James C Simpson -Physical Therapist Inc

Don’t go here.
Should have listened to other reviews, but had to go here due to insurance options. No idea how this place is even in business, it was always completely empty when I went. I saw Rick for 2 months with no improvement. I had a complex case and had been to PT before but he assigned me extremely basic exercises that exacerbated my injury. I constantly explained that the exercises were not helping or targeting the area I needed help with, and were instead making the problem worse, but he did not listen or adjust my program. He also did absolutely no manual treatment (massage, etc) which was necessary for my recovery. Our sessions consisted of me completing the exercises I was assigned to do at home while he aloofly watched. To top it off, their billing is bogus.
I am now seeing a different physical therapist, that upon first assessment had me immediately stop everything I was doing from this place as it was making things worse, and am now doing much better. A persons health and pain management are so important, and these people just don’t seem to care.
Don’t go here.

This review is for James Simpson… I just had my third appointment with him and I’m pleased to say that I feel at least 65% better than I did two weeks ago. I went to see him for treatment of plantar faciitis and mild arthritis in my left foot. He started teaching me exercises and stretches immediately («my routine»). I was taking up to 8 ibuprofen a day and was still in pain. Last weekend I took it easy, did my routine, rested and didn’t need to take any ibuprofen. I will admit that my «First Impression» of the office-​gym-​like atmosphere wasn’t great and I thought, oh boy, this place isn’t going to help me. But I was wrong, I judged a book by its cover! I don’t care if James’ bedside manner is lacking or that the equipment is dated. He helped me and I’m happy I met him. I understand that people have their own personal issues but my experience with James was very good. The man has a lot of experience. I’m going to continue with my routine and thank him for it.

I’m so relieved that I didn’t trust the negative reviews on here about this practice. I had my first appt. today after having knee surgery on my meniscus. I found the office and overall space to be very clean, relaxing, welcoming and impressive. The front desk staff, Christine, is so nice and efficient. Before I left, I saw her assisting an elderly woman with her new patient forms and taking a lot of time to help this woman, which is a plus in my book. My physical therapist, Ricardo, is excellent. He is professional, attentive, patient, knowledgeable, and made me feel very comfortable. I felt great after this appt. And I was able to get an appointment right away. I called other places and there was over a month wait. Also. they are located near public transportation, so I didn’t have to walk far on my sore knee. I highly recommend Simpson and Associates.

I’ve not yet encountered Mr. Simpson. I usually only see the nice receptionist or Rick when I’m there. They’re great people! Even though my doctor wrote on the request that I could attend twice a week, Rick didn’t even try to talk me into more than once weekly.
I’m currently in treatment there as rehab for my foot. I had a sesamoid fracture for many months that eventually had to be removed from my foot. My recovery has been extremely slow and painful since I’m having hypersensitivity even 3 months after surgery. I’d been really worn out most of the year going through this nightmare of an injury so naturally my attitude was not that good when I went in.
Rick has been an inspiration. Out of all the doctors/​physical therapists I’ve seen all year, he seems to be the most helpful. He’s easy going and seems super chill. Other doctors/​therapists I’ve been to spent more time staring at a computer or piece of paper, taking notes rather than helping me get better. Rick jumped right in on day one after getting the information he needed from me.

I started (drafted) this review last year and I know this is bad of me but posting it to Unilocal now.
First off I want you to read all the good AND bad reviews for this place. Go on, there’s not that many! The good reviews have now been filtered. So please take the time to read through those as well. Notice how all the low rated reviews describe in great detail what’s wrong with this place and what their injury was? Now look at all the 5 star reviews. These reviewers have written less than 10 reviews on Unilocal.With one sentence mentions of what injury they have, and a long paragraph of how great both James and Rick are. You see where I’m going with this?
My doctor’s office gave me a list of physical therapists that accepts my insurance. I chose this place because it’s close to my work place. I should have and I usually do, check the Unilocal reviews for this place before making an appointment. I called and told the receptionist that this is my very first visit and what do I need to bring. She told me to only bring my doc’s referral.
I get there and the name Simpson & Associates isn’t even on the door! It was someone else’s name with some other different business. I thought I was on the wrong floor or something. I checked like 5 times. The address on my form and the directory on the wall. Nope, I was at the right place.
I walked in and the receptionist started the paperwork for me. She handed me a clipboard with like 5 pages of paperwork to fill out. When finished, I handed them back to her and she told me to have a seat. She then calls someone to let them know their new patient was here. I get on my phone to pass the time. I thought «I should read the Unilocal reviews for this place.» Once I saw all the 1 star reviews, I knew I was in trouble. I was silently cursing myself out for not doing this sooner! I might as well go on with this since I was already here.
I must have wait at least 20 minutes before Rick came out! He introduced himself to me and takes me to a room in the back. He turned on the light and the lights kept flickering as the light slowly came on. It was pretty annoying. There was also a funny/​bad smell in the room. I couldn’t place my finger on what it was. Mold? He asked me about my injury. He asked me to lie down and then proceeds to make me do little head movements and asked if I had any pain. This goes on for awhile and then he takes me outside to where the exercise equipment was. He shows me some exercises to do and while I did them, he was busy writing on a paper. After completing all my exercises, we went back to the room.
Yes, all the exercise equipment is out of date and rusted. Even the machines in the room I was in was outdated. It looked like it was from the 60’s. I kid you not. You know the kitchen appliances and colors from shows like Mama’s Family, The Wonder Years, Archie’s Family, etc. Yes, the pale yellow and ugly puke green appliances. I wanted to take pics but Rick never left me alone long enough for me to do that.
This time I laid down and he gave me a heating pad wrapped in a white towel. It felt so good! He left the room to do something. The towel wrapped around my neck. I smelled something odd and this was a different smell than the room. I put the towel closer to my nose to smell it and found the culprit. I couldn’t figure out the smell. Bleach? Mixed with something? It wasn’t a good scent!
After my heating pad treatment, he hands me a paper and told me he drew all the exercises he showed me earlier and wants me to do them at home. So this is what he was doing while I was exercising earlier. This was a paper with stick figures on it. He told me he wanted to see me once a week and that the receptionist will take care of me.
She sets up my appointment and told me not to lose the paper with the exercises he gave me because each week he’s going to keep adding new ones to it.
I leave and a block away, my neck is burning! I thought it was because I had the heating pad on it for awhile and it’s finally starting to go back to my body’s normal temperature. Then the back of my neck started itching. I scratch it. Then a few inches up started itching, so again I scratch. I continue walking and the itching won’t stop! The back of my neck got a rash! Knowing I shouldn’t, I continue scratching and scratching cuz it just felt so damn good! Then both of my ears start itching and now I am silently cursing this place out! Hundreds of tiny little bumps (yes and very itchy!) appeared on both of my ear lobes going up to the cartilage area. Oh hell no! I don’t know what junk they use to «clean» their towels but my skin didn’t like it! Rashes on the back of my neck, ears, and now chest! @#$%
Did I mention he was wearing his leather (pleather?) jacket the whole time he was with me? Every doctor I’ve ever seen has worn a doctors coat.
How the hell is this place still in business?
You can bet I cancelled my appointment and am never going back here EVER!

I was going to give this place two Stars, then I looked at my credit report and decided to give it one. Matthew Z pretty much nailed it.
The short version: Car Accident 2008 — Doctor «referral» for PT — Simpson & Associates was on the list and conveniently located near my work. The billing decision was nailed in to be settled after the insurance had settled the claim. 2009, no settlement yet, just several thousand dollars reported to collections.
At the time I thought 2 – 3 times a week, stick figures for exercises, purchasing my own therabands, and limited variety and progression to be what one would expect from a PT office in SF. Now I know that this place is way behind the curve. Every other PT experience I have had (both before and after) has been not only stellar, but also very transparent in their billing.
In this case, not only was the treatment a «pay more for less» situation, but I have yet to see a detailed bill. In fact, the first bill that I actually received was from collections after Simpson decided, with no notice to my lawyer or I, that he would not be waiting for the settlement after all.
Fast forward to present. Multiple collection items of the same account (slight tweak in the acct #s) on my credit report with different amounts in the $ 3500 range. Aaand, a compressed L5 that the doc says is likely from the same car accident.
If you are thinking about going here, I would think again. Then, decide to go somewhere else.

I’ve read some of the other reviews, and I have to say I’m confused by the negativity. I was recently treated by Simpson and Associates and I couldn’t have had a better experience. Physical Therapist Ricardo Wray gave me clear and detailed instructions. He was kind and attentive to my concerns, and he has since followed up with me to check on my progress. They are a straight to the point, honest organization, and I felt great about my experience there. I had and excellent experience and I plan to use them again and refer people to their offices.

I was referred to James C Simpson –Physical Therapist Inc by my insurance provider for PT on my left shoulder and could not have been happier with the treatment I received.
My therapist, Ricardo Wray, evaluated me and came up with a series of exercises to help me regain range of motion, relieve pain and strengthen my shoulder.
I’ve had PT for other injuries over the past few years at various locations and Ricardo has been the absolute best therapist I have encountered. He is a very knowledgable, experienced, courteous and thorough professional who took the time to listen to and address each one of my questions and concerns each session.
I highly recommend Simpson and Assoc., specifically Ricardo, to anyone looking for a great physical therapist.

He saved my both knees and he is the best!
I have torn my left knee meniscus 4 years ago playing tennis and the right one last year and he fixed them!
I didn’t have to do sugary and just did what he asked me to do and now my both knees are working perfectly.

AVOID THIS PLACE. Really, how are these guys still around?
For starters, I’m not really one to shop around on healthcare so I usually trust my doc and go to the referred practice. In retrospect, I wish I had looked this up on Unilocal first given how many other negative reviews already exist for this practice. I have done physical therapy several times before (lots of climbing injuries, unfortunately) and this was a joke in comparison.
–Their billing is a COMPLETE mystery, and it’s certainly a ripoff for both the quantity and quality of care you get. (Maybe this is an issue with healthcare in general?)
–The office is loud and the equipment outdated.
–The sessions were short, not very attentive, and repetitive. There’s really no progress here.
Go somewhere else. Really, why would you want to pay more for less?

Do not go here.
I was seen by Rick. At first things were not that bad. He was a bit unhelpful and had an attitude that made it difficult to ask questions about why I was doing the exercises he was asking me to.
Then, during a neck stretching treatment, he lifted up my head in one hand, and held the fingers of his other hand barely touching my forehead, and kept them there for a couple minutes. Odd.
The next appointment when he did this again, I asked him about it. He dismissed my question saying it was «an energy thing». After the rest of the stretching, I asked him about it, and was treated to a wonderfully irrational rant about «energy transfer», and «interacting magnetic fields of the body». He even said some patients feel «a soothing heat» when he does this, and called it «Reiki».
Reiki is quack medicine at its finest, and a (presumably?) licensed physical therapist has no business charging my insurance for this. More information about Reiki here:
Rick, and presumably the rest of the office, apparently cannot distinguish between treatment that works and treatment that is complete BS. This makes me seriously question whether the rest of the exercises and stretches they mix in with this are effective medicine.
I will not be going back.

This is definitely not the best place to go if you are expecting human warmth while experiencing physical therapy. Equipment is old and not very well taken care of.
The worst part I think is the billing. I last received treatment in late December and I am just now getting a bill (3 months later). This is for a home-​care treatment plan. It is an 8.5×11 piece of paper. I am being charged $ 51 for this. When I called to inquire about this charge and asked if that peiece of paper was $ 51 the response was no it’s for the home treatment plan. After 5 minutes of back & forth with this question, it turns out that this piece of paper is what I’m being charged for. The simple and straightforward answer to my question would have been «yes».
I was told that payment is requested as soon as possible but they sent me the bill 3 months after. Why in the world would you take so long to send me my bill?
SF General provides better service than these guys.

James is an excellent physical therapist.
I had knee surgery and he got me up and running literally in less than a few months.
His staff is very friendly as well.
Highly Recommend!

Please read the other reviews and then multiply by 10
.
Everything they say is true…
I was referred to him for my neck three herniated disc. After my intake I was given a sheet of exercises… I did them all about 4 weeks into the «treatment» I said I was not getting or feeling any improvement.
I made an appointment with my Dr showed him the regiment. He was like no. no no, NO What are they doing over there?!
I went back for the 5^th visit told them what the Dr said and was promptly discharged!
Don’t go ZERO stars

These negative reviews are very strange to me. Like, you haven’t been dealing with the same people I have been for the last several months. I’ve seen both Ricardo and Jim, but due to my schedule, most of my appointments are with Jim. I had a torn ACL, and was doing rehab/​prep work to strengthen it. My doctors were pleased with my progress, as was I, but determined that surgery would ultimately yield the best results.
Jim is knowledgable and conversational, if you like. He is NOT a cheerleader, which I respect. I don’t want someone hollering and «encouraging» me for an hour. Tell me what to do and how to do it, and then let me do it. I’m not a child. I do not feel the need for constant attention. If you are looking for a «personal-​trainer-​at-​a-​gym» experience, this isn’t it. If you are after somone who treats you like an adult, with good sense, and not a lot of fuss, you are in the right place.
I received a series of home exercises that became more challenging over time. My twice weekly visit was spent evaluating my progress, determining new exercises and was followed by massage, ultrasound and heat treatments. All of which yielded positive results.
Now that my surgery is complete, I intend to go back and continue the progress I’ve made.

Warning do not go to James C Simpson for Physical Therapy it is not worth your time and money.
When I first met Jim all he said was follow me, no introduction or how are you today. Jim is unprofessional and I would never want any of my friends to go here.
I was referred to Simpson PT by my primary care only because it is in my network. I came in for a Herniated Disc and all he did was criticize me and shook his head. He gave me no useful information and in all honesty probably just made me worse. I would give this establishment only one star because the front desk lady is very helpful and sweet.

I have been working on a knee injury with Rick, James’ son-​in-​law since January. (ACL replacement) His knowledge of mechanical anatomy, if that is the term, is quite good. His analysis of my injury is as good as the in office doctor’s exam. He doesn’t use mri’s or xrays or anything, but he does take as much time as is required to get a very good feel for the injury. He’s not in a crazy rush, which is something I appreciate in comparison to my doctor.
Rick is like that coach who doesn’t smile for the first few times you see him. He’s doesn’t take your excuses for not doing your part to heal. After he’s seen that you are, indeed, making the effort, you’ll feel like you’ve got an honest partner in repairing your injury.

Nob Hill? When did 450 Sutter move to Nob Hill?
I give James C Simpson Physical Therapist Inc ZERO stars and a hearty thumbs down. When I relayed to my primary physician my negative feelings about my experiences at this therapist’s office I was told that mine was not the first complaint.
Another post here reminded me of an exorbitant bill that was finally sent to me from Mr. Simpson’s office years after my appointments.
I had been so utterly dissatisfied with this office, I quickly «fired» them, so my account was not that involved. But on seeing the bill, I think it may have included non-​existent services and possibly even visits, all under a subterfuge of a lengthy, convoluted bill. As I recall I called them to read them the riot act and they dropped the charges.
I know small providers may not have the critical mass to invoice patients right away, especially when there are insurance companies standing in the way between patients and them — so at this juncture I’m not calling blatant fraud or dishonesty — just blatant incompetence.
Private providers whine about insurance company delays but they can be part of the problem. Lengthy billing delays in insurance-​covered services can give birth to inaccurate, dishonest billing.
The tendency is for the patient to not peruse old bills, esp. if they list things that are insurer-​paid. But there can also be an expectation by providers of a lack of rigor by the patient and an intent to deceive in billing. When I started watching over my Dad’s medical matters I found the world of small providers was rife with this sort of thing. Elders use Medicare so are less inclined to check for overbilling and may be scared to complain about it. My dad doesn’t want to rock the boat if he likes the doctor and the overbilling doesn’t come out of his pocket.
Were I to read that two out of six reviews even breathed a notion of billing irregularity, as you see here, I would not patronize the business.
Scheduling with providers who divide their time between facilities can sometimes carry its own set of issues. Trying to get an appointment at this place, with just two locations, was an exercise approaching futility. The woman insisted that I call Simpson «Doctor.» He’s no D.O. (or is it OD?) and I’m not even sure he’s a real Registered Physical Therapist (RPT) as advertised.
That’s the administrative part.
Mr. Simpson is a sullen, defensive, forgetful man, who flusters easily. He also leaves a lethargic impression and strikes me as a man who needs to sit alone for long periods of time, musing. Nothing wrong with that if you do it on your own time. The post here from a patient describing being left alone by Simpson, while Simpson sat in a room eating, rings a bell. I think Simpson also did this with me, disappearing for a long period when there were no other patients. I think he’d locked himself away into a little office and forgot I was there.
If you plan on going to work after an early-​morning session here, plan on being late. There is an inordinately long «settle-​down,» relaxation period where you lie, blindfolded, flat on your back (is this recommended for all bad backs?) on a cot in the dark, with your eyes covered, in a dark, dingy room. There’s an initial comprehensive multi-​page questionnaire but things quickly go sideways. Never, at any point in the process, does this provider give the patient a clue about a definitive plan — what is being done, why, how long it will take, or what to expect and when to expect it.
Communications: Not great — too much hubris from the staff.
English levels: Acceptable. Mr. Simpson’s English is fine. but his communicating gets a low «F.»
Scheduling communications: I’ve seen much better. Hard to work with. Scheduling two offices is not rocket science.
Simpson should have chosen a career that required no human interaction, which he seems to abhor.
I suggest you avoid this provider like the plague.
For excellence in PT go to the Proactive on Geary Blvd & Fillmore. Yes, it’s pricey but what great service isn’t? The staff is certified and has all the accoutrements, counseling sessions, «TENS» (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), ultrasound, heat and cold pads. But they emphasize movement, exercise, and work. This place is like a well-​supplied gym or Nautilus center. Active owners Julie and Nora both have D.O. degrees, Doctor of Osteopathic medicine. They attend annual conferences and perform near-​chiropractic maneuvers that they gradually segue into, after a long, smooth massage — sort of a Chiropractory for Chickens. These are great. But their value is mostly in the form of knowledge — and the staff’s ability to convey it to you, the injured patient, who needs a smart pain abatement management plan (maybe I’ll move this over to a review on them later).

Where to begin!
DO NOT GO TO THIS PRACTICE FOR THERAPY!!!
For those of you who want details… heres why!
I was prescribed therapy after a car accident for my neck.
My Doctor referred my to J C Simpson Associates… the associate being his front desk/​medical billing/​physical therapist assistant, Doll.
My treatment was horrible from start to finish, but since this was my first time receiving therapy… I didn’t know any better. Since, I have seen 2 EXCELLENT therapist who have helped me heal from this injury.
James Simpson can care less at times. He has no passion for rehabilitation, is a very hot headed, temperamental man… probably in his 50’s.
His ultrasound equipment has not been properly serviced. I base this on the service tag on the machine, which is out of date.
He often has the front desk/​billing lady do any massage work, and ultrasound work, while he sits in his office.
As my treatment progressed, he had me use a barbell with weights, place it on my shoulders, behind my neck, and do squats. Might I add that I have 4 protruding/​herniated discs in my neck, and this aggravated it like no other! I would think a RPT would know this!
At the end of my 6 weeks… when he rated my rehabilitation, and I told him that I actually feel just as bad as day 1… he threw his hands up and walked away.
He participates with my insurance, Anthem, but never billed them. I believe he did this so he can request more money from me, personally!
The bill itself is completely wrong! It bills me 5 times on ONE visit for ultrasound, and many other fabricated treatments.
I now have a $ 5000 bill im trying to fight. When questioning his billing procedures, James stated that «since it was a car accident, my insurance would not pay.» This is completely NOT TRUE!
He has refused to release my medical records to me or my lawyer. I have requested these documents several times.
I have made complaints against him with the physical therapy board of california, PTPN, and the US department of health services… this is just the start!
I will not let his unlawful practices continue, and I will not pay a $ 5000 bill that my participating insurance SHOULD have paid.

I have had more than my share of experiences with physical therapists (see my other review for more details) but I have to say that Simpson & Associates was the bottom of the barrel.
My doctor had given me a prescription for therapy for my shoulder. I knew it was a bad sign when all the other patients I could see in the Simpson clinic were working on their own with no therapists in sight. Sure enough, it soon became clear that that’s what they had in mind for me too. My therapist did come and, after a perfunctory exam, immediately began teaching me a home exercise routine. Apparently, this was going to take the place of the therapy my doctor had ordered, because it was the only thing he did. The thing was, the therapist couldn’t even be bothered to look to see if I was doing the exercises he was teaching correctly! He left the room with me alone for most of the session– my first session– and I could see him in the next room eating a sandwich. Honestly, watching a videotape or reading a book would have been just as useful as going to this place.
After I finished the exercises on my own, the therapist came back and tried to change my prescription from 3x a week to 2x a week. When I objected, he just said I could ask any «questions» to my doctor. But I did something much better. I took back my prescription and found a real physical therapist.