Mercy Regional Medical Center today announced the opening of Mercy Orthopedic Associates, a physician clinic specializing in treatment of injuries and diseases of the bones, joints, and muscles. As part of the new clinic launch, the physicians and staff members of Durango Orthopedic Associates became employees of Mercy Orthopedic Associates, effective August 1.

“For many years, Durango Orthopedic Associates and Mercy Regional Medical Center have worked closely to improve patient experience and clinical quality of orthopedic care,” said Mercy Regional Medical Center CEO Tom Gessel. “By combining resources, we’ll be able to continue optimizing patient care and expand services to better meet the orthopedic needs of the Four Corners region.”

In the transition, orthopedic surgeons Kane Anderson, M.D.; Anthony Anderson, M.D.; Kim Furry, M.D.; and Richard Lawton, M.D., Ph.D., will become hospital employees, along with physician assistants Peter Jamieson, PA-C; Douglas Phelps, PA-C; Ann Theine, PA-C; and Trevor Wall, PA-C. Fourteen staff members from Durango Orthopedic Associates will also become Mercy employees.

Spine Colorado, the sister clinic of Durango Orthopedic Associates, will remain an independent, private practice.

“The physicians of Durango Orthopedics have worked closely with Mercy to develop exceptional orthopedic care, including a center of excellence for hip and knee replacement,” said Durango Orthopedic Associates and Spine Colorado CEO Adele Rittmueller. “With this even closer alliance, I anticipate the progression of orthopedic care at Mercy to develop into centers of excellence for additional areas including sports injuries and elbow, shoulder, hand, foot, and ankle surgery.”

“My colleagues and I look forward to joining Mercy and continuing our pursuit of Durango Orthopedic Associates’ longstanding history of providing excellent orthopedic care to the region,” said Furry. “I’ve spent the last 50 years associated with Durango Orthopedics and have been fortunate enough to continue the care and vision that my father, Dr. Dean Furry, and Dr. Bill Krauser initiated when they founded the practice in 1962.”

In 2005, the Mercy Orthopedic & Spine Center of Excellence was formed as a collaborative effort between the hospital and physicians to enhance clinical outcomes and customer service provided to patients having joint replacement and spine surgery at the hospital. As patient volumes grew, it was split into separate orthopedic and spine centers of excellence. Mercy was named one of Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic SurgeryTM and America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery TM in 2013, 2014, and 2015.

“Through this collaboration, Mercy’s Orthopedic Center of Excellence has proven very successful and benefited thousands of patients in the Four Corners region,” Gessel said.

Innovative orthopedic procedures available through the Orthopedic Center of Excellence include minimally invasive total joint replacement, anterior-approach total hip replacement, hip resurfacing, partial knee replacement, and others, including upper extremity replacements.

Mercy Orthopedic Associates will be locally managed and operated by Centura Health Physician Group, which integrates multispecialty and primary care physicians with hospitals and services across the state in a network that emphasizes the best technology and clinical capabilities.

The practice will remain at its present location in the Mercy Medical Plaza, 1 Mercado St., suite 202, and may be reached at (970) 247-5362.