5 days ago
Orthopaedic Institute of North Mississippi merging, rebranding
TUPELO – In a blockbuster three-way merger, Tupelo-based Orthopaedic Institute of North Mississippi, Jackson-based Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center and Oxford-based Oxford Ortho and Sports Medicine will rebrand under the Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center name, effective Aug. 4.
Following the merger, MSMOC will have 32 doctors and 33 advanced practice providers at 18 locations, creating the largest network of orthopedic specialists in the state and one of the most comprehensive in the Southeast.
Founded in 1984, Mississippi Sports Medicine has locations in Jackson, Flowood, Madison, Brookhaven, Ruleville and Yazoo City. MSMOC surgeons were the first of five in the U.S. and the first in Mississippi performing outpatient joint replacements. The group performs over half the total joint replacements in the state. It has the largest orthopaedic joint center in the country, the first in the state, and it was one of the first three centers in the U.S. to perform orthopaedic joint replacements.
Dr. Eric Lewis, fellowship-trained orthopedic hand surgeon at OINMS, said joining forces with MSMOC would benefit more people in the region.
'For decades, we have earned our reputation by providing exceptional, patient-focused care in Tupelo and across North Mississippi,' he said. 'Teaming up with Mississippi Sports Medicine will strengthen our statewide collaboration and expand access to cutting-edge treatments and specialized expertise for the region and people we serve.'
In a press release, OINMS said its physicians and staff "remain committed to the advanced orthopedic and sports medicine care their neighbors across the region have trusted for nearly three decades."
OINMS said Mississippi Sports Medicine had "built a reputation for orthopedic excellence through its clinics and fellowship programs, which have trained several orthopedic physicians in the area, and Oxford Ortho's team has been its region's leader since the 1990s. By partnering with their colleagues in Jackson and Oxford, the Tupelo team is able to extend its legacy across Mississippi and the Southeast."
As the three groups merge their operations over the next couple of months, patients will continue to be seen at the same locations by the same physicians.
"The name will change, but the same doctors that have been trusted by the Tupelo and North Mississippi community for decades will remain the same," the press release said.
'As someone who completed my sports medicine fellowship at Mississippi Sports Medicine, I'm excited to deepen our collaboration with the Jackson team,' said Dr. Bryan Fagan, an OINMS orthopedic surgeon. 'Together, we'll bring more innovation and specialized expertise to patients across North Mississippi.'
Leading up to the launch of the new brand on Aug. 4, residents and patients will see the new name on signage, materials and communications.
'Orthopedics is a team sport,' said Dr. J.R. Woodall, a spine surgeon based in Jackson. 'I've long respected the Oxford and Tupelo teams, and this evolution will unlock new opportunities in research, education and cutting-edge care for every Mississippian.'
Orthopaedic Institute of North Mississippi was born of a merger in 2018 when North East Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine and North Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Clinic of Tupelo joined forces and moved the practice to Midtown Pointe.
