KSF Orthopaedic Center, P.A. is a highly-regarded, Texas-based network of medical facilities. As the center’s name suggests, the emphasis at KSF is on treating ailing hips, knees, hands, feet, ankles, elbows, spines, necks, and other body parts requiring orthopaedic care. KSF also counts sports medicine as a major area of expertise.
~
Ashesh Chokshi, the new Chief Executive Officer of the Houston-headquartered company, explains that KSF has a lot of services to offer. “We offer physical therapy, occupational therapy, and hand therapy. We offer MRI; we offer X-ray; we offer surgery. We’re a surgical practice. We have our own MRI machines. We have all these in-house services to better serve our patients. We want to ensure that we areable to provide all the nesscessary services together to help patients manage their time.”
KSF tries to provide as many orthopaedic services as possible, so patients with multiple issues or who are facing a complex treatment regime can get all their needs met through a single medical company.
KSF has four locations, all of which are within the greater Houston area. The center’s main branch is located in Spring, Texas, in North Houston. There is a second branch in northwest Houston while a third branch in Springwoods Village was launched in March 2017. A brand new KSF office, a standalone physical thearpy center and sports medicine center, just opened June 11, also in Spring. KSF patients are primarily from the general Houston area.
The center has ten surgeons, eight physician assistants (PAs) and eight physical therapists on staff across its branches. Operations are conducted at area hospitals with which KSF has partnered. Surgeries typically performed by KSF physicians include joint replacements, hip replacements, back fusion and neck fusion.
Orthopaedic injuries are often very painful and require an extensive rehabilitation regime. Because of this, KSF has approaches to pain management and facilities for physical therapy in addition to surgery. The Red Oak location, for example, features a 10,000-square-foot space for sports medicine and physical therapy. This facility provides exercise and rehabilitation equipment as well as access to doctors, licensed physical therapists and occupational therapists. KSF has three physical thereapy locations and it provides pain management at all three.
The KSF Orthopaedic Center was founded in 1976. The focus right from the start was orthopaedics. Now that the center has passed its fortieth anniversary, Chokshi says the secret of KSF’s longevity is simple. “We provide the best patient care in Houston,” he states.
Physicians who want to work at KSF have to be more than just skilled surgeons and experts at making medical diagnoses. “We want doctors to have good bedside manners, to listen to the patient, to take the patient’s feelings in mind as well as what medically has to be done. We look for someone who is sympathetic to the patient. Surgery is never a small thing. We want someone who is going to go a little bit above and beyond for our patients,” explains Chokshi.
Empathy is a key component of KSF’s corporate culture, he says. The organization strives to instill a patient-focused culture among all staff. Patients are made to feel as comfortable as possible and their input is welcomed. KSF also places great stress on making its administrative functions efficient and professional.
As a graduate of the London School of Economics, Chokshi brings a wealth of experience to his position as Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining the center in January of this year, Chokshi served as a top executive in a variety of hospitals and large medical facilities, overseeing cardiology, dentistry, surgery and orthopaedic departments, to name a few.
Chokshi is focused on growing KSF organically as well as through aquisitions. He is pleased that the center recently added a new branch along with new doctors. KSF is currently working with a large media firm to develop innovative marketing strategies designed to draw new patients and highlight KSF’s quality service and care.
Marketing strategies include using online search engine optimization (SEO) tools, social media and surveys. The company is particularly interested in marketing directly to patients by highlighting the experiences of satisfied patients, according to Chokshi.
As the new Chief Executive Officer, Chokshi has other goals as well. Having already established a reputation as a high-end healthcare facility, KSF is now striving to enhance its “customer in-house service,” he says. The idea is to make KSF a white-glove facility while boosting the company’s name and reputation. To this end, KSF aims to couple the best care with the best service possible. This means making sure patients receive top-notch care and support, from their first contact with the center to their initial examination and diagnosis through their ensuing course of treatment and follow-up visits. Customer service will help KSF stand apart from the competition, states Chokshi.
As a medical network, KSF requires a constant flow of medical supplies. This entails a careful consideration of vendors. While price is obviously a consideration, KSF seeks out the best quality equipment and materials.
KSF surgeons have repeatedly made Texas Monthly magazine’s list of Super Doctors in the state. The Super Doctors list is compiled yearly through an extensive survey of Texas healthcare professionals. Medical experts are polled on what Texas doctor they would choose if they required treatment in a given field. An intensive evaluation process follows, and the results are published in a separate annual special supplement.
The Super Doctor honors are simply a reflection of the way KSF conducts business, says Chokshi. “Our doctors do what’s right for the patient. That’s what sets us apart. That’s why we’ve been around for forty years,” he explains.
One of KSF’s physicians – Dr. Michael George – served on a medical mission to Nicaragua last year as part of a surgical team and performed knee replacement operations as part of a charitable exercise. In addition to his work in Central America, Dr. George offers community-based services closer to home.
Chokshi describes Dr. George as “a mission-driven doctor” who also does extensive outreach work in the Houston area. One of the duties Dr. George has undertaken involves providing free physicals for local high school students to see if they’re fit enough to play sports. Chokshi is sure other foreign adventures await Dr. George soon, anticipating that the doctor will undertake a new international mission sometime in the future.
Running a network of medical facilities is not without its challenges. KSF has to deal with insurance companies, paperwork, increased expenses, and other issues. The Affordable Care Act – aka ‘Obamacare’ – broadened the pool of people with medical insurance. This has meant medical centers such as KSF are faced with new patients who previously lacked coverage and are often in very poor health, requiring extensive treatment.
KSF and Ashesh Chokshi work with groups such as the Texas Orthopaedic Association and the American Alliance of Orthopaedic Executives to ensure the orthopaedic profession’s voice is heard in the health insurance debate. These industry groups want politicians to understand the costs and challenges facing medical professionals on a daily basis.
Like any medical practice, KSF has to cope with the fear that rising expenses will someday outpace revenue. Regardless of what healthcare policies legislators decide to pursue, KSF is determined to maintain the highest standards possible at its facilities.
One way to measure the center’s ability to meet these standards is to check the number of patients experiencing problems after surgery or treatment. If a medical provider has large numbers of patients who routinely come back with new issues or require re-admission to hospital, it’s a sign that the care being offered is not top-notch. By contrast, “We have very low readmission rates with our patients – a low complication rate,” says Chokshi.
There are no plans at present to broaden the practice beyond orthopaedics, although Chokshi says that the center is open to the idea. For now, KSF is content with doing the best possible work it can within the orthopaedic field, while keeping all options on the table in the future.
This future might involve expansion: “My vision would be, in the next five years, to open additional locations,” states Chokshi. Demographics are one reason he is so optimistic. As the massive baby boomer generation enters its senior years, there will be a swelling demand for treating aging bones, joints, and muscles.
Over the next few years, “I believe KSF will be the premier orthopaedic medical healthcare facility not only in Houston but Texas,” says Chokshi.
