By james art 
January 27, 2025
The Orthopedic Institute will begin accepting patients in February in its new building in Thea.
The independent physician group will open a two-story, nearly 80,000-square-foot medical building at the Bakker Landing complex in Thea, south of 85th Street and west of Interstate 29 — near where construction on the interchange is planned to begin this year .
That means moving from its longtime home to the Avera McKennan campus.
Staff and their families got their first glimpse of the new space two months ago during a sign-lighting ceremony, and “the welcome from the staff was more than I could have wished for or asked for,” executive director Linda Barry said.
“They were so excited and their eyes got really big because it’s a much bigger facility.”
It’s also designed for greater patient convenience, from the interstate access to the layout of the space, Barry said.
All patient-facing space is on the first floor, including clinical space, advanced imaging and procedure capabilities, and outpatient physical and occupational therapy and rehabilitation.
“We have a walk-in clinic, and we purposely made it towards the front of the building so at night and on the weekends they (patients) don’t have to go too deep into the building,” Barry said.
“We wanted to make it easier for both our patients and our staff, so there is the main waiting area — one main atrium … and off that there are five entrances to the clinical areas. So there’s not as much traveling around the building for the patient or our staff to do, and I think it will work very well.”
OI is moving its Performance Center out of the GreatLIFE facility it shares at 69th Street and Southeast Avenue. The fitness center is open to employees and is also used to help rehabilitate athletes.
OI sees a significant number of young athletes and collegiate athletes, Barry said.
“When you go through an injury athletically, you go through physical therapy, but that’s not the be-all, end-all, be-all to be competitive athletically.” So we do the return to play program because we have a grass area to run, exercise and spin so they can get used to doing it safely before they get into competitive sports.”
Although OI’s 22 doctors will still perform surgeries at other hospitals, some minor procedures will be performed in the new building, such as treating carpel tunnel syndrome or finger releases.
“It’s quicker for the patient … and from a cost perspective, it’s a lot cheaper for the patient to do it in that type of environment compared to a hospital setting,” Barry said.
Administrative premises will be located on the second floor.
The first patients should be seen on February 10.
Barry estimates that up to 280 members of OI’s 330-person team will regularly use the new building, along with its 14 satellite locations in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. OI treats patients for relief of joint, bone or muscle pain or injury without requiring a doctor’s referral. Her physicians specialize in complex total joint preservation procedures, reconstruction or replacement, non-surgical and surgical spine care needs, and pain management with non-opioid solutions.
OI has been located on the Avera McKennan campus for 25 years. The health system purchased the building several years ago and became OI’s landlord.
Some of Avera McKennan’s administrative team work out of the building. Some clinics may move, but Avera has not determined which ones, according to a spokeswoman.
“They have been nothing but wonderful hosts during the transition,” Barry said. “Couldn’t ask for more.”
A grand opening at OI is planned for early spring and likely won’t be the last construction activity in the area. OI owns enough land to expand the new building on both floors.
“I think it’s going to be extremely busy,” Barry said. “We can add another clinical area and still fit the current flow so it doesn’t look disruptive or add-on. While I would like some breathing room, I don’t think it will be long before we have to take advantage of that.”
In addition, Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital owns land adjacent to the new medical building — and close enough to connect to it — but has not announced plans for the property.