Dr. David A. Rust

Christopher Van Hofwegen (“Van-Hof-Wagon” or “Dr. Van”), MD, joined our office in August of 2010. He graduated from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and continued his residency as a Hawkeye. He finished his Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Hughston Clinic in Columbus, Georgia. Dr. Van Hofwegen moved to Whatcom County with his wife, who is originally from Nooksack and is a practicing Family Physician. They are the parents of three children. Dr. Van Hofwegen is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osteoarthritis. His top areas of expertise are Osteoarthritis, Frozen Shoulder, Tendinitis, Bursitis, and Hip Replacement.

Stacia Smith, MD, FAAOS, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement of the hip and knee. She enjoys working with people of all ages, whether it is helping a child with congenital problems or an elderly person with fractures, or arthritic problems. She enjoys helping patients decide on the options that will be most beneficial to that individual’s lifestyle. Her goal is to make her patients as functional as possible and help them return to the lifestyle they desire.As a surgeon, Dr. Smith believes it is important to not only diagnose the injury but also how it impacts the patient’s quality of life. She feels that no two patients are alike, and neither are their lifestyles. She strives to treat the person instead of just the injury, because that is when you can really make a difference.Before she began fighting orthopedic injuries, she was fighting fires as a volunteer firefighter. While orthopedic surgery isn’t always a life or death situation, it can certainly be exciting. There are few things she finds more rewarding than making a significant difference in improving a patient’s quality of life.Dr. Smith and her husband love to spend time outdoors. Whether they are snow skiing, horseback riding, or taking walks along the river with their son and dogs, they enjoy the beauty of the Northwest. She also enjoys ethnic foods, especially Thai. Dr. Smith is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osteoarthritis. Her top areas of expertise are Osteoarthritis, Bursitis, Tenosynovitis, Tendinitis, and Hip Replacement.

Joel Hoekema is an Orthopedics provider in Bellingham, Washington. Dr. Hoekema is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osteoarthritis. His top areas of expertise are Osteoarthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Bursitis, Laminectomy, and Hip Replacement. Dr. Hoekema is currently accepting new patients.