My wife was seen by Dr Polatsch for a fractured thumb following a bicycle accident. It had been 8 days since the injury and we were seeing him for a second opinion. Our wait time was long, however when we were seen by Dr Polatsch we found out why. He was warm, caring, and very personable. He took the time to listen to everything my wife had to say, answered all her questions, provided his evaluation clearly, and explained his reasoning with treatment recommendations and expected outcomes. Since there had been a significant interval between the time of her injury and the consultation, he felt it was imperative that she undergo surgery as soon as possible. He spent the better part of the next 30-45 minutes personally calling cardiologists and primary care physicians to find one who was both still in the office (it was late afternoon on a Monday) and who could see her that day to clear her for surgery on Wednesday and so we didn't have to make a trip into Manhattan again (we live in Staten Island and getting test results, etc from a doctor there might have slowed things down). His assistant was wonderful as she helped him locate other doctors, which they finally did. They found a cardiologist 5 blocks away who could see my wife right away and she was cleared for surgery. The day of surgery, the intake at the surgery center was quick and professional, and my wife was taken to the OR right on time. When the procedure was over, Dr Polatsch called me personally in the waiting room and told me everything had gone as planned and he was very happy with the results. He came by for his postop check in the recovery room and gave us his postop care instructions and answered all our questions. I even happened to bump into him in the parking structure on the way out and he again inquired about how she was doing. At every follow up visit our long wait time for the initial visit turned out to be a one-time anomally. We never waited long at all thereafter. Dr Polatsch took his time, discussed everything with us, and made his treatment plan clear and understandable. My wife is now back to participating in triathalons and adventure races and has recovered complete use of her thumb. We cannot thank Dr Polatsch enough, nor recommend him highly enough. He is a rare physician and person who made a very upsetting and difficult time far easier than many others in his position could or would have. His willingness to take a personal interest in getting my wife the care she needed and his calm, warm approach to his profession is a credit to him and the medical community as a whole. read more

For better or worse, I've gotten to know Dr. Polatsch quite well in the last few years. I was an athlete in college (javelin thrower) and tore my TFCC tendon in my throwing wrist in 2009. The surgery was scheduled to be quite invasive and a number of doctors told me that I'd need a plate and screws to repair it. However, Dr. Polatsch found a less invasive way to do it and successfully performed the surgery without having to use any metal. I made a full recovery and went onto set personal bests the next year, eventually becoming a D1 First Team All-American and competing at the Olympic Trials and on the international stage. After graduating from college, I had an unfortunate accident in a pick-up soccer game and broke my thumb in a few places. Once again, Dr. Polatsch fixed me up and two months after surgery, I had more motion in the surgically repaired thumb than my healthy thumb. Both of us were in awe because it didn't quite seem to make sense. In between these two surgeries, I also had Tommy John surgery on my throwing elbow to repair a torn UCL. Before seeking out an elbow specialist, I sought out Dr. Polatsch for his advice. He had me in his office the next day for an MRI and I eventually underwent surgery with one of the doctors that he referred. Simply put, Dr. Polatsch is one of the best hand specialists in theTri-state area. As an athlete, it was imperative that I had the best doctors to get me healthy and back to competing at the highest possible level. Dr. Polatsch more than fit the bill in this category. Additionally, he has a great staff and he is very accessible throughout the process (pre/post surgery), which can be tough to come by for doctors of his caliber. If you find yourself in a situation where you need a hand guy, definitely give Dr. P a call. read more

I went to see Dr. Polatsch for my tennis elbow which has been bothering me for a year. I'm avid golfing and weight lifting and have tried everything I found on google. I have several straps, ointments from my family doctor, accupuncture and a also an MRI by a chiropractor. None of it worked. When I called, I received an appointment in 2 weeks, which is better than other doctors in my network. After I arrived, I filled out a bunch of paperwork (make your life easier and print it out online and fill it out home) and was brought into the exam room by his staff. I waited about 20 minutes. His staff were polite and nice, they took down my information and took an xray of the elbow. About 5 minutes after the xray, Dr. Polatsch came into my exam room. He was very curteous and knowledgable about my condition. He explained why I have the tennis elbow and why the other treatments have not worked. I felt like I finally am going to get the best treatment and care. After he explained to me the options we agreed on an injection ( you can get up to 3) and OT. I was pain free for 6 months and continue to work out without any pain in the elbow. Since then I saw him for other wrist issues which he was able to take care of. Dr.Polatsch and his staff are the best there is in hand surgery. I would not trust my hand or elbow for that matter to anyone else. read more

DR. DANIEL POLATSCH IS AMAZING!! I feel so lucky to have found Dr. Polatsch that I have been inspired to write my first online review EVER and I plan to add it to as many review sites as possible. Dr. Polatsch has a very rare combinations of qualities: clinical excellence (he teaches other specialists in his field), charitable (among other things, he is a founding member of the Laurence Polatsch Memorial Fund in memory of his brother who was lost on September 11th), compassionate, funny and not even the least bit nerdy. One must meet Dr. Polatsch to truly understand how fantastic he is but an quick look at his profile online is a helpful in getting to know what he is all about http://www.handsurgeryny.com/physicians-drpolatsch.html . Dr. Polatsch did surgeries on both of my hands and two fingers and the results exceeded my expectations. Both he and his staff were very helpful and patient when it came to answering my many questions and they also were very kind and caring which helped calm my nervousness about having surgeries. Lukasz, his assistant, seems to be everywhere Dr. Polatsch is and is extremely warm and professional. Abbie, his office manager, is extremely efficient and helpful with scheduling appointments. Overall, my experience with Dr. Polatsch and his staff was exceptional and I can not sing their praises enough! read more

Several weeks ago I fractured my wrist. Initially I saw a doctor who was recommended to me by the ER. My first appointment with this doctor took about 3 seconds & I felt rushed and unimpressed. I should have listened to my instincts because while I was told that the alignment of my wrist bones were good & that healing should go well, six weeks later when the cast was removed, much to my surprise & the doctor's, the bone was misaligned. In a complete panic, I called Dr. Beldner's office. Not only did he see me immediately, he took his time examining my wrist. Dr. Beldlner is very kind, warm, caring and incredibly knowledgeable. He is attentive, thorough and takes his time when evaluating a problem. Most importantly, he is an excellent diagnostician! I wouldn't trust my hands to anyone else. Thank you Dr.Beldner. And thank you for always personally returning my calls to address any questions that I may have. You are a very special doctor. Wish they were all like you. read more

I highly recommend Dr. Beldner, he is a great doctor and surgeon. When I went to him for a broken wrist, he presented the options to me regarding surgical versus nonsurgical treatments and let me decide. I initially chose to forego surgery, and after I changed my mind due to scheduling concerns, he patiently explained to me what to expect. He is as kind and caring as he is skilled. My surgery was a success, and based on his advice my recovery has been fast. I have seen several physical therapists who have told me how good the alignment of my bones is, and one went so far as to tell me that he took his own daughter to Dr. Beldner, who was his first choice. Dr. Beldner inspires a lot of trust. read more

Dr. Polatsch is wonderful. I broke my wrist and had seen 2 other doctors who wanted to operate but I felt that they had zero bed side manor. Dr.Polatsch took his time with me and explained things to me and let me know what I should expect. Although he didn't take my insurance I knew I was in the right place with the best surgeon. He surgically repaired my wrist by putting a plate in there. I began exercising one week later. It is now just 8 weeks after surgery and I feel wonderful. Thank you so much Dr. polatsch ans the great staff at your office. It was also fun to see two celebrities in the office during my multiple visits!!!!! I highly recommend this gifted surgeon. read more

Dr. Polatsch is not the best hand doctor/surgeon. He is the BEST of the best! Period. I had "trigger finger" symptoms and went to one of the best NYU Langone hand doctors whom I visited twice but my fingers continue to worsen. I decided to visit Dr. Polatsch and he did exactly the same procedure (injections) as the doctor at NYU Langone but slightly differently in terms of which spots of the fingers were injected. I took note of that and the difference with the NYU Langone treatment. Within two weeks, the trigger finger symptoms disappeared and I am happily back to a normal life. I cannot thank Dr. Polatsch enough. He is the BEST of the best! - Andreas Panteli read more

I have been seeing Dr. Bradley Horak here at The Hand Surgery Center, for my fractured wrist. He is not the main Doctor here, but I wanted to point out that he is a very good Doctor. I felt so at ease with him. He was patient with me and my concerns, always friendly and very experienced in the care of hands, wrist and elbows. It was always a pleasure to come here. Because of his great care my wrist is finally healed. He also has attractive "Casts" that you can pick the color you want. I would come here to this same Doctor if I hurt my wrist again!! read more

An unfortunate incident forced me to need severe tendon repair in both hands. I was very nervous I would never regain any decent function in either hand. Dr Beldner assured me all would be alll right and true to his word I can type this note with the utmost appreciation. If you find yourself needing a hand surgeon I dont know that you will find anyone better in NYC or anywhere else. read more

I was a patient of Dr. Beldner & now Dr. Horak. They are both great doctors & extremely knowledgeable & spend quality time to explain my hand problems to me & they are the best I've ever met! read more