First visit to this free standing orthopedic clinic which features walk-in and appointment availability. It's easily seen from hwy 17 south of Shallotte on the west side of the road and is easily the fanciest building in the area. At this facility (it's a chain) there are several orthopedists, nurse practitioners and physical therapists. There must be some serious money in freelance orthopedics.
A recent joint injury was the reason for this appointment and I chose EmergOrtho because they were close by. I hadn't heard of them before. Making an appointment was more difficult than necessary, primarily because the appointments for the entire area are made from the Wilmington office. But from there, the process was quite smooth. As expected, I was seen by a nurse practitioner (male.) This will put some people off, not being seen by a board certified orthopedic surgeon first thing. But a physician myself (something I did not mention to them) it's usually the most efficient and practical way to provide care. Most people do not need surgery and well trained nurses/medics/physician assistants can and do provide excellent care - sometimes better than the physicians. Should a person actually require the services of a surgeon, they're just down the hall.
The former corpsman I saw was knowledgeable, confident, and made an appropriate diagnosis and suggested treatment plan. His explanation was first rate (this is why I don't mention my occupation - I'm not an orthopedist and want to be treated as if I know nothing. Then they won't leave anything out just because they think I might already know it.) He obtained xrays (on site,) performed a procedure in the office and was quite skilled at it. I left with the thought that these people know what they're doing and are good at it. I believe that the care I received would not have improved by having seen a surgeon.
I rather expected a referral to physical therapy since they had one there and insurance would pay for it. But I already knew that studies have shown that the outcome for what was wrong with me is not improved by PT. There was a financial but not clinical reason to send me. And he didn't. And that impressed me as much as anything else.
Less than 8 hours after the office visit I received a notice that the providers notes were available on their portal. They were professional, reasonably complete and accurate (a lot of fill in the blanks) and described every detail of the treatment performed. A radiologist's interpretation of the xrays was also provided. This is very impressive to provide to a patient so quickly after service and especially without needing to request the records.
A great deal of ancillary support is required to provide this level of care so quickly, and it's costly, both in terms of personnel and equipment. While it's a shame that there aren't more such ventures in this area to provide primary health care, it is not cost effective in most cases. Apparently for these folks it is. read more
