Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center
…expanding innovative care throughout southeastern Hampton Roads
On October 31, 2016, the doors will open to a new building on Discovery Drive in Chesapeake, Virginia. The building will be one of three locations of Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, a venerable practice of fellowship-trained, Board certified orthopaedists that has provided innovative, state-of-the-art care to the people of southeastern Hampton Roads since 1984.
The practice began 32 years ago, when an orthopaedist named Richard Holden opened his first office in Chesapeake. Dr. Holden, now retired, was soon joined by Dr. Michael Romash and a year later by Dr. Samuel Brown. Together they built the practice that is today widely known by its initials: SMOC. At the time, they were the only fellowship trained orthopaedists in the city.
“We had a clear vision of how we wanted to practice,” says Dr. Romash, SMOC’s senior physician. “We were both former military, and had both practiced in tertiary care hospitals. Our vision was to bring compassionate, tertiary level orthopaedic care to our patients.”
This they accomplished by a three-tiered approach that remains the practice’s mission today:
• to expedite the effective diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of orthopaedic patients;
• to implement innovative, cutting- edge technological solutions when appropriate;
• to optimize individual performance in healthcare through building trust and communication between doctor and patient.
In the early days of the practice, the physicians went to hospitals all throughout the region. And as they treated more and more patients, they began to see a trend. As the City of Chesapeake expanded, it was increasingly clear that they would have to expand with it to accommodate the needs of its growing population. They welcomed those opportunities, inviting only orthopaedists who matched their own qualifications of specialization and tertiary care experience to join their practice.
The reputation of the practice as an exceptional and consistent provider grew as the community grew. One reason for its success has been an important philosophy of the practice, from its earliest days and continuing today – its focus on the particular needs of each patient. A patient with joint problems sees only the physician with special training in joint care. Likewise, patients with upper extremity conditions are seen by a fellowship trained surgeon in that field. Those complaining of spine issues are cared for by a spine specialist.
As the region expanded, so did SMOC’s physical presence, into other sections of Chesapeake and into the rapidly-growing area of Suffolk. Through careful planning and strategic thinking, as specific population needs were identified in different areas of Chesapeake and Suffolk, they opened additional offices and spine centers.
For a practice that has since its earliest days focused on the health and comfort of its patients, these expansions made sense: they signaled shortened wait times for appointments with providers, and less inconvenience to patients traveling to see them.
Today, as SMOC celebrates the opening of its newest location on Discovery Drive, the practice consists of 13 physicians, all Board certified and all fellowship trained. Nine are orthopaedic surgeons, two are spine specialists and two are interventional pain medicine physicians. Each of the practice’s eight Physician Assistants is trained in all aspects of orthopaedic care, but each has received specialized training to support a specific orthopaedist. Rounding out the team are eight Physical and Occupational Therapists.
Innovation on Discovery Drive
Among the state-of-the-art technological and surgical equipment in the new office is SMOC’s second fluoroscopy unit, complementing the one located at the Spine Center at Chesapeake. The original fluoroscopy unit has been one of the mainstays used by pain medicine physician Dr. Victor Tseng for patients in that office. With the Fluoroscopy unit, Dr. Tseng could provide injections into various parts of a patient’s body, including the spine, as well as provide procedures like radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, vertebroplasty and discography, among others. However, prior to the opening of the Discovery Drive location, Dr. Tseng split his time between Suffolk and the Chesapeake offices. With the acquisition of the second fluoroscopy unit, SMOC has hired an additional pain medicine physician, Dr. Michael Ingraham, there will now be a full-time pain specialist with ready access to the fluoroscopy unit every day at both locations. “We’re fortunate to have these two skilled and highly trained pain medicine physicians in Hampton Roads,” says Dr. Bryan Fox. “They are huge assets to our patients with chronic pain and non-surgical issues.”
In addition, new technology allows SMOC to offer digital radiography to all of its patients. “Digital radiography was available in some of our locations, but not all,” says Dr. David Goss. “Now we can offer it to patients in each of them.” Among the many benefits are clearer images produced more quickly, which can be populated into the electronic medical record instantaneously and easily forwarded to referring physicians and hospitals.
There’s an additional bonus for patients: in addition to exposing them to less radiation, digital radiography means less time spent being filmed, with less discomfort.
For patients, however, one of the best features of the new location may well be its all inclusive, well-planned facility. The Wimbledon Square location was not one or two, but three buildings. Orthopaedists were in one, physical therapy in another, and SMOC’s spine and pain medicine doctors a quarter-mile down the road in yet another. “We had no room to add new providers or new equipment,” Dr. Goss says. “Orthopaedic patients are often dealing with considerable pain, and could be confused by having to shuttle back and forth between buildings to see different providers. For some, it could seem we were sending them to different providers.”
Today, with everything under one roof, clearly and conveniently marked, the space is much more efficient, and from the patient’s perspective, far more conducive to the various stages of orthopaedic care. “Patients aren’t inconvenienced,” Dr. Goss adds, “so there’s a much greater sense of continuity.”
What the opening of Discovery Drive means to the community in Chesapeake
“Our group is one of the busiest orthopaedics practices in the City,” says Dr. Samuel Brown. “With this new location and its many innovations, we’re able to serve more patients more quickly, and offer them the latest medical and technological advances, in a more efficient atmosphere. We’ve not just expanded our existing services, but with the addition of another joint replacement surgeon and another pain medicine physician, we’re better able to field referrals from emergency departments, family docs and even patients themselves.”
Anticipating the future: further expansion into Suffolk
SMOC has had a presence in the Belle Harbor section of Suffolk since 2012, where they serve patients from Smithfield, Newport News, Carrolton and the Western Branch of Chesapeake as well.
“We’ve studied all of the populations we serve very aggressively,” says Dr. Fox, “to ensure we’re offering them what they need, where they need it. We know that North Suffolk is an area of very rapid growth, with a heavy concentration of active older adults who increasingly need joint replacements and spine care. We know the demand for orthopaedic care is growing, and we plan to be ready for those patients.”
Thus, SMOC is already looking at opportunities to expand into North Suffolk, which unlike many of the surrounding cities, still has ample land mass available for development.
It’s all about being strategic and efficient
So says Dr. Anthony Bevilacqua, adding, “and we’ve been very fortunate to have on our staff a capable, strategic thinker like Todd Rauchenberger, who has been SMOC’s administrator for seven years. Todd has been a tremendous asset in helping us identify potential areas for growth, and in diversifying our practice.”
Additionally, Dr. Bevilacqua notes, “Todd has helped us stay ahead of the multiple governmental regulations that are part of practicing medicine today.” Case in point: the acquisition of digital radiography. “The government, through the healthcare act, is forcing physicians who do x-rays to purchase and implement digital radiography,” Dr. Bevilacqua says. “On January 1st, those who haven’t been able to afford financial outlay will be penalized a percentage of receipts on reimbursement. Through strategically laying out what we have to do to ensure compliance with these regulations, Todd has enabled us to comply well in advance of the federal deadlines.”
And that, he’s quick to note, means that SMOC physicians are able to focus on practicing orthopaedic medicine. In that vein, they have begun doing many more procedures in the office, saving their patients substantial sums of money. For instance, a hip injection in an ambulatory surgery center can cost between $500 and $800, before factoring in the physician’s time and the cost of medication; whereas SMOC is able to reduce those costs and pass on similar savings of time and money to patients for other procedures, should they choose them.
Staying alert to the changing health care marketplace while continuing to provide standard-of-care service to patients in need of exceptional orthopaedic care is SMOC’s formula for a successful future.
As every practicing physician and medical administrator knows, the changes taking place within healthcare today are complex, challenging the profession to adapt, and adapt quickly. The fee-for-service model is soon to be a thing of the past, and reimbursements will depend on a practice’s ability to demonstrate value. For SMOC, value has always been a guiding force.
The practice’s unrelenting pursuit of the highest quality care, along with its history of visionary leadership, have ensured that SMOC will help shape – rather than be shaped by – orthopaedic care in southeastern Hampton Roads.
“We had a clear vision of how we wanted to practice,” says Dr. Romash, SMOC’s senior physician. “We were both former military, and had both practiced in tertiary care hospitals. Our vision was to bring compassionate, tertiary level orthopaedic care to our patients.”
“Today, with everything under one roof, clearly and conveniently marked, the space is much more efficient, and from the patient’s perspective, far more conducive to the various stages of orthopaedic care. “
“With this new location and its many innovations, we’re able to serve more patients more quickly, and offer them the latest medical and technological advances, in a more efficient atmosphere. “
“We’ve studied all of the populations we serve very aggressively,” says Dr. Fox, “to ensure we’re offering them what they need, where they need it.”
“We’ve been very fortunate to have on our staff a capable, strategic thinker like Todd Rauchenberger, who has been SMOC’s administrator for seven years.”
PHYSICIANS
Chesapeake Location
501 Discovery Drive
Michael M. Romash, MD – Foot, ankle, reconstruction surgeon
Samuel I. Brown, MD – Orthopaedic surgeon
Scott E. Grabill, DO – Orthopaedic surgeon, joint replacement specialist
Gordon J. Iiams, MD – Hand and upper extremity surgeon
The Spine Center of Chesapeake
501 Discovery Drive
David G. Goss, MD – Orthopaedic spine surgeon
Richard D. Guinand, DO – Orthopaedic spine specialist
Victor W. Tseng, DO – Interventional pain medicine
Suffolk Locations
150 Burnett’s Way
Anthony M. Bevilacqua, DO – Orthopaedic surgeon
Anthony J. Distasio, MD – Trauma surgeon, joint replacement specialist
Thomas M. Bergfield, MD – Hand and upper extremity surgeon
The Spine Center of Suffolk
150 Burnett’s Way
Bryan A. Fox, MD – Orthopaedic spine surgeon
Michael J. Ingraham, MD – Interventional Pain Medicine
Belle Harbour
3920 Bridge Road, Belle Harbour
Anthony M. Bevilacqua, DO – Orthopaedic surgeon
Ali R. Jamali, MD – Orthopaedic surgeon
