History of Practice

The Beginning — Core Orthopedic Services

Dr. John Spieker established Orthopaedic Associates of Southern Delaware in 1990. At that time he was practicing orthopedics with Dr. James V. Gallagher in Dover and Milford. Dr. Gallagher was the first orthopedic surgeon to practice in southern Delaware. When Dr. Gallagher retired in 1990, Dr. Spieker was recruited by Beebe Medical Center to help with the increasing orthopedic volume in coastal Delaware. With the tremendous growth in Sussex County, it became evident that the logical expansion of the practice would be in Lewes and the surrounding communities. Dr. Spieker closed his Dover office and maintained his two offices in Milford and Lewes.

Total Joint Surgery Capabilities Added

The practice grew rapidly, and a second orthopedic surgeon was necessary to manage the caseload. It was clear that a surgeon with additional training in total joint surgery was needed. Dr. Wilson C. Choy joined the practice in 1996 after completing his Fellowship training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Dr. Choy rapidly developed a large total joint practice and now performs nearly 500 joint replacements each year at Beebe Medical Center. He is board certified and has been named along with Dr. Spieker as a "Top Doc" by Delaware Today Magazine in 2006.

Physiatry Services Added

Dr. William Barrish joined the staff in the fall of 2001. Dr. Barrish is a physiatrist. He completed his Fellowship training in Sports Medicine at the University of Virginia. Dr. Barrish’s clinical interests include the non-surgical management of musculoskeletal disorders in addition to electromyography/nerve conduction studies (EMG/NCS).

Spine Surgery Capability Added

Dr. Ron Sabbagh answered the call for a spine surgeon in early 2002. Dr. Sabbagh completed his Spine Fellowship training at the Scoliosis and Spine Center of Towson, Maryland. He is board certified and the only Fellowship-trained spine specialist in southern Delaware.

Expanding Total Joint Replacement Capacity

Dr. Ed Carroll was recruited in 2005 to help with the expanding total joint practice. Dr. Carroll, originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania completed his Fellowship training at the University of Chicago in 2001. He practiced in Florida before joining Orthopaedic Associates of Southern Delaware in 2005. Working together with Dr. Choy, they have built the largest total joint practice in southern Delaware. Revision surgery and mini-invasive incisions of the hip, knee, and shoulder are specialty surgeries in which both physicians are well trained. Beebe Medical Center has been noted by HealthGrades as the top orthopedic hospital in Delaware for total joint surgery and one of the top 10% in the nation in their 2004 review.

Adding Orthopedic Physician Assistant Services

Jerry Haines, PA, is an orthopedic Physician Assistant who joined the practice shortly after completing his training in 2003. He works closely with Dr. Choy, follows the patients in the office, and assists with surgery. Patty Fry, PA, has 15 years' experience as an orthopedic Physician Assistant. After working with a large sports medicine group in Philadelphia and South Jersey, Patty decided a move to the beach was in order. She works closely with Dr. Spieker, both in the office and operating room.

OASD Plays an Important Role in Regional Medical Care

We are proud of the fact that, as a result of our services, sophisticated surgical and medical techniques are now available to patients in southern Delaware who previously required referral to major university centers.

As the largest orthopedic practice in southern Delaware, OASD will continue to grow so that we are able to better serve the healthcare needs of the citizens of our communities.