McLean County OrthopedicsA Full Range of Services for Your Full Range of Motion
By: Amy Kennard
When you think of the term “orthopedics”, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Hip replacements? Tennis elbow? Knee surgery? Shoulder injuries? What about arthroscopic and minimally-invasive surgeries, on-site physical therapy and a state-of-the-art overnight stay surgery center?
McLean County Orthopedics (MCO) has it all
As one of the most comprehensive orthopedic practices in downstate Illinois, McLean County Orthopedics has grown by leaps and bounds since it was established in 1976. The practice specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of the musculoskeletal system, including:
- traumatic injuries of the upper and lower extremities
- degenerative diseases of the joints and spine
- overuse and entrapment problems involving muscles, tendons and nerves
- sports related injuries
- foot and ankle care.
In addition to these services, MCO offers a variety of patient care services on-site, including open and extremity MRI, X-rays, full-service physical therapy, the Center for Outpatient Medicine and the Midwest Regional Pain Center. All this under one roof makes MCO stand out as the “go-to” practice for any orthopedic condition.
Keeping up with an active population
Dr. Joseph Novotny has been with the practice since 1998, and says that the general population, including older individuals, is staying more active than ever before. “As a result,” he says, “some of the musculoskeletal conditions that would not have required treatment in the past are becoming necessary. We’re doing more rotator cuff surgeries in older patients, more arthroscopic knee surgeries, more joint replacements.”
With an increase in these conditions comes a need for more technology. The advent of minimally-invasive surgeries, new approaches to anesthesia and pain control are allowing patients quicker recovery times with less complications. “In fact,” says Dr. Novotny, “most patients don’t even realize that there has ever been any other way. Minimally-invasive and muscle-sparing surgeries have to some extent replaced traditional surgeries of the past.”
One example is an anterior hip replacement surgery that utilizes a revolutionary hana® Table. This specialized table allows the surgeon to expose the hip through an incision that spares the muscles on the backside of the hip that help keep the hip in the socket. “Traditional surgery required exposures to the hip that involved cutting through these muscles, so after surgery patients had to avoid certain positions in order to not dislocate the hip.” Dr. Novotony is one of only two surgeons in the area that performs this surgery, and says that he hopes someday it will become the standard of care for patients who require anterior hip replacements.
MCO’s spine surgeon, Dr. John Atwater, agrees that there has been a “philosophical change”, especially when it comes to spine surgery. “These procedures have gotten to the point where they can be performed arthroscopically (by inserting a specifically designed illuminated device into the joint through a small incision). Over the last 10 years the surgery has become less and less invasive. Patients recover faster – what used to be three to five days in a traditional hospital has now become one to two days at the recovery care center.”
Specialized orthopedic care
Another trend that is being seen now in orthopedics is a move toward sub-specialties. Dr. Jerome Oakey treats all general orthopedic conditions, but focuses on hand, wrist and elbow conditions. He is also known for treating complex hand cases in Central Illinois. He explains, “At MCO we have great surgeons who treat you from head to toe, but with advances in technology, orthopedic implants and patient expectations these general orthopedic surgeons are evolving as well.” He continues, “I am a perfect example of that trend. While there are many in town that treat hand issues, my practice is almost exclusively upper-extremity surgery. In addition, we have specialty physicians in the treatment of the spine, foot and ankle, and have recently added a sports medicine fellowship-trained surgeon, Dr. Norris.”
The challenge of many sports medicine injuries is that patients want to get back to their active lifestyle as quickly as possible. Dr. Joseph Norris understands that. While performing his sports medicine fellowship in Baltimore, Maryland, he served as an associate team physician for the Baltimore Ravens and Johns Hopkins University. “That fellowship focused on arthroscopic treatment of shoulder and knee injuries, which I see a lot of.” He is one of the few surgeons in Illinois that is certified for Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI), a procedure that involves taking cartilage cells from a patient’s knee, growing it in a lab, then implanting it back in the same patient’s knee. “Many people think that these technologies are only available in bigger cities, at larger practices. More often than not, cutting-edge treatments and procedures are available right here in Bloomington.”
A Bloomington base
What compels these talented physicians to reside in Central Illinois? For Dr. Norris and Dr. Novotny, Bloomington is home. “I attended Illinois Wesleyan University before going to SIU for medical school and orthopedic surgery residency,” says Norris. “After researching opportunities all over the Midwest, it was clear that Bloomington offered the best community and the best environment for my family.” Dr. Novotny echoes that sentiment and adds, “In addition to being a great home base, it is one of the only cities in Illinois to have an overnight stay surgery center.”
Dr. Gerald Paul is a graduate of Illinois State University, with family in nearby Joliet. “When the opportunity opened up for a podiatric surgeon at MCO in 1997, I jumped at the chance.” Dr. Paul is also currently the team podiatrist for ISU, Illinois Wesleyan and the Bloomington Extreme. “As far as I know,” he says, “MCO is the only orthopedic practice in Bloomington that incorporates a podiatric surgeon.”
Dr. Atwater said he felt that by coming to Bloomington he was filling a void from a spine orthotics standpoint. “With the combination of all our specialties,” he says, “we can offer a multi-disciplinary approach under one roof right here in Bloomington.” Though Dr. Atwater now resides in the Twin Cities, his travels have taken him to far reaching places. “My father was an American diplomat, so we traveled all over the world – including French speaking West Africa. I chose to work with the spine in part because while I was overseas we grew up with people who were less fortunate and I saw many kids with spinal deformities.“ This summer, in fact, he will be journeying to Central Africa – Kenya and Uganda – to perform medical mission work. To round out his qualifications, he was recently named as one of “50 of the Best Spine Specialists in America” by Becker’s Orthopedic and Spine Review.
A family of physicians
MCO defines itself as one of the most all-encompassing practices in the area. Though each may specialize, there is a collaboration among all of the physicians that is truly unique. Dr. Oakey explains, “If I see a patient who has a wrist fracture and has also injured their foot, I call one of our foot and ankle surgeons for immediate treatment. If a patient has carpal tunnel syndrome and low back pain, they get the best non-operative and operative spine treatment from our spine team. A patient who tore a knee ligament on the basketball court gets state-of-the-art care with a sports medicine physician. Thumb arthritis and hip/knee/shoulder arthritis often present together and fortunately one of our joint specialists can treat those conditions.”
The physicians’ approaches to their patients may seem unique as well. Dr. Paul says, “I pride myself on spending appropriate time with patients so they hear and understand what it is that’s wrong and what will be done to correct it. I stay away from the “hand on the doorknob” approach where the physician is more about the number of patients seen and less about quality time.”
“It’s a collaborative agreement,” says Dr. Atwater. “I give them as much information as I can and we come to a decision together as to what we want to do. This isn’t a dictatorship but a comfortable relationship.”
Dr. Norris sums up the practice by saying, “I feel that each member of MCO is a quality physician that brings something unique to the table. All subspecialties are represented, which makes the practice a place where any of a patients’ orthopedic needs can be met.”
Putting patient comfort first
Most outpatient surgical procedures are performed at The Center for Outpatient Medicine. Though founded by McLean County Orthopedics, the facility is now jointly owned by BroMenn Medical Group, Carle Clinic Association, and several local physicians. Patients receive state-of-the-art care by their own physician in a more comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. The Center also owns and operates BroMenn Comfort and Care Suites (BCCS), a post surgical recovery care center. BCCS offers patients who need up to a 48-hour stay a custom, hotel-like environment versus a hospital room atmosphere. The recovery suites include a bed, a chair bed for a guest, a flat screen TV, private bathroom with shower, large windows and a vaulted ceiling. Physicians believe that recovering in a more relaxed, comfortable environment facilitates the healing process. For more information on The Center for Outpatient Medicine or BroMenn Comfort and Care Suites, visit their website at www.centerforoutpatientmedicine.com or call 309.662.6120.
MCO Physicians
Shoulders, Elbows, Hands, Hips, Knees:
Dr. Mark Hanson
Dr. Joseph Norris (Sports)
Dr. Joseph Novotny
Dr. Jerome Oakey (Hand)
Spine:
Dr. John Atwater
Dr. Craig Carmichael
Foot and Ankle (Podiatry):
Dr. Brian Hamm DPM, FACFAS
Dr. Gerald Paul DPM, FACFAS
McLean County Orthopedics is located
at 2502 E. Empire in Bloomington.
Contact them at 309-663-6461
