Orlando orthopaedic practice enters Jacksonville market, plans to triple headcount (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Business Journal) — Closing in on two decades of operation, Orlando-based Optimotion Orthopaedics has established an office in Jacksonville with plans to expand its local team in the next two years.
Known for a minimally invasive knee replacement technique, among other offerings, Optimotion tapped Dr. Christopher Passariello to lead the local office. Passariello most recently practiced at Robert Wood Johnson University, an academic medical center in New Jersey.
The new office is at 1731 Wells Road in Orange Park.
“Expanding into the Jacksonville region allows us to bring a proven standard of orthopaedic innovation to the First Coast community,” Optimotion Founder Dr. Steve Nguyen said in a statement. “For years, our practice has been built on an unwavering dedication to helping individuals regain mobility and recover faster, using innovative approaches and therapies.”
Recently opened, the clinic currently employs around six employees. The company aims to hire another two surgeons over the next two years, which each bring about seven to eight employees each, said Passariello. That would place them around 25 to 30 employees by 2028. The Orlando office is staffed by around 50 employees.
The company’s entry to the Northeast Florida market also introduces a new competitor for Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, one of the area’s dominant practices.
It currently operates 11 offices across the greater Jacksonville area, and CEO Dr. Donnie Romine recently told the Business Journal he’s pinpointed three more. But Optimotion isn’t worried.
“We still do the same knee replacement, but we do it through a very minimally invasive approach,” Passariello said of what sets them apart from competition. “Which nobody in the Jacksonville area is doing, except for us.”
It’s considered minimally invasive because they take a lateral approach to knee surgery, sparing major muscles and ligaments, in-turn decreasing recovery time, he said.
“Jacksonville — it’s a hub for healthcare,” said Passariello of why Optimotion chose this region. “You fly into that airport, every advertisement is for healthcare, so we’re going to boost that level of healthcare even more by us being there.”
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