For referring physicians
How to refer a patient to Dr. Ast.
Referring a patient
Michael Ast, MD, treats adult patients for knee and hip reconstruction in Paramus, with a background in sports medicine that shapes how he evaluates the physically active patient whose joint has outpaced their activity level. He earned his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine, completed orthopedic surgery residency at North Shore-LIJ Health System, and trained in adult reconstruction and joint replacement surgery during fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery, where the emphasis was on restoring joint function for patients who intend to stay active rather than simply get by.
His surgical practice includes computer-assisted and robotic-assisted partial and total knee replacement, robotic-assisted total hip replacement, and minimally invasive hip and knee replacement, spanning primary, complex, and revision cases. For a referring physician whose patient has exhausted conservative management and still expects to return to sport or sustained activity, that combination of sports-medicine orientation and HSS-trained reconstructive technique is the relevant distinction from a general joint-replacement referral.
Read more about his training and clinical background, or review the practice's criteria for when to refer before sending a patient.
Dr. Ast is accepting new patients at the Paramus practice.
At a glance
Which patients should I refer to Dr. Ast?
Patients with hip or knee pain unresponsive to nonsurgical treatment, and patients already being considered for joint replacement, are appropriate referrals.
Dr. Ast's practice centers on partial and total knee replacement, hip replacement, and the revision and complex reconstruction cases that follow a prior joint replacement, including computer-assisted and robotic-assisted techniques for primary and partial procedures. His training started in sports medicine, and that background still shapes how he sorts younger or athletic patients: a meniscal tear or ligament injury can present like early arthritis, and telling the two apart is often what decides between joint-preserving treatment and replacement. He completed his fellowship in adult reconstruction and joint replacement surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery; his training and clinical background is detailed if it helps frame a referral.
What should I include with a referral?
Send imaging and treatment history, not just a diagnosis.
Weight-bearing X-rays of the affected hip or knee, a summary of the nonsurgical treatments already tried and how long each was given, and any prior surgical history on that joint let the visit start further along than a first consultation would. For a younger patient with a suspected ligament or meniscal injury, a prior MRI is useful if one exists, but it is not required before referring; Dr. Ast's sports medicine background covers evaluating these injuries directly at the visit. The in-depth referral guide breaks this down condition by condition.
How do I reach Dr. Ast's office to refer a patient?
By phone or through the practice's online referral request, the same channels used to schedule any new patient visit.
The Paramus office is accepting new patients, and staff can confirm a visit window once the clinical summary and imaging arrive. Phone, fax, and scheduling details for the Paramus office are listed on the practice's contact page.
This page is written for referring clinicians and is educational; it is not a substitute for independent clinical judgment regarding a specific patient.
What can a referring physician expect at the patient's first visit?
A full orthopedic evaluation, not an intake formality.
Dr. Ast examines the patient in person, reviews any imaging or records sent with the referral, and determines whether the next step is conservative management, a procedure such as computer-assisted total knee replacement, or additional work-up before any surgical conversation begins. Because his training is in adult reconstruction at Hospital for Special Surgery, the visit is structured around surgical candidacy from the outset rather than a general orthopedic screen. The practice is accepting new patients, and referred patients are typically seen without a separate pre-visit work-up. For criteria on when a referral is appropriate in the first place, see the when-to-refer guide for this practice.
How are findings communicated back to the referring physician?
In writing, after the visit that changes the plan.
A summary of the exam findings, imaging review, and recommended course is sent to the referring physician following the initial evaluation, and again whenever the plan changes materially, including a decision to proceed with a procedure such as robotic-assisted total hip replacement or partial knee replacement. The referring physician is not expected to request an update; the summary is sent as the plan develops, not held until the patient's course is finished.
What follow-up does a referring physician receive after surgery?
Updates at the standard recovery milestones, not a single closing note.
Following procedures such as robotic-assisted or minimally invasive knee and hip replacement, the referring physician is kept informed at the early postoperative visit and again as the patient approaches full activity. Sports medicine shapes how Dr. Ast frames those recovery goals, so return-to-activity benchmarks are stated explicitly in that follow-up rather than left for the referring physician to infer. Care returns to the referring physician once the surgical course is complete. More on his training is on his physician profile.
Ready to talk about your care?
Call the office or request an appointment. Accepting new patients.