In all, the expansion added 5,200 square feet of space. Of that, 3,000 is earmarked for clinical use, with the remaining 2,200 square feet being used for physical therapy.
Given the expansion, as well as the health system’s partnership with Ochsner – which is a particularly close one in the orthopedic realm – Dr. Hontas said the Bone & Joint clinic is the closest thing Northshore patients have to a one-stop orthopedics shop.
“With the possible exception of spine and orthopedic oncology, we have every subspecialty of orthopedic surgery covered,” he said. “Patients should know when they come to our St. Tammany Bone & Joint Clinic, they don’t have to go any farther. All their needs will be filled in one clinic. That’s not by accident, that’s by design.”
Dr. Hontas also pointed out that patients of the STHS Bone & Joint Clinic further benefit from its association with St. Tammany Parish Hospital, which provides an important advantage when it comes to handling complicated surgical procedures. That is not the case with boutique hospitals, which often must transfer patients to a nearby acute care hospital – often St. Tammany – in the event of complications.
Originally conceived in 2021, the Bone & Joint expansion has been a long time in coming. But, Dr. Hontas said, it has been worth the wait.
“The Board of Commissioners and the administration of St. Tammany Health System gave us their full and unconditional support, which we tremendously appreciate,” he said. “All of our needs were somewhat unique, but we were all accommodated. Dr. LaMartina has more elbow room, Dr. McDaniel has a specialized area catering to children, and my brother and I have our designated space in the front of the office.
“It really worked out perfectly for everybody. With the addition of physical therapy, this is now truly a full-service orthopedic clinic.”