Alan B. Thomas, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in upper extremity surgery. He has been practicing medicine since 2000, and he has a special interest in arthroscopy of the wrist, elbow and shoulder. He received a CAQ subspecialty certificate in orthopedic surgery of the hand from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.He enjoys the challenges of restoring people to health through his practice. His doctorate work in biochemistry opened up new approaches for treating complex problems and made him a more detailed clinician.Dr. Thomas is a former vice president of St. Clare Hospital and has served on the operating and surgical committees for St Clare Hospital and the medical executive committee for Franciscan Health at St. Josephs Medical Center. He is a chairman for an outreach committee at his church and a member of the board of directors for The Health Project – Cambodia, which delivers medical supplies and equipment to underserved people in Southeast Asia and he travels to Cambodia each year to provide surgical care to those in need.Outside of his medical practice and volunteer work, he tries to keep up with his three children who are avid skiers, wakeboarders, and surfers. Dr. Thomas is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Ganglion Cyst, Trigger Thumb, and Rhizarthrosis.

Samuel Galle is a Hand Surgeon and an Orthopedics provider in Bellevue, Washington. Dr. Galle is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Synovitis, Radial Nerve Dysfunction, Ganglion Cyst, and Tenosynovitis. Dr. Galle is currently accepting new patients.

Robert C. Vercio, MD, is fellowship trained in all aspects of surgery in the hand, elbow and shoulder. He completed the Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is passionate about patient education and partnering with patients, working together to help them make the best treatment decisions. He is skilled in ultrasound of the upper extremity for diagnosis and treatments and is co-author of a textbook to assist other physicians with these useful exams and techniques. Dr. Vercio has also spent time in developing countries from Nepal to Haiti and plans to continue helping those in need.Dr. Vercio is a South Sound native who grew up in Gig Harbor and is excited to be back in the PNW. When not mending bones in need, he enjoys chasing around his small family, spending time on the water, artisan bread baking and photography. Dr. Vercio is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Rhizarthrosis, Ganglion Cyst, Osteotomy, and Bone Graft.

John T. Heffernan, MD, is fellowship trained in all aspects of shoulder and elbow surgery and has extensive training in sports medicine surgery. His interests include arthroscopy of the shoulder and elbow, rotator cuff repair, shoulder instability, shoulder and elbow reconstruction, fracture care of the upper extremity, ligament reconstruction of the knee, and knee replacements. He is a Candidate Member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and serves as a reviewer for their Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.During his medical training, Dr. Heffernan volunteered his time providing medical care as a sideline team physician for high school football teams of New Orleans, worked as an assistant team physician for Columbia University Athletics and assisted with the medical care of the New York Yankees and New York City FC (MLS). As a former varsity collegiate athlete in swimming, Dr. Heffernan is passionate about getting athletes of all ages back to their best performance.Dr. Heffernan is passionate about his work as an orthopedic surgeon and getting his patients back to their highest quality of life and activity. He believes that providing outstanding orthopedic care starts first with listening carefully to his patients.Dr. Heffernan is a fifth-generation native of the Puget Sound region and is proud to return home and take care of the people of his community. He and his wife, who is also a physician, are avid downhill skiers and enjoy cycling, hiking, being on the water, and spending time with their family. Dr. Heffernan is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Congenital Mirror Movement Disorder, Frozen Shoulder, Tendinitis, and Tennis Elbow.

Benjamin Chia, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in care of the hand and upper extremity, including arthritis, arthroscopic surgery, endoscopic carpal tunnel release, nerve and tendon disorders (carpal tunnel, trigger finger, lacerations, injury), fractures, and sports injuries.Dr. Chia completed his undergraduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to attending his state medical school, Southern Illinois University in Springfield, IL, he lived and worked as a chef in New York City after he completed culinary school, receiving Le Grand Diplome de Cuisine et de Patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu Academie d’Art Culinaire, in Paris, France.Dr. Chia completed his Orthopedic residency training at University of Maryland in Baltimore and completed advanced subspecialty training with a Fellowship in Hand and Microvascular Surgery at University of Washington Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA.Getting injured or dealing with pain can be frustrating and affect more than just daily activities of life. Dr. Chia looks forward to working with you on a personalized and unique treatment plan based on shared decision-making through listening and understanding all that affects your life.In his free time, he enjoys food and wine, cooking, hiking, tennis, golf, and most importantly, spending quality time with his wife and 2 young girls. Dr. Chia is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Rhizarthrosis, Tenosynovitis, Ganglion Cyst, and Trigger Thumb.

I am proud to offer the highest quality specialty care of your hand, shoulder and elbow disorders. In addition to caring for such disorders in both the child and the adult, I offer state-of-the-art fracture care, sports medicine and joint replacement surgery of both the upper and lower extremities.I earned my medical degree at the Medical College of Ohio, after which I completed my orthopedic surgical residency training at the University of Washington Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Department. During my training, I served locally at Harborview Medical Center, Children’s Hospital, University of Washington Hospital, and the Seattle Veterans Administration Hospital.After my general orthopedics training, I was accepted at Harvard Medical School’s Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship where I served on the staff of Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Boston and the VA Boston Healthcare System.During my tenure in Boston, I performed complex adult and pediatric hand and upper extremity surgery, working amongst and learning from world leaders in the subspecialty. While in Boston, I also qualified for and competed in the 114th running of the Boston Marathon.I grew up in Shoreline, WA, and am quite happy to be back in the Pacific Northwest for good. Outside of medicine, I enjoys many sports including skiing, golf, running and tennis. My greatest pride is my wonderful wife and lifetime best friend, Mary, and our wonderful children. Dr. Ruhlman is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Ganglion Cyst, Rhizarthrosis, Trigger Thumb, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Sean D. Ghidella, MD, is fellowship trained in hand surgery and specializes in the surgical management of the upper extremity. He has been practicing since 1996 and has received a CAQ subspecialty certificate in orthopedic surgery of the hand from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He brings experience rarely found outside military practice to Tacoma, Lakewood, and Gig Harbor. He is well versed in management of common sports, work-related, arthritic, and traumatic injuries and ailments. He has a wealth of experience managing severe injuries and conditions resulting from combat as well as birth defects in children.Once management short of surgery has failed, Dr. Ghidella tries to speed recovery and improve function surgically with a combination of traditional techniques that have proven reliable and the latest techniques that depend on current technology. His goal is to restore function to his patients and get them back to their daily activities as quickly as possible by solving their orthopedic problem, big or small.He is a graduate of the Unites States Military Academy, West Point and has served in the military as an orthopedic and hand surgeon with the last eight years of his career holding positions of Chief of Hand Surgery and Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at Madigan Army Medical Center. He retired from the Army as a Colonel and a combat veteran after 21 years of service in 2010 to pursue civilian practice. He has previously taught as an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M, USUHS, and Swedish Medical Center.He hails from New England, but he considers the South Sound home. He is an avid skier and enjoys water sports. His passion is assistant coaching for Gig Harbor High School Tides Varsity Football. Dr. Ghidella is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Rhizarthrosis, Trigger Thumb, and Dupuytren Contracture.

Matthew Jenkins, MD, is fellowship trained in shoulder and elbow surgery. He treats conditions of the shoulder and elbow with the most advanced surgical techniques, including minimally invasive and arthroscopic procedures, as well as shoulder replacements, rotator cuff repair and reconstruction, and fracture repair.He believes in taking time to educate his patients on their diagnosis and the cause of their shoulder and elbow problems to help them make informed decisions about their treatment. By keeping current with the newest techniques and advances, he offers leading edge treatments to get patients back in action as soon as possible.Dr. Jenkins enjoys a wide variety of outdoor sports and activities including rock climbing, alpine skiing, kayaking, fishing, mountaineering and backpacking. Dr. Jenkins is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Tendinitis, Frozen Shoulder, Gorham's Disease, Hajdu-Cheney Syndrome, and Hip Replacement.

Dr. Wayne Weil is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty training in hand and elbow surgery. Dr. Weil is well known in the community for his expertise in treating complex conditions of the upper extremity. He sees patients with a wide variety of hand ailments, including carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, sports injuries, Dupuytren’s disease, thumb arthritis, wrist fractures, and more.Dr. Weil is the only physician in the Swedish Hospital system who performs endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery for median nerve compression at the carpal tunnel and endoscopic cubital tunnel release for treatment of ulnar nerve compression at the cubital tunnel. Endoscopic carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel release surgery, like the traditional approaches to carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel surgery, boasts excellent outcomes. The advantages are that the endoscopic approach is minimally invasive, less painful, and allows for a quicker recovery and return to work and sports.Dr. Weil completed his undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania. He then worked at the world renowned National Institutes of Health performing research at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He then completed his medical education and received a Doctorate of Medicine from New York University’s School of Medicine. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City, New York. While in residency, Dr. Weil completed specialized training in orthopaedic trauma surgery at R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, one of the busiest and most respected trauma centers in the country. He also participated in the orthopedic care of the New York Mets, New York Rangers, New York City Ballet, and Alvin Alley Dance Company.After residency, Dr. Weil went on to complete a Hand and Microvascular Surgery Fellowship at the University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center. Dr. Weil has published several scientific papers and presented his research in the field of upper extremity trauma at national meetings.During his fellowship Dr. Weil and his family fell in love with the Pacific Northwest lifestyle and settled in Seattle after joining Orthopedic Specialists of Seattle. On weekends in the winter, you can find Dr. Weil, his wife, and five kids racing down Crystal Mountain. Dr. Weil enjoys alpine and backcountry skiing, hiking in the mountains, tennis and cycling. He has completed multiple marathons and triathlons including Ironman Canada in Whistler, BC. He has also spent time trekking in the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal, Torres del Paine in Chile, and the Inca Trail in Machu Pichu, Peru. Dr. Weil is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Dupuytren Contracture, Rhizarthrosis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Ganglion Cyst, and Hip Replacement.

Ronald Gregush is an Orthopedics specialist and a Sports Medicine provider in Kirkland, Washington. Dr. Gregush is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Osteoarthritis, Tendinitis, Bursitis, Tenosynovitis, and Hip Replacement. Dr. Gregush is currently accepting new patients.

Eric Alyea is an Orthopedics provider in Burien, Washington. Dr. Alyea is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Tendinitis, Bursitis, Tenosynovitis, and Frozen Shoulder. Dr. Alyea is currently accepting new patients.

Jamie Antoine, MD, is a fellowship-trained, board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery and treating a wide variety of musculoskeletal problems.Dr. Antoine received his medical degree from Albany Medical College, graduating magna cum laude, then went on to complete his surgical internship and orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Washington. Dr. Antoine also completed a sports medicine fellowship at the Palo Alto Medical Clinic, where he trained under fellowship director, Dr. Warren King, head orthopedic surgeon for the Oakland Raiders.Upon completing his training, Dr. Antoine began his practice at Group Health/Kaiser Permanente in Seattle, where he served as the Chief of Orthopedic Surgery for the Seattle campus for six years.Drawn to orthopedic medicine because of his interest in the relationship between form and function as it relates to the body, Dr. Antoine appreciates that his role as an orthopedic surgeon allows him to help others in a meaningful way.In his free time, Dr. Antoine enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, participating in sports, and taking up new hobbies such as playing musical instruments. Dr. Antoine is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Tendinitis, Osteoarthritis, Baker Cyst, Bursitis, and Hip Replacement.

William Clark, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and subspecialty certified hand surgeon. He has a clinical interest in arthroscopic surgery, joint replacement, trauma/fractures, nerve and tendon disorders, minimally invasive surgery of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder, complex hand surgery, and treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture.As a physician, he involves patients by discussing the diagnostic and treatment options for each condition and by encouraging them to participate in making their healthcare decisions. As a surgeon, he believes his mission is to provide safe, effective surgical care while staying abreast of the latest advances and techniques. His ultimate goal is patient satisfaction because this is what makes orthopedic surgery an enjoyable and rewarding profession for him. Dr. Clark is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Ganglion Cyst, Rhizarthrosis, Trigger Thumb, and Hip Replacement.

Julian S. Arroyo, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in shoulder reconstruction, upper extremity orthopedic surgery, and sports medicine. He began practicing in 1996 and is the first fellowship-trained shoulder surgeon to practice in Pierce County. He is professionally interested in minimally invasive shoulder procedures and outpatient shoulder arthroplasty. He uses the most advanced surgical and non-surgical techniques available to help his patients return to a normal lifestyle more quickly and with fewer complications.Dr. Arroyo is a frequent contributor to leading orthopedic journals and lectures and instructs physicians in advanced shoulder reconstruction techniques. He also has worked with major manufacturers, assisting in development and design of orthopedic implants and techniques. Dr. Arroyo is one of a select few surgeons in the state with membership in the distinguished American Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Association and is also a reviewing editor for the association’s Journal of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery. As a Pacific Northwest native, Dr. Arroyo is very active in the community. He enjoys snow skiing, water sports, fishing, hunting, and golf. Dr. Arroyo is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Frozen Shoulder, Osteoarthritis, Tendinitis, and Bursitis.

W. Barrett Payne, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with a special interest in knee, hip, and shoulder arthroscopy including complex reconstruction, repair of ligament, tendon, and rotator cuff injuries.As a physician and surgeon, Dr. Payne feels a profound responsibility to provide the best possible care for every patient he has the privilege to serve. He accomplishes this by communicating clearly, being an empathetic provider, using sound judgment, and involving his patients in the decision-making process. He uses the best technical skills with the latest and most advanced technologies. He strives to always make himself available to answer questions and address concerns throughout the treatment process. Dr. Payne is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Tendinitis, Osteoarthritis, Bursitis, Tenosynovitis, and Hip Replacement.

Michael K. Gannon, MD, is a board-certified and very experienced orthopedic surgeon. His practice over the last thirty years has emphasized hip and knee replacement and care of sports injuries including meniscal, ACL and rotator cuff tears. As he has treated emergency cases for decades and has repaired countless extremity injuries great and small.Dr. Gannon began his life in medicine at age sixteen as a hospital orderly and ambulance attendant. He was the second youngest in his state to pass the national EMT-A certification exam. During college he worked summers as an operating room technician plus a second job detasseling corn. He went to medical school in his home state at the University of Iowa. He received his specialty training in the highly regarded orthopedic surgery residency program at the University of Washington. After completing his orthopedic training, he had the honor to serve five years as “co-team physician” for multiple military units from smaller Special Forces and Ranger groups to infantry divisions with 12,000+ athletic members (of note such “teams” never have an off-season and are active on rough terrain day and night). Duties included work in Europe, Africa, and the Persian Gulf. Stateside, as a faculty member, he oversaw sports medicine and trauma training for orthopedic residents at Madigan Army Medical Center. He later served as civilian consultant for sports medicine for Madigan.Since 1993 he has been serving residents of Whatcom County as a member of a topflight orthopedic surgery group. Over the course of his career, he has had the privilege to treat patients and their families from amazingly diverse backgrounds, from remote Saharan herdsmen and villagers to national leaders and Rhodes scholars….  from angry enemy combatants and fierce criminals to Medal of Honor recipients and heroic first responders…. from the youngest backyard acrobats and trampolinists to past Olympians and hobbled NFL veterans. He has worked in world class medical centers to makeshift hospitals with no windows or beds but goats in the halls. Dr. Gannon has cared for patients of the innumerable combinations of races, countries of origin, life circumstances, faiths, orientations, and political beliefs. His lifelong approach has been to provide care for each person with the respect, compassion, and diligence he would wish for his own family members.Hobbies and adventures over the years have included climbing, backpacking, flying, scuba, skiing, and more recently snowshoeing and photography. His very favorite pastime is hanging out with his family. Dr. Gannon is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Osteoarthritis, Contracture Deformity, Frozen Shoulder, Bursitis, and Hip Replacement.

Spencer A. Coray, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine and arthroscopy procedures of multiple joints. He has been practicing since 2003 and is one of the few orthopedic surgeons in the state with a CAQ subspecialty certificate in orthopedic sports medicine from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.His philosophy of care is to take the lowest intervention necessary to return patients to full function, which may or may not include surgery. His goal is to help patients be as active as they want to be, whether that means walking around the block or running a marathon.Dr. Coray is involved with a number of high schools in the Auburn, Franklin Pierce, Tacoma, Clover Park, and University Place school districts by providing sports related medical services and is frequently called on to present on sports medicine in health classes. He frequently goes on medical missions to Argentina and attends conferences as a surgical presenter locally and abroad. He enjoys spending time with his family, watching his children grow, and cooking. Dr. Coray is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Osteoarthritis, Synovitis, Tendinitis, Hip Replacement, and Knee Replacement.

Grant Garcia, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with advanced accredited fellowship training in sports medicine and shoulder surgery. Dr. Garcia’s primary focus for his practice is sports medicine, having a great interest in returning athletes safely to their sport after shoulder, knee and elbow injuries and surgeries.During residency and fellowship, Dr. Garcia trained in numerous advanced sports procedures and techniques. These include cartilage regeneration, meniscus transplantation, multi-ligamentous knee reconstruction and complex limb realignment procedures. In addition, many minimally invasive shoulder procedures, including stemless arthroplasty, stabilization procedures, and rotator cuff revision surgery are part of his expertise. He has special elbow training in ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction and repair procedures. Dr. Garcia is also fellowship-trained in orthobiologic treatments, including stem cell transplantation and PRP, to assist in these surgical procedures, as well as non-operative treatments.Dr. Garcia has authored over 50 publications found in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery and Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. He has presented more than 60 academic sports papers worldwide, in addition to authoring book chapters on advanced techniques in sports medicine. He has also published over a dozen papers on sports medicine that have been featured in ESPN.com, Orthopedics Today and AAOS Now.Dr. Garcia was an assistant team physician for the Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox. During residency, he cared for players on the New York Giants, New York Mets, US Tennis Team, New York Rangers, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, as well as many collegiate athletes.Dr. Garcia’s outside interests include spending time with his family, wake-boarding, high intensity interval training and travel. He is excited to return to the Seattle area with his wife and their two daughters. Dr. Garcia is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Osteochondritis Dissecans, Osgood-Schlatter Disease, Tendinitis, Osteotomy, and Tenotomy.

Brian Jones, DO, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in full spectrum treatment of cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back) and lumbar spine (low-back) surgery. He also has a clinical interested in knee and shoulder repair and reconstruction, hip, knee, and shoulder replacement, and fracture care.He believes the patient-physician relationship relies on a team approach. Striving for successful results and improving one’s quality of life is an extremely rewarding process for the whole team. His goal is to gather enough information to make the right diagnosis, explore the best treatment options, and develop an individualized treatment plan in collaboration with each patient. Through this personalized approach, he is present at every step of the process so that each patient’s healthcare needs are met with the best possible results. Dr. Jones is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Coccydynia, Spinal Stenosis, Cervical Spondylosis, Hip Replacement, and Microdiscectomy.

Alan Barronian, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with a special interest in joint replacements of the hip, knee, and shoulder including minimally invasive hip and knee replacements. He also has a special interest in sports injuries including ligament reconstruction, foot and ankle reconstruction, and fracture care. He believes that physicians and patients need to be a team during treatment. His goal is to carefully listen to his patients, determine what the problem is, and then discuss options for treatment. This way he and his patients can formulate a plan and work together to cure the problem. Treatment is frequently non-surgical but if surgery is needed he will walk through that process with each patient. Dr. Barronian is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Tennis Elbow. His top areas of expertise are Osteoarthritis, Baker Cyst, Rhizarthrosis, Hip Replacement, and Knee Replacement.