Specialty Orthopedic Group welcomes new surgeon, discusses expansion and relocation

Tupelo, Miss. (January 31, 2023) – Specialty Orthopedic Group (SOG) is pleased to welcome Dr. Chad Altmyer to the practice. The organization is also delighted to announce the opening of SOG Urgent Care Clinic, expansion of their Tupelo facility, and relocation of their New Albany clinic.

Chad Altmyer, MD

Dr. Altmyer, board certified as both a sports medicine specialist and a foot and ankle specialist, received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson. He completed his general surgery internship at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis, followed by his residency and fellowship with Campbell Clinic in Memphis.

A Laurel, MS native, Dr. Altmyer brings twenty years of experience to the practice, having previously served the Columbus and Starkville communities, as well as Mississippi State University athletics as team physician.

“I am excited to be joining Specialty Orthopedic Group,” Altmyer shared. “It provides the opportunity to continue to treat patients and further orthopedics care at the highest level.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Dr. Altmyer to our practice,” said Dr. Matt Miller, total joint specialist with Specialty Orthopedic Group. “He has a great reputation throughout the state and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our practice.”

Dr. Altmyer will practice in Starkville and operate in Tupelo. He adds, “I enjoy taking care of patients and really take pride in trying to achieve healthy, non-operative treatment plans at the initial diagnosis.”

Dr. Altmyer is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, American Medical Association, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, American Orthopaedic Association, and Mississippi Orthopaedic Society. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children – Steele, Luke, and Whit. In his free time, Dr. Altmyer enjoys hunting, fishing, working outdoors on his land, and coaching and playing basketball.

SOG Urgent Care Clinic

While SOG clinic locations have always accepted walk-in patients, SOG Urgent Care Clinic is the first stand-alone orthopedic urgent care clinic for the group.

“As our practice has continued to grow, we felt having a dedicated walk-in urgent care clinic would allow for greater access while also being mindful of seeing all of our scheduled appointments in a timely manner,” shared Dr. Miller. “This facility will create a more efficient patient experience for all of our patients.”

The 8,500 square-foot clinic, located at 910 Mary Vance Drive between Specialty Orthopedic Group’s Tupelo facility and Tupelo Medical Group, will feature eight exam rooms, one procedure room, and a casting bay, and will be equipped with digital x-ray services.

SOG Urgent Care Clinic will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a dedicated nurse practitioner, Courtney DuBose, FNP-C, starting in April 2023. The walk-in clinic is open to emergent and non-emergent needs, including fractures, pain management, and myriad acute and non-acute orthopedic-related needs.

Tupelo Clinic Expansion

Once SOG Urgent Care Clinic is open and business office team members relocate from the main Tupelo facility to the new location, construction will begin to repurpose the former business office space into a third patient wing.

“When we began building our Tupelo facility in 2018, we certainly didn’t expect the need to expand the campus significantly in five years,” said Sparky Luster, Chief Executive Officer for Specialty Orthopedic Group. “Our practice began in 2015 with two surgeons and now has grown to eleven. We will be at fifteen surgeons in 2025 and are actively creating additional space in multiple markets to accommodate both our patients and surgeons. We are grateful and proud to be in this position. It is a testament to the quality of subspecialized care our doctors provide and the confidence the community has in our group.”

The remodeled space will provide an additional procedure room and seven patient exam rooms, for a total of twenty-nine exams rooms in the Tupelo clinic. The projected competition date for the project is May 2023.

New Albany Relocation

Specialty Orthopedic Group’s New Albany clinic is expanding to a new location and will eventually be open five days per week.

“New Albany has always been an important part of our footprint,” stated Luster. “We had a successful satellite clinic there from 2019 to 2022, but it became obvious we needed more space and a five day a week presence.”

The 6,000 square-foot clinic, located at 203 W Bankhead Street in New Albany, has a projected open date of March 2023. The clinic will feature seven exam rooms, one procedure room, and a casting bay, and will be equipped with digital x-ray services.

New Albany clinic providers will include Ryves Moore, MD; Chase Crumpton, PA-C; and Robin McDonald, FNP-C; with additional providers rotating to the clinic as needed.

“We look forward to being back in Union County,” Luster added.