Our Surgery Center Turned 10 This Month!

From left to right: Dr. Whitehurst, Don Schreiner – CEO, Dr. Chmell, Dr. Bear, Dr. Barba, Dr. Bush, Dr. Trenhaile

Dr. Chmell, Medical Director for ROSC, reflects on the 10-year anniversary:

The Rockford Orthopedic Surgery Center celebrates being open 10 years in July! DR. CHMELL, Medical Director of ROSC, recalls the decision to open the surgery center, “We saw orthopedic surgery becoming increasingly done as an outpatient procedure. There are more advantages of that to the patients, and we wanted to help provide that ease.”

Besides taking generally less time, the procedures done in an outpatient setting cost less money and have a more relaxing feel rather than a hospital setting. Healthy patients are also not placed in a hospital next to a more “sick” patient, providing less risk of infection.

Even though the facility has grown, staff has increased, and the number of patients seen has risen, everyone remains focused on providing excellent care to the patients. Dr. Chmell credits the staff at ROSC with always placing the patients’ needs first and consistently providing excellent care.

The first ROSC employees pose with the construction crew

[quote]“We started out very small. We had a personal touch and could connect very effectively with each patient. Even though we are much larger now, we keep that in mind. That is what our patients love. They like our family feel they like the way we communicate to them, they love feeling that they are number one. That won’t go away even as we continue to grow,” shared Amy, a Materials Management Tech for the surgery center.[/quote]

The ROSC family has grown from 6 employees when the doors opened to 39 employees today. Val, a 10 year employee at the surgery center, explained, “We all get along with each other. Even when someone moves on, we remember what we learned from them and build on it. When a new employee starts, they too put the patient first like the entire staff of current employees do.”

Dr. Chmell is very proud that all of the goals that were set for the surgery center have been met, and exceeded. Currently, he wants to see the center continue to be used for hip and knee replacements, as well as more spine cases. It’s been an exciting ten years, and will be exciting to see where the next ten take the center!