Olympia Orthopaedic Associates is a familiar name in Thurston County healthcare. Founded in 1972 by Drs. John Coker, Jerome H. Zechmann, Alan Roser, and Kenneth Partlow III, the group has grown over the decades. Pacing with the growth in SW Washington, the medical group now serves over 100,000 patients and performs over 10,000 surgeries annually. Oly Ortho consists of three facilities in Thurston County: the new state-of-the-art Westside Clinic and Surgery Center, the Eastside Clinic on Lilly Road, and the Yelm Clinic on Tahoma Blvd.
If you venture near Capital Medical Center at all, you’ve likely seen the new Westside Clinic, either under construction in the last year or since its opening in September 2012. The clinic includes 35,000 sq. ft. of clinical space and 22,000 sq. ft. of surgical facilities. In total, at 63,000 square feet, the new facility is one of the largest and most comprehensive orthopaedic centers in the Pacific Northwest.
The impressive new space consists of an imaging center with three state-of-art MRI’s, two digital x-ray centers, a 5,000 square foot physical therapy area, a world-class Spine Center, along with the top-notch general orthopaedic care. CEO Troy Green shares, “Olympia Orthopaedic Associates is truly committed to the patients we serve, and we pride ourselves as being a place where patients and families can expect excellence with their treatment needs.”
When you think of orthopaedic care, most people immediately think: broken arm, knee surgery, hip replacement. And while Oly Ortho treats all these conditions daily, “bones” are only one aspect of what they do. The physicians at Oly Ortho provide full body musculoskeletal care – they work with patients on full body therapies and solutions before they consider surgery. With their new facility, they are able to give patients comprehensive care, all in one location.
One important aspect of orthopaedics is Spine Surgery. Oly Ortho is the only provider in Washington, aside from UW, to offer comprehensive, world-class spinal care and has been designated a “Spine Center Of Excellence” in collaboration with Capital Medical Center’s Spine and Joint Center of Southwest Washington. They have two Neurosurgeons – Drs. Ryan Halpin and Yoshiro Yamamoto and two Orthopaedic Spine Surgeons on staff, including Dr. Clyde Carpenter, who was selected in April 2012 to represent orthopaedic surgery in The Leading Physicians of the World publication. Below, meet two of the talented surgeons in the Spine Center, working daily to correct spinal deformities and alleviate pain, leading to better lives for their patients.
Dr. Andrew Manista – Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon
Dr. Manista joined the spine team at Olympia Orthopaedics in August of 2008 after completing a spinal surgery fellowship at John’s Hopkins Hospital in Maryland. While there, he worked with world-renowned spinal surgeons on breakthrough surgical techniques and has brought that knowledge to the team at Oly Ortho.
Manista specializes in complex spinal deformities – developmental or congenital spine malformations such as scoliosis or arthritic conditions – but sees patients with a wide variety of spinal needs including pain management and disc issues. One would expect a surgeon of his caliber to have done undergraduate work in the sciences, but Dr. Manista is anything but expected with his quick humor and easy laugh. He attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, earning a Music Degree playing the upright bass and has played with everyone from the symphony orchestra to a rock band.
After years of living where his schooling took him, Dr. Manista chose Olympia as his home, falling for the beauty of the outdoors after a trip to the Olympic National Forest. Oly Ortho welcomed the young doctor and he has felt fortunate in the mentoring provided by the experienced team including Dr. Clyde Carpenter.
When asked what he likes best about working at Oly Ortho, Dr. Manista says, “I have grown to love the relationships I’m able to develop with my patients over time,” says Manista. “As a spine surgeon, I’m don’t just see them once or twice. I’m able to create a lasting connection.”
That connection extends to his co-workers as well. “Being in this group is as good as it gets. The staff work hard and having a comprehensive team in such a terrific facility creates a real sense of cooperation, making us all better docs, giving the best care to our patients.”
Dr. Ryan Halpin – Neurosurgeon
Dr. Halpin, a board eligible Neurosurgeon, has been with Olympia Orthopaedic for the last 18 months, but his history with Olympia is much longer. A graduate of Capital High School, his father, Dr. Patrick Halpin has practiced orthopaedics in Olympia for over 20 years. Dr. Halpin earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry with Honors from Brown University and completed both his Medical Degree and Neurological Surgery residency at Northwestern University. He then returned to Olympia, wanting to raise his family in his hometown.
The newest addition to the Spine Center, Dr. Halpin explains that “the spine is where the two specialties of neurosurgery and orthopaedics interconnect.” He and his partners work with patients on non-surgical courses of management first, including in-house physical therapy and Oly Ortho’s injection specialists to manage pain and promote healing. However, when surgery is called for, Dr. Halpin and the Spine team can handle even the most complex surgeries, often in a minimally invasive procedure.
When asked what he likes best about Oly Ortho, Dr. Halpin shares that he “enjoys the long-term doctor-patient relationships created during treatment. I like following up with patients, seeing people get better and improving their lives.” He also credits the new Westside Clinic with improving efficiencies through logical flow and comprehensive service in one facility. “We can serve our patients so much better in this building. It functions well and allows us to focus on our patients and their needs.”
Whether you are facing a sprained ankle from a soccer game, a chronic, degenerative spinal condition, or nearly anything in-between, Olympia Orthopaedic Associates can help. Their friendly, people focused approach to comprehensive orthopaedic care inspires patient confidence that is well deserved.
For more information, visit Olympia Orthopaedic Associates website or call 800.936.3386.
