Orthopaedic Specialist and Mississippi Valley Surgery Center welcome the first board-certified, fellowship-trained in sports and hand female surgeons to the Quad-Cities region.
Submitted by Orthopaedic Specialists, PC and Mississippi Valley Surgery Center
For years, Orthopaedic Specialists, located at 3385 Dexter Court in Davenport, Iowa, has served as an innovator in orthopaedic surgery. As the area’s only orthopaedic group comprised entirely of fellowship-trained and board-certified surgeons, Orthopaedic Specialists was the first to offer outpatient joint replacement and spine surgery to the community.
The team at Orthopaedic Specialists trusts Mississippi Valley Surgery Center for many of their innovative outpatient procedures. Since opening its doors in 1996 as the first outpatient center in the area, Mississippi Valley Surgery Center has set the standard for excellence. With a medical staff focused on individualized patient care, they’re experts in the latest, proven techniques that lead to better outcomes and faster recovery.
Welcoming the area’s first female sports and hand orthopaedic surgeons
Orthopaedic Specialists recently welcomed the area’s first board-certified and fellowship-trained female sports and hand orthopaedic surgeons to its team—Dr. Kristyn Darmafall and Dr. Megan Crosmer.
Dr. Darmafall most recently served as an assistant professor of clinical orthopaedic surgery at The Ohio State University and will help lead the team’s Center of Excellence in sports medicine—specializing in sports-related injuries of the shoulder, knee and hip.
Dr. Crosmer, who most recently served as a hand and upper extremity orthopaedic surgeon at Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic, LLC in Florida, is bringing her expertise to the Orthopaedic Specialists team’s Center of Excellence in hand and upper extremity. She completed her fellowship in upper extremity, elbow, hand, and wrist at the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center in Indianapolis.
According to Michael Patterson, president and CEO of Mississippi Valley Surgery Center, the patient-first focus of both surgeons aligns with the center’s mission.
“We’re committed to continuously improve the quality of our services while providing a collaborative environment for healthcare providers, employees, patients, and their families,” Patterson said. “Adding Dr. Darmafall and Dr. Crosmer to our impressive roster of surgeons who trust Mississippi Valley Surgery Center for their outpatient procedures is truly a win for our community.”
Dr. Kristyn Darmafall: setting an example on and off the field
While completing her fellowship at the University of Wisconsin and completing residencies in orthopaedic surgery and general surgery at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Darmafall noticed the lack of women in her field and is proud to be considered a “first” in the Quad-Cities area.
“Of all orthopaedic surgeons, females only make up around 4 percent of practicing surgeons—and this number is even lower within the sports medicine field,” Darmafall said. “I am proud to set an example for young girls, showing them that if you set your mind to something, you can accomplish it.”
Dr. Darmafall’s passion for helping people get back to an active life—whether that means the ability to comfortably take a walk or set records in a sports-related competition—began when she was active on the soccer field.
“My specific interest in orthopedics started with my first fracture while playing soccer at age 11,” Darmafall recalled. “As my soccer career progressed to the collegiate level, I was inspired by my teammates ACL injuries, which also led to my area of clinical research: adolescent female ACL tears.”
Dr. Megan Crosmer: collaborative approach yields better results
For Dr. Crosmer, achieving the best surgical outcomes for patients requires a team effort.
“My focus in wanting to become a physician was to help improve the quality of life for my patients,” she said. “It’s about working together with the patients on surgical and non-surgical solutions. I think of the patient as a team member in the healing process, because working together we accomplish great things.”
When it comes to collaboration, Dr. Crosmer believes working with the entire surgical staff is key to developing customized treatment plans for each patient.
“In order to provide the highest level of patient care, each member of the team must be focused on the goal of excellence—from the physicians to the front desk staff. It’s clear that Orthopaedic Specialists is already focused on providing excellent patient-centered care, and I’m excited to join the team.”
Like Darmafall, Crosmer understands the importance of females in the orthopaedic field.
“While orthopaedics, and medicine in general, has traditionally been a male-dominated field, things are changing,” Crosmer said. “We, as females, are fortunate to live in a time where if you have passion and put in the effort, training, and dedication, you can achieve anything.”
Fast facts about the Orthopaedic Specialists team
The two new surgeons at OS add to an already impressive roster.
- Dr. John Hoffman—performs more than 500 total joint procedures each year and is the only surgeon in the state to perform total joint procedures in an ambulatory surgery center for more than 10 years.
- Dr. Tuvi Mendel—specializes in minimally invasive, outpatient procedures with extensive experience in minimally invasive reverse shoulder replacement surgery.
- Dr. Michael Dolphin—the area’s only spine surgeon performing outpatient spine surgery.
Fast facts about Mississippi Valley Surgery Center
Because the team specializes in outpatient surgeries and procedures, staff at MVSC are experts in the latest, proven techniques that lead to better outcomes and faster recovery.
- Physicians from a variety of practice areas choose to perform their outpatient procedures at Mississippi Valley Surgery Center (MVSC).
- MVSC is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) for providing high-quality care and safe practices.
- MVSC is the only outpatient surgery center in Iowa that performs total joint replacements on all four major joints—shoulders, knees, hips, and ankles.
- MVSC recently completed a major modernization project, which allows every patient to have a private room. These newly constructed recovery care suites allow patients to stay overnight and receive expert nursing care.
- MVSC is the area’s “Innovative Leader in Outpatient Care,” providing a surgical experience you’ll feel good about.
To schedule an appointment or consultation with Dr. Darmafall or Dr. Crosmer, visit www.OSQuadCities.com or call 563-344-9292. To learn more about the Mississippi Valley Surgery Center where Dr. Darmafall and Dr. Crosmer will be performing many of their procedures, visit www.mvhealth.net or Facebook.com/MississippiValleySurgeryCenter.