Orthopaedic & Spine Specialists, a private medical practice, has built a facility like no other in York County or the region, said William Behrens, chief executive officer of the practice.

Preparations for opening day are a flurry of finishing this and that. On Thursday, medical staff tested imaging equipment. Computer technicians set up phones and the network.

A few years ago, two large orthopaedic practices, KDV Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation and Butera, Moritz, Hofmann Associates, merged to form Orthopaedic & Spine Specialists. Now they will be under one very large roof.

Patients will be able to have outpatient surgeries like knee arthroscopy and operations on hands and shoulders instead of going to a hospital, and can receive various scans and X-rays as well as pain management treatments. Doctors will continue to schedule surgeries that require hospital admission, such as hip and spine procedures, at area hospitals.

The effect of the new center on WellSpan Health, the largest hospital and doctor system in York County, isn't known yet, said Bruce Bartels, president of WellSpan Health.

He expects the new facility to have the largest effect on Apple Hill Surgical Center, which falls under the WellSpan Health umbrella. Many orthopaedic doctors have used the rooms for outpatient surgeries.

WellSpan, a nonprofit organization that operates a hospital in each of York and Adams counties, uses areas in which it makes money to balance areas in which it loses money. Places where hospitals typically lose money include some mental health services and uncompensated care provided in the emergency room and at clinics to people who do not have health insurance.

"What we are experiencing now is more competition in the areas that we gain and we're not sure right now what the impact will be in the areas that we lose," Bartels said.

Behrens has his eye on details as workers finish the new building. Hallway clocks will match digital clocks in operating rooms and all computers in the office. It's important in operating rooms for administration of anesthesia and other treatments to know exactly what time it is and for everyone to be on the same time, he said. All the timepieces are tied to a satellite system.

Three computer technical staff worked on getting the system up and running Thursday. The new center offers electronic records in patient rooms, wireless operating rooms, digital X-rays and nearly 300 computers, said Tricia Wolf, the practice's network administrator.

The color scheme throughout the building is warm earth tones — tan, brown and light green. Chairs in the waiting room are covered with a suede-like fabric. There is even a taller chair for people who have trouble bending to sit down.

Behrens said he knows that people don't like coming to the doctor's office. It's stressful for patients and families. He wants the wait to be comfortable. A café was one thing he designed to improve the comfort of the facility. Patients' families will receive free drink coupons. They can buy lunch. They can wander to the atrium. Four plasma screen televisions will show educational pieces.

"We'll give you — I call it the 'Outback' pager," he said referring to a popular paging system used at places like the steak restaurant. "When your husband comes out of surgery, we page you."

During the past few years, Pennsylvania doctors have pointed to what they call a medical malpractice problem and lawsuits as a reason why doctors do not want to practice in the state. Behrens believes the environment is still good for doctors. He said his practice changed insurance carriers to one with a lower rate.

Behrens said the new facility is expected to continue to draw patients from York County, and attract more people from the Baltimore area. He doesn't expect to lure too many patients from Hanover, because there already is a good orthopaedic practice there, he said.

It will bring 15 full-time doctors and more than 200 employees under one roof, who had been working in four different offices. They will offer care and treatments that they had at their various offices and have added many features including the ability to do outpatient surgeries.

an orthopaedic urgent care center where specialists will see patients with minor urgent injuries and spine problems on a walk-in basis from 5 to 8 p.m. Opening Dec. 5.

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