Ortho Spotlight: Allison Rao, MD & M Health Fairview Maple Grove
Welcome to Ortho Spotlight, a monthly series dedicated to showcasing the exceptional talents within the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. With each edition, we'll cast a spotlight on a department physician and explore one of their clinical practice sites, providing a glimpse into the specialized orthopedic care and services offered.
Behind every successful clinic, there's a team of outstanding providers and ancillary staff working hard to ensure the highest quality of care for patients.
Join us as we highlight the collaborative efforts and individuals who continuously uplift our department and orthopedic care.
Spotlight: Allison Rao, MD
Dr. Allison Rao is an orthopedic surgeon and Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota, whose expertise lies in sports medicine and shoulder surgery.
A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Dr. Rao's academic journey began at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where she completed her undergraduate studies. She then pursued her medical degree at Stanford University, followed by orthopedic surgery residency training at Rush University in Chicago. To further hone her skills, Dr. Rao completed a specialized combined sports and shoulder fellowship at OrthoCarolina.
Now back in her home region of the Midwest, Dr. Rao has established a practice at several sites in the metro area, including M Health Fairview Maple Grove. Her practice focuses primarily on shoulder care, catering to a wide array of shoulder-related conditions. Her expertise encompasses the management of shoulder dislocations and instability, treatment of rotator cuff injuries, including complex and massive rotator cuff repairs, as well as performing joint replacements, revision joint replacements, and more.
What makes M Health Fairview Maple Grove a great place to receive orthopedic care?
Rao: Maple Grove is a fantastic site and we have kind of every orthopedic subspecialty represented here. There's joint replacements, podiatry, sports medicine, complex shoulder, and more. Patients also have the opportunity to receive imaging on-site, so it's a well-streamlined place to get your care. We have a talented orthopedic team that kind of deals with everything, and at the same time is very sub-specialized!
How do providers at Maple Grove collaborate to offer comprehensive and personalized care for patients?
Rao: Our entire team works really closely with the physical therapists, among many other professionals. Considering we’re all essentially in the same shared space, it's very easy to talk directly to physical therapists or primary care physicians about patients.
For example, I'll see a patient and walk out with them to talk with a physical therapist about what's going on or how we can jumpstart their therapy. If a patient requires additional care from their primary provider, oftentimes, the care can be provided right then and there without having to come back for another appointment on a different day. So, it’s very easy to coordinate care for patients!
It sounds like comprehensive & collaborative care is a major element of orthopedic services at the M Health Fairview Maple Grove Clinic.
Rao: Yes, it is! In addition to full-service physical therapy, we have MRI machines, X-rays, and more. Everything is fully represented at the site.
The general location is also just very easy — especially for those who are living in the north metro area. It's easy to get to, it's easy to park, it's easy to access, it's easy to schedule. You can schedule your therapy and your MRI all at once. It's a very friendly environment to come to and a great place to get comprehensive care.
The Department of Orthopedic Surgery has many faculty & physicians who practice at M Health Fairview Maple Grove, including Drs. Alicia Harrison, Jeffrey Macalena, Christopher Martin, Patrick Morgan, Allison Rao, Joseph Schuster, Sean Engel, David Jewison, Jacob Kastner, David Smith, and David Supik.
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Learn more about M Health Fairview Maple Grove Clinics & Surgery Center
