Patient-friendly outpatient orthopedic center opens

Modern, sleek, streamlined and filled with soothing botanical art are descriptions normally associated with a contemporary art gallery rather than with an outpatient medical building.

A fish-eye photo of the Washington University Orthopedics and Barnes-Jewish Hospital Outpatient Orthopedic Center in Chesterfield, which provides patients with a one-stop location for orthopedic needs.

But the Washington University Orthopedics and Barnes-Jewish Hospital Outpatient Orthopedic Center in Chesterfield easily meets all of those descriptions.

The first surgery and patient visits began the last week in July at the building co-operated by Washington University Orthopedics and Barnes-Jewish.

The 60,000 square-foot facility at 14532 S. Outer Forty Drive offers comprehensive, one-stop outpatient care, including physician offices, 36 exam rooms, four surgery suites, diagnostic radiology suites, and rehabilitation and hand therapy services. It will be the department’s primary location for sports medicine, hand surgery, shoulder surgery, foot and ankle surgery, and physical medicine and rehabilitation.

“This facility is designed for patients’ comfort, convenience and easy accessibility,” said Richard H. Gelberman, M.D., the Fred C. Reynolds Professor and head of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and chief of orthopedic surgery at Barnes-Jewish. “Patients will have access to the latest technologically advanced orthopedic care that will allow them to be admitted and discharged on the same day.”

The two-story center, which includes space to support future expansions, is designed to be operationally efficient. It is certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System for using environmentally sustainable construction and received an award from AmerenUE recognizing green building practices and energy and environmental conservation.

All surgeons, physiatrists, radiologists and anesthesiologists at the new center will be Washington University physicians. Barnes-Jewish Hospital will manage the ambulatory surgery center. Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital will manage the rehabilitative service and outpatient physical therapy, and hand services will be provided by occupational therapists from the Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis’ Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center.

The facility expands orthopedic surgery and sports medicine services previously located at 1020 N. Mason Road, near Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital. The services offered in the new location complement the department’s existing clinical practice at the Center for Advanced Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where spinal, joint replacement, trauma and orthopedic oncology services are based.

Charles A. Goldfarb, M.D., assistant professor and medical director of the new center said outpatients have different needs than inpatients.

“We built this building with that in mind, providing all the services patients need under one roof,” he said.