What to Expect at Your First Appointment at the Hand and Upper Extremity Center

At the Hand and Upper Extremity Center, we are here to provide your child the expert care they need with kindness and compassion. We will take the time to explain everything, so you can feel comfortable with any next steps.

Making an Appointment at the Hand and Upper Extremity Center

You can self-refer your child to our clinic by contacting centralized scheduling or contacting our clinic. You also can get a referral from your child’s pediatrician, our inpatient department upon discharge or an emergency department. 

The Hand and Upper Extremity Center offers care at Cincinnati Children’s Burnet Campus and select neighborhood locations. Before your appointment, our team will review your child’s information to ensure they are in the appropriate clinic based on their diagnosis, timing and needs.

Before Your Appointment

If we need to obtain previous test results or medical records before the appointment, a member of our team may call you. This phone call is also your opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your upcoming appointment. If you want us to see images from a clinic outside Cincinnati Children’s, you may need to sign a release allowing that facility to share them with us electronically. Or, you could ask for the images to be loaded onto a disc, which you can either mail to us or bring to your first visit.

In some cases, we may contact you to make sure your child follows eating or drinking restrictions prior to certain planned tests and/or procedures.

On the Day of Your Visit at the Hand and Upper Extremity Center

Arriving At Your Appointment

You should arrive at your appointment 10 to 15 minutes ahead of time. If you are seeing a provider at the Burnet Campus, allow about 30 minutes to give yourself time to park and walk into the clinic. Please contact us if you’re running late.

Your child should wear a T-shirt, tank top or sports bra so our provider will be able to fully examine their arm. You will want to bring along your insurance card and any medical records or images that we don’t have already.

At Your Appointment

Once we complete your child’s intake assessment, this first appointment is relatively short. The visit is a chance for you and your child to meet your medical provider, and allow the provider time to assess the injury, develop a treatment plan, provide time-sensitive treatment, and initiate or complete patient education.

During the appointment, your child will see a medical provider (doctor, physician assistant or nurse practitioner), nurse and medical assistant. Depending on the situation, they also may see an occupational therapist or an orthopaedic technician. Because Cincinnati Children’s is a teaching hospital, a medical student or fellow may evaluate your child in addition to their main provider.

After Your Visit to the Hand and Upper Extremity Center

You will receive an “After Visit Summary” at the end of your appointment. It will include important details about upcoming appointments, test results, referrals to specialists and all medications (including new prescriptions). It also will include contact information for your child’s care team.

Depending on your child’s treatment plan, you may need to schedule a follow-up appointment, further testing, outpatient therapy or surgery.