Any accident or injury is traumatic to both the patient and their family. But not all are considered trauma in the medical sense of the word. At Olympia Orthopaedic Associates (OlyOrtho), they recently added two trauma fellowship-trained orthopaedic physicians to help Pierce County residents recover and heal without necessitating a trip to larger facilities in Seattle or Portland.
Treating patients since 1972, OlyOrtho’s staff works tirelessly from multiple offices and clinics. Whether you visit the Eastside or Westside clinic locations, the Rapid Orthopaedic Care (ROC) walk-in site on Capital Mall Drive, The Spine Center or Olympia Surgery Center, OlyOrtho will get you back on your feet again in no time.
OlyOrtho’s Top-Quality Orthopaedic Trauma Care Keeps Patients Close to Home
Dr. Derek Dombroski started with OlyOrtho in October 2024. But he’s no stranger to the orthopaedic trauma field, having practiced since 2011. He has worked in Level 1 trauma centers, seeing the highest level of injured patients, and is looking forward to now building a trauma program in South Sound.
Even with their large, experienced team, OlyOrtho hasn’t had a trauma fellowship-trained orthopaedic physician on staff for several years. Dombroski is joined by Dr. Logan Bushnell, who started in September 2024 but has also been practicing in the field since 2017.
Dombroski explains that orthopaedic trauma “is specialized training in the treatment of complex fractures as well as fractures that go on to have complications such as nonunions (when a fracture fails to heal), infections, limb salvage, broken hardware and malunions (fractures that healed but not in their natural anatomical alignment).” These doctors typically manage cases in an emergency room setting.
Frontline Care from the Emergency Room Through Outpatient Follow-Ups
As might be expected, the majority of orthopaedic trauma fractures are addressed when the patient is brought to the ER after an accident. Dombroski and Bushnell are unique because their years of real-world experience make diagnosis and treatment a faster, streamlined process.
Their knowledge also allows the doctors to see directly to the heart of the issue and make decisions based on key factors. “There are times when areas of orthopaedic surgery overlap, and I think my patient is best served by referring them to one of my partners in a different subspecialty,” Dombroski explains. “For example, someone with pre-existing arthritis who fractures their shoulder might potentially benefit from an acute shoulder replacement. Therefore, I would refer this patient to our shoulder service for an evaluation. Each case is different, but our goal is to always get patients to the most capable surgeon in our practice at OlyOrtho.”
When in the hospital, Bushnell says, “Patients may be referred to our clinic, or they can request to see the trauma team. We are working with surrounding communities to provide local care here in Olympia so that we can provide easier travel for families and loved ones during difficult times for the patients who are injured.”
Get the Care You Need from Start to Finish with the OlyOrtho Trauma Team
If you’ve been injured, don’t hesitate to seek treatment right away. Waiting or skipping the necessary follow-up does more than cause pain and limited mobility. It can result in further damage from improper healing.
“Trauma and fractures are life-changing events,” says Dombroski. “When a patient sustains a fracture, they are almost always changed, to some degree, for the rest of their lives. As such, the sequela of fractures can present years after an initial injury occurs. In these instances, an orthopaedic trauma surgeon may still be able to provide care and treatment to improve that person’s life. Whether a patient has their implants removed, nonunion treated or post-traumatic arthritis addressed, we often see our patients many years after the initial injury. Those with remote trauma that still have discomfort could possibly benefit from being seen and evaluated by a fellowship-trained orthopaedic trauma specialist to explore the options to maximize their outcomes.”
If your situation isn’t an emergency, book an appointment with OlyOrtho either online or by calling 360.570.3460 today. To reach the appointment-free walk-in clinic, call 360.754.7622 or stop by seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Their team will help with new, existing, or recovery issues as well as physical therapy, imaging and follow-up for those new to the area. If you’ve been injured in an accident, it’s always best to be checked out right away.
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