Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group – Dr. Ron Hollis Q&A with Colorado Springs LIVING WELL Magazine
Dr. Ron Hollis is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist. He received his Bachelors from the University of Michigan on a baseball scholarship and played three years of professional baseball before beginning his medical career. Dr. Hollis’ main focus of practice includes sports injuries, knee replacement surgery and fracture care and all shoulder disorders including arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs and shoulder replacement surgery. Visit www.csog.net to learn more about Dr. Hollis.
What brought you to Colorado?
We have family in both Colorado Springs and Denver that we have enjoyed visiting over the years. I also I spent five years of my training in Salt Lake City, Utah and fell in love with the mountains. So, when a job opened up in Colorado, my wife and I knew we had to take it.
When did you become interested in orthopaedics?
Having the opportunity to play college baseball at the University of Michigan, as well as professional baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox organizations, I gained a lot of first-hand experience and interest within the field of sports medicine. Orthopaedic surgery has given me the opportunity to work with a wide range of athletes and active people of all ages, to help them recover from injuries and stay active.
What is your background and training?
I attended medical school at the University of Michigan, followed by five years of orthopaedic surgery training at the University of Utah. I completed a specialty year of training through a shoulder and elbow fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. I have been a practicing as an orthopaedic surgeon in Wisconsin for the past five years before coming to the Colorado Springs community.
What is a common misconception patients have of the field of orthopaedic surgery?
Many times I feel patients believe that by coming to a surgeon, the only treatment option is surgery. It is important to realize that the vast majority of the patients I see can be treated initially with non-operative methods such as anti-inflammatory medicines, occasional cortisone injections and physical therapy. Only those individuals who fail a conservative approach may require some type of surgical intervention.
How has orthopaedic surgery changed in the last 5 years?
I believe that medicine, in general, is moving towards a greater emphasis on quality of patient care, and at the same time, providing efficient and cost-effective patient care. In orthopaedic surgery, over the past five years, we have seen an increase in the number of outpatient surgeries and a steady decline in the length of stay for inpatient surgeries. These two changes have resulted in improved patient satisfaction as well as improved patient outcomes. In my opinion, these changes represent a win-win for the patient.
What is your personal and/or business motto?
I believe when a patient and doctor work as a team, this allows the patient to have the best opportunity to achieve their goal of an improved quality of life.
What hobbies do you enjoy outside the office?
I enjoy running, hiking and enjoying the outdoors with my wife and four children.
