George J. Kaptain
MD, FAANS

Very professional and caring surgeon and the same goes for the staff, I highly recommend.

Dr took his time to explain my situation

Dr Kaptain was excellent! He listened to all of our concerns and answered all of our questions. He went over the MRI images in great detail with us, patiently explaining everything.

Best neurologist in the Hackensack Meridian network. Thoroughly humble, down to earth wearing cowboy boots and treats his patients with respect. Did additional training at OHSU in neuro surgery and came highly recommended, “Kaptain is the man” by a colleague who’s an amazing cardiovascular surgeon.

I apologize for the delayed review.

My wife, had a seizure in 2020 during work. She was transferred via ambulance to JSUMC for diagnosis. Our experience in the ED was horrendous. I was there within mins and watched as ED RNs wondered aloud that she must be on drugs to have a seizure and blatantly ignored our call bells. No sense of compassion was shown.

I asked to speak to the RN manager to voice my displeasure. The call bell light would be turned off within a couple minutes and nobody showed up. I did this 3 times after waiting for 15 minutes. I just wanted some warm blankets since my wife was cold. Imagine if my wife had a serious issue and nobody came. I even walked up to the desk trying to ask for help and was ignored as two RNs sat there talking about their lives. The RN manager wondered if the call bell didn’t work and tested it. She walked to the desk and it was flashing. She asked who turned this off and the response was dumbfounded and nobody claimed to have done it. JSUMC finest taking care of the sick in the ED.

The initial CT scan revealed a tumor that needed immediate attention and she was admitted. The admitting ED physician recommended a neurosurgeon , Dr Salerno.

As we waited on NW floor for Dr Salerno consultation, my wife was on close watch since she had a seizure related to a tumor present. I spent all the days with her while she was admitted and was not impressed with the care she received. Me being a medical professional, I witnessed acts of negligence that appalled me. I had a difficult time keeping my mouth shut and make the situation worse.

My impressions of our experience from the ED to the care on the floor was relayed to the VP of Patient Experience post discharge.

Dr Salerno showed up and I didn’t even know he was a physician. He had a polo shirt and jeans and was wearing a backpack. He introduced himself and quickly explained the procedure to be done. A small window above her right brow would be created to remove the tumor. We were unimpressed with his demeanor and simplified explanation of her condition.

A followup MRI which shows more definition than a CT revealed that her tumor did not need to be removed ASAP and it was inflammation surrounding the tumor. Disgusted with the care my wife was receiving, we decided to leave since we did not have to stay and regroup.

I asked a cardiologist whom I work with and respect, Dr S Younan, to consult with a surgeon at Hackensack whom he refers his patients to, Dr Anderson, and see who he recommends. I’ve witnessed his work so I knew his recommendation would be worth it. He said Kaptain is the man.

By GOD’s grace, we were able to get a last minute consultation with Dr Kaptain on my wife bday a few days later.

Dr Kaptain spent an hour with us explaining everything. He showed us the MRI and explained where the tumor was located, it was attached to her right orbital socket. To remove all of it, he would have to remove half her skull in order to properly remove the tumor and use 4 screws to reattach the bone. I mentioned to him that he came highly recommended and his answer was so humble, “I hope I can live up to the expectation”. Wow 🙂

Anyhow, the surgery was a success. He mentioned it took a bit longer because he had to scrape the tumor off the orbital socket, to make sure nothing was left.

Imagine if we went with Dr Salerno. I cannot imagine the consequences if we tried his approach..most likely he would’ve left some behind :/

The care received at Hackensack was night and day compared to JSUMC. The staff were amazing and caring. It’s a whole different culture there. Dr Kaptain even gave us his personal number for any issues my wife would encounter when she went home.

I am truly grateful to GOD and Dr Kaptain for taking care of my wife.

Excellent doctor. 100% recommended.

Dr George Kaptain is a stellar neurosurgeon! He is a shining star. He consistently displays exceptional qualities and he is outstanding in his field. He possesses a high level of medical knowledge and skill, but also is compassionate with empathy and is admired by everyone. I had a meningioma in my frontal lobe. He waited for years to do the surgery until he felt it was time.Dr Kaptain was amazing. and the surgery went well With his impeccable skills and a heart like no other. He gave me and my Family his cell phone in case we had any questions or concerns about the surgery and proceeded to do the same after the surgery. Yes this was a wonderful experience and it could have been totally different. Dr Kaptain is a remarkable surgeon as well as a remarkable man! I highly recommend him!
Diann Bowe

Dr. Kaptain is an amazing neurosurgeon. He spends time with you to thoroughly go over all your questions and concerns, no rushing thru appts. After my surgery he personally followed up and has always been available when needed. I received excellent care and the office staff is wonderful.

Very nice people working at the office.
Dr explains great and does take time with the patient no rush at all.
Thank you all highly recommend.

AMAZING in all aspects of being a doctor and person.

I recently had brain surgery performed by Dr. Kaptain and was extremely impressed by his care and compassion. He took the time to explain everything in detail and to ensure that we were comfortable. When it was time to follow up with radiation, he personally made sure that it occured as soon as possible. I felt like I was being treated by a family member. I recently had another encounter with Dr Kaptain when I was in the hospital with a tumor in my neck, and once again his care and compassion shone through. I highly recommend Dr. Kaptain.