Osgood, Penny, Ann

As a member of the Orthopaedics team, my focus is on pediatric orthopaedic care. The pediatric population comes with great challenges and rewards as children grow and develop. What works for an adult patient may not be suitable for a child. My approach to orthopaedic care for children is conservative, preferring to exhaust all nonsurgical options before recommending surgery. When surgery is the best option, I provide the best evidence-based surgical treatments available. Children cannot take care of themselves, so it is crucial to have their parents engaged when formulating a treatment plan. I consider parents to be key and active members of our team and I strongly encourage family members to ask as many questions as possible when it comes to treating their child's condition. The very best part of my job is helping children get better so that they are able to return to their preinjury activities, whether that is sports, dance, gymnastics, horseback riding, or simply just getting back on their bikes. For children with special needs, this means exploring ways to maximize their function through conservative and, when necessary, surgical means. I have the privilege to take care of other people's children, and it is my strongest belief and approach that kids are kids first and patients second.

As a nurse practitioner, I aim to work collaboratively with my patients to help them manage their chronic illnesses and bothersome symptoms so that they can live healthy, satisfying lives. I draw on my previous experience as a Cardiovascular ICU nurse to aid patients in their transition from acute illnesses to chronic management.

As a life-long athlete and someone who enjoys learning about biological sciences, orthopaedics is a natural fit for me. I enjoy educating my patients about best practices in orthopaedic care and helping them understand their condition and the treatment options open to them. My goal is to provide evidence-based, compassionate care. When I first meet with patients, I introduce myself to the entire family and include everyone in the conversation, letting them know that our care is based on shared decision making. Education is important because I want my patients to feel empowered to make decisions about their health care. I am an advocate of the team approach. As a long-term member of the D-H Orthopaedics team, I work with other team members to help ensure that our patients are receiving the best care. I also collaborate with a patient's referring provider to make their orthopaedics appointments as seamless as possible. Our patients are often dealing with very complex medical conditions. Whether I'm working in a solo clinic or as a member of a care team, my job is to provide a collaborative approach to help our patients navigate the health care system so that they can have the best possible outcome.