John A. Hefferon, MD

4.9 
2684 ratings  Read Reviews
Northwestern Medicine logoNorthwestern Medical Group

Primary Specialty

Orthopaedic Sports Medicine

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Practice Focus Areas

This medical professional has a particular interest or expertise in:

Reasons to Schedule a Visit

This medical professional may be a good choice for you if you are looking for care for any of the following:

  • Arthritis
  • Biceps, triceps or pectoral problem
  • Dislocation
  • Elbow pain
  • Hamstring or quadriceps problem or tendonitis
  • Labral (cartilage that cushions a joint) tear or hip impingement (problem with the hip bones)
  • Labral tear or hip impingement
  • Pain
  • Suspected or known fracture or broken bone(s)
  • Tendonitis or tennis elbow

Education

Medical Education:
MD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine - 1972
Internship:
University of Southern California/Los Angeles General Medical Center (USC/LA General) - 1974
University at Buffalo - 1975
Residency:
University at Buffalo - 1978

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery - Orthopaedic Surgery (Certified)

Faculty Profile

Clinical Assistant Professor, Feinberg School of Medicine

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Practice Groups and Affiliations

Medical Group:
Northwestern Medical Group
Alignment Category:
Northwestern Medicine Physician Network
On Medical Staff At:
Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Ratings and Reviews

At Northwestern Medicine, our patient’s feedback is important to us. While different care providers have their own unique strengths, we strive to be as transparent as possible with our quality of care.

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Overall Rating

4.9
4.9 

2684 Ratings

Reviews from Patients

100 Most Recent Reviews

Reviews from Patients

100 Most Recent Reviews

February 27, 2026

5.0

Dr Hefferon was friendly, easy to talk to and went over my MRI. He explained all my options and answered all my questions

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February 26, 2026

5.0

Dr. Hefferon is the most knowledgeable doctor! He listened carefully to my issues, tested my leg, and was able to diagnose my problem. He explained it to me clearly, and then discussed options for treatment thoroughly. I think I'm in the best hands when he's treating me!

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February 25, 2026

5.0

Great care

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February 25, 2026

5.0

Knowledgable, direct.

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February 23, 2026

5.0

Vrry professional

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February 23, 2026

5.0

He down to earth ask him ? You get answer or he will send you Dr in the field you ask about.

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February 21, 2026

5.0

He is very good in his attendance with his patients, and very knowledgeable. Very down to earth.

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February 18, 2026

5.0

caring and great doctor. love his personality

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February 18, 2026

5.0

He's a knowledgeable, passionate professional medical doctor.

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February 17, 2026

5.0

How kind the staff is.

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February 16, 2026

5.0

He cares

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February 16, 2026

5.0

Doctor-patient relationship.

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February 15, 2026

5.0

Consistent excellence in both guidance and medical care. I have recommended Dr. Hefferon to several people.

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February 12, 2026

5.0

A competent professional

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February 11, 2026

5.0

Thorough and answered all my questions.

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February 09, 2026

5.0

Dr. Hefferon gave me the opportunity to ask & he answered every question

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February 02, 2026

5.0

Great Doctor.

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January 27, 2026

5.0

Dr Hefferon is knowledgeable and wise. Love his bedside manner, very kind...

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January 27, 2026

5.0

Excellent thoughtful care

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January 26, 2026

5.0

He's a great doctor and I have referred him to other people for his treatment.

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January 26, 2026

5.0

Dr. Hefferon is world class in every respect. I trust his guidance 100%.

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January 26, 2026

5.0

Good analysis and treatment

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January 26, 2026

5.0

Very good doctor who cares and includes the patient in decision making.

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January 26, 2026

5.0

An experienced medical professional with an engaging personality that addresses the issues and care of his patients.

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January 26, 2026

5.0

honest direct

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January 23, 2026

5.0

Total professional

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January 23, 2026

5.0

Dr Hefferon was very kind and thorough, I felt heard.

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January 22, 2026

5.0

He is very skilled at giving the shot . I receive one every four to six months.

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January 17, 2026

5.0

Very knowledgeable and able to diagnose and care for his patients.

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January 16, 2026

5.0

Great "bed side manner". Helpful and understanding. Very relatable andProfessional

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January 15, 2026

5.0

Direct, professional and quick to diagnose

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January 14, 2026

5.0

he is an excellent doctor especially for those of us that are physically active. He keeps us on the slopes, biking, snow shoeing, hiking, etc.

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January 14, 2026

5.0

There is no better Dr. anywhere than Dr. Hefferon

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January 14, 2026

5.0

Professional, great bedside manner, knowledgeable and offered sound and reasonable recommendations to address my pain.

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January 14, 2026

5.0

His experience and knowledge give me confidence that I'm getting great treatment.

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January 12, 2026

5.0

Has kept me actively employed and active in my older years

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January 11, 2026

5.0

Very professional and answers all my questions.

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January 10, 2026

5.0

Pleased with quality of care.

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January 10, 2026

5.0

He was marvellous. He's down to earth and is very knowledgeable. Explained the situation and offered solutions to ease the knee pain.

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January 08, 2026

5.0

I have been an employee at Northwestern Medicine for thirty one years and I remember Dr. Hefferon from back then when I started.

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January 07, 2026

5.0

Very confident, knowledgeable and professional. Definitely a great doctor and person.

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January 06, 2026

5.0

Very professional,

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January 06, 2026

5.0

He has cared for me for knee replacements in 2005, a revision in 2014 and a fractured humerus in 2023. I returned to him about concerns about a right hip fracture treated elsewhere in 2024.

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January 05, 2026

5.0

Great experience.

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December 22, 2025

5.0

He asks me where I got my fuel, checks me out, and orders x-rays. He's always on top of things. Thank you, Dr. Hefferon.

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December 19, 2025

5.0

Dr. John Hefferon is the best orthopedic doctor/surgeon. I've been going to Dr. Hefferon for about 15 yrs He's very caring, professional excellent bedside manner! He's a great doctor.

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December 17, 2025

5.0

Wonderful doc who cares about his patients.

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December 15, 2025

5.0

Great care

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December 15, 2025

5.0

Wow, loved him. What a great listener.

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December 12, 2025

5.0

MD Hefferon really cares about the patient, is very professional, listens and explains things in detail, serves with excellence & goes above and beyond.

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December 10, 2025

5.0

Brilliant physician who has superlative communication skills and empathy.

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December 08, 2025

5.0

Excellent and then some. Honest and forthright!

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December 08, 2025

5.0

Very approachable and knowledgeable. Was not in a hurry and put me at ease. Was able to give me a diagnosis and options for next steps.

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December 05, 2025

5.0

Caring and thorough and extremely helpful. A true professional.

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December 04, 2025

5.0

He is professional and knowledgeable. Great personality too

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December 03, 2025

5.0

he's excellent

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December 01, 2025

5.0

Answered all my questions.

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December 01, 2025

5.0

He did pay attention to my complaints

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November 24, 2025

5.0

He's a good listener, calm and caring.

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November 22, 2025

5.0

Dr Hefferon is the best Able,affable and available,. ,

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November 21, 2025

5.0

I've been coming to Dr. Hefferon for about 15 yrs! Dr. Hefferon is the best, very knowledgeable physician!

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November 21, 2025

5.0

Knowledgeable, professional , on time. Took the time to listen .

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November 19, 2025

5.0

He is a reliable and trustworthy Ortho, going back over 20 years of care.

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November 19, 2025

5.0

Attention to detail and excellent advice

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November 19, 2025

5.0

Very professional. Great bedside manner. Explains the situation and options thoroughly.

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November 19, 2025

5.0

Take his time to interact with the patient and provides good recommendation to follow up with exercises.

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November 17, 2025

5.0

Dr. Hefferon takes the time to explain your health challenges.

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November 17, 2025

5.0

Wonderful person.

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November 17, 2025

5.0

Would definitely recommend him to anybody that needed help in the orthopedic care

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November 17, 2025

5.0

Same. Great manner

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November 14, 2025

5.0

He's a beautiful man

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November 11, 2025

5.0

Very thoughtful doctor. Easy to talk to and listens to my concerns and help determine how best to move forward.

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November 10, 2025

5.0

Quality care

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November 10, 2025

5.0

Professional, knowledgeable helpful interested and great manner about him

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November 10, 2025

5.0

Very pragmatic and down to earth ... felt like he was listening to what ai said!

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November 09, 2025

5.0

Very easy to talk to.

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November 07, 2025

5.0

A no nonsense professional orthopedic doctor.Tells one exactly what is damaged and what to expect in recovery .Was a first class doctor patient experience

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November 06, 2025

5.0

He is very attentive and kind to my issues.

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November 04, 2025

5.0

Dr Hefferon was truly nice and he was showing that he really cared about how I was feeling and it showed genuinely and I say thank you so much Dr Hefferon.

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November 03, 2025

5.0

Very quick and professional visit with Dr Hefferon, it is incredibly obvious that amount of skill and talent he possess. After a reviewing the X-Ray and speaking with me he was able to determine the issue and a path for resolution. I am very happy with the results of this visit.

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November 03, 2025

5.0

Hefferon th best

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November 03, 2025

5.0

Professional and explained options and very thorough.

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October 29, 2025

5.0

Exceptional care!

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October 29, 2025

5.0

He listened attentively, he carefully examined my Xray on screen. Recommended a cortisone shot, which after discussion I agreed to.

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October 25, 2025

5.0

I think he's the best.

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October 24, 2025

5.0

He is absolutely the best

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October 23, 2025

5.0

Has years of professional experience so he understands what to look for to help his patients.

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October 22, 2025

5.0

He is vet professional and an affable doctor

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October 22, 2025

5.0

Dr. Hefferon is thorough, explains every step of the visit, offers all possible options to resolve the issue. He is always willing to see you if emergencies arise.

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October 19, 2025

5.0

He takes the time to listen to my concerns and answer my questions. I feel he is very competent and concerned for my welfare. He also has a sense of humor.

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October 16, 2025

5.0

he knows how / where to administer a shot for maximal effectiveness and is fun to talk to!

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October 15, 2025

5.0

Caring

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October 15, 2025

5.0

Very knowledgeable and easy to talk to him

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October 15, 2025

5.0

He's so accurate in his diagnosis. I'm a personal trainer and referred him numerous times over 30 years

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October 11, 2025

5.0

He is a great surgeon. He performed surgery on my left shoulder for a torn rotator cuff. He is also very skilled for injections.

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October 09, 2025

5.0

Great MD

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October 08, 2025

5.0

The guy is a legend.

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October 08, 2025

5.0

Excellent and informative care

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October 04, 2025

5.0

He explained my knee issues well, treated them effectively and proposed a good follow up plan. He spent the time necessary to answer all of my questions. His PA was also very helpful.

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October 01, 2025

5.0

He listens and provides good information and care.

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Disclosures

John A. Hefferon, MD reported no external professional relationships for calendar year 2024.

External Professional Relationships

Pharmaceutical, device, and biotechnology companies frequently collaborate with basic scientists and physicians within an academic medical center to help advance science and improve patient care. These relationships are important in achieving scientific breakthroughs and in establishing the effectiveness and safety of promising new therapies. In order to assure objectivity in clinical research and patient care, the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Feinberg), Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, Children's Hospital of Chicago Medical Center, and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab have adopted integrity policies that require research and clinical faculty (in full-time, part-time, and unpaid/voluntary categories) to report compensated and uncompensated external industry relationships. Patients are encouraged to discuss these disclosures with their physician as well as to inquire as to how these relationships are overseen by Feinberg. To learn more about our Disclosure and Professional Integrity Policy, and the conflict of interest policies of our joint affiliate survey partners, please go to our Office for Regulatory Affairs Policies page.