The Secret to Scaling a Values-Driven Business (from a Surgeon Who Did It) | Ep 237 with Dr. Charles Ruotolo Founder of Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

Dr. Charles Ruotolo is more than a surgeon—he’s a systems thinker reshaping how we experience healthcare. In this episode, he shares how he built Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine into one of the most respected orthopedic practices in the New York metro area, while leading innovation in urgent care access, AI integration, and patient-centered longevity services.

Key Discussion Points:

• Why most injuries after 40 stem from one overlooked mistake

• The mindset, repetition, and humility behind surgical mastery

• Building Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine like a five-star hotel

• The strategic rollout of Total Ortho Express urgent care locations

• How AI and virtual surgery are transforming the operating room and front desk

• Creating Total Wellness: a proactive center focused on aging and vitality

• Lessons on scaling a physician-first, patient-obsessed practice

Takeaways:

• Repetition and outcome-tracking are what separate good surgeons from great ones

• A thriving practice puts physician well-being and patient experience at the center

• The best business moves in healthcare are often the most human ones

• Technology should empower—not replace—the doctor-patient relationship

Closing Thoughts:
Dr. Ruotolo isn’t just treating injuries—he’s building a new healthcare model from the ground up. One rooted in empathy, speed, innovation, and trust. In a world of waitlists and red tape, his work is a blueprint for how medicine can—and should—evolve.