by

Jennifer L. Cook, M.D.

Florida Joint Care Institute
What time do you get up?
Monday

6:30 AM
What is the first thing you do in the morning?
Monday

SNOOZE!
Monday
Head to the hospital for rounds at 7:30 AM
See and examine all patients
Review labs
Review X-rays
See any new consults
Monday
PA, physician assistant accompanies me on these
rounds
Writes a clinical note in computer which I cosign
Monday
7:50 AM clinic starts
Last patient at 3:50 PM
Typically see 45 patients a day
6 patients an hour
Monday
Fractures
Sports medicine
Arthroscopy knee
Arthroscopy shoulder
Joint reconstruction
Knees
Hips
Shoulders
Monday
New patient
Takes longer
Needs x-rays
Complete history and physical exam
EMR documentation
Medical assistant and x-ray technician help
Monday
Follow up
Post surgical
Cast check
After injections/therapy
Monday
Meetings
Home by 5 PM
Tuesday
Up at 6:15 A.M.
At hospital by 7 A.M.
Tuesday

Surgery!!!!!!
Tuesday
2 Operating rooms
Flip back and forth
In-patient surgeries
TKR
THR
TSR
Most fractures
Ill patients
Tuesday
3-8 surgeries per day
Can be done by noon or rarely 7 P.M., usually around 4
P.M.
Lunch between cases
Post-op orders
Talk to families
Mark site
Tuesday
Many preparations to have a successful surgical day
Patient is safe for surgery no infection, medically
cleared, NPO
X-rays reviewed discussion with vendor about
instruments
Discussion w/ anesthesia re special circumstances,
length of case
Tuesday
Post-op Rounds
Review X-rays
Examine patient and talk to families
Communicate with nurses
Wednesday

6:30 AM
Wednesday

Surgery!!!!!!!
Wednesday
Outpatient surgery Surgery Center
Day surgeries
Knee arthroscopy ACL, meniscus
Shoulder arthroscopy Rotator cuff, impingement,
labral tear
Fractures wrist
Shorter, less involved surgery, medically safe patients
Wednesday
Still need to prepare for surgery
Discussion with surgery center, reps
Review labs/films
Patients may need medical clearance
Wednesday
3-8 surgeries
Mark site
Time out
Dictate operative note, write post-op orders
Talk to family
Examine patient prior to discharge
Discharge with instruction sheet
Wednesday

www.drjennifercook.com

Post op Protocols
PT guidelines
Bio
Wednesday
Head back to hospital to round on patients, see new
consults
Go to office to do paperwork, billing, go through inbox
Thursday

6:30 A.M.
Thursday
Hospital rounds at 7:30 A.M.
Clinic starts at 7:50 A.M.
Same clinical schedule
Friday

Catch up Day!
Friday
Hospital rounds at 7:30 (or later)
Surgery
Clinic
Paper work/return phone calls
Meetings
PT
Home Health Care
Office Admin
Partners
Hospital
Weekend
Practice call
Emergent surgeries referred to practice
Evaluate ER/floor patients referred to practice
Rounds
Weekend
ER Call
5 days a month
All traumas/infections/orthopaedic issues that come
into hospital
Must be in town and available via cell phone at all times
Rare to have to go in (3-5x/year)
Summary
Busy schedule
Work as much as you want
2 weeks of vacation year
Conferences
WOGO charity work
Outreach work
Plenty of time for family, friends, hobbies