Biography
Dr. William Robb is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in adult knee diseases for patients with degenerative, inflammatory or post-traumatic arthritis. Based upon 40 years of surgical experience performing arthroscopic knee surgery, total and partial knee replacements, and total knee revision surgery, his current practice focuses on non-operative evaluation and treatment of adult knee disorders.
A fifth-generation physician whose father was an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Robb says his career in medicine was in his blood.
Dr. Robb is a careful listener who takes time to both care for his patients on a personal level and understand their expectations. He tailors his treatment plan individually to each patient’s desired outcomes. Non-surgical treatments frequently include activity modification, lifestyle changes, physical therapy, medications and knee injections, or surgical referral when appropriate.
A national leader in his field, Dr. Robb is the past President of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and a past leader in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He has also held multiple local and state leadership positions including Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, NorthShore University HeathSystem. Dr. Robb is a Senior Educator of orthopedics at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. He is currently the Chief Medical Officer for IBJI.
Additional Areas of Expertise
- Non-Surgical Treatment of Adult Knee Disorders
- Knee Injection Treatments
- Independent Second Surgical Opinions
Philosophy of Care
The most important thing to me is understanding what each patient wants and delivering care that provides the best opportunity for patients to feel they’ve improved.
Affiliations and Associations
- Chief Medical Director, Illinois Bone & Joint Institute
- Member, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Emeritus Member, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
Education
Residency
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Orthopaedic Surgery
Residency
Duke University Medical Center
General Surgery
Internship
Duke University Medical Center
Surgical
Medical School
University of Iowa Medical School
Research and Publications
- Hip Fracture Prevention- Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine, February 1993
- Polyethylene Wear in Unicompartment Arthroplasty – Clinical Orthopaedic & Related Research, February 1994
- Orthopaedic Aspects of Elder Abuse – AAOS/Ruth Jackson Society: Website www.aaos.org/orr/oko/rjos/familyviolence/menu.htm
- A Successful Preoperative Nasal Decolonization Program in Major Joint Replacement Surgery using a Real-Time PCR Assay to Detect Staphlococcus Aureus – Clinical Orthopaedics And Related Research; March, 2008
- Orthopaedic Workforce and Volume Assessment for THR and TKR in the US – Preparing for an Epidemic”; Iorio, Robb, et al. – Journal of Arthroplasty, 2009
- In Vivo Knee Kinematics During Stair and Deep-Flexion Activities in Patients with Bi- Cruciate Substituting Total Knee Replacement, Banks, et al., Accepted, Journal of Arthroplasty, 2011
- Critical Roles of Orthopaedic Surgeon Leadership in Healthcare Systems to Improve Orthopaedic Surgical Patient Safety, Kuo, Calvin; Robb, W: Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 2013
- Early Cement-Implant Interface Fixation Failure in Total Knee Replacement, The Knee, Hazelwood, K, et. all, Robb, W. The Knee, 2015
- Wrong-Site Surgery in Orthopaedics, Risk Factors and Strategies for Prevention: JBJS, Santiesteban, L; Bosco, J; Robb, W; JBJS, Reviews: 2016 Jan;4(1)
- Similar Cost Savings of Bundled Payment Initiatives Applied to Lower Extremity Total Joint Arthroplasty Can Be Achieved Applying Both Models 2 and 3, HSS Journal, Iorio, Bosco, Robb, Beste, Blum, Hutzler 2016
Awards
- Most Outstanding Research Award: Resident Dissertation Day University of Iowa/Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- “Gait Analysis of Geomedic Total Knee Replacement”, 1975
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2017 W.W. Tipton Leadership Award
Appointments
- Associate Clinical Professor – Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Illinois 1975 to present
- Secretary, Treasurer, President-Elect, President, Professional Staff, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston, Illinois1997 through 2002
- Numerous professional appointments through the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Orthopaedic Education and Research Foundation and the Illinois Orthopaedic Society
- Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, North Shore University Health System, 2005 – 2012
Curriculum Vitae
See my Curriculum Vitae
Accepted Insurance
- Aetna EPO, HMO, PPO, POS, NAP
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO, HMO
- Aetna Whole Health
- Beech Street/Concentra/Viant PPO and Workers’ Compensation
- Blue Advantage PPO
- Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, BlueChoice PPO, HMO, HMOI, HMO Advantage, Blue Precision HMO, Medicare Advantage, MMAI Plan (some physicians)
- CareIQ, Rehab for Workers Compensation
- CCN POS
- CCN PPO
- Cigna HMO, PPO, POS
- CorVel PPO, Workers’ Compensation
- Coventry Medicare Advantage PPO, HMO
- Coventry PPO, Workers’ Compensation
- Encompass (surgery network for injured workers)
- First Health PPO
- Healthcare’s Finest Network PPO, Workers’ Compensation
- HealthLink Plans HMO, PPO
- HMO Illinois (some physicians)
- Humana MMAI, HMO, POS, PPO
- Imagine Health/Smart Network (MRI/CT Services, Rehab Services, and some Physicians)
- Longevity Health Medicare Advantage HMO
- Medicare
- MedRisk (Rehab services for injured workers)
- MultiPlan/Private Health Care Systems PPO
- One Call Medical Network (Imaging services for injured workers)
- One Call Care Management (Rehab services for injured workers)
- Orchid Medical (Rehab services for injured workers)
- PPO Next (aka HealthStar PPO, Preferred Health Network PPO)
- Preferred Network Access PPO
- Preferred Plan PPO
- Premier Comp Solutions (imaging services only)
- Savility
- Sunrise Advantage Medicare Advantage Plan
- Therapy Direct (Rehab services for injured workers)
- Union Health Service
- UnitedHealthcare HMO, Open Access, POS, PPO
IBJI providers are participating providers in the following workers’ compensation Preferred Provider Programs (PPP):
- CorVel
- Coventry
- Healthcare’s Finest Network
- MedRisk (Rehab/Work Comp)