Synergy Surgicalists
Testimonials
In late 2017, Preston Memorial Hospital (“PMH”) entered into a partnership with Synergy Surgicalists to develop an orthopedic surgery program. Since 2010, PMH had a strategic initiative to add Orthopedic Surgery to its complement of surgical services. The hospital identified this service as a priority to improve the hospital’s overall financial strength and provide a much-needed service to our patients. PMH had multiple failed recruitment attempts and the physician search was finally placed on hold.
In early 2017, I heard about Synergy through the National Rural Health Association. I listened to a webinar and reached out to Dr. John Campbell, Synergy Surgicalists’ President and CEO, right away to learn more about Synergy Surgicalists. Within five months, the contract was finalized, and we were on our way to initiating our program.
With the leadership of Cathy McDowell, BSN, MBA, Chief Operating Officer, who worked with our internal staff, we began the work to build our program from the ground up. Synergy educated our staff, assisted with equipment evaluation and purchasing decisions, and coordinated all of the setup of the program. We were presented with exceptionally sourced candidates for our Orthopedic Surgery Program and hired the first two candidates we interviewed. These were surgeons I don’t think would have ever given a small, rural hospital a second look if it were not for the Synergy relationship and work model.
The Preston Memorial Orthopedic Surgery Program was initiated on July 9th. Since that date, PMH has had an overwhelming response from our physicians and community. In the first nine months, we have had over 1,700 clinic visits and 114 surgeries. The “face of the program”, Dr. Daniel Milam, is well-known in the community and has been nothing but phenomenal. He has the trifecta of characteristics any administrator seeks in a surgeon: compassion, professionalism, and knowledge.
In April 2019, PMH received the Preston County Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award. One of the reasons cited for receiving this award was the hospital’s impact on the community and its outreach efforts. The hospital provides many community benefit opportunities including education to everyone from our school-aged youth to seniors on topics like ATV safety to what to expect when you have a joint replacement.
The marketing and outreach conducted on behalf of the Orthopedic Surgery Program was instrumental in PMH receiving the Chamber award in 2019. We have been able to deliver a service and meet the needs of patients at our community hospital, right here and close to home. Previously, patients had to travel almost an hour for this type of care and orthopedic surgery was the number two reason we transferred patients out of our emergency department.
If you are thinking of starting an Orthopedic Surgery Program, talk to Dr. John Campbell and his team. They helped us do something we could have never done on our own; we have three outstanding orthopedic surgeons seeing patients in the clinic, doing surgery, and taking care of our emergencies.
Synergy Surgicalists has been a true partner in every sense of the word, and we are thrilled to have this relationship to provide orthopedic surgery to our community.
Melissa Lockwood, President and CEO, Preston Memorial Hospital