Orthopaedic Care Available Again in Sikeston

by Scott Welton, Standard Democrat

It’s been over 20 years since we’ve had orthopaedics here in Sikeston,” said Jason Schrumpf, president of  Missouri Delta Medical Center.  “The hospital is excited to have all the elements in place to once again provide a comprehensive orthopaedic service line.  This is the first step in providing our patients with a local orthopaedics program focusing on compassionate, convenient, cost-effective and quality care.”

Missouri Delta Orthopaedics is located in the new Dr. Leo A. and Dortha M. Bruce Medical Building, 201 Plaza Drive.  “It’s just north of the Sikeston Jaycee Regional Dialysis Center,” said Sharon Urhahn, director of marketing for MDMC.  “The first patient will be seen Monday, July 18th.”

Area residents got their first look at the Bruce Medical Building Tuesday, July 12th during a ribbon cutting ceremony as well as an opportunity to meet one of the two orthopaedic surgeons who will provide services there.

Orthopaedics involves “any ailment to do with the muscles, bones or joints,” Dr. Larry Conley, orthopaedic surgeon, explained.  “I basically operate from the neck down.”  Conley said Missouri Delta Orthopaedics will offer a full range of services from setting bones to joint replacements.  “The majority of community-based orthopaedic needs can be met here now,” he said.  “It’s been such a long time coming.”  The other orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Cary Sanders, will do general orthopaedics including spine care.

By using a video arthroscope, which enables them to look at and photograph the inside of small joints, staff at Missouri Delta Orthopaedics will be able to operate on small joints in same-day surgery, he said.  Conley said there are very few places in the country where a small community like Sikeston is able to establish and support this type of facility.

“This is a very specialized service line,” Schrumpf said.  “We are very fortunate to have the resources—the technology and skilled physicians—to be able to make this service line a reality.”

Construction of the Bruce Medical Building was possible due to a generous donation to the Missouri Delta Medical Center Foundation from the daughters of the late Dr. and Mrs. Bruce.  Dr. Bruce was a well-known ear, nose and throat doctor in the community who later went into optometry which he continued to practice almost up until his death in 2009.

“Dr. Bruce had a passion for medicine.  His daughter, Brenda, told me her father seemed to never want to  retire,” Schrumpf said.  “Conley and Sanders will live up to the Bruce standard and the legacy of Dr. Bruce as a community physician—it appears that they have similar medical integrity and ethics as Dr.  Bruce.

The surgeons will be supported by a full staff.  “We are going to hire around 35 additional staff members to launch the new orthopaedic line,” Schrumpf said.  “That consists of people in the inpatient and outpatient aspects of orthopaedic care.”

The Bruce Medical Building will also house the Missouri Delta Wound and Hyperbaric Center which slated to open August 1, Urhahn said. Additional space at the Bruce Medical Building is also available for another service that hosptial officials have yet to decide upon.