low co-morbidities, with two young kids and a very active job as a bedside nurse. He told me inaccurate rates of post-op infections in bariatric patients, and at the end of my appointment he did say he "could" schedule me but he would then be inconvenienced by emails questioning his decision to advocate for me, so he was declining me. It was a blatant case of unchecked bias, and bias is dangerous to peoples health.

On top of being lied to by Dr. Clabeaux, Virginia Mason's infection rate for hip replacements is not stellar (I did my research and went to the hospital that has the lowest infection rate in the whole area, which was NOT Virginia Mason). Clearly his efforts to exclude people who might be at higher risk for infection is not affecting the overall rates.

In the end it was not about me, my suffering or my pain. It was about him, his determination that I was not worth his advocacy and his infection rate. This is not a good doctor, even if his work is good, and I have friends who have used him for their surgeries and been disappointed. Am I disappointed with the person/hospital I ended up choosing? No. So for that, I must thank Dr. Clabeaux, because his poor treatment resulted in me finding not only the right care but also the best (Swedish, lowest infection rate in the area, OPA, amazing clinic).