“Blue Ridge Bone & Joint” merges with three other NC practices to form one of the state’s largest physician-owned orthopaedic practices
In a common mission to provide streamlined, patient-centered care, four independent orthopaedic physician groups across North Carolina have joined together to form a new practice called EmergeOrtho. With 49 office locations in 21 counties statewide, EmergeOrtho is one of the largest physician-owned orthopaedic practices in the country. Additional practices are poised to join during a second phase of expansion projected for early 2017. The combined practices include 126 physicians and 237 physician assistants, nurse practitioners and therapists. With the projected 2017 expansion, there will be approximately 170 physicians in the practice.
The practices that combined to create EmergeOrtho are: Blue Ridge Bone & Joint of Asheville, Hendersonville and Arden; Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists with offices in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties; OrthoWilmington with offices in New Hanover, Brunswick and Onslow counties; and Triangle Orthopaedic Associates of the greater Raleigh-Durham area. The four practices will begin operating under the EmergeOrtho name on August 1, 2016. Patients of each individual group practice should see no interruption in their care and services.
“We are very fortunate to be creating an alliance of four well-established physician practices with excellent reputations,” said Thomas Dimmig, MD, President of Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, who is also serving as president of the new group. “We united in order to preserve the private practice model, a standard of care that puts the patient first. The integrated group will allow these physicians to remain independent and provide their own higher quality, lower cost care.”
Integrating their network across North Carolina, all EmergeOrtho offices will use the same Electronic Health Records system. Patients treated for injury while on vacation, for example, can follow up with an EmergeOrtho provider in their hometown who has seamless access to their medical chart.
Dimmig emphasized that the new organization will continue to build on proven strategies and implement programs that improve outcomes and lower costs for patients. Ancillary services such as diagnostic imaging and physical therapy are available in most EmergeOrtho locations, and 12 offices provide MRI. Orthopaedic urgent care centers in 14 locations address emergent orthopaedic needs as a prompt, less expensive alternative to the ER. Additionally, each group is committed to the present and future alternative payment concepts, such as risk-sharing bundled payments, and all accept a broad range of insurance options.
“We chose the name EmergeOrtho because it describes the group’s mission,” said Dimmig. “The goal of orthopaedics is for patients to emerge from treatment, healed from debilitating pain or limited motion. Through excellent care, patients can emerge stronger and healthier, better able to lead an active life.”
“EmergeOrtho is the result of nearly two years of collaborative, collegial effort among the groups and their physician leadership,” said Charles Wilson, CEO of Triangle Orthopaedic Associates and acting CEO of EmergeOrtho. “While we have created a new statewide group practice, we remain committed to serving our patients and local communities by providing the highest quality care and services our patients have come to know and trust.”
“I am thrilled with the outcome of the work that independent orthopaedic surgeons across the state have put into creating EmergeOrtho. Blue Ridge Bone & Joint, now EmergeOrtho, is positioned to continue to offer our patients the highest possible level of subspecialized, state of the art, orthopaedic care as we move into the future,” said John Hicks MD, president of Blue Ridge Bone & Joint.
ABOUT BLUE RIDGE BONE & JOINT
Founded in 1987, Blue Ridge Bone & Joint’s subspecialty clinics offer complete evaluation of the joint and musculoskeletal systems, with expertise in preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic orthopedic focusing on full-motion living. Subspecialty clinics include Foot & Ankle, Hand Elbow & Shoulder, Hip & Knee, Interventional Physiatry, Sports Medicine and Spine. BRBJ also offers physician-covered orthopaedic urgent care, walk-in clinic services.
With more than 150 years of combined experience in the treatment of orthopaedic diseases, Blue Ridge’s board-certified physicians offer a full range of quality medical services at two locations in Asheville, one in Arden and one in Hendersonville.
ABOUT CAROLINA ORTHOPAEDIC SPECIALISTS
Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists was founded in 1999 when Catawba Orthopaedic Specialists, Burke Orthopaedic Associates and Caldwell Orthopaedic Associates merged to create the Unifour’s largest orthopaedic practice. The physicians of Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists have provided comprehensive orthopaedic care in the Unifour area for over 37 years. The practice offers 20 physicians with a variety of subspecialties within orthopaedics, including sports medicine, spine, hip and knee joint reconstruction and revision, hand and upper extremity, foot and ankle, trauma and PM&R (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation). The team also includes 15 mid-level providers that assist the surgeons and care for patients.
Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists offers six convenient locations in Hickory, Newton, Lenoir, Morganton, Valdese and Taylorsville. For patients’ convenience, the practice also offers a walk-in orthopaedic clinic, Ortho Quick Care, at the Hickory location (2165 Medical Park Drive). Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists offers a complete range of services including diagnostic testing, treatment, rehabilitation and pain management. For more information on Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists, visit carolinaortho.com.
ABOUT ORTHOWILMINGTON
OrthoWilmington is the regional referral center for comprehensive orthopaedic care. The practice offers 23 fellowship-trained and board-certified experts in a variety of subspecialties within orthopaedics, including spine, sports medicine, hip and knee joint reconstruction and revision, hand and upper extremity, foot and ankle, trauma and PM&R (physical medicine and rehabilitation). The medical team also includes 19 physician assistants, and three nurse practitioners.
OrthoWilmington’s offices are headquartered at 2716 Ashton Drive and 3787 Shipyard Boulevard in Wilmington, with multiple locations in New Hanover, Brunswick and Onslow counties. In addition to the full range of specialty orthopaedic care and the walk-in convenience of AccessOrtho, OrthoWilmington offers physical therapy services through all office locations, and a high-field MRI Imaging Center at the Shipyard Boulevard office.
For more information on OrthoWilmington, visit orthowilmington.com.
ABOUT TRIANGLE ORTHOPAEDIC ASSOCIATES, P.A.
Since 1952, Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, P.A. has been at the forefront of orthopaedic care in the City of Medicine and takes pride in offering the best in musculoskeletal and specialty care. Now in over 12 counties, 23 locations, and 9 Orthopaedic Urgent Care Centers in the Greater Triangle region, Triangle Orthopaedics has expanded their services lines by offering complimentary specialty care such as Rehabilitation Medicine, Physical and Occupational Therapy, traditional in-house, mobile, and open MRI scanners, CT, Rheumatology, General & Bariatric Surgery, Breast Care, Neurology, Bone Health, Wound Care, and Vein therapy, which offers patients greater access to healthcare under one umbrella. Triangle Orthopaedics is made up of 64 physicians and 119 mid-level providers in the Greater Triangle region. For more information on Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, P.A., visit triangleortho.com.