Why Choose Synergy at UCSD

Patients in San Diego now have access to expert orthopedic care through Synergy Orthopedic Specialists at UC San Diego Health – East Campus Medical Center (formerly Alvarado Hospital).

Synergy Orthopedic Specialists is San Diego’s largest private orthopedic practice, which works closely with UC San Diego Health to provide advanced orthopedic surgery and coordinated hospital-based care for patients across East County and the greater San Diego region.

Synergy Orthopedic Specialists is an independent, physician-owned orthopedic medical group serving communities throughout San Diego County. UC San Diego Health is one of the region’s leading academic health systems, recognized for specialty care, advanced technology, and comprehensive hospital services.

Through this collaboration, Synergy orthopedic surgeons perform hospital-based procedures at UC San Diego Health while continuing to provide outpatient orthopedic care through Synergy clinics, imaging centers, and physical therapy locations across San Diego.

Synergy Orthopedic Specialists provides coordinated orthopedic care at UC San Diego Health. This may offer patients a more seamless experience from diagnosis through recovery.

UC San Diego hospitals are conveniently located for patients in the College Area, La Mesa, El Cajon, Del Cerro, Rolando, San Carlos, Allied Gardens, and surrounding East County communities.

Through Synergy’s participation in the UC San Diego Health Clinically Integrated Network (CIN), patients also benefit from improved coordination between physicians, hospitals, and health plans, helping streamline referrals, reduce duplicate testing, and support connected, high-quality orthopedic care across clinic and hospital settings.

Synergy orthopedic surgeons perform a wide range of hospital-based orthopedic procedures at East Campus Medical Center, including:

Joint Replacement Surgery

• Hip replacement surgery
• Knee replacement surgery
• Revision joint replacement procedures

Sports Medicine & Arthroscopic Surgery

• ACL reconstruction
• Meniscus surgery
• Rotator cuff repair
• Shoulder instability surgery
• Arthroscopic sports injury procedures

Spine Surgery

• Cervical spine surgery
• Lumbar spine surgery
• Decompression procedures
• Spinal fusion procedures requiring hospital observation

Shoulder & Upper Extremity Surgery

• Shoulder replacement
• Rotator cuff repair
• Elbow surgery
• Complex upper extremity reconstruction

Foot & Ankle Surgery

• Fracture repair
• Tendon and ligament reconstruction
• Foot and ankle reconstruction procedures

Orthopedic Trauma & Fracture Care

Synergy surgeons help manage orthopedic trauma and fracture cases seen through the East Campus emergency department and inpatient hospital system.

Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery

• Tal S. David, MD
• Michael R. Lenihan, MD
• Pascual Dutton, MD
• Sam Klatman, MD
• Jonathan J. Myer, MD
• David J. Burnikel, MD
• Michael Sirota, MD
• John “Andy” Grotting, MD
• Andromahi Trivellas, MD

Shoulder Replacement & Upper Extremity Orthopedic Surgery

• Daniel S. Brereton, DO

Joint Preservation

• Andromahi Trivellas, MD

Adult Reconstruction & Joint Replacement

• Michael Muldoon, MD
• Rina Jain, MD
• Harbinder S. Chadha, MD
• Thomas Hong, MD

Hand, Wrist, Forearm, & Elbow Orthopedic Surgery

• M. Lucius Pomerantz, MD
• Matthew C. Shillito, MD
• Jerrick Robker, DO
• Eric P. Hofmeister, MD

Spine Surgery

• Matthew Follett, MD

Foot and Ankle

• Scot A. Youngblood, MD

Spine and Pain Specialists

• Gavin Kolodge, DO
• Enoch Chang, MD

• Synergy Orthopedic Specialists is San Diego’s largest private orthopedic group
• Synergy is physician-owned and physician-led
• Fellowship-trained orthopedic specialists treat virtually every body region and orthopedic condition
• Patients receive coordinated care between Synergy clinics as part of the UC San Diego Clinically Integrated Network.
• UCSD Health East Campus Medical Center offers convenient access for East County and College Area patients
• Synergy surgeons combine private-practice accessibility with hospital-based orthopedic resources
• UC San Diego Health is recognized throughout San Diego for specialty care and clinical excellence
• Synergy participates in select UCSD-aligned health plan arrangements and coordinated care programs