Dr. Christopher Frank Wagener, MD

“Many patients mistakenly believe that spine surgery does not work or that they will be worse after a procedure,” says Dr. Christopher Wagener, MD. “New techniques, technology, and diagnostic studies have improved results and returned patients back to their lives.”
Dr. Wagener’s elite training and practice experience has made him one of the nation’s premier surgeons and an expert in spine surgery. He is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine, where he graduated with honors. He performed his orthopedic surgery training at Georgetown University Hospital before completing a Spine Surgery Fellowship at the world-famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Dr. Wagener has performed thousands of procedures on the neck and back helping patients live better lives. His professional interests are in minimally invasive and alternative spine surgery procedures and he is considered an expert and innovator in the field. He has been on the development team of multiple …FDA-approved minimally invasive surgical implants, and an international speaker/expert, author, and instructor on minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Elected by his peers to be part of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, which was limited to fewer than 200 surgeons worldwide during the time of his inclusion, Dr. Wagener has demonstrated a commitment and mastery to this emerging technique. His reputation and results have made him one of the busiest spine surgeons in his region, performing more than 350 surgeries per year.
“The personalized care you get at Coordinated Health cannot be found at the university setting,” reports Dr. Wagener. “In addition, I personally perform all surgeries along with a hand-picked spine surgery team. There are no residents, fellows, or medical students training and learning on our patients. This increases efficiency and limits complications associated with inexperience.”
Dr. Wagener believes in an honest and up-front approach to his patients’ problems.
“I am lucky to have done a lot of spine surgery as well as having access to a network of colleagues to discuss cases,” he notes. “I have a sense of who will benefit from surgery and who will not. In truth, I offer surgery to less than 20 percent of those who seek a surgical opinion. Some people simply won’t get clinically significant benefit from surgery.
“I recently attended an information session on laser spine surgery in Philadelphia. A family practice doctor, not a surgeon, gave the talk on behalf of the group. He said they offered operations to 90 percent of those that sought treatment from them and that most of them improved. His definition of ‘improved,’ after I questioned him, was if a patient with a pain level of 9/10 before surgery had a level of 8/10 after surgery. I almost fell off my chair. This is not clinically significant improvement. I want my patients to get better. If surgery isn’t the answer, I will be upfront about it.”
When Dr. Wagener is not doing spine surgery, he enjoys spending time and traveling with his wife Marie, a dermatologist. In the last few years, he has traveled to England, Peru, Argentina, Brazil/Amazon, Panama, and Nicaragua.
“Seeing and experiencing different parts of the world allows me to connect with all kinds of patients, as well as appreciate what we have at home,” he says. “Without question, it has made me a better person and a better physician.”
He also is an avid fly fisherman, surfer and recently started playing golf.
“I’m addicted (to golf). Unfortunately, unlike spine surgery, my passion does not match my ability. I’ve never been so frustrated, but I enjoy the struggle.”

• Saint Lukes Acute Rehabilitation Center

Lake Worth Surgical Center

7408 Lake Worth Rd Ste 900

Lake Worth

FL

33467

USA

+15614335700

• Orthopedic Spine Surgery
• Orthopedic Surgery

• Neurological Testing
• Spinal Cord Surgery
• Spinal Fusion
• Chiropractic Manipulative Treatment
• Physical Therapy

• Accepts Medicare
• Accepts Medicaid
• UHC Navigate HMO
• Aetna HMO
• Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Shared Cost 1500
• a Multi-State Plan
• Capital BC Keystone Health Plan Central HMO
• Capital BC PPO
• Aetna Select
• CIGNA Open Access Plus
• UHC Options PPO
• Humana ChoiceCare Network PPO
• PHCS PPO
• Highmark Alliance Flex Blue
• Coventry HealthAmerica HMO
• UHC Choice Plus POS
• Highmark Comprehensive Care Flex Blue PPO 500 MRF
• Aetna Managed Choice POS Open Access
• Highmark PPOBlue
• Highmark Comprehensive Care Blue PPO 1500 MRF
• Highmark Community Blue PPO
• Amerihealth Regional Pref Ntwk EPO POS + PPO
• Amerihealth Regional Pref Ntwk HMO HMO + POS
• Aetna Choice POS II
• Oxford Health Garden State
• Humana Choice POS
• Highmark Community Blue Flex EPO
• Oxford Liberty
• Aetna Signature Administrators PPO
• CIGNA PPO
• Oxford Freedom
• BCBS Blue Card PPO
• Highmark Shared Cost Blue PPO 6000 MRF
• Geisinger Mrktplace Plans
• Oxford Metro
• UHC Navigate POS
• Highmark Health Savings Blue PPO 1400 MRF
• Multiplan PPO
• Geisinger Health Plan
• CIGNA HMO
• Coventry HealthAmerica PPO
• IBC Keystone HMO POS
• Horizon HMO
• Horizon PPO
• Harvard Pilgrim PPO
• UPMC PPO
• IBC Personal Choice PPO
• Horizon POS
• Horizon Direct Access
• Horizon OMNIA
• UPMC Premium Network Plans
• Horizon BCBS OMNIA - TIER1
• AmeriHealth HMO
• POS
• DPOS
• BCBS PPO
• Aexcel PPO
• Advantage EPO
• Community Blue PPO
• Keystone HMO Proactive
• MD IPA/Optimum Choice HMO/Preferred POS
• MEDICA CHOICE WITH UNITEDHEALTHC
• MVP EPO/PPO
• MVP Liberty EPO/PPO
• Personal Choice EPO
• PPOBlue
• UHC NAVIGATE PLUS POS
• UPMC Tower Health
• UHC Nexus Open Access
• Aetna APCN Open Access Aetna Select
• Aetna AWH NJ Choice POS II MultiTier
• Aetna AWH NJ Choice POS II MultiTier - Standard Savings
• Aetna Elect Choice EPO Open Access
• Aetna Innovation Health Aetna Premier Care Network Plus
• Aetna Open Choice PPO
• Aetna Premier Care Network APCN Choice POS II OAMC
• AmeriHealth Regional Preferred POS+
• BCBSA Blue Card High Performance Network
• BCBSA High Performance Network - Tiered
• Horizon BCBS HMO
• Horizon BCBS OMNIA
• Horizon BCBS PPO
• Horizon BCBSNJ Managed Care Network
• Independence BC Keystone HMO Proactive
• Medica Choice With UHC
• MVP Health Plan EPO/PPO
• UHC MD IPA/Optimum Choice HMO/Preferred POS
• Highmark BCBS Blue High Performance Network
• IBC Keystone HMO Proactive
• IBC Personal Choice Tiered

• Spinal Stenosis
• Scoliosis or Kyphoscoliosis
• Rotator cuff syndrome
• Sciatica
• Internal Derangement of Knee
• Intervertebral Disc Degeneration