Dr. Turner Describes Changing Orthopedic Landscape

Dr. William Turner

When Bill Turner joined Longview Orthopedic Associates in 1988, he had just completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Oklahoma. At that time, he was the first to perform arthroscopic shoulder surgery and knee ligament reconstructions in the local area.

“Those procedures are routine now,” Turner said, “although they’ve become more refined and expanded. That approach to surgical technique has spilled over into other procedures as well.”

Surgeons are now able to perform many procedures using smaller incisions and shorter surgery time, resulting in less discomfort and faster recovery for patients. An additional benefit is that an increasing number of procedures can be done on healthy patients without the need for an overnight hospital stay.

“Even hip and knee replacement patients can be back home five hours after surgery in many cases,” Turner said. “In fact, we now think of these procedures as outpatient surgeries, although some patients certainly do stay overnight if other medical conditions require observation or treatment. Patients consistently tell us that they prefer to sleep in their own beds.”

Dr. Turner noted that another area of significant progress has been a focus on getting patients in the best possible medical condition before surgery. “This has enabled us to reduce complication rates to levels well below the national average and better than many other hospitals in our area,” he said.

In the early years, Dr. Turner’s practice was noted for sports medicine care, but the growing demand for joint restoration, resurfacing, and replacement led him to master the surgeries that arthritic patients require.

In addition to seeing patients at LOA, he also directs the Joint Replacement and Hip Fracture Programs at St. John Medical Center.

For more information, contact Longview Orthopedic Associates at 360.501.3400