Proliance Surgeons (Seattle). Proliance Surgeons is one of the largest surgical practices in the country, with 160 physicians specializing in orthopedics, ENT and general surgery. The surgery practice features 100 orthopedic surgeons who treat patients at a number of hospitals and 13 outpatient surgery centers owned by Proliance surgeons. All of Proliance’s orthopedic surgeons have training in general orthopedics with additional specialized training in sports medicine, joint reconstruction, arthroscopic surgery, spine surgery, hand surgery, foot surgery, fracture care and major orthopedic trauma. Proliance surgeons see patients in 30 office locations in four counties and received approximately 600,000 office visits last year, two-thirds of which were orthopedic cases.
David Fitzgerald, CEO of the practice, says that the practice’s success comes from its ability to provide outstanding resources for patient care at a local level. “We find the best doctors and provide a large organizational structure to support them, while letting them practice at a local level,” he says. “Our office locations are located near primary care providers, and our surgeons are affiliated with every hospital in Puget Sound.”
Resurgens Orthopaedics (Atlanta). Resurgens Orthopaedics is a leading orthopedic practice based in Atlanta and is Georgia’s largest orthopedic practice. Resurgens is home to 85 physicians who practice at one or more of the practice’s 18 offices and six surgery center locations. Resurgens provides patients with a full range of orthopedic, diagnostic and rehabilitation services and features specialty centers for hand and spine treatment as well as total joint replacement. In 2008, physicians at the practice performed more than 426,000 patient visits and more than 44,000 surgery cases.
Resurgens participates in a variety of ongoing clinical research projects including drug studies and implant studies. The physicians and rehabilitation staff at Resurgens host community outreach programs on injury prevention, osteoporosis, ergonomics and sports medicine with local YMCAs and area athletic clubs as well as seminars with CEU credit for attorneys and insurance adjusters. In addition, Resurgens formed a charitable foundation in 2001 with the commitment to support the local community. The foundation is currently funding its 8th all-abilities playground and has contributed more than $500,000 to entities in and around metro-Atlanta since its conception, according to Kay Kirkpatrick, MD, co-president of the practice.
According to Steve Wertheim, MD, the other co-president of the practice, Resurgens’ size and outstanding patient care has allowed it to stand out. “Resurgens Orthopaedics is Georgia’s largest orthopedic practice offering comprehensive care from diagnosis, imaging and outpatient surgery to rehabilitation, says Dr. Wertheim. “Our size gives patients the flexibility to seek treatment at 20 sites throughout the metropolitan Atlanta area.”
Illinois Bone & Joint Institute (Morton Grove, Ill.). Illinois Bone and Joint Institute is home to more than 90 orthopedic surgeons with advanced training in more than 25 specialized clinical areas. IBJI has more than 20 locations to serve its patients and provides complete orthopedic surgical care and on-site radiology and physical therapy. The Institute is actively involved in rheumatology research and is currently participating in 13 different clinical trials. IBJI also offers a physician and physician assistant residency program in orthopedics.
OrthoCarolina (Charlotte, N.C.). OrthoCarolina is one of the largest orthopedic practices in the United States. Its capabilities include both surgical and non-surgical treatment of injuries and disorders of bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, nerves, tendons and other soft tissues of the body. The physician staff of OrthoCarolina is comprised of orthopedic surgeons, physiatrists and physician assistants experienced in all areas of orthopedics, many with fellowship training in areas such as foot and ankle, hand, hip and knee and pediatric orthopedics.
OrthoCarolina is home to 70 highly trained physicians and was created in 2005 by the merger of Miller Orthopaedic Clinic and Charlotte Orthopedic Specialists. The practice has 13 locations in North Carolina and offers a number of educational programs for both clinical staff including athletic trainers, physical therapists and other healthcare professionals, as well as to members of the local community.
OrthoCarolina is also home to the OrthoCarolina Research Institute, an independent, autonomous, not-for-profit research organization with a mission to promote and support scientific research and education as it relates to orthopedic care. The Research Institute currently manages 14 FDA-regulated clinical trials, research grants and more than 50 scientific studies and annually monitors approximately 6,000 study patients. The results of these research studies are shared with other healthcare professionals through peer-reviewed medical journals, medical textbooks and presentations at medical conferences.
OrthoIndy (Indianapolis, Ind.). OrthoIndy is one of the largest private orthopedic practices in the Midwest and provides complete bone, joint, spine and muscle care. Last year, the practice had more than 170,000 patient visits, according to John Martin, CEO of OrthoIndy. OrthoIndy’s 65 medical professionals treat patients in 11 office locations, and OrthoIndy physicians own and operate the well-regarded Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital in Indianapolis. The practice’s specialties include bone tumor and soft tissue oncology, cartilage restoration, foot and ankle, general orthopedics, hand and upper extremity, hip and knee, pediatric orthopedics, physiatry and pain management, shoulder, sports medicine, spine, total joint replacement and trauma.
Physicians from OrthoIndy are active in research and clinical trials. The Orthopaedic Research Foundation, founded in 1986, currently has more than 25 nationally and internationally recognized physicians participating in more than 30 investigational studies, resulting in the publication of more than 15 peer review scientific manuscripts annually, according to Jenna Sallee, executive director of the Orthopaedic Research Foundation.
OrthoIndy is also involved in its local community, sponsoring a number of organizations and hosting classes for patients considering joint replacement surgery. The classes provide participants information about orthopedic surgery, the hospital experience, discharge planning, physical therapy, adaptive equipment needs and home safety, according to Deb Robinson, OrthoIndy’s total joint replacement manager.
Upcoming plans for the organization include expanding services on the south side of Indianapolis through the development of a new facility, which is scheduled to open in 2010. “In 2009, we announced the plans to build another hospital outpatient department that will serve the residents of the south side of Indianapolis. Spanning over 75,000 square feet, the facility will house a surgery center and clinic and will feature 42 exam rooms, 4 operating rooms, physical therapy and MRI,” says Mr. Martin. “We are looking forward to expanding our current presence in the community to provide Southside residents with complete bone, joint, spine and muscle care from an orthopedic practice with 47 years of service.”
Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (Westchester, Ill.). Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush is nationally recognized as a leader in comprehensive orthopedic services ranging from sports medicine, joint, hand, feet, spine, cartilage restoration, pediatrics, trauma, orthopedic oncology and shoulder care. MOR has five locations throughout the Chicago metro area and is staffed by nearly 35 board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians, 31 of which are orthopedic surgeons. Physicians at MOR work closely with Rush University Medical Center to research advances in the evaluation and treatment of orthopedic conditions and have helped to develop several minimally invasive surgical techniques, including the world’s first minimally invasive hip surgery. MOR’s orthopedic surgeons have also pioneered many advances in hip, knee and spine implants and are recognized for their advancements in the development of cementless implants for hip replacement and innovative approaches to cartilage restoration and treating chronic arthritis.
MOR offers fellowship programs in spine, sports medicine and joint replacement and is a training site for residents and medical students at Rush University Medical Center. In addition, MOR physicians serve as team physicians for the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox and for the highly regarded Hubbard Street Dance Company.
Dennis Viellieu, CEO of MOR, says that the practice is unique due to its structure. “Our structure of combining a private practice model of providing patient care with an academic program for research and educational purposes … provides for the most effective and efficient development of new techniques and approaches to improve the delivery of care to the general population,” he says.
MOR will soon have a new facility. “We are in the process of completing the building of a comprehensive orthopedic facility on the RUMC campus that will bring together all the patient care, education and teaching elements of our program under one roof, which will hopefully enable us to not only continue to make the steps forward in orthopedic care and research but will also help to accelerate these advances,” says Mr. Viellieu. “This kind of collaboration between physician group and medical center is critical to the continuation of progress in the orthopedic field.”
Steadman-Hawkins Clinic (Vail, Colo.). The Steadman-Hawkins Clinic is a leading sports medicine and orthopedic practice, treating patients at four locations throughout Colorado and at one location in Spartanburg, S.C. Steadman-Hawkins’ more than 20 physicians provide a variety of services including ligament and joint reconstruction, sports medicine, arthroscopic surgery, treatment for athletic injuries, knee and hand surgery, anterior cruciate ligament repair and treatment for spinal disorders and injuries.
The practice was established in 1990 and is particularly recognized for its treatment orthopedic problems related to the knee. Steadman-Hawkins has treated a number of professional athletes from all sports, in particular European soccer stars, for severe knee injuries.
The practice works closely with the Steadman Hawkins Research Foundation, one of the largest non-profit research institutes dedicated to the prevention and treatment of orthopedic disorders. The Steadman Hawkins Research Foundation was established in 1988 by J. Richard Steadman, MD. Dr. Richard Hawkins, a renowned shoulder surgeon, joined the Foundation in 1990. The Foundation’s most recent research has examined the effects of various treatments on the ACL deficient knee.
The Hughston Clinic (Columbus, Ga.). The Hughston Clinic has eight locations throughout southern Georgia and western Alabama, and the clinic’s 19 physicians treat patients with a variety of orthopedic and sports injuries. Hughston’ physicians provide comprehensive services including total joint replacement; shoulder, knee, hip and ankle surgery, and spine services. The Hughston Clinic was founded by Jack Hughston, MD, in 1949 and has been credited with elevating sports medicine as a medical specialty.
The Hughston Clinic’s research and educational arm, the non-profit Hughston Foundation, provides national and international leadership in orthopedic and sports medicine research and education, and works to develop innovative concepts that help to advance the practice of orthopedic surgery. The foundation provides educations events for both healthcare providers and the local community about the treatment and prevention of sports injuries and is involved in a number of clinical trials.
Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic (Los Angeles). The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic is a leading orthopedic practice specializing in orthopedic and sports medicine. It has four locations in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. The Kerlan-Jobe clinic was founded in 1965 by Robert Kerlan, MD, and Frank Jobe, MD. Today, the practice is home to a staff of 18 physicians who treat approximately 8,000-10,000 patients annually. Surgeons at the practice perform a number of orthopedic procedures including tendon repair, total joint replacement, ligament reconstructions, arthroscopic surgery and spine and neck surgery, the majority of which take place at the Kerlan-Jobe Surgicenter.
Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic has been responsible for developing a number of advanced surgical methods and procedures in orthopedics. Physicians at the practice are currently pursuing advances in rotator cuff repair and augmentation, shoulder and elbow instability and articular cartilage repair. The clinic is also dedicated to medical education. The Kerlan-Jobe Foundation supports a fellowship program, which is currently the oldest and largest program for sports medicine in the United States, according to Ralph Gambardella, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and president of the clinic.
Kerlan-Jobe is notable because its physicians’ expertise span all areas of sports medicine and orthopedics, says Dr. Gambardella,. “What makes us unique is that we all have sub-specialty areas of expertise, and we work together as a group to provide the best, most accurate and comprehensive diagnoses and treatment options for our patients using the most-advanced and proven technology available,” he says.
Kerlan-Jobe physicians and fellowship program alumni also take care of more professional and collegiate sports teams than any program in the United States, says Dr. Gambardella. These physicians serve as team physicians and consultants to sports teams including the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Mighty Ducks and Los Angeles Galaxy.
Florida Sports Medicine Institute (St. Augustine, Fla.). Florida Sports Medicine Institute specializes in sports injuries, fractures, arthritis, joint replacement and workers’ compensation injuries and is considered among the strongest single-physician orthopedic practices in the country. Founded in 1997, FSMI’s Tod Northrup, DO, a board-certified physician who has completed fellowship training in sports medicine and arthroscopy, treats recreational and elite athletes in two practice locations and performed more than 750 surgeries last year.
Dr. Northrup supports continuing research and educational activities in the field of sports medicine. His research in knee ligament reconstruction earned him the DonJoy Award for scientific research in sports medicine. In addition to conducting research and contributing to academic publications, Dr. Northrup currently serves as the team physician for seven high schools and two universities, including the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. FSMI provides more than 350 free physicals to local high school athletes each year and holds Saturday injury clinics for during football season, allowing athletes to receive information about their injury and recovery time before the clinic reopens on Monday.
Dr. Northrup says that his practice is unique because, as a solo practitioner, he has the ability to base all decisions he makes for the practice as they relate to quality of care. “I think the most important thing we provide is high-quality, cost-effective care, and we do that very efficiently,” he says. “In other practices with many physicians, you have leaders and followers. Here, I have the ability to lead not only the care of my patients but the management of the clinic as well, and I am able to make all decisions based on quality of care.”
Contact Lindsey Dunn at lindsey@beckersasc.com.
