Frequently Asked Questions

Please bring these items to your appointment:

• • Drivers license or valid photo ID card

• • Current medical insurance card and co-payment amount

• • A list of your prescription medications and drug allergies

• • A list of your medical conditions and prior surgeries

• • X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, Nerve Tests, or other studies related your problem, if applicable

• • Completed patient questionnaire: Please download, print, and complete the new patient form

Our office phone is open 8 AM until 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Our doctors are always on call after normal business hours 24-7 for urgent consultations, including holidays.

We accept most major insurance plans. Please check with your insurance carrier if a referral is required from your primary care physician. Please call our office to ensure that we are in-network with your insurance plan.

Please bring your forms to the front office for processing. Or you may fax your forms to our office at (919) 872-6739. A fee will be charged for the completion of most forms. Please allow 7-10 business days for processing.

For life threatening emergencies, call 9-1-1. Please call our main office number at (919) 872-3171 after hours if you have a non life threatening problem. You will be guided through the phone tree, and will be able to speak to the Raleigh Hand to Shoulder Center physician on-call. Our physicians are available 24-7, including holidays and weekends.

Please call our office and ask to speak with the clinic staff during regular business hours. If approved by the doctor, we will send the medication to your pharmacy electronically. In most cases, prescription medications will not be refilled on nights or weekends.

Board certification is the most widely recognized standard of achievement in a medical or surgical specialty. In order to be board certified in orthopedic surgery, a physician must maintain the highest standards for education, practice, and conduct in this field. The certification process takes several years to complete. Board certification is only awarded to highly-competent doctors who demonstrate knowledge of the latest research in their field, and who practice with patient safety and quality of care in mind. All the physicians at Raleigh Hand to Shoulder Center are board certified in both orthopedic surgery and hand surgery.

After completing a five year residency in orthopedic surgery, the doctors completed an additional one-year of specialty training in hand care. This additional year of study after residency is called a fellowship. Most hand surgery fellowships also incorporate training in wrist, elbow, and shoulder care.

A “hand surgeon” is a doctor who is trained in the complete assessment and treatment of the hand. This skill set involves both nonsurgical as well as surgical treatment expertise. After completing a training program in general, plastic or orthopedic surgery, hand surgeons complete an additional year of fellowship training, specializing in this unique part of the body. The complete care of the hand and upper extremity involves a combination of specialized techniques in orthopedic, plastic, neurosurgical, microvascular, and arthroscopic surgery. Many hand surgeons also treat patients with elbow and shoulder problems.

An orthopedic surgeon is a doctor who specializes in the care of the musculoskeletal system. This includes the bones, joints, tendons, muscles, and ligaments in the body. Orthopedic care includes nonsurgical treatment including casts, splints, medications, injections, therapy, as well as many types of surgical treatments. All the doctors at Raleigh Hand to Shoulder Center are orthopedic surgeons who completed a hand surgery fellowship.

The surgeons operate mostly at Capital City Surgery Center (CCSC), an outpatient ambulatory surgery center. CCSC has been recognized as one of the top ambulatory surgery centers in North Carolina several years in a row! All the doctors have a financial interest in CCSC. The surgeons also do some minor procedures in the office using local anesthesia in our procedure room. For patients who need their surgery performed at a hospital, the surgeons use Duke Raleigh Hospital primarily.

Yes. If you would like to refer a patient, please download and complete the workers compensation request form. Please fax the documentation to our office at 919-872-6739 . For urgent requests, please call our office  919-872-3171 to receive a prompt appointment. Our office has a worker’s compensation coordinator to assist case managers and patients. Our doctors also offer second opinions and independent medical examinations (IME) for worker’s compensation patients.

Yes. Our doctors offer second opinions for patients with problems of the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder. If you are not satisfied with your current diagnosis or treatment plan, consider a second opinion with one of our doctors. Please bring all applicable studies such as x-rays, MRIs, or nerve tests with you to the office visit for our independent review. If this is a worker’s compensation case, please notify us in advance.

Your Raleigh Hand to Shoulder Center doctor will perform your entire surgery from start to finish. We do not employ physicians assistants (PAs) or nurse practitioners (NPs) in our practice. Our surgeons do not work with trainees or residents in the operating room.