PLATTEVILLE — Orthopedic Surgeon Joshua Lindsey, M.D., will join the staff at Southwest Health Center in Platteville in 2014.

The Mineral Point native will bring a wide range of advanced orthopedic skills by joining SHC as an employed physician who will be able to accept a wide array of insurances.

“We are absolutely delighted Dr. Lindsey chose Southwest Health Center,” said SHC CEO Dan Rohrbach. “Adding a surgeon of his caliber will greatly increase local access to quality orthopedic care. His presence will allow us to create a top-level orthopedic and sports medicine program available to all southwest Wisconsin residents.

“Dr. Lindsey will start seeing patients about 18 months from now, and that time will go quickly. In anticipation, we are working from the ground up to put in place from day one a fully patient-centered orthopedic and sports medicine program providing the best possible patient experience and outcomes.”

Lindsey, who specializes in orthopedic surgery with an emphasis on hip and knee replacement, shoulder, and arthroscopic procedures, earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin. He completed a highly competitive Orthopedic Surgery Residency at the University of Washington in Seattle in 2012.

He is completing an Adult Reconstruction (hip and knee replacement) fellowship at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He will then complete a second fellowship — in Shoulder and Sports Medicine — at the University of Rochester in New York.

“I am excited to provide quality care and the latest surgical options to the people of southwest Wisconsin,” said Lindsey. “I grew up here, and will have trained with many renowned orthopedic surgeons around the country who are experts in their field. I am looking forward to bringing back my knowledge to Southwest Health Center.”

According to Lindsey, the cases he is handling during his fellowships will prepare him to deliver the best possible care to patients at Southwest Health Center.

“Currently I am spending a year in Boston caring for patients whose hip and knee replacements have failed for various reasons,” he said. “Although failed joint replacements are a rare problem, having spent a year dedicated to correcting these failures provides me a wealth of knowledge that would otherwise have taken decades to acquire in general practice. This training makes me a better surgeon when treating patients needing first time hip and knee replacements”

Lindsey anticipates treating a wide range of orthopedic problems and sports injuries at Southwest Health Center. Among his areas of special expertise is providing the most up-to-date techniques in hip and knee replacements, including the direct anterior hip replacement using a specialized operating table at SHC.

“This new technique is muscle sparing, a medical term that translates to fewer days in the hospital and less pain,” said Lindsey. “The biggest advantage to this approach is that patients have less cumbersome restrictions placed on them during their initial recovery period.”

Lindsey will also have the ability to customize knee implants, matching them to patients’ size and shape which results in a more natural feel and alignment.

Lindsey plans to implement advanced pain protocols that help minimize post-operative pain and allow a quicker return to function.

“I am fortunate to have made the decision to spend an additional two years of training in Fellowships,” he said. “The volume and complexity of surgical cases has helped me gain valuable experience that will help my patients.

“I love to talk to people. Showing patients exactly what options they have, educating them about the procedure, and helping people make informed decisions about their care are things I’m passionate about.”

As a high school student, Lindsey was involved in a serious auto crash and remembers not being fully aware of what was happening during his recovery. “I want to improve on that. I want to communicate effectively with patients and their families,” he said. “I always remember this personal experience when I talk with my patients.”

Married with two young children, Lindsey is the son of Obstetrician and Gynecologist Everett Lindsey, M.D., who is well known throughout southwest Wisconsin.

“My parents lived in rural Wisconsin just outside Mineral Point and both have cared for people for decades. They have always been very happy,” said the younger Lindsey. “Now, I want my kids to go to school in a small town and enjoy a similar kind of childhood to the one I had in Mineral Point.”

Because orthopedic procedures are often elective and because patients make choices about when and where to have their surgeries, Rohrbach is anticipating that some area residents will want to schedule appointments with Lindsey far in advance of his arrival at SHC. Rohrbach said the SHC central scheduling service is planning on accommodating those patients and will begin to take calls beginning late this summer, about 12 months in advance of Dr. Lindsey’s arrival in Platteville.

“We already know Dr. Lindsey’s skills and experience will be highly-valued in our area communities,” said Rohrbach. “Preparing well in advance will be beneficial for both his practice and his patients.”