Arkansas orthopedic group's post-merger priorities are physician growth, innovation

Practice Management

Months after merging with Arkansas Specialty Orthopaedics, OrthoArkansas of Little Rock is planning to ramp up recruitment efforts, open multiple new clinics and potentially introduce telemedicine services, Arkansas Business reports.

The groups merged after finding they had similar goals for the future. They could have survived if they'd remained separate entities, according to OrthoArkansas' Eric Gordon, MD, but the merger would help them "thrive."

The merger was "a huge operational challenge," OrthoArkansas Co-President Tad Pruitt, MD, told Arkansas Business. "But we’re on schedule with the progress that we want to be making, and I think we’re definitely beginning to see the benefits of all that.”

Now, the practice is focused on physician growth, with innovation as a second priority. Within five years, OrthoArkansas plans to add up to 15 physicians, who would fill out nine locations in central Arkansas and replace retiring physicians.

Post-merger, OrthoArkansas has extended the hours of its orthopedic urgent care clinic in Little Rock and plans to open up to five more over the next two to three years. The practice is also looking into using telemedicine services, such as patient-monitoring apps, as early as next year.

"That's one way you can increase access to people that are far away," Dr. Pruitt said. "So, we could see partnering with physical therapy offices, primary care offices and other places to help deliver that.”

In September, Dr. Gordon completed the state's first outpatient total knee replacement surgery. OrthoArkansas had been studying the procedure for about two years. To facilitate good outcomes, the practice has patients begin physical therapy preoperatively and attend a class with a family member.

The orthopedic group currently has 32 physician owners.

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