Orthopedic care platform U.S. Orthopaedic Partners (USOP) has announced a new partnership with ortho care provider Orthopaedic Institute of North Mississippi (OINM). This partnership aims to expand one of the highest growth ortho networks in the Southeastern U.S.
Run by doctors Eric Lewis, M.D., Stephen Southworth, M.D., Gabe Rulewicz, M.D., William Pillow, M.D., Nels Thorderson, M.D., and Bryan Fagan, M.D., OINM operates multiple orthopedic practices throughout the state of Mississippi. OINM is known for innovative, effective and compassionate ortho care, and has reported a consistently strong growth trajectory in the greater Tupelo area. OINM has created a network of comprehensive orthopedic care and sports medicine practices, equipped with accessible walk-in care, easy-to-use mobile appointment scheduling and options for online registration and mobile payment.
“We are excited by this new partnership with USOP and, as a physician who has been practicing for many years, I have seen times change over the years and the immense burdens that are placed on a practice to keep up with the changes in today’s ever-evolving healthcare environment,” said Dr. Lewis. “The partnership will give me peace of mind so I can focus on practicing medicine, while leaving the regulatory and administrative burdens to the experts.”
Headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. Orthopaedic Partners is an integrated, full-service ortho care platform, serving much of the Southeastern U.S. USOP’s platform includes cutting edge ambulatory surgical centers, fellowship training programs and comprehensive musculoskeletal treatment services including advanced imaging, urgent care, pain management, ortho rehab, sports medicine and pharmacy. USOP was founded with a mission to make “conscious investment in future industry opportunities” with “like minded partners.”
“We are thrilled with the addition of The Orthopaedic Institute to USOP. This group fits well into our mission and has developed a strong brand over the years. Our non-disruptive model allows them to maintain their operational autonomy, brand identity and ownership, while joining one of the fastest growing orthopedic Management Service Organizations in the country,” said USOP CEO Glen Silverman. “They also will realize the benefits of our full-serve, integrated platform and focus on clinical best practices, delivering value-based care delivery and generating quality outcomes.”
OTW spoke with Chief Operating Officer of OINM, Carol Farris, about what led the two companies to partner. Farris told us, “We think over the next 5-7 years the orthopedic landscape will continue to change with increasing challenges to maintain a fully independent practice model. We felt that the partnership allowed us to continue to operate in the same capacity we do today yet allowed us to take advantage of the scale and support services the partnership will offer.”
Farris then spoke to USOP’s goals for the remainder of the year, “We have two main goals: Our practice aligns perfectly for system integration into the platform. So our first priority is to work alongside Mississippi Sports Medicine and the USOP leadership to operationalize our integration plan. My second goal would be to start using the resources now available to me for marketing and patient acquisition. Busy doctors are happy doctors.”
