LA Rams’ Safety Jake Gervase, an Assumption alum and Hawkeye All Big-10, knows that champions aren’t born, they’re made, and that behind every star player there stands a family, coaches, and sports medicine experts to ensure he performs at the top of his game.
Now in his third year with the Rams, those who have known and treated Jake since his high school days affirm he is one of those players who continues, even at the NFL, to prove to coaches, teammates, and himself that doing the work, no matter what your position, is the key to success.
“I began treating Jake when he was 15 years old,” recalls ORA Sports Medicine Surgeon, Dr. Andrew Bries. “Knowing that he dreamed of playing for both Iowa and the NFL, we made sure to treat his shoulder injuries with the expectation he would perform as an athlete at the highest level.
The rest was up to him. He’s a can-do kid, never afraid of doing the work, whatever is asked, and now it’s paying off in California.”
Generations of Excellence
Jake and Dr. Bries’ combination of skill, teamwork, and a vision to set the gold standard for excellence also describes the values that have guided the team of healthcare professionals at ORA Orthopedics for more than 50 years.
“Quite simply, we are the largest and most experienced and preferred orthopedic practice in the region,” affirms ORA’s Medical Director, Dr. J.C. Clark. “Our goal is to offer patients the expertise, trust, and most accessible and affordable bone and musculoskeletal care in the Quad Cities.”
Like all professional teams, ORA is laser-focused on building a legacy of excellence — continually evaluating new procedures and therapies, achieving fellowship-training and industry certifications, and offering cutting-edge orthopedic treatments as the practice has done so since its founding in 1963.
High-Tech with a Human Touch
Its 26-physician roster commands a deep bench of experience among a vast range of orthopedic subspecialties including sports medicine, total joint replacement, spine, shoulder and elbow, hand, foot and ankle, pediatrics, hip and knee, as well as the regenerative and pain management centers of excellence.
A 2021 highlight at ORA has been the addition of orthopedic robotic surgery. ORA total joint surgeons were the first to employ the new Zimmer Biomet ROSA® Knee System (ROSA) for total knee replacements. “ROSA functions like a high-tech GPS system,” explains Dr. Clark. “Its optical trackers and cameras determine the exact position of the knee in space.”
The robot provides a real-time view of the knee to ensure accuracy and precision in the placement of the implant and optimal knee motion.
“Every case and every knee is different, so together in partnership with our patients, we consider the best total-joint treatment plan for each person. Any tool that helps patients return to their lives quickly and with minimal pain is always worth considering in our arsenal of options.”
Game Changers in Sports Medicine
Also in 2021, ORA became the definitive sports-medicine team of physicians serving every major metro high school, collegiate, and professional team in the region with the expansion of services to Bettendorf High School. ORA’s team doctors and athletic trainers provide expertise to area sports teams to ensure quick diagnosis and treatments on and off the field.
For patients recovering from injury or surgery, ORA’s Physical Therapy services underwent significant expansion at its Moline location with the construction of a new therapy center that includes an aquatic therapy pool, the largest of its kind in the Quad Cities. The new therapy center and pool is located on its Moline campus at John Deere Road and Seventh Street.
“We provide outstanding, industry-leading physical therapy, hand therapy and rehabilitation to help our patients recovery from injury,” explains Dr. Edward Connolly, ORA’s President. “It is by far, the largest, most comprehensive facility in the Quad Cities. We offer not only manual and aquatic therapy, but also have a complement of adjunctive treatments such as dry needling for pain and vestibular therapy to treat dizziness and restore balance.”
New Pain Management Suite is Accessible and Affordable
Also located at ORA’s Moline campus, the Pain Management Center of Excellence moved in 2021 to its own suite of offices, providing patients with convenient access to pain management treatments.
“The whole purpose of our Pain Center expansion is to make sure we see every patient in a timely manner, reduce treatment fees, and do so while maintaining our gold standard of individualized pain-relief care,” explains Pain Center Physician, Dr. Sanjay Sundar.
“We are one of the few pain clinics in the region that performs procedures in a clinic-based pain management suite that has the ability to reduce the patient’s overall insurance burden, and in many instances, without a referral.”
No Referral, No Problem
“We are always looking for ways for patients to easily seek orthopedic treatment, while also reducing medical costs and provide convenient access to care,” affirms Dr. Connolly. Already in 2022, ORA has expanded its network of Urgent OrthoCARE centers by adding a clinic in Geneseo, Ill. The Urgent OrthoCARE clinics provide walk-in care and treatment for orthopedic conditions and injuries without an appointment at each of its seven locations, with convenient evening and weekend hours.
“ORA strives to improve its expertise and access to patients in our community, whether it’s in-person or via an online telehealth consultation. Our patient care specialists will help guide you to the right provider, for the appropriate care, at the right time.
“Patients can also take charge of their health by checking our physician’s schedules online so you can make your own appointment directly, and do so without waiting for a referral from another doctor. We also have expanded our online registration and check-in services because we want to remain respectful of our patients’ and caregivers’ time away from home and work.
“For athletes, busy families, active seniors and those who choose to move in their own way to keep life humming, ORA remains committed to the health of the Quad City community as we have for more than a half century,” adds Dr. Clark.
“Our greatest goal is to serve our patients, fellow neighbors, and our communities because we believe the quality of life along our stretch of the river is worth protecting.”
