Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine: Where Everyone Is Treated Like A Pro
Timothy Kremchek knows the pressures of a high-profile job. As Team Medical Director for the Cincinnati Reds for 23 years, he’s spent his fair share of time in the spotlight. But his day job is equally impressive. Dr. Kremchek works out of the Summit Woods location of Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. If you haven’t heard, Beacon Orthopaedics is the premier multi-physician provider of orthopaedic care to the greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Northern Kentucky and Southwest Indiana communities. Known for treating professional athletes and the general public with the same level of expertise care, Dr. Kremchek is emblematic of the orthopaedic surgeons who work out of Beacon’s eight locations.
We recently sat down with Dr. Kremchek to learn more about being Team Medical Director for the Cincinnati Reds athletes and how it has informed his work at Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.
Q: Your clinic space at Beacon Summit Woods is covered wall-to-wall with autographed jerseys, photos and more from many pros thanking you for your care. Is it common to treat players from other teams?
Dr. Kremchek: We built Beacon Orthopaedics to be a destination for athletes from all over the country. Having cared for the Cincinnati Reds for the last 23 years, we have gotten a reputation for taking care of high-level athletes, including baseball players. Many of the photos are signed to me by players from other teams who have come in, by word of mouth, by their teammates or sometimes by their agents. Often times they are previous patients who have moved on to another team. One of the greatest joys I get is seeing some of our older players come back, players who have needed something and are appreciative of the care—the Pete Roses, the Johnny Benches, the Joe Morgans, and some players who have played with some of the finest teams ever assembled in Major League Baseball. For this I am very proud.
Q: Taking care of an entire Major League Baseball team seems like more than a one-man job. Do you collaborate with other physicians?
Dr. Kremchek: Every year it gets more involved. Certainly, the physicians we have at Beacon Orthopaedics, in all the subspecialties, are key to the comprehensive orthopedic care for our team and other players, such as foot and ankle, hand, spine. Many of these physicians come out to spring training with me. However, it is very important, also, to have some of our physicians in our community, such as Dr. Cleves at TriHealth, do the primary care, and other specialists as needed, so we can do comprehensive care, not only for the team, but for their families and the front office of the Cincinnati Reds. I look at us as one big family, able to take care of every medical need that arises. I just happen to be the one who directs it.
Q: How has your experience caring for professional athletes influenced your services at Beacon Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine?
Dr. Kremchek: I think sports medicine is an art. It is the art of medicine. It is understanding the urgency of a diagnosis and treatment plan of an athlete, of almost any age. Just because the Major League athletes get care on the spot doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to attain the same type of care for a high school athlete. Understanding what these sports mean to these youngsters, how hard they work in the off season to get better, it’s important for them to be able to carry out these activities and be able to participate. I pride my practice on being able to take expedient care of our athletes, of any age, not only for the diagnostic piece to give them peace of mind, but any diagnostic piece, such as MRI, or even treatment, whether that is physical therapy or, in some cases, surgical intervention. I think the professional athletes have really given us a jump on how we can be more aggressive and mindful of the time, energy, and importance of these sports to our young athletes.
Choose from our team of physicians across 8 convenient locations in the Cincinnati Tri-State area to learn more about how they can get you back to doing what you love most.
Q: How will opening an orthopaedic hospital with TriHealth positively impact patients in the community, both professional athletes and “regular folks”?
Dr. Kremchek: There is no question that medicine is changing. Specialization in medicine is going to be much more important, such as cardiac hospitals and cancer hospitals. Having a hospital totally dedicated to musculoskeletal medicine and orthopaedics is going to be able to bring the top specialists in the field of orthopaedics—whether that is spine surgery, sports medicine, hand surgery, foot and ankle, or pediatric surgery—to one location, so we can get the best possible care, and communicate with physicians and other staff members. I think it will give a seamless approach, from soup to nuts, in taking care of many, not just athletes, but our orthopaedic patients. I think this will be a tremendous asset to the city and the region. We are very excited, at Beacon Orthopaedics, to be allowed to be involved in the planning program. Once this is built, I believe this will be a road map for many other hospitals around the country, in orthopaedics, to be built, as it will only enhance the health care of each community.
Beacon Orthopaedics’ partnership with TriHealth is nothing new. Beacon has been affiliated with many major healthcare providers within the Cincinnati Tri-State area since their inception in 1996. Athletes and non-athletes of all ages from all over the nation seek care from Beacon, including children and older generations. Every patient treated by Dr. Kremchek and the other orthopedic surgeons at Beacon are cared for with the same level of expert advice and cutting-edge technology provided to major sports teams like the Cincinnati Reds. The physicians at Beacon have years of experience and training to help get you back to a healthy and active lifestyle. For more information, visit beaconortho.com or give them a call at (513) 354-3700. Beacon Orthopaedics is where everyone is treated like a pro!