With the arrival of Michael A. Brown, M.D., the community of Sonoma will gain a die-hard golfer, a father of four girls, a Giants fan and an experienced total joint replacement specialist to anchor the growing orthopedic program now underway at Sonoma Valley Hospital.
Dr. Brown, a fellowship-trained total joint replacement specialist, who has been practicing in both private and group practice for 20 years, describes himself as a “generalist who does total joint surgery.” His expertise includes treating sore joints, aches and pains, broken bones, ligament injuries, sports injuries as well as people who have arthritis — a group whose changing profile is transforming his practice.
“People are different now than they used to be,” said Brown. “Ten or 20 years ago, those who needed arthritis surgery were of Medicare age. Nowadays, people are walking, biking, hiking, jogging, playing sports… they’re just a lot more active, and what I see is that people who are quite a bit younger have developed arthritis either from heredity or post-trauma or for a variety of reasons, and that is impacting their ability or their quality of life.” Brown now he finds he is performing joint replacements in people from the 30’s age group and up.
When he decided to take leave of the rains of Longview, Washington, and his work at St. John Hospital there, Brown began looking for a situation where he could practice in the way he started out, as a solo practitioner working directly with a hospital. He was looking for an area where he’d feel that what he had to offer was what the community needed.
Brown said he’d looked at one beautiful hospital in Oregon, but had been concerned about its viability. As he was deliberating, he got a call about Sonoma. “They were looking for someone of my experience level, and it seemed like a great fit,” he said. And after several months of working with the SVH hospital staff, medical staff and administration, Brown related, “It still seems that way — like a real natural fit.”
He said that for him, Sonoma seems to be not only a good match, but a place where, in his own way, he can make a difference.
He described his style of practice as traditional. “There is an outpatient component, but also a strong inpatient component. That means that patients admitted for total joint replacement come in, have their surgery in the hospital, have physical therapy while in the hospital, and the plan is for them to go home or, if they don’t have adequate help there, go to the skilled nursing unit.”
For Brown total joint replacement is a comprehensive effort that begins with education. “We talk with people, look at every conceivable option, and surgery is the last resort.”
Even surgery now is different from what it used to be in the sixties, in the early years of joint replacement “when there was a lot more art to surgery,” he said. “It was less scientific. There were good results and terrible results. It wasn’t that the other doctors were bad, it was just the technology of the day.” Now, with more exact instrumentation, the procedure is more of a science, with reproducible results and better outcomes.
Brown’s enthusiasm about sharing his expertise with the Sonoma community and Sonoma Valley Hospital is forthright. “I’m going to try to come in there and do a good job and show some support to the hospital,” he said.
He will be greeted with enthusiasm by the hospital staff. “I’m thrilled to welcome Mike Brown into the community,” said Dr. Brian Sebastian, president of the SVH medical staff. “He has excellent credentials and has the drive, along with a great OR staff, physical therapists, nursing, etc., to create a successful total joint program in the Sonoma Valley.”
Brown comes to Sonoma through the collaborative recruitment efforts of Sonoma Valley Hospital and Prima Medical group, the Marin-based medical practice employing 40 physicians in nine locations area-wide. Through this partnership, Prima has recruited and employed a number of physicians in Sonoma, most recently Dr. Mala Singh and Dr. Suzannah Bozzone. SVH and Prima, together with the SVH Medical Staff, are working together to bring a stronger integrated healthcare system to Marin and Sonoma counties.
Dr. Brown began serving Sonoma patients this week at 357 Perkins Street. His office number is 707-935-5607.
