Shoulder Service

COVID-19 UPDATE

To comply with current federal and state regulations regarding COVID-19, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery has canceled all clinics and canceled all surgeries except those deemed urgent.

The Shoulder Service has halted non-urgent in-person visits and converted all visits where possible to virtual visits or phone calls. We will continue to care for our patients with urgent issues in person. All patients will be screened on the phone and upon entering clinics for cough, shortness of breath, fever, and nausea/vomiting/diarrhea. Providers will then determine the best course of action for patients who present with COVID-19 symptoms.

All patients (new or established) can make a virtual visit appointment or phone call with our providers. Call 617-724-7300 if you would like an appointment, if your call is not answered, please leave a message with the answering service, and one of our administrative assistants will be in touch.

New patients must register (1-866-211-6588) before an any appointment can be made. And you must enroll in Patient Gateway in order to have a virtual visit.

We want you to know that your Shoulder providers and their staff remain with you and your family during this COVID-19 emergency. We are all available to answer/address any concerns you may have.

Unfortunately, we do not know when hospital operations will return to normal to reschedule postponed surgeries and clinic visits. We will notify you as soon as possible. Until then follow federal, state and CDC guidelines. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we all proceed together through this COVID-19 situation.

Treating the Whole Person, Not Just the Shoulder

Our focus is on helping each person overcome a condition that has altered his or her quality of life. Our approach to managing patient care includes:

• Thoroughly evaluating each patient and his or her symptoms
• Determining the patient's normal shoulder function
• Diagnosing the patient's condition
• Discussing the expected outcome
• Developing a comprehensive care plan tailored to the patient's needs
• Carefully considering the impact of the shoulder problem and its treatment on the patient’s overall health and expectations for recovery

Making an appointment is easy. Patients seeking initial consultations usually see one of our specialists within two weeks. If your condition is acute, you may be admitted to the hospital and scheduled to begin therapy or have surgery the following day.

Follow-up visits are scheduled to manage the patient's recovery. We also enter treatment information into our patient database, which allows us to analyze outcomes and gives patients and referring physicians complete and up-to-date information about their care. Our goal is to help all of our patients resume healthy and productive lives.

A Recognized Leader in Research & Academic Medicine

Our world-class shoulder specialists also are leaders in clinical and basic science research. By relentlessly pursuing innovation, we can offer novel techniques and advanced therapies that improve patient care.

Our surgeons have developed three-dimensional imaging that compares the anatomy and function of repaired shoulders with normally functioning shoulders. This advancement has led to new treatments that more closely replicate normally functioning shoulders, often providing patients with better long-term results.

The Shoulder Service's research focuses on improving conventional techniques for shoulder replacements, rotator cuff repairs, shoulder dislocations and other disorders. One of the most promising breakthroughs our research team has helped to develop is a reverse prosthesis. This novel device is used to treat patients lacking intact rotator cuffs or with bones and tendons damaged during previous surgeries, conditions that once were considered difficult to treat.

Our international reputation as a leading academic medical center also benefits our patients. Working closely with our physicians, our talented postgraduate fellows are highly qualified, board-certified surgeons who evaluate and diagnose patients and assist our shoulder specialists during surgery.