The Future of Orthopedics in Our Valley

A Message from CEO Dave Ressler

Arguably, 2020 will not often be referred to as a year of innovation, growth and excitement. But amidst the challenges and sadness that likely will characterize this year, Aspen Valley Hospital (AVH) has realized one of its most exciting and important historical milestones in the form of our recently announced partnership with The Steadman Clinic.

Over the course of the past nine months, during which our AVH staff and physicians bravely battled the COVID-19 virus and its deadly potential, our Board of Directors and administrative team have been engaged in substantive and productive discussions with our new partners to create a shared vision for the future of orthopedics in our valley, guided by the cutting-edge research and international reputation of The Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute. After having worthily competed with this prestigious organization over the decades, with the extraordinary and renowned orthopedic services within in our community, it was a significant step for our Board to decide to join forces and reach an historic agreement.

The Steadman Clinic has long eyed a presence in our community, as well as other mountain resort communities that appreciate their ski and sports performance DNA, and had created a plan to bring their world-class services to our valley. Our Board, in turn and after a deep exploration, has determined that it makes the most sense to combine efforts and reduce duplication of services. This means that we will have one AVH practice, The Steadman Clinic, serving the complete orthopedic needs of our patients and community, including in our Emergency Department, our Snowmass and After-Hours Medicare Care Clinics, and serving our local athletes and outdoor enthusiasts of all levels.

The relationship also involves the development of an orthopedic center of excellence in Willits, which will include an orthopedic surgery center in partnership between ourselves, as well as Vail Health and Orthopedic Care Partners (a leading group of orthopedic practices in the country). The state-of-the-art surgery center will be co-located in the 65,000-square-foot facility along with a Steadman Philippon Research Institute lab, rehabilitation services, and the Steadman Clinic Basalt location. Construction is underway with a completion date of late 2021. The existing orthopedic offices will also be maintained at Aspen Valley Hospital, on the second floor above the east entrance. Patients will have convenient access to imaging and rehabilitation services at both locations.

We look forward to introducing our new partners to you, including Drs. Jared Lee and Joseph Ruzbarsky, who will be joining Drs. Waqqar Khan-Farooqi and Thea Wojtkowski as our full-time surgeons. Dr. Dustin Anderson recently joined AVH in September, and will also be a part of The Steadman Clinic team on December 1st when our partnership agreement becomes effective. An additional group of 11 surgeons from the Eagle Valley locations of The Steadman Clinic will be rotating over to Aspen as well, providing even greater coverage for our community. And of course, many of our talented and caring OrthoAspen staff will also be a part of the Aspen clinic, and their familiar faces a comfort to many of our patients.

Finally, as we enter the final quarter of 2020, we look back on the first nine months with a variety of emotions. Among these is a sense of excitement for our new venture and what it will mean to AVH and our community, and also a deep appreciation for our OrthoAspen surgeons, including, in addition to Drs. Khan-Farooqi and Wojtkowski, Drs. Gertzbein, Kazemi, Pevny, Purnell and von Stade after many years of faithful and extraordinary care to our community. Our past and our future have been shaped by these surgeons and their contributions.

Dave Ressler
CEO, Aspen Valley Hospital

Additional Resources:
Partnership Announcement: Aspen Valley Hospital and The Steadman Clinic Form Strategic Partnership
Article in the Aspen Daily News: Steadman Clinic and Aspen Valley Hospital Merger Official