In a joint press release, Twin Cities Orthopedics (TCO)  and  St. Croix Orthopaedics (SCO) announced that they will be integrating their practices in in the summer of 2015. The release notes that the integration is set to result in one of the largest privately owned orthopedic practices in the US.

TCO and SCO, the release says, each share a history of providing specialty orthopedic services to patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin, including serving as the official sports medicine provide for a variety of local universities, colleges, high schools, and professional sports teams.

The two groups’ integration will reportedly result in a team of more than 100 orthopedic surgeons and will stretch 12,000 miles across 35 locations, covering the majority of the Twin Cities metro area and western Wisconsin.

Troy Simonson, CEO, Twin Cities Orthopedics, articulates the organizations’ excitement, noting that they “have very similar cultures and are focused on improving patient care and finding ways to be efficient in the current healthcare environment. The geographic coverage of the two groups together creates a tremendous opportunity to serve the entire metro area and western Wisconsin with a broader service offering.”

The release reports that in addition to traditional diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, the new practice will provide a wide spectrum of musculoskeletal care to individuals and athletes of all ages and abilities. This includes nutrition, injury prevention, sports performance, orthotics and prosthetics, imaging, outpatient surgery centers, physical and hand therapy, and orthopedic urgent care.

The release also notes that since their inception, both organizations have resisted mergers from major health systems, focusing instead on sustaining independence to keep a focus on patients and innovation.

Melanie Sullivan, CEO, St. Croix Orthopaedics, explains that the structure allows “us to be the most flexible with our service and to prioritize the patient experience while continuing to carefully manage costs. We have a real opportunity to build something truly unique in the Midwest, and we are excited about the possibilities this will provide.”

In the release, both organizations stress that patients will not be impacted by the integration, other than receiving access to more specialty services, providers, and locations.

[Source(s): Twin Cities Orthopedics, St. Croix Orthopedics]