Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/56100
"Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists is much more than just a medical group that one might see as limited to the role of the orthopedic space in the community. We are a growing company and a family of people who are committed to playing an active role in growing the city of Syracuse and playing a role in putting all of the positive pieces of the community together." — Michael Humphrey, CEO of Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists Introducing SOS PLUS, which provides after-hours care for orthopedic injuries seven days a week. treatment typically amounts to a temporary fix without knowing what the ultimate therapy will be. By seeing an orthopedic specialist at SOS PLUS, patients know their definitive course of treatment, from surgery to casting, and the length of time they will miss school or work upon completion of their initial evaluation. The clinic is staffed by a nurse, a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, an orthopedic surgeon and, since full MRI and X-ray services are available on-site, a full- time X-ray technician. The clinic provides care Monday through Friday from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and on both Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon. Open since late summer 2011, SOS PLUS has been offering an increasing number of patients the opportunity to connect with SOS specialists sooner after their initial injuries for significantly improved outcomes. The Inpatient Application Before the three orthopedic groups merged to form SOS, each was aligned with one of the three private hospitals in Syracuse. SOS is reviving that tradition via its part- nership with St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center. The concept for a private practice group-hospital relationship emerged from a desire to translate three of the major areas of focus at SOS to the hospital set- ting for a higher quality of inpatient and outpatient care. "We emphasize quality of care, as well as the efficiency and eco- nomic responsibility of care. We realize that excellent medical care is expensive," says C. Perry Cooke, M.D., orthopedic sur- geon, President of SOS. "We have developed procedures that lead to first-rate, quality care while recog- nizing economic responsibility and emphasizing patient satisfaction, as well as physician satisfaction and the staff at SOS's satisfaction." Those procedures include thorough preoperative medical consultations specifically evaluat- ing cardiac and diabetic concerns to ensure each patient is in the best medical condition possible before entering the operating room. According to Dr. Cooke, this provides the best opportunity for an uncomplicated postoperative course and a shorter hospital stay. The consultations also help to prevent a last-minute cancellation of the patient's procedure, which would necessitate the repetition of all of the preoperative resources. SOS also concentrates on facilitating proper discharge to streamline the patient's hospital experience. Since discharge can be a confusing time for patients, a combination of phone calls and visits verifies that various medications, physical therapy programs, home nurses and follow- ups with primary care providers are being implemented. While the partnership with St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center has been thriving for a year and a half, SOS moved the entirety of its inpatient volume to the site at the end of February. Dr. Cooke explains that the increased vol- ume will only improve patient outcomes by bringing all of the SOS expertise to one location, where specific metrics developed by SOS continually measure the partnership's performance. "We and the hospital together are going to focus on the highest quality care that we can deliver. We will turn over every stone that we find to improve that qual- ity," Dr. Cooke says. "That will ultimately benefit the citizens of Central New York, and that's our No. 1 goal." For more information about Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists or to refer a patient, call (315) 251-3100 or visit www.sosbones.com. ■