Not everyone necessarily needs to see a physician or a surgeon for their first visit. Although HSS is well-known for orthopedic surgery, the majority of our outpatient visits result in nonsurgical, medical and rehabilitative care. All medical and surgical departments at HSS share the goal for each patients to see the right practitioner for the right treatment at the right time.
The Department of Physiatry places a strong emphasis on triage – a process in which the severity of a condition and the urgency of treatment is assessed – and on facilitating access to appropriate care. With proper assessment by a nurse practitioner or a physical therapist, the patient can often get the attention he or she needs promptly. This is also the best way to avoid progression to a chronic problem or one that is more difficult to treat.
To illustrate how HSS determines the right path of care, these are three hypothetical scenarios in which a person might contact the Hospital to seek treatment for back pain.
1) Directly. A person calls or books online directly with a specific physician or surgeon of their choosing.
2) Referral. An individual is referred by a health care provider (physical therapist, nurse clinician or primary care doctor) who believes that they should see a a specialist or require surgery.
3) Unsure. A person has just experienced the acute onset of back pain or sustained a back injury and does not know what kind of treatment they require from a spine specialist.
HSS has many ways to help the unsure person get immediate care by booking online or speaking to one of our physician referral specialists. Depending on the nature and severity of the injury, a spine specialist will then determine if the patient needs immediate referral to a physiatrist or to a different specialist.