Hand and Upper Extremity FAQ
It will depend on the type of surgery you are having. The physician will let you know what you are able to do and not able to do.
You will have a post op dressing on following surgery and most of the surgeries require a splint to be worn as instructed.
The physician will let you know after surgery if therapy will be needed.
You will be given a post op date when surgery is scheduled. Depending on your surgery, you will return either 7-10 days or 10-14 days.
Most surgeries are done at one of the outpatient centers. The surgery scheduler will let you know which facility your surgery will be at.
Your physician will give you a work slip at surgery stating when you are able to return.
It will depend on the surgery that you had. Your physician will let you know when you are able to return to regular activities.
Using a blow dryer on the cool setting blow down into the cast. This may help. NEVER stick anything down your cast. This could break the skin and cause an infection.
If your cast is just lightly wet, use a blow dryer on the cool setting to dry. If your cast is very wet or soaked, you will need to come in to have a new cast put on. Please call the office before coming in to discuss with the clinical staff.
Wrap the cast in a plastic bag or large plastic trash bag and keep it sealed at the top as best as you can.
Some swelling is normal after an injury. To reduce swelling, keep your cast elevated above heart level as much as possible for the first 48 to 72 hours. You can also apply an ice pack to the area. If you feel the swelling has reduced since cast application and the cast is loose, please call the office to discuss with the clinical staff.
Bone fractures generally take 6-8 weeks for initial healing to begin. It will vary based on the type of fracture, your age and location as to when you will be able to return to regular activities.
- Your current valid insurance card
- A list of medications including any over the counter medication that you take.
- Any X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans or other tests relating to your medical problem.
- Your driver’s license
We are located at 1111 Leffingwell. We are upstairs in Suite 200. We also have physicians that see patients once a week at a satellite office.
It would vary depending on the time of the year, the doctor performing the surgery and the particular type of surgery to be performed.
Your first visit with the physician is a consultation. If it is determined at that visit that surgery or any testing is needed, then it will be scheduled for a later date.
Aetna, ASR Physicians Care, Auto, Blue Care Network, Blue Cross Blue Shield (Traditional, Federal, PPO), Cofinity, Medicare, Medicare Blue Care Network, Medicare Humana Gold Choice, Medicare PLUS Blue PPO, Medicare Priority Health, Medicare Railroad, MultiPlan-Real Health, Priority Health HMO and PPO, United Healthcare, Workers Compensation. Insurance carriers are constantly changing contracted physicians for different employer groups. It is always wise to verify with your insurance company to see if the doctor is included on your plan.
All new patients are scheduled usually within 2-3 weeks depending on the doctor that they are seeing, and the condition you are being seen for. We can usually see urgent conditions within 24-48 hours.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Burgess or Dr. Do you can call 956-1204. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kuz or Dr. Naum, you can call 956-1028. We also participate with Great Lakes Health Connect, which allows your primary care physicians office to generate referrals as well as attach documents online. If you are a current patient and are enrolled in the patient portal you may also request an appointment through the portal.
It is best to contact our scheduling department. Most insurance will allow you to refer yourself and some require a referral to be in place for services to be processed.