Athens Orthopedic Clinic (AOC) is betting on a simple idea: healthcare works best when it’s local.
That vision was on full display last Thursday as company CEO Mike Boblitz outlined the clinic’s growing investment in Lake Country and unveiled plans that could significantly reduce the need for local patients to travel for orthopedic care.
“This is a big deal for us,” Boblitz told community leaders, elected officials, and business representatives gathered at the facility for a joint ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by both the Putnam County and Greene County Chambers of Commerce.
Speaking in the second-floor lobby of the brand-new, two-story AOC building on Lake Country Drive, near Publix in Greensboro, Boblitz emphasized its construction represents a broader shift toward keeping specialized healthcare closer to home for Lake Country. He described the clinic’s growth as a response to the region's population growth and increased traffic.
“Healthcare is local,” he stated. “This is a community that really needs local access, and we’re here to build on that.”
Athens Orthopedic Clinic served approximately 237,000 patients over the past year across Northeast Georgia, according to Boblitz. The organization employs physicians and non-physician providers across multiple specialties, including joint replacement, spine care, sports medicine, hand surgery, foot and ankle care, pain management, and physical therapy.
“We’ve been around for 60 years,” Boblitz pointed out. “That tradition is important to us.”
AOC has maintained a Lake Oconee location as part of its practice since 2008, beginning as a small clinic before expanding as the area grew. Boblitz said AOC has invested several million dollars in the Lake Country facility over recent years.
“We felt like it was the right thing to do to invest in this community,” he said.
A key addition at the new building is an orthopedic urgent care center, which Boblitz said is the only one of its kind in Northeast Georgia and the first dedicated orthopedic urgent care near Lakes Oconee and Sinclair. The new center allows patients with acute injuries to arrive without an appointment, rather than going to a hospital emergency department.
“Access matters, specialization matters, and time matters,” Boblitz said. “If something big happens, we want you to be able to come in and get treated right away.”
Boblitz said AOC’s urgent care unit can handle injuries that often send patients to emergency rooms, enabling earlier evaluation and treatment, reducing strain on local hospitals, and lowering overall healthcare costs.
Citing data shared with the clinic by insurance partners, he said that having orthopedic urgent care available locally reduces orthopedic emergency department visits by more than 30 percent.
“Emergency departments are expensive,” Boblitz said. “This is about making care more accessible and more affordable.”
The new clinic also emphasizes the integration of services, including imaging and physical therapy. Boblitz shared an example of a coach who was evaluated, imaged, and started physical therapy within days of an injury.
“A lot of places, everything gets delayed,” he said. “People have jobs; people are busy; time really matters.”
Boblitz also addressed insurance coverage and patient access among his remarks.
He said AOC has expanded local partnerships to include Medicaid/Medicare plans and insurance exchange products, enabling it to serve a broader mix of Lake Country patients while acknowledging the financial challenges of serving patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid.
“You don’t set those prices; you take what they pay. But that’s part of the service side of healthcare, and we readily embrace that,” Boblitz said. “It’s important for us to take care of everybody, whether it’s a retired CEO or a high school athlete.”
Boblitz equally emphasized physician training and specialization as part of the clinic’s approach. He said AOC physicians have trained at major academic medical centers across the country.
“To be the best, you’ve got to train with the best, and quality is a big deal for us,” he stressed of the doctors, nurses, and specialty practitioners who are providing AOC services at the Greene County location.
Looking ahead, Boblitz outlined plans to continue expanding services at the new site, including advanced imaging and outpatient surgical capabilities.
“Imagine being able to get an MRI on a Saturday or Sunday,” he said. “Imagine not having to go to a large hospital for surgery. That’s what’s going to happen here.”
Boblitz said the long-term goal is to make the Lake Country location a regional resource.
“This is not just for Greensboro,” he said. “This is for everyone around here. If we all embrace it, this can become something the entire community is proud of.”
Athens Orthopedic Clinic is at 1031 Lake Country Dr., Greensboro, and is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, but closed on Saturday and Sunday. Call for information or directions at 706-549-1663.