(414) 488-1818

FAQs

Advanced spinal treatments. Expertise to take on the most challenging conditions. Holistic, humane care.

How do you pronounce Dr. Shekhar Dagam's name?

“SHAY-KER DAY-GUM”

How do I become a patient of Dr. Dagam's?

It is also our office policy that you be referred to us by a clinician. (Primary care provider, another specialist, or a Physical Therapist) Some insurance companies may still require a referral from your primary care provider to your insurance company in order to be seen by a specialist. Please be sure to have your primary care doctors office help take care of this otherwise you could occur large out of pocket expenses for not having a referral in place prior to your appointment with Dr. Dagam. We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this process.

What is the wait time to schedule a New Patient appointment?

We always do our very best to schedule new patients in a timely manner. Your insurance and or referral process may cause a delay to schedule. (Please feel free to discuss this with our reception staff for more details)

How do I know if Dr. Dagam accepts my insurance?

Patients are always encouraged to check with their insurance company directly to ask if Dr. Shekhar Dagam is in your network plan. There may be times where Dr. Dagam is OUT of your network, but you should ask if you have “out of network” benefits. This would still allow you to see Dr. Dagam, however there may be a small increase of out of pocket expense to you. When scheduling your first appointment, our reception staff will ask for all of your insurance information to assist in a verification process.

What do I need to bring to my appointment?

If it is your first appointment with Dr. Dagam we ask that you arrive a minimum of 20 minutes early to complete the check in process and complete an necessary paperwork. We also ask you bring any radiology/films/CD’s you have received over the course of your treatment, your insurance card, photo ID and a list of any medications you are currently taking.

If you are an existing patient seeing us for a follow up appointment – we ask that you bring your photo ID, insurance card and updated medication list to each appointment to accurately update your records. Also, if you have had any updated imaging completed since your last visit with us, please be sure to bring those images (usually on a CD) with you as Dr. Dagam does like to review the images himself. Our office will do our best to obtain any updated reports prior to your appointment.

What should I expect at my first appointment?

Dr. Dagam and his Physician Assistants will take time to –

  • review your records
  • discuss your symptoms and past medical history with you
  • perform a physical exam

All of this combined will allow Dr. Dagam to provide you with his expert medical opinion and discuss with you a treatment plan. Dr. Dagam may decide to order additional testing, updated imaging, offer you conservative treatment or discuss surgical options.

How will I receive my test results?

Dr. Dagam beleives that discussing with you in person has the best outcome of your understanding of the results and your treatment plan. This will also give you the opportunity to bring a family member or friend with you to the appointment.

What facility would my surgery be performed at?

Please keep in mind there are several factors in determining which location is best for you and the type of procedure you will be having. These factors could include your medical history, the surgical procedure you will be having, or insurance recommendations.

Dr. Dagam performs surgical procedures at the following locations:
Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee 2301 N Lake Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Milwaukee Surgical Suites 6495 S 27th Street, Franklin, WI 53132
Watertown Regional Medical Center 123 Hospital Drive, Watertown, WI 53098

What Next?

“He and his PAs always take the time to answer my questions thoroughly and make sure that I understand everything I need to know about my injury or the operation I’ll be having. At my pre-op visit he actually encouraged me to come up with a list of any questions I could think of and told me I wouldn’t be taken back to surgery until I felt they had all been answered satisfactorily. The surgery was a huge success, and for the first time in 18 years I can say that my lower back is almost completely pain free. I feel like Dr. Dagam gave a huge part of my life back to me.”

Hannah

We listen and we empathize.

Doreen Lackowski

Practice Manager

I’m Doreen – Practice Manager for Dagam Neurosurgery. I joined Dr Dagam’s team in 2013 with 15 years of medical office experience. My commitment to Dagam Neurosurgery is to make sure all of our patients and their families experience the best care possible. What I love most about my job is getting to know we as a team made a positive difference in someone’s life! In my spare time I enjoy reading, baking, traveling, watching movies, listening to music and spending time with family and friends.

Sonia Moore

Medical Record Specialist

My name is Sonia and I have been the Medical Records Specialist at Dagam Neurosurgery for 5 years. I provide, obtain and prepare records for patient charts, attorneys and other providers involved in the patients care. What I like most about my job is my coworkers. Working well together allows our office to run smoothly and provide the best care possible to our patients, that’s what I’m passionate about. Outside of work, I enjoy cheering on the Brewers, Bucks and the Packers - especially going to the games with my family and friends. As time allows, I also enjoy painting ceramics.

Boe Boedecker

Physician Assistant

I'm Beau Boedecker, Physician Assistant with Dr. Dagam since graduating from Midwestern University in 2010. What I like most about my role is patient care — from their first consultation evaluation to all of their follow-through. This includes being in surgery alongside Dr. Dagam. In my spare time, I enjoy a hodgepodge of astrophysics, baseball, traveling the world with my wife and sipping a good cup of coffee.

Cathy Pabich

Surgical Coordinator

My name is Cathy and for the past 4 years I have been Dr. Dagam’s Surgical Coordinator. I do my best to make the surgery scheduling process as easy as possible for all our patients, every step of the way. What I love most about my job is knowing that the outcome of a patient’s surgery helped improve their quality of life, which makes dealing with insurance companies for procedure authorizations all worth it! In my spare time I enjoy being with my family, shopping and watching the History channel and Food Network.  

Tina Spritka

Lead Medical Receptionist

My name is Tina and I am the Lead Medical Receptionist celebrating 5 years with Dr. Dagam and his team. After many years of experience in a Neurosurgical clinic, what I enjoy most is knowing that I make a difference in the day-to-day routine of our practice from triaging phone calls to scheduling appointments. In my spare time I enjoy being outside gardening and traveling with my husband.