Refer to Plancher Orthopedics
How to refer a patient to Dr. Plancher.
Referring a patient
Kevin Plancher, MD, MPH treats orthopedic conditions across general orthopedics and four areas of focused clinical training: sports medicine, knee, shoulder, and hand and wrist. His postgraduate training maps directly onto that range. He completed a fellowship in shoulder and knee reconstruction and sports medicine at The Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado, and a second fellowship in hand and microvascular surgery at The Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis. For a referring physician, that combination means one practice can take a patient with anterior cruciate ligament tears, shoulder injuries, posterior shoulder pain, adolescent sports injuries, knee injuries, elbow injuries, severe tennis elbow, or hand injuries without a second handoff for the hand or wrist portion of the diagnosis.
On the shoulder and knee side, Dr. Plancher performs arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, arthroscopic Bankart repair, arthroscopic nerve release for posterior shoulder pain, total shoulder replacement, reverse shoulder replacement, and knee replacement, including partial knee replacement. On the elbow and hand side, endoscopic elbow release is among the procedures he performs; the hand and microvascular surgery fellowship at The Indiana Hand Center underlies the hand injuries referred into the practice.
For criteria on when a referral is appropriate at each stage of conservative care across these focus areas, see the when-to-refer guide.
Training and practice background are detailed on the practice bio. Plancher Orthopedics, in New York, NY, is accepting new patients for referral.
Education and training
Medical school at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Fellowship at The Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, Vail, CO – Shoulder and Knee Reconstruction & Sports Medicine, The Indiana Hand Center, Indianapolis, IN – Hand & Microvascular Surgery.
- FellowshipThe Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, Vail, CO – Shoulder and Knee Reconstruction & Sports Medicine, The Indiana Hand Center, Indianapolis, IN – Hand & Microvascular Surgery
- Medical schoolGeorgetown University School of MedicineDoctor of Medicine
Which patients should I refer to Dr. Plancher?
Refer patients whose knee, shoulder, or hand and wrist problem has not resolved with routine conservative care.
Dr. Plancher treats anterior cruciate ligament tears, shoulder injuries, severe tennis elbow, posterior shoulder pain, adolescent sports injuries, knee injuries, elbow injuries, and hand injuries. Dr. Plancher completed a fellowship in shoulder and knee reconstruction and sports medicine at The Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado. He also completed a fellowship in hand and microvascular surgery at The Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. That combination means a referral touching both the lower extremity and the hand or wrist can stay within one reconstructive and sports medicine practice instead of splitting across two subspecialists. Patients with a suspected ACL tear, a rotator cuff or labral problem, posterior shoulder pain that has not responded to therapy, or an adolescent athlete with a sports injury are typical referrals. For the condition-by-condition urgency tiers and the findings that should prompt referral, see the clinical guide for referring physicians.
What should I send with the referral?
Send imaging and the treatment history, not only the referral form.
Include any plain films or MRI already obtained, the type and duration of conservative treatment tried, and the specific exam findings that prompted the referral, whether that is joint line tenderness, a positive apprehension test, or a documented loss of grip strength. A short clinical note describing your impression speeds the first visit more than imaging alone. Dr. Plancher's full training background, including both fellowships above, is on his physician profile if that helps confirm fit before you send records.
Is Dr. Plancher accepting new patient referrals?
Yes. Plancher Orthopedics in New York is accepting new patients, and referrals can be sent directly by phone or fax to the office.
Sending the imaging and treatment history described above with the initial referral avoids a second round of requests before the visit can be scheduled.
What can I expect at the initial evaluation?
A focused history and physical exam directed at the problem that prompted the referral, plus review of any imaging already in hand rather than routine repeat imaging.
For knee and shoulder complaints, including ACL tears, shoulder injuries, and posterior shoulder pain, the exam draws on Dr. Plancher's fellowship training in shoulder and knee reconstruction and sports medicine at The Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado. For hand and wrist complaints, the exam draws on his fellowship training in hand and microvascular surgery at The Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. If the clinical picture is still unclear on exam, additional imaging or testing is ordered at that visit rather than deferred to a second appointment. For guidance on what to obtain before sending a patient, and what to hold off on, see the clinical guide on when to refer.
How will I find out what was found and what the plan is?
A consult note goes back to you after the visit, not a generic thank-you letter.
It states the exam findings, the working diagnosis, and the specific plan, whether that is a course of therapy, injection, further imaging, or a surgical discussion, and it answers the question that led you to refer in the first place. If the plan involves a procedure such as arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, total or reverse shoulder replacement, knee replacement, or arthroscopic nerve release for posterior shoulder pain, the note states that plan explicitly so you are not learning about a surgical decision secondhand from the patient.
Does the patient come back to my care, or does Dr. Plancher take over their management?
That depends on the problem, not a fixed rule.
A sports medicine injury, adolescent sports injury, or tennis elbow managed without surgery typically returns to your care once the plan is in place, with the consult note serving as the handoff. A patient proceeding to surgery, whether partial or total knee replacement, shoulder replacement, or an arthroscopic repair of the knee, shoulder, or elbow, stays under Dr. Plancher's care through the procedure and the postoperative course, and you receive an updated note at the point routine follow-up resumes with you. More on Dr. Plancher's training and focus areas is on his physician profile.
This content is educational and is not medical advice.
- Address1160 Park Avenue (corner of 92nd Street)
New York, NY 10128 - Phone(212) 876-5200
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