Steven R. Flanagan, MD

Physiatry, or physical medicine and rehabilitation, bridges the gap between pain management and functional recovery. It’s a specialty that deals with restoring movement and quality of life after injury, illness, or disability—without defaulting to surgery. In Midtown East, this kind of care is available at a practice that keeps its focus on clinical precision. The 15th floor of 240 E 38th St, New York, NY 10016, is where you’ll find it, tucked between the quiet professionalism of the neighborhood’s medical corridor and the hum of Third Avenue just blocks away.

Restorative care often requires more than just a prescription or a quick adjustment. A physiatrist’s role is to assess how muscles, nerves, and bones interact—and where the breakdowns occur. Here, that means addressing everything from chronic back pain to post-surgical rehabilitation, with an understanding that recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. The practice notes the availability of a restroom on-site, a small but practical detail that matters when mobility itself is part of the equation.

Booking an appointment means calling (212) 263-6037, where the process is handled with the efficiency you’d expect from a specialty practice in this part of the city. There’s no need to navigate a maze of extensions or automated menus; the number connects directly to the office. For those mapping out their visit, the building sits near the intersection of 38th Street and Second Avenue, a short walk from Grand Central’s transit hubs.

The stretch of East 38th Street between Second and Third Avenues has long been a no-frills zone of medical offices and pre-war buildings. It’s not the kind of block that lends itself to lingering, but that’s not the point. The priority here is function over flourish, a philosophy that extends to the straightforward directions available via this map link. No detours, no confusion—just the facts, same as the practice itself.