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Beacon taps former Boston Celtics physician to lead its newest office – Cincinnati Business Courier

By Liz Engel

Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, one of the region’s largest independent physician groups, has hired a former Boston Celtics team physician to head its newest office in Northern Kentucky.

Dr. Robert Pettit, a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports-related injuries, will lead Beacon’s Fort Thomas location, which is scheduled to open in late February.

Pettit is an Anderson Township native who played on St. Xavier High School’s 2005 state championship football team. Most recently, he served as an assistant team physician for the Boston Celtics.

During his time in Boston, Pettit served as an assistant team physician for the Celtics as well as the  New England Free Jacks, a major league rugby team, and Merrimack College athletics, a member of the Northeast Conference.

“We’re very excited to welcome Dr. Pettit home to Cincinnati,” Andy Blankemeyer, CEO of Beacon Orthopaedics, said in a release. “He is another fellowship-trained expert in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine that we’ll be able to add to our rapidly growing  team.”

Pettit trained with leaders in the fields of ACL reconstruction, cartilage restoration, meniscal allograft transplantation, knee osteotomies, mako robotic knee arthroplasty, arthroscopic shoulder surgery and shoulder arthroplasty. He has a special interest in knee and shoulder preservation utilizing techniques to prolong joint health and delay or avoid joint replacement in young active patients. For patients who could benefit from joint replacement, he is certified in Mako robotic-assisted knee and partial knee replacements, which uses a 3D CT-based planning software to create a personalized joint replacement surgical plan.

Pettit completed his undergraduate degree in biology at the Ohio State University, medical degree at the University of Cincinnati and orthopaedic residency at OSU Wexner Medical Center. He completed his fellowship training in sports medicine and reconstructive surgery at Beth Israel New England Baptist Hospital, which is affiliated with Harvard and Tufts academic programs.

As a child, Pettit played baseball, basketball, football and soccer. At age 12, he was diagnosed with a rare disorder in both knees called juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (JOCD). It is a condition that can lead to cartilage damage and early arthritis. He said he decided then that he wanted to become a surgeon.

“It was my first introduction to orthopaedic surgery,” Pettit said. “After several surgeries and phenomenal care, I was cleared to play football for St. X.”

Northern Kentucky is a major focus for Beacon, officials have said, and an underserved market in terms of its patient population. Beacon’s Fort Thomas location — its 25th office in the Greater Cincinnati area — is being developed at 775 Alexandria Pike by Ashley Development Group off Highland County Club. Beacon also has Northern Kentucky locations in Erlanger and Crestview Hills.

Beacon‘s new office will offer patients access to comprehensive orthopedic care, including orthopaedic urgent care, sports medicine, pain management, physical therapy, athletic training, imaging services, orthobiologics and surgeries at three dedicated surgery centers.

Sharonville-based Beacon, founded in 1996, is Ohio’s largest orthopaedic practice. Its Greater Cincinnati’s 11th-largest physician group, per Courier research, with more than 700 employees and 60-plus physicians.

Beacon specializes in comprehensive orthopedic care, including sports medicine, physical therapy, athletic training, imaging services, orthobiologics, as well as surgical procedures involving neck, spine, shoulder, elbow, hand, hip, knee, foot and ankle repair, reconstruction and replacement. The group supports more than 30 local high schools, five college athletics programs and professional teams including the Cincinnati Reds.

 

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To read the full story by Liz Engel in the Cincinnati Business Courier, click here.

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