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ABOUT FREIBERG…
Quality, Integrity, and Professionalism for More Than a Century
History of Freiberg Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
Nicholas Andry coined the term “orthopaedics” during 1741 by
combining the Greek words “orthos” (“straight”) and “pais”
(“child”). Orthopaedics originally was a branch of medicine with
a very narrow focus – the prevention and treatment of
deformities in children.
Freiberg Orthopaedics helped give the term a much broader
definition. Dr. Albert Freiberg founded what is now called
Freiberg Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine during 1890, making us
the oldest orthopaedic practice in the Tri-State area. According
to Dr. Frank E. Kugler, M.D., writing in the Cincinnati Journal
of Medicine (Vol. 57, No. 1, January, 1976), “Dr. Albert H.
Freiberg (1868-1940) was the best known early orthopedist in
Cincinnati, and probably contributed more than any other to the
growth of orthopedics in this area”.
He was the first formally trained orthopaedist in the state of
Ohio. In order to learn from the man considered to be the
preeminent orthopaedist in Europe during the late 19th Century,
he became a student of Dr. Julius Wolff of Germany.
Dr. Freiberg published 92 articles on orthopaedics, beginning a
tradition which the Freiberg physicians of today continue.
Conducting research and publishing on subjects within their
sub-specialties of orthopaedics is a source of pride for our
current physicians.
Among the distinctions earned or accorded to Dr. Freiberg were:
• serving as Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at Walter Reed
Hospital during World War I
• assisting in the preparation of the Manual of Orthopaedic
Surgery used by the U.S. Army during World War I
• being appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt to chair the
Advisory Committee for Crippled Children, whose purpose was to
provide information on polio/infantile paralysis to the most
well-known victim of the disease (the letter from President
Roosevelt is on display at our Kenwood office, as well as one
from the First Lady)
• founding the Brace Shop, originally a facility which provided
equipment to children with polio and now a general supplier of
orthotics
• founding what is now called the Ohio Orthopaedic Society
He is still remembered at the University of Cincinnati because
the medical library is named for Dr. Freiberg.
During 1928, Joseph Freiberg (1898-1974) joined his father’s
practice. The younger Dr. Freiberg established the orthopaedic
internship program at the Cincinnati College of Medicine during
1939. He succeeded his father as Director of the Orthopaedic
Department at Children’s Hospital. Like his father (1910), he
served as President of the American Orthopedic Association
(1962) and took an interest in medical literature, serving as
the Associate Editor of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
His son Richard (1932 -- ) joined the practice during 1962. He
succeeded his father as the leader of the practice after his
father retired during 1969. Richard has become a nationally
respected leader in the search for the prevention and cure of
arthritis. He served as the Director of Orthopaedic Training on
Arthritis at what was then called the Cincinnati General
Hospital. He has retired from the family practice, but serves on
the staff of the Veterans Administration Hospital of Cincinnati.
The history of Freiberg Orthopaedics involves more than one
family. The Perlman family was critical in the founding and
continuation of Freiberg Orthopaedics. Dr. Robert Perlman
(1905-1987) and Dr. Joseph Freiberg were associates at General
Hospital and decided to become associates in private practice.
Dr. Perlman served as President of the Staff and Director of
Orthopaedic Services at Jewish Hospital.
Dr. Aaron Perlman (1917- ) joined the practice after having
studied with his uncle and Dr. Joseph Freiberg at the Cincinnati
College of Medicine and serving in the Army during World War II.
He began teaching at the College of Medicine during 1949 and
continued to do so until his retirement during 1990. His legacy
at the UC College of Medicine is The Aaron Perlman Award,
presented every year to the resident at the UC College of
Medicine who “shows the greatest compassion for patients and
exemplifying the highest quality of patient care”. He continued
what is now a long established connection between Freiberg
Orthopaedics and Children’s Hospital by serving as Director of
Juvenile Orthopaedic Service. His legacy at Children’s is The
Aaron Perlman Cerebral Palsy Center.
Currently, there are three families associated with our practice
– the Jolsons, the Willises, and the Florezes.
Dr. Richard Jolson joined the practice during 1960, retiring
during 2001. During 1963, Dr. Jolson created the Spina Bifida
clinic at Children’s. It was only the third such clinic created
in the USA. He was the first orthopaedic surgeon appointed to
the Meningomyelocele Clinic, which was created at Children’s
Hospital during 1964. From 1970 to 1978, he served as the team
physician for the U.C. basketball program. He currently serves
as an Associate Medical Director for 3-HAB, the only workers’
comp MCO in Ohio to provide physician-directed case management.
His son, Dr. R. Scott Jolson joined during 1992. Father and son
served as team physicians for the Cincinnati Reds for seven
years (1991 to 1997). Dr. Jolson the Younger continues as a
consultant to the Reds. Dr. Scott Jolson is an internationally
recognized expert in shoulder surgery, and as such, has
participated in more than 25 symposia to teach other
orthopaedists how to perform the latest procedures.
Dr. James Willis joined Freiberg during 1970 and quickly became
a highly regarded hand and upper extremity surgeon. While a
member of our practice he founded, and continues to manage, the
Hand Clinic at Children’s Hospital. He serves as the Director of
the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Jewish Hospital.
His son, Dr. Craig Willis, joined our practice during February
2002.
The Florez family is the latest, but considering our tradition,
probably not the last, family to become a part of the Freiberg
Orthopaedics. Dr. Francis Florez and his father Dr. Raul Florez
joined us during June 1999. Their addition created the expansion
of Freiberg Orthopaedics into northwestern Cincinnati. Dr.
Francis Florez brought a reputation as a successful and
respected total knee replacement specialist. He currently serves
as a nationally known and respected instructor in total knee
replacements. His father is a respected orthopaedist who
specializes in the treatment of workers’ compensation injuries.
The Freiberg story is not just one of families. We have
unrelated physicians who are carrying on our traditions of
excellence and furthering medical knowledge.
During 1994, the Freiberg Spine Institute was created in order
to serve better the many back patients who come to us. Dr.
Michael Swank and Dr. Lawrence Zeff serve as the “backbone” of
the Spine. Both are nationally recognized leaders in furthering
the development and implementation of techniques to correct
problems of the spine. Dr. Swank is very active in the
development of computer-assisted spinal surgery. Dr. Zeff is
very active in the development of injections designed to provide
relief for spinal pain.
The year 1994 saw another major addition to Freiberg. Some of
the individual physicians within the practice founded what is
one of the original workers’ compensation managed care
organizations in Ohio: 3-HAB.
During the early 1990’s, some employers told our physicians that
they were having difficulty getting injured employees to return
to work. They believed, correctly, that the longer people are
off work because of injuries, the more likely that they will
never return to work. During 1994, the physicians and the
employers formed a pact – the employers agreed to send injured
workers for treatment of orthopaedic injuries to Freiberg
physicians and the physicians agreed to inform the employers of
their employees’ work status after each of their office visits.
By 1996, 3-HAB had a name. During 1997, it became one of the
original MCO’s in Ohio. It was, and remains, a unique MCO – the
only one offering physician case management of workers’
compensation claims. Its success at getting people back to work
is best seen by knowing that since the Bureau of Workers’
Compensation began ranking MCO’s on their ability to return
injured workers to jobs, 3-HAB has been #1.
The progressive spirit is alive and well at Freiberg
Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine!
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