In this episode, Scott sits down with Dr. Rick Angelo, a retired private practice orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist out in Seattle, Washington. Here, they discuss the breadth of his career, the incredible mentors he was able to work under, his legacy in professional education, his involvement in the Arthroscopy Association of North America, his passion for AI in the orthopedic space, and more.
Dr. Gerhardt is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon who joined Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group in 2002. He specializes in sports medicine, which includes arthroscopic surgery of the hip, knee, ankle and shoulder. Dr. Gerhardt has also completed sub-specialty training in hip arthroscopy, and is considered one of the leading physicians in the country in this arena. He has extensive experience in cutting edge, minimally invasive techniques for treating a wide spectrum of hip injuries.
Topics include:
-The influence of his father, who was an engineer, and tinkering with tools to guide him into the path of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
-Dr. Gerhardt grew up in California and earned his undergraduate degree from UC San Diego. He attended medical school at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and then completed his orthopedic surgical residency at the University of Southern California where he served as Chief Resident of his class. He then began a Sports Medicine Fellowship at Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group. After fellowship he sought further training in hip arthroscopy with Dr. Thomas Byrd at the Nashville Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Clinic. Upon completion of his training he joined the Santa Monica and Sports Medicine Group and has remained there since.
-We hear from Dr. Gerhardt about what’s new and exciting upcoming in hip arthroscopy.
-Dr. Gerhardt discusses his passion as the head team physician LA Galaxy and Federation for Men’s U.S. Soccer. He also talks about how he was the physician for the TV show Dancing with the Stars. There’s a reason his website is losangelessportssurgeon.com.
Dr. Jacob Kirsch is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder and elbow and is an attending physician at New England Baptist Hospital. He is particularly interested in complex problems of the shoulder requiring shoulder replacement, sports related injuries, shoulder instability with bone loss, irreparable tendon tears and failed previous surgery. Dr. Kirsch is going into his third year in practice and already has 54 publications and 14 book chapters.
Topics include:
-Dr. Kirsch completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Michigan, where he was awarded a resident teaching award for his dedication to educating his peers. While at Michigan, he also served as a team physician for the University of Michigan Men’s Basketball team for several years. He’s a Wolverine now proudly wearing Michigan sports gear.
-Dr. Kirsch also received advanced international training in shoulder surgery from world-renowned experts in Lyon, France. Dr. Kirsch then completed a fellowship in shoulder and elbow reconstruction at the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
-He gives advice for orthopedic surgeons going into practice and what’s important to look for as you’re starting your career. Dr. Kirsch also discusses the importance of social media, networking, building your brand and joining societies and committees to be successful in your practice.
-Dr. Kirsch also discusses the importance of evidence-based medicine, as seen in his massive number of publications in his short career.
Jamie Rindler is the Founder & CEO of Marvel Group. He helps private practice Spine Surgeons attract more ideal patients and referral sources through their exclusive surgical outcome patient warranty.
Marvel Group was founded in 2015 with a simple mission: to protect and empower patients, surgeons, and team members by providing resources that improve spine surgery. They do this to serve patients, not the system. They have grown into one of the most talked-about value added spine device companies in the country, thanks to their innovative programs, products and dedication to customer service.
Topics include:
-Jamie grew up in Dayton, OH and is a graduate of The Ohio State University. He discusses the importance of family, having 6 kids, and the family influence in launching the Marvel Group. He discusses how he came up with the idea of Marvel Group after a personal back surgery experience with financial risk.
-We hear about Marvel Group’s unique marketing initiatives with a surgical outcome patient warranty and how Jamie developed this novel idea in the orthopedic industry. He details how he originally started an insurance company to help bring into the fold of Marvel Group to help support initiatives.
-Marvel Group’s Surgical Stewardship program incentivizes surgeons, treatment facilities, insurance companies and medical device manufacturers to align themselves around producing the best possible outcome for the patient. It’s made possible by providing the patient a refund if a re-operation is needed called the Patient Promise.
-Independent spine surgeons and their facilities have found that patients will seek out the surgeon who offers the Patient Promise because it’s reassuring to know that the surgical team stands behind their work with a money back guarantee. By partnering with Marvel Group, surgeons can focus more on providing high quality patient care and less about growing their businesses.
This episode is brought to you by Koha Health. At Koha Health, their goal is empowering your practice to achieve total financial health.
We have on one of the great leaders in orthopedics for this episode who trained some of the best “who’s who” sports medicine fellows. Dr. Russell Warren joined the Hospital for Special Surgery on January 1, 1977 and served as surgeon-in-chief from 1993 to 2003. Dr. Warren is the also the emeritus team physician for the New York Giants football team.
Topics include:
-After receiving his medical degree from the State University of New York at Syracuse in 1966, he completed a 1-year surgical residency at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York and went on to serve as a Lt. Commander for the U.S. Navy during Vietnam. For his service, Dr. Warren received the U.S. Navy Medal of Commendation in 1969.
-He discusses the evolution of Hospital of Special Surgery during his tenure. When he started, they did about 6,000 cases per year and now up over 35,000 surgeries per year.
-Dr. Warren talks about his role as a Board Member at American Orthopedic Partners, a private equity platform.
Joaquin Sanchez-Sotelo, M.D., Ph.D., is a Mayo Clinic physician-scientist who has several areas of interest in orthopedic research. His research interests include surgical conditions affecting the shoulder and elbow joints, the application of artificial intelligence to shoulder and elbow surgery, and strategies in individualized medicine.
-Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo was born in Madrid, Spain. It’s in the family business with his father being an orthopedic surgeon. It was in his blood to go into orthopedics.
-We hear about his path in getting a fellowship at Mayo Clinic after Madrid. It’s our first guest who has received his acceptance for a fellowship through a telegram. He is still at the Mayo Clinic and a lifer there.
-What’s it like working at the Mayo Clinic? It’s non-profit organization run by physicians. Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo says no one really chooses to live in Rochester, Minnesota unless you love Mayo and are centered around patient care.
-Robots are finally coming to the shoulder! This is Dr. Sanchez-Sotelo’s passion and says robots will provide accuracy, precision and improve outcomes for patients.
This episode is brought to you by TrackableMed, the place to go to help grow your new patient base.
Zed Williamson is the Founder/CEO of TrackableMed. After spending years in advertising, Zed Williamson founded TrackableMed in 2011, a patient demand acceleration program platform rooted in neuroscience. TrackableMed’s focus is on results and defined as booked patient appointments for specialty medical practices.
Topics include:
-Why did he create TrackableMed? He was a part of the advertising world and not fond of the industry. TrackableMed is built on results and defined as something you can deposit into a bank account.
-How does TrackableMed work? It’s a highly innovative business focused on the biases and heuristics of human behavior helping private practices create patient demand to their therapies. They attract potential patients by connective specifically with their pain.
-What you need to think about as a physician when setting up a meeting with TrackableMed? To start with:
-What is your goal?
-What is success to you?
-Who do you want to focus on from a patient profile to come through the door?
This episode is brought to you by Koha Health. At Koha Health, their goal is empowering your practice to achieve total financial health.
Dr. Jason Scopp is a sports medicine, orthopedic surgeon at Peninsula Orthopaedic Associates in Salisbury, MD. A lifelong athlete himself, Dr. Scopp has been team physician for the United States Soccer Team, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Salisbury University, and the Delmarva Shorebirds (a Baltimore Orioles organization), among others. He’s a pioneer in the field of cartilage restoration, a procedure for joint pain available in only a handful of medical centers across the country. In addition to his biotechnology research on joint preservation, Dr. Scopp specializes in the treatment and prevention of sports-related injuries. He is an internationally featured speaker on the topics of joint preservation, cartilage defects and restorative treatment options.
Topics include:
-He has kindergarten drawings showing him wanting to be a doctor when he grew up. He wins on the show for the youngest age knowing when he’s wanted to be a doctor!
-Born and raised in Malibu and Santa Monica, he went to the east coast for schooling. He wanted to experience seasons outside of California to check out what it was like outside of 72 degrees and sunny. Dr. Scopp received his medical degree from the Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. His residency in orthopaedic surgery was completed at University of Maryland Medical Systems, and he completed his fellowship in sports medicine, arthroscopy, and articular cartilage restoration back on the west coast at the Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group in California. He is now on the opposite coast living near Ocean City, MD.
-Dr. Scopp offers sage advice for those in a private practice and being able to build a reputation as being a thought-leader in orthopedics.
This episode is brought to you by Koha Health. At Koha Health, their goal is empowering your practice to achieve total financial health.
Dr. David Flanigan is a sports medicine, orthopedic surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. He is the Director of the Cartilage Restoration Program and is the Ohio State Department of Athletics Team Physician. When it comes to the knee, he’s your guy!
Topics include:
-Dr. Flanigan is a born and bred Midwesterner growing up outside of Chicago. He discusses growing up in a family with a hard work ethic and working towards the American dream, like his grandfather did as an immigrant from Sweden.
-We hear about his position as the Director of Ohio State Cartilage Restoration Program and what is new in cartilage now.
-Dr. Flanigan is a member of the Multi-center Orthopedic Outcomes Network (MOON) group. It’s an amazing large network of physicians and pioneers across the U.S. gathering information on ACL reconstruction.
-We also discuss the Moximed MISHA Knee System, which is an implantable shock absorber designed to unload the knee. Find out more about the knee system here.
This episode is brought to you by Koha Health. At Koha Health, their goal is empowering your practice to achieve total financial health.
Dr. Sara L. Edwards is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in caring for patients with shoulder, elbow and knee injuries at UCSF Health. She provides surgical treatment for shoulder arthritis, including complex shoulder arthroplasty (reconstruction or replacement of the joint) and revisions. She also cares for patients of all ages with sports-related injuries. She treats athletes at all levels, from recreational to elite. Dr. Edwards is also a team doctor for City College of San Francisco, the University of San Francisco and the Oakland Ballet.
Topics include:
-It’s indeed a small world! Scott Sigman MD‘s father and her father were chemical engineer’s in Decatur, IL
-A traumatic car accident in senior year of high school influenced her in going into the medical field
-Being a part of the 6% of women in orthopedics
-At Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Edwards earned her medical degree and completed a residency in orthopedic surgery, serving as chief resident. She then completed a sports medicine fellowship in orthopedic surgery at Columbia University, where she served as the Charles S. Neer MD Shoulder and Elbow Fellow
-Family is important to Dr. Edwards and the reason she went into practice in a few locations across the U.S. We hear about how she went into private practice in Oakland for a few years, then returned to her alma mater as team physician for Northwestern University and how she made her way to UCSF.
Dr James Gladstone is the Chief of the Sports Medicine Service and Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He is the leading expert in the treatment of sports injuries, in particular, those of the knee and shoulder.
Topics include:
Both of his parents were U.S. citizens, yet he was born in Geneva, Switzerland. His father was an international diplomat and we hear about how he grew up in Switzerland, as well as the move back to the U.S. as an adult.
Dr. Gladstone graduated from Dartmouth College and Tufts University School of Medicine. He did his Orthopedic residency at the New York Orthopaedic Hospital of Columbia Presbyterian’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. He also completed a Sports Medicine fellowship at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Alabama under Drs. James Andrews and William Clancy. Following fellowship, he joined the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Mount Sinai where he helped develop the Division of Sports Medicine and has stayed at the forefront of his field teaching medical students, residents, and fellows.
Topics include:
-He has a unique path in becoming a doctor, especially since he hated seeing blood as a child.
-How he started his practice in NYC as a small fish in the big sea. He hit the pavement and said it normally takes 5-7 years to build a practice. However, in NYC it normally takes 20 years to build your orthopedic practice and need grit to stick with it.
-Find out what’s exciting him in sports medicine now.
-We hear about what he would tell his young self about his future and where he’d be today.
This episode is brought to you by Prescribe FIT, extending orthopedic care beyond the office to transform patient lifestyles.
Dr. Peter H. Edwards, Jr. is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with a fellowship-trained specialty in Sports Medicine practicing at Orthopedic One in Columbus, Ohio. His practice has an emphasis on arthroscopic surgery of the knee and sports injuries of the lower extremity.
A Columbus native, Dr. Edwards received numerous academic honors while attending medical school at the Ohio State University. He then completed fellowship training in sports medicine, arthroscopic knee surgery, as well as foot and ankle surgery.
Topics include:
-Why he completed dual fellowship’s in both sports medicine and foot and ankle.
-How he’s served as team physician for the Columbus Crew since their inception in 1996 until stepping into his present role as a member of the new Columbus Crew ownership group. He bleeds black and gold for this soccer team.
-How he utilizes the innovation and technology of Prescribe FIT. It is a full-service remote patient monitoring and virtual lifestyle health solution designed specifically for orthopedic practices to improve patients’ musculoskeletal (MSK) health. It’s a managed program that includes home exercises, nutrition advice, and small lifestyle changes specific to each patient’s needs. Patients have access to health coaches, access to a mobile app, and Bluetooth scale to aid in their MSK health. In addition, it’s an ancillary revenue stream for physicians monitoring for these services while improving patient’s life through weight loss.
This episode is brought to you by TrackableMed, the place to go to help grow your new patient base.
This episode is also brought to you by Thompson Surgical Instruments, Inc., who are celebrating over 55 years as a leader in exposure and the original manufacturer of the table-mounted retractor.
Dr. Matthew Provencher, MD, CAPT MC USNR (Ret.) is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in complex shoulder, complex knee and sports medicine at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, CO. He has over 20 years of clinical orthopedic experience and surgical care of civilian patients and the United States Navy’s special operations force (Navy SEALs). Dr. Provencher is the Principal Investigator at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute focused on improvement in patient care. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles, authored 5 textbooks and 148 book chapters. Dr. Provencher is one of the most influential orthopedic surgeons in the country.
Topics include: -Dr. Provencher is a native of Barrington, New Hampshire. We hear about growing up in a small town and the influence it had on him.
-He discusses his time at the United States Naval Academy with a Major in Electrical Engineering. Dr. Provencher was also a 4-year varsity oarsman, First-Team All-American at Navy and named Most Valuable Oarsman. He completed his medical education at Dartmouth Medical School and went into orthopedics, like many others, after having an injury.
-We hear about his path with Orthopaedic Surgery residency at the Naval Medical Center San Diego and his Orthopaedic Shoulder, Knee and Sports Surgery Fellowship at Rush University.
-Dr. Provencher discusses retirement in the Navy after 27 years, including rescheduling it 3 times due to Covid.
-He was a recent recipient with the AOSSM Red Jacket award. This competition celebrates AOSSM luminaries as they present an innovation or technology that has provided high-end and far-reaching impact to their patients.
This episode is brought to you by TrackableMed, the place to go to help grow your new patient base.
This episode is also brought to you by Thompson Surgical Instruments, Inc., who are celebrating over 55 years as a leader in exposure and the original manufacturer of the table-mounted retractor.
Dr. Rachel Frank is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist who focuses on the surgical and non-surgical management of knee, shoulder, and elbow injuries. She practices at University of Colorado Sports Medicine and has specialized training and technical expertise in the areas of advanced knee and shoulder arthroscopy, cartilage/meniscus restoration surgery, shoulder instability surgery, and care of the female athlete.
Topics include:
-We hear about how personal injuries influenced her decision to become an orthopedic surgeon. She discusses earning her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois while playing 4 years of Division I Soccer, with majors in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Spanish, and her medical degree (MD) at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She then completed her Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at the renowned Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, where she was a Chief Resident. Dr. Frank then completed a Sports Medicine and Shoulder Fellowship at Rush University Medical Center and spent a 3-month traveling fellowship in Toronto and Europe with phenomenal surgeons to bring back specialities to start her practice at University of Colorado.
-Dr. Frank is passionate about orthobiologics and discusses how she utilizes it in her practice to improve patient’s function through the minimally invasive approach.
-We hear about how she addresses the care of the female athlete and the importance biologically to treat female athletes differently.
-Amazing advice for those considering going into orthopedics
This episode is brought to you Thompson Surgical, who are celebrating over 55 years as a leader in exposure and the original manufacturer of the table-mounted retractor.
This episode is also brought to you by TrackableMed. Check out TrackableMed to help you grow your new patient base.
Dr. Amar Ranawat is an orthopedic surgeon at HSS specializing in total hip and total knee replacement, revision total hip and total knee replacement, and periprosthetic fractures.
Born in New York City, he received his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College in 1996 before completing an internship at The New York Hospital and a residency at Hospital for Special Surgery. In 2002, he completed his fellowship training in adult reconstruction under the direction of his father Dr. Chitranjan S. Ranawat. We hear about his family influence in becoming an orthopedic surgeon, including his brother who is also an orthopedic surgeon.
Topics include: -How the 9/11 attacks led him to join the Navy and their Marine unit. Dr. Ranawat received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in 2007 for performing emergency limb saving surgery on a Marine during exercises in Tan Tan, Morocco
-We hear about the importance of resident education, fellow education and research at HSS and how he also balances being President of the Eastern Orthopaedic Association.
-Dr. Ranawat discusses his passion for family and traditions in hunting and fishing.
This episode is brought to you by TrackableMed, grow your new patients.
Dr. Seth L. Sherman is a third-generation team physician and surgeon. He is board certified and fellowship trained in Sports Medicine. Dr. Sherman serves as Orthopedic Surgeon for Stanford Cardinal Football and as the Sports Medicine fellowship director at Stanford Sports Medicine and Joint Preservation.
Topics include:
-Dr. Sherman grew up on the rock of Staten Island and is in his blood to be an orthopedic surgeon. His grandfather was a general surgeon and took care of all the team’s in Brooklyn for 60 years. In addition, his father was the first fellow at Hospital for Special Surgery or as the Sherman family calls it, the Hospital of Surgeon’s Sons. You will hear about his humble upbringing with the heavy influence of surgeon’s in his family.
-We hear about his passion with social media and how it helps him grow his network both nationally and internationally.
-Dr. Sherman provides advice for young orthopedists to find mentors to give practical advice early in their career. He says don’t be afraid to talk to veteran orthopedic surgeons to learn from their expertise.
This episode is brought to you by Thompson Surgical, who are celebrating over 55 years as a leader in exposure and the original manufacturer of the table-mounted retractor.
This episode is also brought to you by TrackableMed, grow your new patients.
Dr. Christopher Dougherty, orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, joins for this episode. He’s been in practice for 20 years and is at the Agility Center Orthopedics in Bentonville, AR. Dr. Dougherty has pioneered surgical procedures that have been adopted world-wide, as well as developed the most advanced rehab protocols in the state. His numerous patents and published articles aid surgeons around the world to perform advanced surgeries for their own patients.
Topics include:
-He was born and bred in Missouri. He discusses his experience as the Team Physician for the Kansas City Royals and Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
-He’s at the forefront of innovation in sports medicine and an early adopter in sports medicine technology with Miach Orthopaedics BEAR® implant and Biorez’s BioBrace™ “Tendon in a Bag” implant. Dr. Dougherty discusses scenarios, challenges and outcomes with utilizing these new innovations.
-Dr. Dougherty is a lead physician at OrthoLazer’s location in Bentonville. We hear about what piqued his interest in opening this facility.
Find out more about Dr. Christopher Dougherty here.
This episode is brought to you by Heron Therapeutics. Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning or visit www.ZYNRELEF.com.
This episode is also brought to you by TrackableMed, grow your new patients.
We have the one and only Dr. Brian Cole for this episode. Dr. Brian Cole is an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and a Professor of Orthopaedics, Anatomy and Cell Biology at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Cole is Managing Partner of Midwest Orthopaedics and is the Department’s Associate Chairman and the Section Head of the Cartilage Research and Restoration Center.
He’s one of the most prolific and most influential sports medicine surgeons in the world. Dr. Cole is the head team physician for the Chicago Bulls and co-team physician for the Chicago White Sox. He’s a member of every society for sports medicine orthopedics with a vast history of experience with a passion for education. This is one you’re going to enjoy!
Topics include: -He discusses what made him decide to become a physician and the influence going into orthopedics, including residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery at Cornell Medical Center, and a Sports Medicine fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Cole talks about how he made his way back to Chicago after fellowship at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and helping to build the cartilage restoration program.
-He talks about the “private-demic” model of Rush, running it as a private practice with the benefits of being in the academic world. It’s a private independent practice that fosters entrepreneurialism.
-Dr. Cole has a passion for fellowships and can hear his devotion for the importance of mentorships. He discusses how it’s essential to positively influence the next generation through fellowships.
-We also hear about what is his work//life balance like with all of his responsibilities.
ZYNRELEF utilizes a novel synergistic mechanism of action that combines bupivacaine with a low dose of meloxicam to overcome the challenges of the inflammatory process at the surgical site. ZYNRELEF is the first and only extended-release dual-acting local anesthetic™ (DALA™) and delivers 72 hours of postoperative pain relief via a single needle-free application. It has been clinically proven to better manage pain than standard of care bupivacaine HCl solution over 72 hours and to significantly reduce opioid utilization following surgery.
-ZYNRELEF was initially approved by the FDA in May 2021 and in December 2021, the FDA approved an expansion of ZYNRELEF’s indication.
-Limitations of Use: Safety and efficacy have not been established in highly vascular surgeries, such as intrathoracic, large multilevel spinal, and head and neck procedures.
WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS CARDIOVASCULAR AND GASTROINTESTINAL EVENTS
See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause an increased risk of serious cardiovascular thrombotic events, including myocardial infarction and stroke, which can be fatal. This risk may occur early in treatment and may increase with duration of use
• ZYNRELEF is contraindicated in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
• NSAIDs cause an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal. These events can occur at any time during use and without warning symptoms. Elderly patients and patients with a prior history of peptic ulcer disease and/or GI bleeding are at greater risk for serious GI events
ZYNRELEF is contraindicated for:
• Patients with a known hypersensitivity (e.g., anaphylactic reactions and serious skin reactions) to any local anesthetic agent of the amide-type, NSAIDs, or to any of the other components of ZYNRELEF OR history of asthma, urticaria, or other allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs. Severe, sometimes fatal, anaphylactic reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients
• Patients undergoing obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia OR coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS include –
Cardiovascular (CV) Thrombotic Events with NSAID Use; Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Ulceration, and Perforation with NSAID Use; Dose-Related Toxicity; Risk of Use in Patients with Impaired Cardiovascular Function; Hepatotoxicity; Hypertension; Heart Failure and Edema; Renal Toxicity and Hyperkalemia; Anaphylactic Reactions; Chondrolysis; Methemoglobinemia; Exacerbation of Asthma Related to Aspirin Sensitivity; Serious Skin Reactions; Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS); Hematologic Toxicity; Masking of Inflammation and Fever.
This episode is brought to you by TrackableMed. Find out more about TrackableMed here.
Brian Hodorek is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ignite Orthopedics and joins us for his great entrepreneur story. At 37 years old with his friend, they broke away from their career to start their own orthopedic implant company. He goes through the process of starting this company with his partner, the formation of the surgeon advisory board and going through the process of getting the business off the ground.
Brian’s background includes being in the orthopedic industry since 2001, with experience in R&D including Product Development Engineer, Group Manager, and Director of R&D for large and mid-size companies. Brian has focused on Upper Extremity for most of his career with a majority of work concentrated on shoulder and elbow arthroplasty.
Topics include:
-Find out why Warsaw, Indiana is important in the orthopedic implant world.
-Why Brian decided at the age of 37 to put it all on the table, take a risk and start a new company.
-How the team decided to choose their orthopedic surgeon design team to help validate their products and ideas.
-Their first product launch through DePuy Synthes with the Inhance™ Shoulder System, a First-to-Market, Fully Integrated Shoulder Arthroplasty System.
-Advice for those who are considering orthopreneurship.
This episode is brought to you by TrackableMed. To find out more about TrackableMed, go to https://www.trackablemed.com/.
This is a fantastic episode with Dr. Michael Ast, who has amazing energy and an infectious personality, you can’t help but listen to what he has to say.
Dr. Michael P. Ast is an Orthopedic Surgeon and Chief Medical Innovation Officer at HSS focusing on rapid-recovery, short-stay and outpatient joint replacement surgery including primary, complex and revision total joint replacement. His training includes minimally invasive hip and knee replacement, partial knee replacement, robotic surgery and computer assisted surgery.
Topics include:
-He was born and raised on blue-collar Staten island. He was a gymnast, starting at 5 years old, and attended a Division I school at Temple University. It was in his time in gymnastics when he decided to become an orthopedic surgeon. He was accepted into medical school right out of high school and was part of a 7-year program. He completed his Medical Degree at Temple University School of Medicine and returned to New York for his residency training in orthopedic surgery at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical Center and a fellowship in Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement surgery at HSS. Before returning to HSS, he previously developed and directed one of the largest and most successful outpatient joint replacement programs in the northeast.
-Dr. Ast says life is all about relationships. Don’t be afraid to network and meet people. Learn from mentors in the community and do behind-the-scenes things to elevate your game.
-How did he make the decision to go back to NYC? He initially thought they were kidding when they asked him to join HSS. Joking aside, Dr. Ast stayed in touch with his mentors to make the connection to get him back to NYC. Tune-in to hear how he was able to build his patient base after feeling like a ” teeny-tiny fish in the largest pond in the universe.”
-Dr. Ast describes his role as the Chief Medical Innovation Officer at HSS. Dr. Ast helps surgeons, who are by nature innovative, harness their ideas and figure out how to get it across the finish line to improve patient care. He describes “inside-out and outside-in” with homegrown innovation or inversely, someone bringing an idea to HSS to help get it to market.
-He closes out the interview with great advice to listeners thinking about innovation. For any back of a napkin ideas, snap pictures on your phone since it has timestamp.
