Paperwork
For your convenience, patient document forms are here for you to download, print and fill out the information prior to your appointment date. Please fill out in BLACK INK ONLY! Thank You. If you need further assistance or you are unsure of which forms to fill out, please call our Pompano location at 954.941.2679 and ask for assistance.You will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the form properly.
Please fill out the following pages if you are attending an appointment to see the Orthopedic Surgeon. If any assistance is needed, please call 1.800.565.4278.
Motor Vehicle Accident Intake Form
New Patient Intake (Other than Vehicle Accident)
First Visit
X-Rays & MRI'sAny previous X-rays, MRI's or studies must be brought to your first appointment. Please contact any other treating physicians so that they may promptly fax any pertinent medical records to our office before your appointment.
Insurance Information
You also need to bring your insurance information and any appropriate referrals. If you are a new patient filing under Worker's Compensation, please have your adjuster contact our office to set up your appointment.
Canceling or Rescheduling an Appointment
If you are going to cancel or reschedule your appointment with the doctor, you must contact our office 24/hrs in advance. You will be charged if you fail to do so.
Patient Education
Coming SoonFrequently Asked Questions
What is an orthopedic surgeon?An orthopedic surgeon is a medical doctor who has received up to 14 years of education in the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system (bones and joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage).
What is arthroscopic surgery?
Arthroscopic surgery is one of the most common orthopedic procedures performed today. Through the use of small instruments and cameras, an orthopedic surgeon can visualize, diagnose, and treat problems within the joints. One or more small incisions are made around the joint to be viewed. The surgeon inserts an instrument called an arthroscope into the joint. The arthroscope contains a fiber optic light source and small television camera that allows the surgeon to view the joint on a television monitor and diagnose the problem, determine the extent of injury, and make any necessary repairs. Other instruments may be inserted to help view or repair the tissues inside the joint.
What is joint replacement surgery?
Joint replacement surgery is performed to replace an arthritic or damaged joint with a new, artificial joint called a prosthesis. The knee and hip are the most commonly replaced joints, although shoulders, elbows and ankles can also be replaced.
What is the difference between x-rays, MRI, and CT scan?
X-rays are a type of radiation, and when they pass through the body, dense objects such as bone block the radiation and appear white on the x-ray film, while less dense tissues appear gray and are difficult to see. X-rays are typically used to diagnose and assess bone degeneration or disease, fractures and dislocations, infections, or tumors.
Organs and tissues within the body contain magnetic properties. MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, combines a powerful magnet with radio waves (instead of x-rays) and a computer to manipulate these magnetic elements and create highly detailed images of structures in the body. Images are viewed as cross sections or “slices” of the body part being scanned. There is no radiation involved as with x-rays. MRI scans are frequently used to diagnose bone and joint problems.
A computed tomography (CT) scan (also known as CAT scan) is similar to an MRI in the detail and quality of image it produces, yet the CT scan is actually a sophisticated, powerful x-ray that takes 360-degree pictures of internal organs, the spine, and vertebrae. By combining x-rays and a computer, a CT scan, like an MRI, produces cross-sectional views of the body part being scanned. In many cases, a contrast dye is injected into the blood to make the structures more visible. CT scans show the bones of the spine much better than MRI, so they are more useful in diagnosing conditions affecting the vertebrae and other bones of the spine.
What is a tendon? ligament? cartilage?
A tendon is a band of tissue that connects muscle to bone. A ligament is an elastic band of tissue that connects bone to bone and provides stability to the joint. Articular cartilage is a firm padding that lines and protects joints and facilitates movement. It is what you see on the end of the chicken drumstick. The meniscus is a silicone rubber-like cartilage that cushions and helps stabilize the knee joint.
What is a bulging/ruptured/herniated disc?
Between each of the vertebrae is a jelly-like material called the “intervertebral disc”. It is held in place by a thick circular ligament. With excess pressure on the disc, it will sometimes cause a bulge in the annular ligament, putting pressure on the spinal nerve at that level. This is called a “bulging disc”.
What is degenerative disc disease?
Degenerative disc disease is a name given to back pain caused by the degeneration of the intervertebral discs. As we age, the soft disc material becomes hard and dry, losing its cushioning function, and eventually eroding and losing its height. The vertebrae settle down (causing the loss of height of older people), joints don’t align correctly, all of this leading to chronic back and/or neck pain.
What is spinal stenosis?
Arthritic changes can affect the joints of the back and the vertebral bodies themselves, leading to a narrowing of the canal for the spinal cord. This can cause pressure on the spinal cord or the nerve roots.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica refers to irritation of the sciatic nerve, the large nerve which comes from the lumbar spine and runs down the back of the thigh and leg. The source can be from a disc problem or spinal stenosis.
What are the names of insurance companies you accept?
At Orthopedic & Spine Center of South Florida we accept most PPO's. Workers Compensation Patients are also welcomed.