When you’re in pain, life’s simple pleasures can be difficult to enjoy. But if you’re in Effingham, it doesn’t matter if you pulled a hamstring, have a bad back or need a new knee, the team at Optim Orthopedics in Rincon can help get you back to doing what you love. You’ll receive personalized patient care every step of the way from some of the most skilled and well-respected orthopedic surgeons in the country, all board certified and fellowship trained. David Palmer, MD Orthopedic Surgeon Sports Medicine (Knee & Shoulder) Dr. David Palmer specializes in sports medicine, most frequently treating sports related injuries involving the shoulder and knee. He’s been practicing in Effingham County for 20 years and has long served as Team Physician for both of the high schools. It’s been a perfect fit for the former college athlete who was a fullback and linebacker for Florida State University in the mid 1980s. Dr. Palmer was in his second year at college when he began shadowing the team doctors and decided he wanted to become an orthopedic surgeon. Now that he’s a team doctor, he’s relishing every moment. “The excitement, energy, and passion that these young men and women display makes the experience fun for me,” he said. He also admires Effingham County’s unwavering support of the students. “It’s a close-knit community that takes pride in their local high schools. The folks here love their community and it shows.” Gregory Kolovich, MD Orthopedic Surgeon Hand, Wrist & Elbow Dr. Gregory Kolovich’s reputation as one of the top hand surgeons in our region is steadily growing. Much of his practice focuses on surgery of the upper extremities (hand, wrist and arm) but he also does microsurgery and trauma. A native of Cleveland, he attended Georgia Tech and majored in electric engineering and pre-medicine. He graduated with honors from Ohio State University College of Medicine before his orthopedic residency at the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State. Before joining the Optim team, Dr. Kolovich completed specialized training at Harvard at the prestigious Hand Fellowship Program. This past year he became president of the Georgia Society for Surgery of the Hand and he is also the inventor and Chief Medical Officer of MicroC, the world’s first hand-held X-ray and digital imaging device. Donald McCartney, MD Orthopedic Surgeon General & Pediatrics In general orthopedics, Dr. Donald McCartney treats a variety of musculoskeletal conditions and disorders. As a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, his focus is on children’s sprains and fractures, growth disturbances, deformities of the spine and skeleton (such as scoliosis and cerebral palsy) and walking abnormalities. Dr. McCartney has practiced in Effingham County for 15 years and considers it his hometown. “I’ve lived in Rincon almost 16 years, longer than anywhere else in my life,” he said. For the past 10 years, Dr. McCartney has traveled to Guatemala, sometimes 4 or 5 times a year, practicing his faith by healing those in need. He’s often there with Faith in Practice, a non-profit Christian organization, and usually accompanied by his wife, Monica. But whether he’s in Rincon or Central America, his passion for orthopedics is the same. He said the most rewarding aspect of his profession is “fixing patients’ problems so that can return to their normal lives.”

Ask your doctor for a referral to one of our Optim Orthopedics physicians. The Rincon office is located at 810 Towne Park Dr., Suite 200. For more information, call (912)826-2533 or visit optimhealth.com. 810 Towne Park Drive, Suite 200

912-826-2533 • optimhealth.com