J. Gabe Horneff, III, MD, FAAOS, is an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at Penn Medicine. Dr. Horneff sees patients at Penn Medicine Bucks County, Penn Medicine Cherry Hill, and Pennsylvania Hospital, where he specializes in shoulder and elbow surgery.
What conditions do you treat at Penn Medicine?
I treat all orthopaedic conditions of the shoulder and elbow including arthritis, ligament and tendon injuries, fractures, and other assorted soft tissue and bone injuries.
What is the most exciting thing about being a part of the Penn orthopaedics team?
Being able to teach residents and fellows who are the future of orthopaedics is a very rewarding part of my job. It is great to watch them grow through their clinical and surgical abilities. In doing so, it also keeps me growing by challenging me as a teacher and educator. In order to be an effective teacher, I must always be learning myself.
What is your philosophy on patient care?
I believe that care in orthopaedics relies strongly on communication and mutual decision-making. Patients with various conditions can often be treated with conservative or non-operative management and my job is to inform them of all their options.
What kinds of research are you involved in at Penn and what does that mean for patients?
My main focus in research is to better understand the clinical aspects of shoulder and elbow care. I am currently working on radiographic studies to better understand the anatomic attributes that allow certain arthroplasties to work well. In addition, I am currently collaborating with our Quality Initiative Team to better understand the risk factors that lead to patients’ unexpected surgical cancellations. The hope is to minimize these occurrences in the future and create less anxiety for the patients.
What do you enjoy doing outside of practicing medicine?
Being with my wife and three sons. I help coach my sons in hockey, which is a full time job in itself. My family is the most important aspect of my life.