Rothman Institute Founder and Icon Dies at Age 81

“There comes a time when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart…,”goes a little-known quote.¹

It seems that Richard Rothman, M.D., Ph.D., founder of the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, learned that lesson early on in life. By all accounts, Dr. Rothman, who passed away on October 21, had an inner calmness that centered him and guided him through the peaks and valleys of his existence.

As the leader of nearly 200 doctors and more than 30 practice locations, Dr. Rothman would have reason to get caught up in multitasking and fall into the modern trap of rushing through human interactions. But he learned that standing amidst the calm in the storm helped open the door to great opportunities.

Alexander Vaccaro, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., president of the iconic group now known as the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, says of his dear friend, “Dick cared deeply about others’ well-being … and ‘held’ each person with his eyes, offering them his presence. He was devoted to his employees and spent time at the end of each day walking around andchatting with people in different departments.”

An internationally renown surgeon and inventor who traveled the globe, Dr. Rothman remained partial to Philadelphia his entire life. Born in nearby Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, he pursued his love of history at the University of Pennsylvania, then obtained a Ph.D. in anatomy from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.After earning an M.D. from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1962, Dr. Rothman returned to Jefferson for a residency.

Only seven years out of medical school, Richard Rothman boarded a plane to England and learned how to perform hip replacement surgery from the esteemed John Charnley. So taken was Dr. Charnley with Richard Rothman’s talent that when Walter Annenberg sought out Charnley for hip surgery, Charley pointed him back to his own neighborhood…and to Dr. Rothman.

Greatness would ensue, as Annenberg, pleased with the results of two hip surgeries performed by Dr. Rothman, donated millions of dollars that set the stage for the Rothman Institute.

No starry-eyed youth, this 33-year-old physician had a compelling plan to create a world-class center of patient care. With the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute now established as an extraordinary facility—not to mention the 755,000 patient visits a year—one could say he has succeeded.

Michael G. Ciccotti, M.D.,director of the Sports Medicine Team at the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, had the chance to observe and learn from Richard Rothman for years. “Dr. Rothman started out as chairman of Thomas Jefferson University orthopedics in 1986, my first year of practice. I was his intern, I did my residency with him, and then joined the practice. He was a beacon of wisdom and goodwill for my entire orthopedic career.”

“Not only was he a wonderful, true friend, Dick had the gift of making the most complex issues—whether practice management, medical, or interpersonal—very understandable. He instinctively knew how to remove the emotion from any situation and guide us toward the best solution.”

And Dr. Rothman, who performed more than 50,000 total hip and knee replacements during his career, had other areas of genius.

Alex Vaccaro says, “Many people don’t know this about Dick, but he was a consummate businessman. Although he retired from the operating room in May 2018, he continued to pursue his passion for helping companies succeed, even working with Wall Street because he was so knowledgeable about the world of orthopedics. He was a senior advisor to The Riverside Company and HealthpointCapital, both located in New York. This was a good fit for personal reasons as well because he children were living in the city…Dick even got an apartment in Brooklyn.”

Richard Rothman was the founder and acting Chairman of the Board of Specialty Care Network, a publicly held company now known as Healthgrades. He served on multiple corporate boards and was an advisor for the Washington, D.C.-based Carlyle Group.

Dr. Rothman also looked beyond the borders of the U.S., devoting many hours to teaching assignments in China, India and Korea. In those and other countries, he saw a need.

Dr. Vaccaro notes, “Dick was determined to establish the Rothman level of quality abroad and was spearheading our efforts to collaborate with health systems in China, Italy, and Dubai.”

These are other topics were on the agenda at an annual Rothman getaway. “Our CEO, Mike West, Dick, and I would bring our wives on a four day ‘vacation’ that amounted to a private retreat where we carved out time to talk about the business of orthopedics. Our brainstorming sessions lent clarity to our plans and helped us ensure that we would persist in holding tight to our vision of the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute.”

“It’s like a cliché,” says Dr. Vaccaro, “but he was truly larger than life, always smiling and full of interesting stories. He drove himself forward with curiosity, had an entertaining persona, and was deeply insightful and calm. And first in order of importance in Dick’s life was his family, his wife Marsha, their four children, and five grandchildren.”

On the professional front, if there was an envelope around, Dick Rothman would be pushing it, says Dr. Ciccotti.

“One of Dick’s top lessons was to that one should never stop asking how to do it better…he was always pushing the envelope so as to facilitate improvement. He understood the importance of giving surgeons responsibility, nurturing our skills, and empowering us—all signs of a true leader.”

“And I was always struck by the wonderful sense of calmness that pervaded him. He was skilled at entering a situation, assessing the core issues, and navigating people toward the best solution.”

A speed reader who consumed three newspapers a day and 1-2 books a week, Dr. Rothman still sought out people who knew more than he did.

Dr. Ciccotti says, “I was so impressed with his humility and how he sought out the absolute best talent. He would say, ‘I want to select people to work with who are smarter than I am and who are better researchers.’”

Always cognizant of the value of research, Dr. Rothman served as the Editor-in-Chief and then Emeritus Editor of The Journal of Arthroplasty, the most widely read peer-reviewed journal dedicated to total joint replacement. He published more than 200 original research papers and over 15 orthopedic textbooks on spine and joint replacement surgery.

His dedication to advancing the quality of what was available to patients led to the development of the Accolade total hip system (now made by Stryker Corporation), which has become one of the most prominent and widely used hip systems in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Asia. The Stryker Accolade has been used in over 200,000 patients to date.

Dr. Rothman was also active in the development improvement of highly cross-linked polyethylene bearings including Crossfire and X3, as well as the continued development of the Trident shell.

He served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Thomas Jefferson University. Previously, he was on the Board of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and was a trustee at the College of General Studies, University of Pennsylvaniaand the Brandywine Museum. He received the Sir John Charnley Award for outstanding service and achievement in total joint replacement, as well as the Frank Stinchfield Award from the Hip Society.

“We will always recall the memories of, and the time we spent with Dr. Rothman,” said Mike West, CEO of Rothman Orthopaedic Institute. “Whether it was in the office, in the OR, at a restaurant, at an event, or on the golf course, we always felt lucky to be around himbecause his personality was so magnetic. He will truly be missed.”

Dick Rothman was a fan of the Rolling Stones, who famously said, “You can’t always get what you want…but if you trysometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need.”

A passionate calling, a warm family life, and more…it looks like Richard Rothman got it all.

¹https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/62486-there-comes-a-time-when-the-world-gets-quiet-and