University of Iowa Health Care has opened a new orthopedic access clinic to help your patients with undiagnosed or untreated musculoskeletal concerns start treatment sooner — without waiting for a specialist appointment.

The orthopedic access clinic provides a quick, convenient entry point for patients who need evaluation and

 treatment for chronic and sub-acute musculoskeletal pain. Here, they can be seen right away by orthopedics-trained advanced practice providers (APPs) who can examine, diagnose, and start them on their road to recovery.

“If your patient has had pain for a week or two, waiting another week or two for a specialist isn’t ideal,” says Mary Greve, MPAS, PA-C, MHA, physician assistant with the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. “Our access clinic can see patients right away, start treatment, and connect them with the right specialist if needed.”

Services the access clinic offers

The orthopedic access clinic is designed to streamline care for your patients and make every specialist visit more productive. Our APPs work closely with all orthopedic subspecialities, making it easy to coordinate a transition to advanced care when needed. 

Your patients can expect our APPs to:

• Perform a thorough evaluation and diagnosis. Our orthopedics-trained APPs conduct a physical exam, review health history, and order imaging or tests as needed.
• Initiate treatment when appropriate. If the condition can be managed with medication (such as pain relievers or anti-inflammatories), injectables, and/or physical therapy, treatment begins right away.
• Coordinate a smooth handoff to the right subspecialist. For issues requiring advanced care, the clinic collects imaging and health information upfront, so specialists can move forward without delays, making every appointment more efficient and focused on treatment.

“Our APPs complete the initial evaluation, imaging, and health history before the specialist visit,” Greve says. “That means when your patient sees the subspecialist, they can focus on next steps without needing to repeat tests or start from square one.”

Who should you refer?

Refer patients who:

• Have had musculoskeletal pain for more than a week or two
• Do not yet have a diagnosis or treatment plan
• Can’t be seen by a specialist within a week

This clinic is NOT intended for:

• Patients already receiving advanced care or chronic pain management
• Second opinions on orthopedic issues
• Acute injuries (our Orthopedic Injury Walk-In Clinic is available for those cases)

Your trusted partner in orthopedic care

When you refer to UI Health Care, you’re partnering with a team committed to collaborative, consultative care. We keep you informed and involved every step of the way — from initial evaluation through recovery. You’ll receive timely updates, have access to clinical documentation, and can reach out anytime to discuss treatment plans or patient progress.

Referring is easy:

• Epic users: Send referrals through Care Everywhere
• Other platforms: Use UI CareLink for secure, real-time updates
• Fax or mail referral orders are also accepted

No need to have all imaging or information upfront. Send what you have, and we’ll take it from there. 

UI Health Care is dedicated to being your trusted partner in patient care by improving access to the exceptional care your patients deserve.