Alejandro Badia, MD, orthopedic surgeon and founder of Miami-based OrthoNOW, has partnered with Redwood Growth Partners, according to a Sept. 3 news release.
The collaboration with the investment and advisory firm is expected to accelerate OrthoNOW’s growth, with plans to expand into a network of more than 10 clinics. Founded 14 years ago, OrthoNOW was one of Florida’s first urgent care centers dedicated exclusively to orthopedic conditions.
Dr. Badia joined Becker’s earlier this year to discuss the opportunity for ASCs to collaborate with other outpatient facilities such as urgent care and orthopedic walk-in clinics.
“Once a patient is seen in a hospital emergency room, for example, that patient will likely undergo surgery at that facility, often whether urgent or not,” he said. “Collaboration between a convenient walk-in facility, for example, an orthopedic urgent care center and as ASC, will drive up musculoskeletal surgical volume, while lowering overall healthcare system costs.”
Orthopedic urgent care centers, he said, serve as an important entry point for patients who may not otherwise reach an ASC. Unlike hospital emergency rooms or general urgent care facilities, these centers specialize in musculoskeletal injuries and can streamline referrals to surgery when necessary.
Partnerships with orthopedic walk-in centers also reduce ASCs’ dependence on physician referrals, particularly for independent centers that rely heavily on their surgeon partners for patient flow.
Currently, OrthoNOW operates two centers in Miami, with a third location set to open in South Miami in 2025. Each facility offers onsite x-ray and MRI services to expedite diagnosis and treatment.
“What orthopedic urgent care does is provide that access point because it’s so convenient,” Dr. Badia said. “An orthopedic urgent care, even if it doesn’t have a formal relationship with an ASC, should at least have a way for the patient to access one. That brings in revenue and patients without the ASC depending entirely on the surgeon for referrals.”
