Ruff Peter MD

I am so thankful my choice for acute medical care was handled by Dr. Ruff and Dr. Pickett at Urology Austin. They are exactly what you want before, during and after a medical emergency, as well as a routine care and surgery. Extremely smart, calm, thorough and empathetic. Dr. Ruff performed surgery using the DaVinci robot. I knew exactly what to expect and my recovery was faster than anticipated due to his precise skill. If you are faced with having surgery, you want Dr. Ruff in your corner.

The best! I have gone to Dr. Ruff since I got old and he has been wonderful. I always get fast responses and information. This is a doctor I really trust and recommend.

Dr. Peter Ruff is a great doctor and a fine surgeon. He removed a kidney cyst the size of the kidney. I walked out of the hospital the next day. I was free of the pain on my right side caused by the massive cyst. Thanks a lot and highly recommended.

Dr. Peter Ruff is great in person, but it takes an act of God to get his nurse (or him) to call you back for lab results. I have tried calling several times, left multiple voicemails, and left messages with the receptionists to have someone call me back with the results. The results aren’t posted in their patient portal as they should be. Thank goodness my issue isn’t life threatening or anything, but what does it take to get a call back from your doctor?

After what I consider to be serious lapses in patient care and treatment guidance I was forced to seek care from another medical practice.
In February, 2015 Dr. Ruff discussed with me the results of a prostate biopsy he had performed in January. He related to me that the pathology report indicated cancer in 6 of the 12 cores that were taken and that my Gleason score was 7. We discussed treatment options based on that pathology and the assumption that a bone scan and MRI would be favorable. He made a convincing case for the probable success of a surgical monotherapy approach. He indicated that such a procedure would have to wait for at least six weeks, until the swelling from the biopsy receded. He then indicated that he would immediately schedule me for the bone scan and the MRI. I inquired if the swelling would affect the MRI and he stated that it would not be a problem.
When I showed up for my appointment at Austin Radiology Associates in February, they indicated that although they could administer the bone scan they had to wait at least six weeks for the swelling to recede in order to administer the MRI. In addition it was subsequently determined that Dr. Ruff had prescribed the wrong MRI (it should have been a prostate MRI not a pelvic MRI).
I waited two weeks for the results of the bone scan. During that time I tried to reach Dr. Ruff through his nurse who did not return my call. A person from scheduling called and told me that I could schedule another appointment with him to go over the scan results and treatment options. This only served to heighten my anxiety about the results. I finally called after hours and spoke to a sympathetic doctor who intervened by contacting Dr. Ruff. Dr. Ruff then called me and related that the scan was negative. He apologized and said that he thought someone had already given me the results. In that conversation I told him that the clinical notes he had posted on the patient portal indicated that cancer was in 12 out of 12 cores which was in conflict with his verbal input to me. He assured me that he was looking at the pathology report and that the correct information was indeed 6 out of 12 cores.
I then met with a radiologist from another practice. As we reviewed the pathology report I was surprised to see that my Gleason score was reported as 8 not 7. This change, of course has a profound effect on treatment considerations. It is unclear how or why Dr. Ruff would convey such inaccurate information.
On a less medical but still important note, in each of my three appointments with Dr. Ruff at Urology Austin I waited an hour past my appointment time before I was able to see him. In only one case his nurse apologized for the delay. With the exception of the exit administrator, the office staff radiated an attitude of uncaring and discourtesy. Instructions such as «Sit there», «Fill this in», and «Pee in the cup» could have easily been improved with a simple «please».
The cumulative effect of these shortcomings formed the basis of my decision to seek someone else, from a different practice to guide and support my treatment.

Vasectomy. Great doctor. Super smart and considerate. Skilled at the procedure and great bedside manner.