When to refer
How to refer a patient to Dr. Wodicka.
Referring a patient
About This Referring Guide
Ross Wodicka, MD sees patients at Holy Cross Orthopedic Institute in Fort Lauderdale, with a practice focus in sports medicine, knee, and hip. He completed medical school at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and residency at the University of Miami, then completed fellowship training in sports medicine at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute in Los Angeles. Full training and practice background is on his profile.
His surgical scope includes hip arthroscopy, hip preservation surgery, hip labral repair, knee arthroscopy, ACL reconstruction, cartilage restoration, multiligament knee surgery, hamstring repair, and joint preservation, alongside shoulder arthroscopy, rotator cuff repair, shoulder labrum reconstruction, and shoulder replacement, including reverse total shoulder replacement. For patients whose presentation does not yet warrant surgical referral, he also provides fracture care and image-guided joint injection for the hip and knee, including cortisone injection.
The thresholds below are organized by urgency to help a referring clinician decide whether, and how quickly, a patient's knee, hip, or shoulder problem should move beyond conservative management. Referral logistics, including fax and portal details, are listed on the referring-physician page. Dr. Wodicka is accepting new patients.
At a glance
Which patients should I refer to Ross Wodicka, MD?
Refer any patient with a persistent knee, hip, or shoulder complaint that has not improved with a structured course of conservative care, or with exam or imaging findings that point to a surgical sports-medicine problem.
Dr. Wodicka completed his sports medicine fellowship at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute in Los Angeles, and his practice at Holy Cross Orthopedic Institute centers on knee and hip preservation and reconstruction: ACL and multiligament knee injury, meniscal and cartilage damage, and hamstring tendon tears. He also performs hip preservation surgery, including hip arthroscopy and hip labral repair, for femoroacetabular impingement and labral tears, and treats shoulder instability, rotator cuff tears, and labral injury. If the knee or hip presentation looks like a joint-preservation candidate rather than routine end-stage arthritis, send the referral rather than waiting for further decline. Background on his training and fellowship is on his physician profile.
What should I send with the referral?
Send what you already have: relevant imaging, a summary of conservative treatment tried and its outcome, and a clear statement of why you are referring.
For knee and hip complaints, include weight-bearing X-rays and any MRI already obtained; advanced imaging does not need to be repeated before referral if the clinical picture already supports a sports-medicine evaluation. Include physical therapy notes, injection history, particularly any prior cortisone injection, and documentation of how long the symptoms have been present. If the patient has had prior knee, hip, or shoulder surgery, include the operative report so the review at the first visit starts from the full history rather than repeating it.
How do I refer a patient to Ross Wodicka, MD's office?
Call or fax the office directly, or submit through the online referral form.
Dr. Wodicka's office at Holy Cross Orthopedic Institute in Fort Lauderdale is accepting new patients. Exact phone, fax, and portal details, along with a pre-referral checklist, are listed on the referring-physician page.
What happens at a patient's first visit with Dr. Wodicka?
A focused exam and record review, not a repeat workup.
Dr. Wodicka examines the referred hip or knee complaint, reviews the referral notes and any imaging already sent, and orders additional imaging on site only if what arrives is incomplete. Because the practice is built around sports medicine, hip, and knee care, the exam typically includes functional and activity-specific testing alongside the standard orthopedic exam. The visit closes with a documented assessment and plan, which goes back to the referring office rather than staying only in the chart.
How are exam and imaging findings communicated back to the referring physician?
By a written consult note after every visit, not only at discharge.
Findings, assessment, and the recommended plan are sent to the referring practice following the initial evaluation and again whenever the treatment direction changes, including a decision to proceed to surgery or to continue nonoperative management. If a procedure is performed, such as hip arthroscopy or knee arthroscopy, the operative report is sent as well. Referring physicians who want this correspondence directed to a specific provider in their office should note that on the referral.
Does the patient return to my practice after treatment, or stay under Dr. Wodicka's care?
Most patients return to the referring physician once the treated issue has resolved.
Dr. Wodicka completed fellowship training in sports medicine at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute in Los Angeles (more on his training and background) and continues to see hip and knee sports-medicine patients directly through the recovery milestones tied to the specific procedure performed, for example staged follow-up after ACL reconstruction or hip labral repair. Anything outside that hip, knee, or shoulder sports-medicine scope is returned to the referring physician's care at the first appropriate point, and the record requirements for sending a patient back are listed on the practice's physician referral page.
This guidance supports clinical decision-making between offices and does not replace direct communication between the referring and treating physician.
Ready to talk about your care?
Call the office or request an appointment. Accepting new patients.