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When we set out to allow our innovative, same day stem cell procedures to be performed by other doctors in the U.S., we wondered how best to teach other physicians and to form a Regenexx network of doctors. Was it best to allow any doctor, regardless of training to perform these precision procedures or would we restrict the Regenexx network based on training? What kind of training was a prerequisite? Would the doctors have to adhere to our Orthopedics 2.0 philosophy or could they use these stem cell tools anyway they wanted? We knew that these questions had already been answered by the manufacturers of bedside centrifuges that spin down blood (PRP) and bone marrow (stem cells). Their approach was to sell as many machines as possible to as many doctors as possible, regardless of training or expertise. Our approach therefore needed to be different. Ultimately we decided to be a restrictive network that would only ever allow about 200 well trained physicians to participate. Each physician would have to be vetted for training before being accepted to the network and all physicians would still need intensive training at our site in Colorado. In addition, all physicians would be required to have ongoing continuing medical education through the network. What we’re building therefore is very different that what you can find anywhere else. A network of doctors who believe in the Interventional Orthopedics concept and who are well trained in both musculoskeletal ultrasound and fluoroscopy who come from a limited subset of specialties. In our network, you’ll never see a retried general surgeon or cosmetic doctor injecting your knee. In addition, you’ll also never see a doctor whose sole qualification for injecting your shoulder is that he bought a bedside centrifuge and was taught by a sales rep how to push the “on” button. Instead, you’ll find hand-picked, well trained doctors who know what they’re doing-an elite group of physicians who know as much about how to process cells as inject them. In addition, it’s also important to note that for every doctor we currently accept in the network, we turn down about two doctors who aren’t qualified to do these procedures. The upshot? Our goal is nothing less than the invention of new medical specialty, Interventional Orthopedics. Just like any other medical specialty, only doctors who are well qualified need apply.

Chris Centeno, MD is a specialist in regenerative medicine and the new field of Interventional Orthopedics. Centeno pioneered orthopedic stem cell procedures in 2005 and is responsible for a large amount of the published research on stem cell use for orthopedic applications. View Profile