Lee Ponsky, MD
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Specialty: Urology, Urology-Urologic Oncology
View Expertise -
Primary Location: 3999 Richmond Rd (7 mi.)
Other Locations - Languages Spoken: English, Spanish
Office Locations
Biography: Lee Ponsky, MD
Expertise
Titles
- Director, Urologic Oncology Center, UH Seidman Cancer Center
- Chair, Department of Urology, UH Cleveland Medical Center
- Professor, CWRU School of Medicine
- Leo and Charlotte Goldberg Chair in Advanced Surgical Therapies, University Hospitals
- Master Clinician in Urologic Oncology, University Hospitals
Certifications & Memberships
- Urology - American Board of Urology
Education
Fellowship | Endoscopy - Advanced
Endoscopy - Advanced - Cleveland Clinic (2004 - 2005)
Research Fellowship | Urologic Oncology
Urologic Oncology - Cleveland Clinic (2003 - 2004)
Residency | Urology
Urology - Cleveland Clinic (1998 - 2003)
Internship | General Surgery
General Surgery - Cleveland Clinic (1997 - 1998)
Medical Education
Case Western Reserve University (1997)
Undergraduate
University Of Rochester (1993)
Awards
- Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, 2011
- Urology Institute Faculty Teaching Award, 2011
- The Richard Cornuelle Award for Social Entrepreneurship, The Manhattan Institute, 2011
- Rescuer of Humanity Award, Project Love, 2011
- The Arnold P. Gold Foundation God Doc Award, 2009
- Outstanding Recent Alumni Award, Case Western Reserve University, 2009
- Crain’s Cleveland Forty under 40, 2008
About
Lee Ponsky, MD, attended University of Rochester as an undergraduate and then Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He began his training at the Cleveland Clinic and completed his residency and extended his training to do a research fellowship in urologic oncology, followed by an additional fellowship in Advanced Urologic Laparoscopy and Endourology.
In 2005 Dr. Ponsky joined the faculty at University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and is currently the chairman of the Department of Urology and Director of the UH Urology Institute. He is a professor of urology and holds the Leo and Charlotte Goldberg Chair in Advanced Surgical Therapies, and a Master Clinician in Urologic Oncology. He has over 100 publications and has been invited as a visiting professor at numerous national and international conferences and institutions. Dr. Ponsky is the co-principle investigator on an NIH RO1 grant. He is the editor-in-chief of a textbook on robotic radiosurgery and has authored more than 12 textbook chapters.
Dr. Ponsky has received numerous accolades for his medical contributions as well as his role as the founder of MedWish International in 1993. MedWish is a not-for-profit organization that saves lives and the environment by repurposing discarded medical supplies and equipment to provide humanitarian aid in developing countries. Recognitions include: U.S. Congressional Recognition; Crains Forty under Forty, as one of Northeast Ohio’s most influential people under the age of 40; Cleveland Upstander: Portraits of Courage; the recipient of the Golden Doc Award, from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation; and received the Rescuer of Humanity Award from Project Love, which recognizes and honors an individual or an organization of national or international stature, which has chosen to use their leadership beyond professional or institutional requirements to positively change the course of humanity. He has also been recognized by the Manhattan Institute in New York with the Richard Cornuelle Award for Social Entrepreneurship, for originating and effectively implemented a new nonprofit organization providing direct services to those in need. In 2011, he was recognized by Smart Business as the nonprofit board executive of the year and also received the University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Urology Institute Faculty Teaching Award from his students and residents, for recognition of outstanding commitment and efforts to student and resident teaching. In 2019 he received the Champion of Integrity Award by the Better Business Bureau for consistently displaying an aggressive commitment to ethical, honest and fair business practices.
Dr. Ponsky also serves as a founding board member of the non-profit MedWorks, which provides free health care to the uninsured and underinsured. Lee and his wife Monica have three children, Ilan, Eric and Maiya.
Research & Publications
Research Interests
Advanced imaging techniques (particularly MRI) for the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer, Active surveillance for prostate cancer, Robotic radiosurgery for kidney tumors
Featured Videos
Watch to find out more about this University Hospitals provider.
Watch UH Urology Institute Chairman Lee Ponsky, MD share his vision-forward for the UH Urology Institute.
Patient Experience Reviews
I had a very positive experience with Dr. Ponsky and all of his staff in spite of a difficult medical diagnosis.
Excellent provider and staff
Good doctor, very busy long wait time.
Good
Dr Ponsky and the nurse were wonderful. Everything went very well. My test results were of great concern to me and I wanted to talk to the doctor, but that did not happen. The nurse and I had a conversation on mychart. No one called me.
Excellent responsiveness and guidance provided
The tech who did my ultrasound was professional and respectful. Dr. Ponsky is a terrific physician who I recommend to others.
Every thing was good
I waited for over an hour and a half. I understand appointments and exams may run longer than planned, but it is very clear that the provider was overbooked. I am considering looking for another provider due to this. Totally unacceptable.
Dr. Ponsky was highly recommended by my famaily physician and another Urologist that my husband has been seeing since he had his bladder removed due to bladder cancer. I am very happy with Dr. Ponsky.
Lee Ponsky and his team are without compare. I am touched by their consideration/humanity and I thank them from the bottom of my heart!
He was very late (like an hour) for the appointment, but I think they tried to squeeze me in (which I wanted ) so that I could get test results earlier.
Nurse was great and Dr. Is first class.
Very good
Dr. Ponsky's practice was incredibly helpful and responsive!!!! Would recommend to anyone.
Overall visit was excellent ***
Outstanding experience thanks
I always feel that Dr. Ponski has my best interests on physical well being in mind.
Kind, considerate and competent care fro.the entire team.
Very easy process
Dr. Ponsky is the best. The investment in the new facility is great. Everybody is friendly, polite and highly knowledgeable
Would highly recommend Dr. Ponsky!
This is a great doctor and fantastic group of professionals that work in an exceptionally well taken care of facility. Make sure you keep it going this way!
100% satisfied
Good
I formally saw Dr. Ponsky more than 20 years ago. When I recently needed a urological issue addressed, I contacted his office for an appointment. I would not go to any other urologist. Dr. Ponsky listens carefully to your concerns and addresses each issue with thorough explanations. University Hospitals is certainly lucky yo have him on their team!
My impression was a very good doctor and a very nice and polite staff.
Very eficient doctor,but very busy
Very great care about me as a person and my healyh
Very professional provider. His office always follows up with needed information, orders or test results.
Caring & professional medical team
Excellent
There are none to say
Dr. Ponsky is absolutely awesome. He instills a sense of confidence in me that is wonderful. I trust him and his recommendations entirely!
Dr. Ponsky has provided me with excellent care for many years.
All personnel very friendly
Dr Ponsky is absolutely a wonderful Doctor. I feel like I am under the care of the BEST Dr. To help with my needs.
Dr. Ponsky is an excellent doctor
Excellent visit
Very confident with my care team.
Always an excellent experience with Dr. Ponsky.
Dr. Ponsky is truly an outstanding doctor...He truly cares for his patients, and goes above and beyond to ensure that as a patient I recieve the best care...compassionately, and quickly. .. Dr. Ponsky has a truly amazing vision of how to help patients from the first time you see him and throughout your care... I am so fortunate he is my doctor...He is the perfect example of how all doctors should treat their patents...He is...The Best of the Best...
All staff were extremely pleasant and professional.
Great doctor - great patient and good staff - ***
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Industry Relationships
University Hospitals is committed to transparency in our interactions with industry partners, such as pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical device companies. At UH, we disclose practitioner and their family members’ ownership and intellectual property rights that are or in the process of being commercialized. In addition, we disclose payments to employed practitioners of $5,000 or more from companies with which the practitioners interact as part of their professional activities. These practitioner-industry relationships assist in developing new drugs, devices and therapies and in providing medical education aimed at improving quality of care and enhancing clinical outcomes. At the same time, UH understands that these relationships may create a conflict of interest. In providing this information, UH desires to assist patients in talking with their practitioners about industry relationships and how those relationships may impact their medical care.
UH practitioners seek advance approval for certain new industry relationships. In addition, practitioners report their industry relationships and activities, as well as those of their immediate family members, to the UH Office of Outside Interests annually. We review these reports and implement management plans, as appropriate, to address conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with medical research, clinical care and purchasing decisions.
View UH’s policy (PDF) on practitioner-industry relationships.
As of December 31, 2016, Lee Ponsky disclosed the following Outside Relationships with Industry:
- - Accuray Inc. - Consulting
- - Tengion Inc. - Consulting