Another option for outpatient orthopedic care

Follow-up care for orthopedic injuries is now available one day a week in the mid-Cape area.

Orthopedic urgent care hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays at the Cape Cod Healthcare Orthopedic Surgery office in Osterville. The practice recently relocated from Hyannis to the John and Marjorie McGraw Medical Complex at 770 Main Street.

The dedicated urgent care hours will provide patients with faster access to an orthopedic provider and a more streamlined pathway for follow-up fracture care, according to Michael O’Boyle, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Cape Cod Healthcare Orthopedic Surgery.

"Our goal is to ensure a seamless transition from the immediate care patients receive in the emergency department or other urgent care setting to the specialized follow-up treatment needed for fractures and other orthopedic injuries." he said.

When the initial injury happens, patients usually go to an urgent care or the emergency department for assessment, diagnosis and treatment, he said. Once that is complete, the patient still needs to connect with an orthopedist to do their follow-up care, assess their progress and ensure complete healing.

“We offer the opportunity to connect more quickly with an orthopedist through our orthopedic urgent care clinic,” said Dr. O’Boyle.

In addition to Dr. O’Boyle, orthopedic surgeon Erica Bayly, MD, is also located at the Osterville location.

The clinic provides complete care, including X-rays, casting, splinting and various types of braces.

How it Works

Following are details about the new Orthopedic Urgent Care Center.

What is the process for a patient to be seen at orthopedic urgent care on Mondays?

They can walk in between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. or call 774-552-6090 to make an appointment.

If they have been seen in the Emergency Center at Cape Cod Hospital, there is a referral option in the emergency department, and the patient can select the Osterville orthopedic urgent care option and will be given the information for contacting them. It will also place the patient’s name into a work queue and the office will be able to see who is referred for follow-up. A staff member will call to schedule an appointment during regular office hours.

Are the urgent care hours open to all residents and visitors on Cape Cod?

Orthopedic urgent care is a walk-in clinic available to anyone who has sustained an orthopedic injury, particularly over a weekend. It is open to both Cape Cod residents and visitors. While the urgent care will be an opportunity for patients to be seen more quickly for follow up after initial treatment for an injury, the clinic will also see patients who may experience an acute orthopedic injury, if it happens over the weekend or on Monday morning, and choose to be evaluated in our orthopedic urgent care clinic.

What are the types of injuries that can be diagnosed and treated at the orthopedic urgent care?

The surgeons will evaluate and treat a wide range of acute orthopedic injuries, including fractures involving the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hands, finders, ankles and feet. They also care for a variety of soft tissue injuries, such as Achilles tendon injuries, ankle sprains, quadriceps tendon injuries, and other musculoskeletal conditions. More severe injuries, including open (compound) fractures and injuries requiring a higher level of emergency care, may be directed to the Emergency Center at Cape Cod Hospital for treatment.

What types of sport injuries will you be able to treat?

Many sports injuries fall within the scope of orthopedic care and may include sprains, strains, ligament injuries, tendon injuries, dislocations, and fractures.

Will patients who have work-related or motor vehicle accident injuries be seen?

Patients with isolated orthopedic injuries resulting from a work-related accident or motor vehicle accident may be appropriate for an orthopedic urgent care evaluation. However, injuries involving the head, chest, abdomen, multiple body systems, significant bleeding, difficulty breathing, or potentially serious medical conditions should be evaluated in the Cape Cod Hospital emergency department. The focus at the urgent care center is orthopedic injuries and they will help ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate level of care.

What should someone do if they are unsure if their injury is appropriate for orthopedic urgent care or the emergency department?

If a patient is uncertain whether their injury requires emergency treatment or can be managed by in urgent care, they are welcome to call the office at 774-552-6090. The office will guide them and ensure seamless communication, so they receive the care they need as quickly as possible.