Orthopedic Specialists of Southwest Florida started 23 years ago with four doctors. Until about a month ago, the practice worked out of 38,000 square feet of space off U.S. 41 across from Lee Memorial Hospital near downtown Fort Myers.  

As the years passed, the number of doctors grew from four to the current 17, and space was at a premium. 

“We couldn’t fit all of our providers to see our patients,” said Dr. Fletcher Reynolds, who in addition to being a surgeon oversees some of the practice’s business aspects. “We pretty much had to move.”  

The practice moved into a new 60,000-square-foot facility at 14601 Hope Center Loop in south Fort Myers. It’s at Hope Preserve, an office complex dominated by health care businesses at the northeast corner of Six Mile Cypress Parkway and Metro Parkway in south Fort Myers. The doctors just celebrated the grand opening, and the new location also helps them better service a population base that has shifted south and east.  

The new facility almost doubled the size of the practice and gave the doctors an opportunity to upgrade their diagnostics equipment. There are six new X-ray machines and a new MRI machine, which cuts down on the time to diagnose patients with joint ailments.  

“We had an aged MRI unit at the old facility,” Reynolds said. “It took 45 minutes to an hour just to do an MRI scan. While the quality was acceptable, it wasn’t state of the art. We have a brand-new MRI unit here that is state of the art and can scan in 20 to 30 minutes.  

“Age-related ailments, such as arthritis and spinal problems, and things along those lines are extremely prevalent. As our community has grown, so has the need for providers for these types of problems.”  

The new facility has 60 examination rooms, with 40 on the first floor and 20 on the second floor. It also has a physical therapy area that is nearly twice the size of the one in its old building.  

Stevens Construction built the facility, and there is additional space for future expansion.  

Up next for Orthopedic Specialists of Southwest Florida will be opening a new surgery center adjacent to its new headquarters. Stevens Construction is finishing the work on that facility, which will have nine operating rooms. It will be co-owned by Lee Health, which has a 51% stake in the building, with Orthopedic Specialists owning the other 49%. The cooperation should suit the business needs of both entities, Reynolds said.  

“As the community has grown, we’ve grown to meet the needs of our community,” Reynolds said.