On Sept. 1, Vail-Summit Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery (VSON) acquired Alpine Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, with locations in Gunnison and San Miguel Counties; the clinic is now called VSON Alpine. VSON has also become the majority owner of Alpine Surgery Center in Gunnison.

While Alpine Orthopaedics already delivered exceptional care to its patients, the new partnership expands services to Colorado mountain towns, while retaining Dr. Gloria Beim and her team’s quality care.

“To meet future needs of orthopaedic and spinal care — and influenced by local and national trends in health care — the medical groups are partnering to share invaluable resources, including people, space and technology, to produce cost-effective, convenient and complete care for our communities,” said Rachel Follender, VSON’s Director of Marketing and Communications. 

The partnership allows VSON to expand its services, research and outreach to mountain towns on Colorado’s Western Slope, including the active ski towns of Crested Butte and Telluride. It also provides previously unavailable expertise in subspeciality areas, such as hip, joint replacement, foot, and ankle conditions. In the past, residents and visitors in Gunnison and San Miguel counties had to seek care in Vail, Denver or Grand Junction for complex total joint, hip, or other subspecialty conditions.

Dr. Beim: VSON’s first female orthopaedic surgeon
As a renowned orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, Beim has worked with professional teams and elite athletes for over 25 years. Since 2004, she has served as Team Physician and Chief Medical Officer at Olympic and Paralympic events worldwide. This summer, she was Head Team Physician for Team USA at the 2021 Paralympics in Toyko.

“She is exceptional at what she does,” said Bonnie McDonald, Business Director at VSON Alpine. “Every doctor may say that he or she is a brilliant surgeon, but with Dr. Beim, it is actually true. She is conservative in her approach to care and is always studying the latest products and research, using only evidence-based medicine. Her dedication to her profession and bedside manner are second to none. Patients love her, and physician colleagues and professional sports organizations consistently turn to her for her expertise.”

Beim first attended college at age 14. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and completed her residency at Columbia/New York Orthopaedic Hospital. Afterwards, she was the first woman accepted into renowned sports medicine pioneer Dr. Freddie Fu’s fellowship training program at University of Pittsburg.

She established Alpine Orthopaedics in 1999 and founded Alpine Surgery Center in 2006. She and her physician assistants, Amy Sandusky and Julia Stock, will continue to provide care at VSON Alpine locations, along with new provider Dr. Adam Lindsay.

“A former Division 1 Water Polo player and USA Men’s National Team athlete, Dr. Lindsay has first-hand knowledge of how important getting back to your activity is following injury. He will a be a tremendous asset in ensuring Crested Butte-, Gunnison- and Telluride-based visitors and patients receive top-notch care in their hometown or vacation destination,” McDonald said.

Dr. Cafferky extends total joint services to Gunnison
Beim has invited Dr. Nathan Cafferky and his team to launch total joint services at Alpine Surgery Center. Beginning Sept. 30, Cafferky and his team will start treating hip and knee patients in Gunnison. By expanding his total joint program to the area, Dr. Cafferky and VSON Alpine can now provide accessible, cost-effective total hip and knee replacements to the Gunnison community and its surrounding regions.

“The physicians at Vail-Summit Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery are some of the best sports medicine docs in the country – many of whom I have worked and consulted with over the years,” Beim said. “I am thrilled to be joining such a talented and reputable team.”

“As more and more total joint replacements are done in the more cost-effective outpatient surgery center setting, it is hugely beneficial that VSON has a surgeon with fellowship-training in total joint replacements to work with Drs. Beim and Lindsay. This extra, in-depth training provides the added level of insight, experience and expertise that many patients find comforting when getting their joints replaced,” McDonald said. “VSON brings a team of physicians and surgeons that match Dr. Beim’s caliber. They also bring sub-specialists for Dr. Beim to collaborate with and refer to, such as a neurosurgeon, foot and ankle specialist, expert in hip arthroscopy and a doctor who has advanced training in total join replacement.”

Sharing resources
VSON’s partnership with the former Alpine Orthopaedics and Alpine Surgery Center is a seamless fit: the groups share similar values in terms of exceptional care, an emphasis on workplace balance and a culture of working together to provide excellent service to the community, Follender said. The merger also allows the clinics to share valuable resources, such as human resources and IT systems, as well as medical technology.

“VSON was able to extend to the VSON Alpine locations their more comprehensive electronic medical records, phone, medical records and x-ray systems, among others. Both groups are benefitting tremendously with the most valuable resource of all: sharing the skills and experience of their trained, professional staffs,” McDonald said.

Now, the partnership employs some of the best orthopaedic surgeons available.

“Dr. Beim is one of the best sports medicine physicians in the country,” Cafferky said. “It’s an honor to work with her as we expand and grow our total joints services. Together, we can create a positive impact on Colorado’s active community.”

Overall, with VSON’s added surgeons, Alpine Surgery Center will be able to meet more patients’ surgical needs.

“It will enable more patients to benefit from safer, more effective, and less expensive surgical procedures when they are needed,” McDonald said.

VSON is the longest-standing orthopaedic practice in the Vail Valley, with clinics in Edwards, Vail, Frisco and Granby.

“With its acquisition of Alpine Orthopaedics and further expansion to the Western Slope, VSON has become the premier orthopaedic group dedicated to serving mountain communities,” Follender said.