July 28, 2016— In a common mission to provide streamlined, patient-centered care, four independent orthopedic 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 orthopedic 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 and Joint of Asheville, Hendersonville and Arden; Carolina Orthopedic Specialists with offices in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties; OrthoWilmington with offices in New Hanover, Brunswick and Onslow counties; and Triangle Orthopedic 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 Orthopedic 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. Orthopedic urgent care centers in 14 locations address emergent orthopedic 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 orthopedics 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 Orthopedic 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.”
