OSWEGO, N.Y. — Oswego Health and Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, PC (SOS) have announced a “collaboration,” which will bring SOS orthopedic surgeons to Oswego County to provide care.
The organizations did not disclose any financial terms of their agreement in a news release that Oswego Health issued Tuesday.
The SOS staff will work alongside Oswego Health’s orthopedic team to provide office visits at the Oswego Health Services Center and perform surgeries in Oswego Hospital’s surgery center, Oswego Health said in the release.
“This collaboration will complement the excellent skills of our orthopedic team here at Oswego Health,” Chuck Gijanto, president and CEO of Oswego Health, said. “We look forward to adopting their protocols that have enabled SOS to become one of the best-known groups for orthopedic care in the region.”
Oswego Health anticipates the SOS staff will use Oswego Health facilities this summer, but both organizations are still coordinating the details on implementing SOS’s care in Oswego.
SOS has 28 orthopedic surgeons on staff. Most offer care for knees, hips, hands and upper extremities, feet and ankles, and the spine. They also treat sports injuries of high school and college athletes, and “weekend warriors” as well.
Oswego Health currently has one independent orthopedic surgeon and two employed orthopedic surgeons on its medical staff.
“We realize that in order to continue to be successful in offering orthopedic care, we needed to enhance our services,” Gijanto said. “Gone are the days of a single orthopedic provider or a small practice. Specialization has become the norm and it’s what the patient expects. So, this collaboration brings that level of care conveniently to Oswego.”
This collaboration is a “great opportunity” for SOS to offer care in Oswego County, Mike Humphrey, CEO of SOS said in the Oswego Health release.
“Healthcare keeps changing and I think the future is all about collaboration and looking at the best way to provide effective care,” said Humphrey.
It will also “improve access to care,” he added.
“Most importantly, I think this new relationship will assist in coordinating care with an individual’s primary-care physician, as well with any physical therapy services that may be needed,” said Humphrey.
Founded in 1999, DeWitt–based Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists has more than 25 physicians and employs about 600 additional staff members.
It operates offices in locations that include Auburn, Lysander, Camillus, Cicero, Clay, DeWitt, Manlius, and Onondaga.
The Oswego Health system includes Oswego Hospital, The Manor at Seneca Hill, Springside at Seneca Hill, Oswego Health Home Care, Physician Care, P.C., and other supporting affiliates that provide health services to about 120,000 people in Oswego County.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com