The future of orthopedic care in Naples

Your child is sick but can’t get into the pediatrician until next week. You need a physical. Get ready to wait six months. Access to care is a nationwide issue.

With our growing population, it seems worse here in SWFL.

On Friday, NCH broke ground on a new in-patient and outpatient center for orthopedic surgery.

Dr. David Helfet is a new face. He’s going to run the center called HSS at NCH. HSS, or Hospital for Special Surgery, is based out of New York.

The new 80,000-square-foot building is going to be tucked between the women’s and children’s services and the main hospital on the north campus.

“I’m a trauma surgeon. We take care of traumatic injuries, sports injuries, the wounded from war,” Helfet said.
      
That established and cutting-edge care is why NCH partnered with the hospital instead of creating its own.

Jon Kling is the COO of NCH now but has been a nurse for decades. He said that quality of treatment means better results for you.

Take a total knee replacement as an example.

“Historically, your knee would be cut open on the surgery table. You would be in the hospital for four or five days. Now, it’s about two days, but now you can go in with a minimally invasive scope and instruments and have a little pin-hole in your knee, repair your knee, and go home that same day walking,” Kling said.

The plan is to hire a dozen surgeons who hope to serve you in 2025.

The executive director said he doesn’t believe they’ll have an issue recruiting staff because of their reach and the desirable location, but he said he’s focused on finding surgeons who want to build a career and legacy here, not start retirement.