Aspen Valley Hospital & The Steadman Clinic Form Strategic Partnership

Creating a destination for world-class orthopaedic services and cutting-edge research in Aspen and the upper Roaring Fork Valley

The Steadman Clinic, in coordination with Orthopedic Care Partners (OCP), has formally partnered with Aspen Valley Hospital (AVH) to deliver a full complement of world-class orthopaedic care services for the Aspen community. The new venture outlines areas of shared responsibility, which includes trauma coverage, while further expanding upon leading orthopaedic services within Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. Following months of development, the new partnership between The Steadman Clinic and AVH was endorsed by a vote yesterday evening of the AVH Board of Directors. The agreement has a planned effective date of December 1, 2020.

Research and education, through Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI), are central to the partnership with plans to support the training of future orthopaedic surgeons and development of technologies to advance musculoskeletal health. SPRI has been awarded six National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, two Department of Defense (DoD) contracts, and is underway on five groundbreaking clinical trials. As a partner to SPRI, Aspen Valley Hospital will be pivotal to this ongoing research.

“This agreement brings together two premier healthcare providers, The Steadman Clinic and Aspen Valley Hospital, to deliver world-class orthopaedic services and cutting-edge research via SPRI to the Aspen community,” said Dan Drawbaugh, CEO of The Steadman Clinic and SPRI. “What really differentiates this partnership is the team of physicians that will be available to serve the community. We have brought together an impressive roster of fellowship-trained, sub-specialty care providers to serve patients in the Roaring Fork Valley. The physician roster will continue to expand based on the orthopaedic patient care needs of the community. By combining our respective orthopaedic programs and building a world-class orthopaedic ambulatory surgery center, we will create efficiencies and economies of scale, passing these benefits on to the Aspen community. Ultimately, the quality of this team of physicians and their focus on evidence-based medicine built upon best-in-class research and science is what makes this a landmark partnership and what matters most to the community.”

The team in Aspen includes existing AVH orthopaedic surgeons, physicians recruited to the area, as well as established physicians from The Steadman Clinic who will rotate in from Vail:

• Marc J. Philippon, MD: Sports Medicine, Hip Disorders, Hip Arthroscopy
• Dustin Anderson, MD: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Thos A. Evans, MD: Orthopaedic Interventionist of Spine & Joint, Regenerative Medicine Specialist
• Jonathan A. Godin, MD, MBA: Shoulder, Knee, Hip and Sports Medicine Surgeon
• Tom R. Hackett, MD: Complex Knee, Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon
• Waqqar Khan-Farooqi, MD: Foot and Ankle, Trauma Care
• Raymond H. Kim, MD: Adult Joint Reconstruction, Knee and Hip Arthroplasty
• Jared Lee, MD: Shoulder, Knee, Hip and Sports Medicine
• Peter J. Millett, MD, MSc: Shoulder, Knee, Elbow Surgery and Sports Medicine
• Matthew T. Provencher, MD: Complex Shoulder, Complex Knee and Sports Surgery
• Joseph J. Ruzbarsky, MD: Shoulder, Knee, Elbow and Hip Preservation Surgeon
• Kavi Sachar, MD: Hand, Wrist and Elbow Surgery
• Randy W. Viola, MD: Hand, Wrist, Elbow & Orthopaedic Trauma Specialist
• Thea Wojtkowski, MD: Hip, Hip Replacements, Trauma Care

Aspen Valley Hospital CEO Dave Ressler added, “The Vail Valley has long been a destination for renowned orthopaedic care. By combining the expertise of The Steadman Clinic and Vail Health, our hospital’s outstanding reputation, and Aspen’s visibility on the world stage, this partnership creates the perfect conditions for Aspen to join Vail as an international destination for world-class orthopaedic care. Our local community will benefit greatly by having these enhanced capabilities in our own backyard.”

“We have long been interested in expanding to Aspen,” said Dr. Philippon. “In fact, Dr. Steadman and I discussed it years ago. At long last, this partnership makes it possible for us to bring our patient-centered care and evidence-based medicine to the people of the Roaring Fork Valley. We are fortunate to have an outstanding team of physicians joining the practice. Together, we will ensure the highest caliber of clinical and orthopaedic services to Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. Add our commitment to research and education and we know this will be a relationship that benefits all involved.”

New Ambulatory Surgery Center in Willits

The new partnership allows The Steadman Clinic, Aspen Valley Hospital and Vail Health to extend and enhance their premier orthopaedic services to Basalt’s Willits Town Center through development of a state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center, clinic space, a SPRI research hub and rehabilitative services. These new facilities will make it easier than ever for patients to receive care close to home and will also serve the orthopaedic needs of professional and aspiring athletes from across the country and around the world. Features of the new ambulatory surgery center include four operating rooms with two additional shelled for future growth; nine pre-op rooms; and 14 total recovery rooms. The ambulatory surgery center is a collaborative effort among Aspen Valley Hospital, The Steadman Clinic, Orthopedic Care Partners and Vail Health.

“Over the past three decades, the partnership between The Steadman Clinic, SPRI and Vail Health has been instrumental in developing world-class medical destinations in Vail, Edwards and our new facility being built in Summit County,” said Will Cook, President and CEO of Vail Health. “We are looking forward to bringing our expertise and knowledge in the medical destination realm to this new venture with Aspen Valley Hospital, a fellow independent mountain hospital.”

The Steadman Clinic partnered last November with Orthopedic Care Partners (OCP) to provide management expertise and access to investor capital. Growth and expansion of The Steadman Clinic’s brand were among the key goals in establishing the partnership with OCP. The working relationship with OCP will positively impact orthopaedic patients in the Aspen community as The Steadman Clinic establishes a meaningful presence there.

OCP Chief Executive Officer Rich Gilbert, MD, said, “Our team of physicians has benefited greatly since we aligned with Dr. Marc Philippon and The Steadman Clinic team last fall. This new partnership with Aspen Valley Hospital represents the type of growth and expansion that can be transformational for the region and help even more people stay active longer. Extending the reach of The Steadman Clinic and its exceptional physicians is incredibly significant, and we look forward to building on this partnership.”

About The Steadman Clinic

Headquartered in Vail, Colorado, The Steadman Clinic is a world-renowned orthopaedic clinic with additional facilities located in Frisco and Edwards, Colorado. The clinic specializes in sports medicine including knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, hand, spine, foot and ankle injuries and joint replacement. With 17 elite physicians who practice the latest, evidence-based treatments, The Steadman Clinic’s experience and research have led to significant advances in the fields of orthopaedics and regenerative sports medicine. The Steadman Clinic treats patients from all walks of life, including recreational and professional athletes from all over the world. To learn more, visit www.thesteadmanclinic.com.

About Steadman Philippon Research Institute

Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI) is dedicated to keeping people of all ages physically active through orthopaedic research and education. With an enduring focus on applied clinical translation, SPRI is dedicated to discovering new therapies, treatments and cures that can be brought to patients in a clinical setting. We utilize the latest regenerative medicine techniques—basic science studies at the cellular level—to investigate the causes and effects of degenerative arthritis, techniques of musculoskeletal regeneration and healing processes. SPRI also utilizes state-of-the-art Biomotion and Robotics technologies, magnetic resonance imaging and over 30 years of patient outcomes data in its bench-to-bedside approach to research. The 501(c)(3) charitable organization is one of the most published organizations in sports medicine research and education. To learn more, visit www.sprivail.org.

About Aspen Valley Hospital

Founded in 1891, Aspen Valley Hospital (AVH) is one of the most sophisticated rural hospitals in the country. With 25 beds, AVH is designated as a critical access hospital and level III trauma center, meeting the needs of the Aspen and Roaring Fork Valley communities, plus thousands of visitors from around the world every year. Combining the warmth and friendliness of a small town with the technical expertise of a major medical center, AVH and its Network of Care locations in Aspen, Snowmass Village and Basalt, have been recognized with numerous awards, including a Five-Star Rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, among others. AVH offers a full range of services with board-certified specialists in 25 fields of medicine, with expanded expertise in orthopedics and sports medicine. For over 129 years, Aspen Valley Hospital has been working to deliver extraordinary healthcare in an environment of excellence, compassion and trust.

About Orthopedic Care Partners (OCP)

Orthopedic Care Partners (OCP) is the leading partner for high-performing, quality and patient-focused orthopedic surgery practices. OCP provides a full spectrum of services and enhanced resources to help its family of practices thrive and grow while fostering the unique identities that have made them so successful. To learn more, visit www.ocpmgmt.com.

About Vail Health

Vail Health is a nonprofit community health care system with 13 locations across Eagle and Summit counties. Vail Health offers a 56-bed hospital, 24/7 emergency care, helipad, urgent care clinics, cancer care, breast centers, cardiovascular services, surgery, childbirth, physical therapy through Howard Head Sports Medicine, primary and specialty care through Colorado Mountain Medical and more. Locally operated and governed by a volunteer board of directors, Vail Health has committed $60 million to the creation and oversight of Eagle Valley Behavioral Health and $43 million to evidence-based research through the Steadman Philippon Research Institute. For more information, visit www.vailhealth.org.