Lisa R. Witkin, M.D., M.S.
Pain Medicine/Management

About
Personal Statement
Dr. Lisa R. Witkin is a double-board certified physician, in anesthesiology and pain medicine, who specializes in interventional pain management.
Dr. Witkin is the Site Director of Pain Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital and currently sees patients at both the Division of Pain Management's Lower Manhattan office as well as the Center for Comprehensive Spine Care. She is also the Site Director at Weill Cornell for the Tri-Institutional Pain Medicine Fellowship, and was awarded NewYork-Presbyterian Teacher of the Year for 2014-2015.
Dr. Witkin has completed the Weill Cornell Medical College Mentored Clinical Research Training Program (2014-2015) and was selected as a Weill Cornell Healthcare Leadership Fellow in 2015. As part of the program, she has completed executive education coursework at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
In 2015, Dr. Witkin was selected by her peers as one of Super Doctors New York 'Rising Stars'-an honor roll of the top New York doctors in more than 30 specialties who have been fully licensed for 10 years or less. In addition, Dr. Witkin was selected as Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor, Top Doctors New York Metro Area in 2019, 2020, 2021 and was included in their list of Exceptional Women in Medicine: 2019 and 2020.
Specialties and Expertise
Specialties
- Interventional Pain Management
- Pain Medicine
- Pain Management
- Sports Medicine
- Anesthesiology
Expertise
- Pain Following Surgery or Procedure
- Acute Pain Management
- Acute Pain Management
- Cancer Pain Management
- Chronic Pain Management
- Chronic Pain Management In Elderly Patients
- Neck and Back Pain
- Non-Surgical Approach to Back Pain
- Minimally Invasive Procedures For Back/Neck Pain
- Back Pain
- Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain
- Joint Pain
- Knee Pain
- Low Back and Neck Pain
- Muscle Pain
- Myofascial Pain
- Nerve Ablation for Chronic Pain
- Nerve Pain Due to Spinal Stenosis
- Neuropathic Pain
Biography
Originally from Pennsylvania, Dr. Witkin attended Penn State University’s Schreyer Honors College, where she earned a B.S. in engineering science, magna cum laude, with honors in bioengineering. She earned her M.D. at Johns Hopkins University and then completed a general surgery internship at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Following her internship, Dr. Witkin completed an anesthesiology residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She then completed a pain management fellowship at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Tri-Institutional Fellowship Program (Weill Cornell Medical College, Hospital for Special Surgery, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center).
Committed to patient care, Dr. Witkin's clinical interests encompass a wide range of pain conditions. Some of her specialties include acute and chronic post-surgical pain, neck and spine disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, cancer-related pain, neuropathic pain, and chronic regional pain syndrome. Her treatment goal is to utilize a multi-modal approach which is customized to each patient. This approach alleviates a patient's pain and suffering in order to improve physical and mental functioning as well as overall quality of life. This may include initiating and optimizing medications, physical and occupational therapy, behavioral medicine techniques, and minimally-invasive fluoroscopic and ultrasound-guided interventional therapies. More advanced interventions including spinal cord stimulation and intrathecal pump therapy may also be offered when indicated.
Dr. Witkin practices evidence-based medicine and uses a multidisciplinary approach in collaboration with Neurosurgery, Neurology, Orthopedic Surgery, Psychiatry, Rehabilitative Medicine, and complimentary and alternative medical specialists. Active not only in patient care but also in research, she has numerous publications and presentations to her credit. She is also an active member of many national anesthesia and pain organizations including: American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA), New York State Society of Anesthesiologists (NYSSA), American Pain Society (APS), American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA), North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS), and New York Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (NYSIPP).
Research
Honors and Awards
Honors and Awards
- Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor
- Top Doctors New York Metro Area: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
- Exceptional Women In Medicine: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Certificate: "Leadership Strategies for Evolving Health Care Executives", The Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 2015
- NewYork-Presbyterian Teacher of the Year, 2014-2015, Tri-Institutional Pain Medicine Fellowship
- Weill Cornell Medical College Healthcare Leadership Fellow, 2015-2016
- Super Doctors New York Rising Stars list, 2015
- Mentored Clinical Research Training Program Recipient, July 2014
- Scholarship recipient to attend the “Fundamentals of Pain Management: Principals and Practice” course and the 31st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society, May 2012.
- 2nd Place Award: Pennsylvania Anesthesiology Resident Research Conference, 2011 Annual Meeting, for Witkin, Lisa R, Patel, Rishin A, Slevin, Kieran A. “Left Stellate Ganglion Blockade for the Management of Drug Resistant Electrical Storm.”
- Dean’s List Honor (2000-2004)
- Howard J. Waltemeyer, Sr. Scholarship-College of Engineering (2002-2004)
- Morrow Scholarship-College of Engineering (2001-2004)
- Petrick Engineering Scholarship (2000-2004)
- Academic Excellence Scholarship (2000-2004)
- Member of Phi Gamma Phi Honor Society -top 5% (Spring 2002-2004)
- Golden Key International Honour Society (Fall 2001- 2004)
- National Society of Collegiate Scholars (Spring 2001-2004)
- Gamma Sigma Alpha Honors Society (Spring 2001-2004)
Learn more
Credentials
Board Certifications
- American Board of Anesthesiology
- American Board of Anesthesiology (Pain Medicine)
Clinical and Academic Positions
- Assistant Attending Anesthesiologist - NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
- Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology - Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
Education and Training
- M.D., The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2008
- B.S., Pennsylvania State University, 2004
Insurance
Insurance Plans Accepted
The following represents most of the managed care plans accepted by this doctor. If your insurance carrier does not appear here please contact the doctor’s office as they may have individual contracts not included on this site.
* indicates this doctor is no longer accepting new patients with this insurance plan.
- AETNA - HMO
- AETNA - Medicare
- AETNA - PPO
- Aetna Weill Cornell Employee Managed Care Plan
- Aetna Weill Cornell Employee PPO Plan
- Aetna-NYP - EPO/POS
- Affinity Access
- Affinity Health Plan
- AgeWell New York
- Amida Care
- CIGNA
- Emblem Select Care
- Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - Blue Access
- Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - Blue Connection
- Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - EPO
- Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - HMO
- Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - Mediblue (Senior)
- Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield - PPO
- Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield HealthPlus
- Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield HealthPlus - CHP
- Fidelis Care
- GHI - CBP
- Health First
- Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP)
- Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) - Medicaid
- Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) - Medicare
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Oxford Health Plans - Freedom
- Oxford Health Plans - Liberty
- Oxford Health Plans - Medicare Advantage
- Oxford Health Plans - Metro/Core/Charter
- Rockefeller University - Trustmark
- United Empire
- United Healthcare
- United Healthcare - Community Plan
- United Healthcare - Medicare
- United Healthcare Compass
- VNSNY CHOICE - HMO
- VNSNY CHOICE - Medicare
- WellCare of NY
- WorldWide Medical
Locations and Appointments
News and Media
News
External Relationships
External Relationships
Relationships and collaborations with for-profit and not-for profit organizations are of vital importance to our faculty because these exchanges of scientific information foster innovation. As experts in their fields, WCM physicians and scientists are sought after by many organizations to consult and educate. WCM and its faculty make this information available to the public, thus creating a transparent environment.
No External Relationships Reported