From farmers markets and artisan craft fairs to locally-owned shops and more, people are increasingly conscious of spending their dollars to support their communities. By helping out the small business owners we infuse the local economy with income making “shop local” much more than a tagline. It’s become a lifestyle and commitment for many people.
Many of us source our food from local farms. We purchase gifts created by local artisans or from locally owned shops. We sip locally roasted coffee and lunch in restaurants owned by our neighbors, serving regionally raised food. Yet, for many, the idea of “shop local” hasn’t extended to our healthcare.
“But I’m locked into my insurance company’s network,” many say. Often the options are owned and operated by large corporations. The doctors and their level of care may be wonderful, but your dollars inevitably head off to a corporate headquarters across the country. For many physicians, it makes sense to join a large, corporate group as the cost of operating an independent medical practice climbs annually.
However, should you break a bone, have joint issues, or need physical therapy, you can “shop local” at Olympia Orthopaedic Associates. Since opening their doors in 1972, Oly Ortho has been owned and operated entirely by the doctors who work there. These are people who live in the same neighborhoods, shop in the same local stores, eat in the same neighborhood cafes, and attend the same soccer games as you. The dollars you spend for care at Oly Ortho are infused back into the local economy, providing jobs for your neighbors and an economic anchor that has not only sustained, but thrived through our recent recession.
Although Oly Ortho now has multiple locations and a myriad of services, they started small.
In 1972, Dr. John Coker started the practice in a small office on Ensign Road in Northeast Olympia. Dr. Jerome H. Zechmann came on board two years later followed by Dr. Alan Roser. The group grew slowly over the next 20 years. Dr. Jerome H. Zechmann retired in 1993 and passed on his practice to his son, Dr. Jerome P. Zechmann, who still sees patients today. Dr. Coker retired in 1995 when Dr. Brodie Wood joined the team.
Over the next two decades, the group saw landmarks in growth not just through a change in location, but through expansion of services to meet patient needs including MRI, physical therapy, orthopaedic spinal care and more. Take a peek at Oly Ortho’s milestones as a local business:
- 1972: Olympia Orthopaedic Associates opened on Ensign Road.
- 1998: Oly Ortho added the Westside Clinic on Yauger Way.
- 2002: The Tumwater Clinic and Olympia Surgery Center were added to the group.
- 2005: The Eastside Clinic on Lilly Road was built and Oly Ortho moved into a large portion of the facility.
- 2012 (January): Physical therapy was added to Oly Ortho’s service line to better serve patient needs.
- 2012 (September): The new Westside Facility (surgery center, MRI, PT and clinic) opened.
Throughout these milestones, one thing has remained constant—a commitment to putting patient care first and focusing on serving patient needs above all.
Oly Ortho can ensure this is philosophy is the number one priority in part because they do not answer to a corporate board. Decisions are made internally, by the doctors, to best serve their community. The company is open to and can respond quickly to the unique needs of the South Sound without the red tape of a corporate owned entity.
When it became obvious that patients would benefit from an on-site, outpatient surgery center, the Oly Ortho brought one to the community. Upon noting the increased number of patients utilizing physical therapy, Oly Ortho incorporated in-house services for convenience, but also to enable physicians and PTs to work in tandem, helping patients heal faster.
The doctors are able to nimbly adjust to the needs of our area’s growing and aging population. But more than that, the local business puts money directly into the local economy. Oly Ortho currently employs 260 people and 19 physicians. These employees are your friends and neighbors, providing for their families through secure jobs with a local business.
Oly Ortho is also able to give back to local non-profits and organizations, impacting the South Sound community directly. When they hear of a need in the community, Oly Ortho answers with dollars and volunteers. If an employee has a charity important to them, Oly Ortho can join to support it directly.
Thinking “local” has become automatic in much of our lives. Expand the idea and apply it to one of the most important aspects of your life—your health. Oly Ortho has certainly grown. Patients witnessed the construction of their amazing new facility. Doctors see people arrive from over a 100-mile radius each day. And it’s all for good reason.
Olympia Orthopaedic Associates has grown to care for patients. They’ve expanded in response to need. They’ve built bigger in anticipation of their community’s bright future.
To learn more, visit Oly Ortho online.
