14 Alliance Spine & Pain Centers Physicians Named Atlanta's Top Doctors in Modern Luxury Magazines

Fourteen physicians from Alliance Spine and Pain Centers –the largest interventional pain management company in the Southeast– appear in the January issue of Modern Luxury Medicine + Doctors magazine among Atlanta’s Top Doctors. They are Drs. S. Christopher Cable, William Epps, Eduardo Escorcia, David W. Gale, Richard Gayles, Pallavi Gupta, Tracy Harbut*, Allen H. Hord, Hammad Malik, Scott Masson*, Rhee Miller, David Neckman, Ikenna Okpareke, and Preetesh Patel

Among the Alliance Spine and Pain Centers physicians recognized on the 2024 Top Doctors list, 12 received Top Doctors honors and two received the Rising Star award. 

Modern Luxury Medicine + Doctors magazine uses a database of top doctors compiled by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., an established healthcare research company based in New York. Each physician included is chosen through peer nomination, research, and a stringent vetting process.

In addition to the magazine’s honor, Castle Connolly recognized Alliance Spine and Pain Centers with being tied in fourth place for having the most Castle Connolly Top Doctors among physician practices in the Orthopaedic Care category in Georgia.

“Pain management is an evolving medical field with new advances offering endless opportunities for research and innovative medicine,” says Stephen Rosenbaum, CEO of Alliance Spine and Pain Centers. “Alliance has the best physicians in pain management. This recognition is further proof our physicians are strong community leaders, representing the future of pain relief.”

To schedule an appointment call 770-929-9033 or visit SpinePains.com.

*Physician received Rising Star award

Dr. S. Christopher Cable practices at the Woodstock and Jasper locations. After earning his doctorate in medicine at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Dr. Cable completed an anesthesiology residency and a pain management fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta. He also completed an internship in emergency medicine at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center followed by a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Florida Health Science Center Jacksonville. Dr. Cable is board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine in addition to being a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology, as well as a member of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) and the Spine Intervention Society (SIS).

Dr. Will Epps practices at our Conyers, Johns Creek/Suwanee, and Lawrenceville locations. Dr. Epps received his medical degree from the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine before completing both an anesthesia residency and a fellowship in pain medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Epps is board certified in anesthesia and pain medicine and has held several roles throughout his career including as a medical officer in the US Navy serving in the states and abroad in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dr. Epps specializes in a variety of minimally invasive treatments for spine and joint pain including injection therapy, SIJ fusion, and spinal cord stimulation. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children.

Dr. Eduardo Escorcia practices at the Austell, Canton, and Dallas locations. He is board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine with decades of experience and specialized training in advanced, cutting-edge pain treatments. Dr. Escorcia earned his medical degree at Facultad de Medicina, then completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in anesthesiology at Cleveland Clinic.  He also completed a residency in anesthesiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville followed by a fellowship in interventional pain medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida.

Dr. David W. Gale practices at the Marietta and Cartersville locations. Dr. Gale received his medical degree at Ohio State University before completing his anesthesiology residency while serving in the US Air Force and a pain management fellowship at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Gale is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management and holds an ABA subspecialty certificate in pain management. Further, Dr. Gale is a thought leader across the state and has been instrumental in helping craft state legislation regarding pain management while serving as past president and current executive director of the Georgia Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. Practicing in the Atlanta area since 1997, Dr. Gale has a passion for pain management and is a veteran of Modern Luxury Medicine + Doctors magazine’s Top Doctors list.

Dr. Richard Gayles practices at the Douglasville and Austell locations. Board-certified in anesthesiology and pain management as well as a nationally recognized leader in regenerative medicine, Dr. Gayles received a Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology from the University of Michigan followed by a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Michigan's School of Medicine. Dr. Gayles then completed an anesthesia residency at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland, then a pain management fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Prior to his fellowship, Dr. Gayles’ dedication to learning and expanding his horizons led him overseas to England, where he spent a year studying anesthesiology and critical care at the prestigious St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London as a visiting registrar. At Alliance Spine & Pain, Dr. Gayles offers innovative, customized care to each patient he sees and is committed to collaborating closely with his team to ensure every patient receives exceptional care.

Dr. Pallavi Gupta practices at the Austell and Dallas offices. She is double board-certified in anesthesiology and pain management and prioritizes treating her patients with compassion and respect. After earning her medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham, Dr. Gupta completed a Transitional Year Internship at Baptist Health System in Birmingham, Alabama followed by a residency in anesthesiology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Gupta then went on to complete a pain medicine fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylvania. Dr. Gupta is also a member of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the North American Neuromodulation Society and the Mayo Clinic Fellows Association. 

Dr. Tracy Harbut Dr. Harbut practices at the Canton and Jasper locations. She is double board certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine, with a strong academic background, holding an MBA from the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics. Dr. Harbut earned her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Portsmouth, Dominica. She completed her internship year at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee before completing her anesthesiology residency at the University of Kentucky (UK) in Lexington. Her advanced training continued with a fellowship in pain management at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Dr. Allen H. Hord practices at the Piedmont/Atlanta, Brookhaven, and Sandy Springs locations. With more than 35 years of pain management experience in the Atlanta area, Dr. Hord is a pioneer in the interventional pain management field and is recognized by peers and patients as a chronic pain expert, educator, researcher, administrator, and philanthropist. He’s board-certified in anesthesiology and was one of the first doctors in the U.S. to become board-certified in pain medicine. Dr. Hord was Alliance Spine and Pain Centers’ chief medical officer from 2013-2018, and again from 2020 to the present. His philanthropy includes serving a decade on the board of directors of Flying Doctors America and organizing medical missions in Asia, South America, and Haiti. Dr. Hord is also a veteran of Modern Luxury Medicine + Doctors magazine’s Top Doctors list.

Dr. Hammad Malik practices at the Cartersville and Carrollton locations. Board-certified in anesthesiology and interventional pain medicine, Dr. Malik obtained his medical degree from Allama Iqbal College in Lahore, Pakistan before completing internships in general surgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (Teaching Facility) in Lahore, Pakistan and internal medicine at Services Hospital (Teaching Facility), also in Lahore. He relocated to the United States and completed a residency in anesthesiology at the University of Kentucky Medical Center (UK HealthCare) in Lexington prior to completing a pain management residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Before joining Alliance Spine & Pain, Dr. Malik gained valuable experience working as the Medical Director at Williamson ARH Hospital in South Williamson, Kentucky, and as an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UC Health). Dr. Malik’s professional associations and memberships include the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain (ASRA), Kentucky Society of Anesthesiologists (KSA), Ohio Society of Anesthesiologists (OSA), Cincinnati Pain Society (CPS), and the American Society of Critical Care Medicine.

Dr. Scott Masson* practices at the Dawsonville, Canton and Cumming locations. Dr. Masson received his medical degree at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. Afterward, he completed a residency at Oakland University William Beaumont Hospital, then a fellowship in pain management at Case Western Reserve University where he trained under world-renowned pain physician, Dr. Salim Hayek. Board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine, Dr. Masson also served as a lead author in a published article in the prestigious Interventional Pain Management journal. 

Dr. Rhee Miller practices at our Conyers, Covington, and Peachtree City locations. Dr. Miller received her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta prior to completing an anesthesia residency at Emory University. Dr. Miller is board-certified in anesthesiology and pain management with more than 20 years of experience in practice. She specializes in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion stimulators as well as the Vertiflex procedure, to name a few. 

Dr. David Neckman practices at our Conyers, Covington, and Piedmont/Atlanta locations. Dr. Neckman received his medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, where he remained to complete his anesthesiology residency and pain medicine fellowship. Dr. Neckman is board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine and specializes in minimally invasive injections for chronic neck and back pain in addition to more invasive procedures such as Vertiflex, Intracept and spinal cord stimulation. In addition to serving on the Medical Executive Committee at Alliance Spine and Pain Centers, Dr. Neckman is the pain management representative on the Clinical Governance Committee at Piedmont Hospital. 

Dr. Ikenna Okpareke practices at the Douglasville and Cartersville locations and is board-certified in anesthesiology and interventional pain management. After earning his Doctorate in Medicine at Albany Medical College in Albany, New York, Dr. Okpareke then completed an anesthesiology residency at the University of Chicago followed by a fellowship in chronic interventional pain management at the prestigious Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Okpareke then spent eight years practicing as an interventional pain specialist in Chicago before returning to Atlanta in 2022 to join Alliance Spine & Pain where he now serves on its Medical Executive Committee. 

Dr. Preetesh Patel practices at the Johns Creek and Sandy Springs locations. Board-certified in anesthesiology and interventional pain medicine, Dr. Patel received his medical degree from the Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Georgia, then completed a residency at Emory University in Atlanta followed by a fellowship at the prestigious University of California, San Diego. Dr. Patel is recognized as an expert in pain management across the entire spectrum of procedures from epidurals to the most innovative procedures available. Additionally, Dr. Patel actively advocates for solutions to opioid addiction and speaks at many conferences and events to promote awareness.  

Alliance Spine and Pain Centers is the future of pain relief. With innovative interventional pain management, our best-in-class physicians are bringing new hope and real relief to people in pain. We help our patients live fuller, more functional, and fulfilling lives. To learn more about the future of pain relief or to schedule an appointment, visit us at SpinePains.com or call 770-929-9033.