Last updated March 22, 2021:  Learn how UCSF is making surgery safe during COVID-19. Learn more.

Under San Francisco's current health order, all medical services, including routine and preventive care, are considered essential. Please contact us to make a telehealth visit  or an in-person visit. For in-person appointments, all clinical staff – doctors, physician assistants, clinical personnel -- will be wearing both face masks as well as eye shields or face shields for our patients' safety.

The UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery has greatly expanded our previous capabilities to offer patients the option of a Tele-health / Video visit, rather than an ‘in-person’ office visit.  This is to protect the health of our patients, our staff and providers, and the community at large. We can use this option for the following:

• routine clinical follow up visit
• first post-operative visit (at your providers’ discretion)
• follow up to review the results of previously ordered test and or imaging modality
• new patient consultation

Here are the instructions to set up your device for Video visits.

Or please download our UCSF Orthopaedics Zoom Telehealth guide (PDF) for using the Zoom app or calling from a phone (no video or app required).

We are currently contacting all patients to ask if you are willing and able to switch from an ‘in-person’ office visit to a Tele-health / Video visit.

We recognize that not everyone has the ability to use this technology. For those that cannot, we will assess with you the urgency of this scheduled visit to decide whether to reschedule to a later date, or whether you should come into the office as scheduled.

If you are scheduled for a Tele-health / Video visit, it will proceed similarly to an outpatient clinic appointment. You will be given a specific date and time when you will meet with you your Provider. Shortly before your scheduled appointment, you will be called by a Medical Assistant or Athletic Trainer who will welcome you to the visit and ask you several health related questions, such as your current medications and your current pain level. Then you will be ‘roomed’ in the ‘virtual waiting room’ where you will wait until the Provider comes on the line.

To facilitate your appointment, we will may ask that you obtain X-rays, so that they will be available for review during your appointment. You should be called in the week(s) prior to the appointment to determine whether you already have X-rays, which can be uploaded into our system, or whether you need new ones, in which case we will help place an order for the appropriate X-rays which can be completed at a local imaging center of your choice.