When you hear the name Olympia Orthopaedic Associates you likely think, “broken arm, hip replacement, knee surgery.” But, this strong group’s talents and services extend far beyond setting bones. The physicians at Olympia Orthopaedics provide full body musculoskeletal care – they work with patients on full body therapies and solutions BEFORE they consider surgery.
Founded in 1972 by Drs. John Coker, Jerome H. Zechmann, Alan Roser and Kenneth Partlow III, the group has grown over the decades in the Olympia area and now serves over 100,000 patients and performs over 10,000 surgeries annually. As they have grown, the group has been able to increase their service to patients and now includes a wide variety of medical care that some readers may not realize.
1 – Location, Location, Location – Oly Ortho has three facilities in Thurston County: The Yelm Clinic, The Eastside Clinic on Lilly Road, and the new state-of-the-art Westside Clinic and Surgery Center located across from Capital Medical Center. While a lot of attention has been focused on the new building, the doctors, nurses, and staff at all the clinics put patient care first.
2 – MRI is Just Down the Hall – The Westside Clinic has its own dedicated MRI center. Location within the clinic allows doctors and patients quick and easy access to MRI scans when they need them. Included in the state-of-the-art facility is an Extremity MRI, allowing for scans of isolated areas of the body (wrists, hands) and avoiding the need for full body scans.
3 – Specialties Abound – When an injury or chronic condition is very specific, requiring specialized care, we in the South Sound often think we’ll have to travel north to the Seattle area to access specialists. However, Olympia Orthopaedics staff is filled to the brim with doctors who are the best in their field. From the two Hand and Upper Extremity Surgeons, one with a specialty just in the elbow, to Orthopaedic Spine surgeons, to one of the nation’s top ankle replacement surgeons, Oly Ortho can treat nearly any condition with their world-class staff.
4 – Physical Therapy is a BIG Part of the Picture – Yes, surgeons like to do surgery. It’s what they are trained to do. But, you might be surprised to know that the physicians at Oly Ortho look at surgery as a last step in a long line of non-surgical solutions. Chief among those solutions is Physical Therapy. With a dedicated PT suite in both the Westside Clinic and the Eastside Clinic, patients and doctors are intimately connected to the work done in PT. Doctors are able to walk literally down the hall to consult with therapists about patient progress and needs, a relationship that benefits patients immensely.
5 – Walk-In Clinic – Yes, you read that right. Oly Ortho has a walk-in clinic to serve patients with acute and immediate needs. While the clinic isn’t intended as an urgent care center, it’s extremely handy for patients coming directly from the soccer field or basketball court. Many of the injuries seen in the clinic are sports related and Dr. Vu handles them beautifully. His experience with sports medicine allows quick assessment and referral for casting or simply rest and ice.
6 – The Spine is Made of Bones, too – Ok, you may have already known this. However, when most of us think about spinal surgery, we think about the delicate spinal cord running inside the spine, connecting our brains to the rest of our bodies. However, much of the medical care of the spine is actually orthopaedic in nature. The Spine Center at Olympia Orthopaedics has two specially trained Orthopaedic Spine Surgeons, specializing in conditions and deformities of the spine. These two surgeons partner with two equally talented Neurosurgeons creating a cohesive team with experience and knowledge to tackle even the most complex spinal issues.
7 – Oly Ortho Is all About You – Patient needs come first at Oly Ortho, every day, in every department. The commitment to patient care is not some marketing campaign designed to create a good image. It’s a guiding principle felt by every staff member in the organization and a promise that patients will experience excellent care from their greeting in the main lobby to their post-operative care. Each decision made by each practitioner is based on one question – “Is this the best for my patients?” The group operates under their #1 rule – to care, instilled in the entire team by CEO, Troy Green.
Learn more about the care and services provided by Olympia Orthopaedics Associates by visiting their website or calling 1-800-936-3386.
