It was eight years ago when a collection of Beaumont Hospital’s staff orthopedic surgeons, who today have five independent health care centers in metro Detroit, decided they could do more good as a united consortium.
By January 2017, the group had taken form as Michigan Orthopaedic Surgeons in Southfield. Since then, the overall practice has become a preferred destination that offers much easier access than a hospital.
Part of the thinking was that the consortium would offer a wider variety of specialties in the area of musculoskeletal care, so one surgeon within the practice could more easily consult with another who had a different focus — or refer a patient to a colleague if it made more sense.
Specific specialties include sports medicine, trauma, back/neck/spine, elbow, hip, shoulder, hand, foot and ankle, and knee. MOS practitioners also include those who focus on pediatrics, regenerative medicine, physical rehabilitation, and nutrition counseling. More than 4,000 joint replacements are performed in a typical year.
MOS’s growth has demonstrated the viability of the vision. The group’s newest surgery center, MiOrtho Surgery at 12 Mile and Inkster roads in Franklin, opened in late 2022 and
has already doubled in size, necessitating the addition of two new operating rooms.
“Patients and employers want more sites that are convenient to patients and people who work every day,” says Julie Greene, CEO of Michigan Orthopaedic Surgeons. “We’re a community-based organization, so we’ve tried to create locations that are easy for a wide variety of people in a large market to get to.”
MOS takes advantage of the fact it can perform outpatient surgery for a much lower cost than hospitals, typically saving patients 39 percent on average. In turn, patients often have access to lower insurance deductibles compared to a hospital procedure.
As MOS has grown in terms of facilities, it also has been aggressive about hiring a talented team of physicians across multiple disciplines.
“We have the luxury of seeing very bright young physicians who are well-educated,” Greene says. “We’ve hired some of those physicians, and you have to create space for them to be able to grow. That mirrors our desire to be more convenient for patients.”
Outpatient surgery facilities have proven to be an appealing alternative for patients who don’t need the full range of medical care a hospital would provide.
“The surgery center offers a very convenient place, and it’s all about taking care of people who need surgeries,” Greene says. “They don’t necessarily have an ongoing disease management or more acute issue, for which they would need to go to the hospital.”
As MOS has sought to hire top-rate talent, Greene says many have been attracted to the practice’s culture, facilities, and work environment.
“Our doctors and nurses are going to be able to take care of their patients in an expedited manner,” Greene says. “We have MRI services. We have X-ray services. We have multiple sites. We have relationships with physical therapists and occupational therapists. And we’re a growth-oriented organization.
“We want employers to have a relationship with MOS so they can have access to (quick and) convenient care for their employees.”
