For referring physicians
How to refer a patient to Dr. Cole.
Referring a patient
Jeff Cole, MD built his practice around the hand, wrist, and elbow, with particular attention to traumatic and sports-related injury of the upper extremity. He completed residency in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Tennessee, Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, then fellowship training in Surgery of the Hand & Upper Extremity at Washington University, Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Medical school was at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville. That sequence, general orthopaedic training followed by fellowship work focused entirely on the hand and upper extremity, is why the practice can take referrals across the full range of what the wrist and elbow present: overuse and degenerative conditions such as thumb CMC joint arthritis and epicondylitis, compressive neuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome, and acute trauma, from hand and wrist fractures to scaphoid injuries and nonunion.
In practice, that training shows up as specific treatment options rather than a general upper extremity clinic. For epicondylitis that has not responded to conservative measures, Dr. Cole offers the TENEX procedure, an ultrasonic tendon debridement technique, as an alternative to open release. Carpal tunnel release is performed endoscopically. Acute upper extremity trauma, including hand and wrist fractures and suspected scaphoid injury, is evaluated urgently rather than worked into a standard new-patient queue, which matters most for the sports and trauma referrals that make up a meaningful share of what reaches this practice.
Dr. Cole sees patients through OrthoSouth in Memphis and is accepting new patients. A fuller account of his training and clinical focus is on his physician profile; for criteria on when and how urgently to send a given upper extremity presentation, the guide to referral timing breaks it down by condition.
Education and training
Medical school at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine - Nashville, TN. Residency at University of Tennessee, Erlanger Hospital - Chattanooga, TN. Fellowship at Washington University, Barnes-Jewish Hospital - St. Louis, MO.
- FellowshipWashington University, Barnes-Jewish Hospital - St. Louis, MOSurgery of the Hand & Upper Extremity
- ResidencyUniversity of Tennessee, Erlanger Hospital - Chattanooga, TNOrthopaedic Surgery
- Medical schoolVanderbilt University School of Medicine - Nashville, TNDoctor of Medicine
Which patients should I refer to Dr. Cole?
Refer any patient with persistent hand, wrist, or elbow pain that has not responded to initial conservative measures, and any patient with an acute upper extremity injury who needs prompt evaluation.
This includes carpal tunnel syndrome, thumb CMC joint arthritis, epicondylitis, hand and wrist fractures, scaphoid injuries and nonunion, tendinitis, nerve compression, and sports or trauma related injuries of the hand and wrist. Dr. Cole treats carpal tunnel syndrome with endoscopic carpal tunnel release when surgery is indicated. He treats epicondylitis with the TENEX procedure when appropriate. Dr. Cole completed fellowship training in Surgery of the Hand & Upper Extremity at Washington University, Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, so referrals can include both nonsurgical management questions and cases where surgery is already anticipated. Acute injuries, including a suspected fracture or tendon laceration, should be referred the same day rather than held for a scheduled visit; see guidance on which upper extremity injuries need same-day evaluation for specific criteria.
What should I send with the referral?
Send the clinical note documenting exam findings, any imaging already obtained, and a brief summary of what has been tried so far.
For a suspected fracture or scaphoid injury, include plain films if they exist; films are not a prerequisite for sending the referral if none have been taken yet. For carpal tunnel syndrome or another nerve compression concern, nerve conduction results are useful if already available but are not required before referring. The aim is enough history that the first visit moves straight to exam and plan rather than repeating intake.
How do I reach Dr. Cole's office to refer a patient?
Call Dr. Cole's office directly to refer a patient; routine and urgent referrals go through the same line.
Dr. Cole is accepting new patients, including direct referrals for hand, wrist, and elbow trauma and sports-related injuries. Background on his training and clinical focus is on his physician profile.
What can a referring physician expect at the patient's first visit?
The first visit is a focused hand and upper extremity evaluation aimed at the reason for referral, not a general orthopedic intake.
Dr. Cole examines the hand, wrist, or elbow in the context of the referring diagnosis, drawing on fellowship training in Surgery of the Hand & Upper Extremity at Washington University, Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, detailed in his background. When the referral concerns an acute injury, the visit is scheduled as an urgent evaluation rather than through standard booking, consistent with his trauma and sports medicine focus. Imaging sent with the patient is reviewed first, before any additional studies are ordered.
How are exam findings and imaging reported back to the referring office?
Findings go back to the referring office in writing after every visit, not only at the close of treatment.
The clinic note documents the exam, any imaging reviewed or ordered, and the treatment plan, and is routed through OrthoSouth to the referring physician's practice. For straightforward conditions such as tendinitis or nerve compression, this single note is often sufficient to close the loop. For operative cases, including fracture care or surgical treatment of hand, wrist, and elbow conditions, a further note follows surgery describing the procedure performed and the recovery plan.
Does follow-up care stay coordinated with the referring physician, or does the patient transfer fully to Dr. Cole's practice?
Most patients remain under Dr. Cole's follow-up through the full course of treatment and are not transferred back mid-treatment.
A patient treated nonoperatively, for example for thumb CMC joint arthritis or epicondylitis, is seen through resolution or stabilization before returning to the referring physician's care. A patient treated surgically, such as with endoscopic carpal tunnel release or fracture fixation, completes postoperative follow-up with Dr. Cole before routine care transfers back. Referring physicians receive a final summary note at that transition point.
Ready to talk about your hand, wrist and elbow?
Call the office or request an appointment. Accepting new patients.