Rotary Hears from Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Richard Lawton

September 2, 2025

McCOOK, Neb. – Members of the McCook Rotary Club welcomed guest speaker Dr. Richard Lawton, orthopedic surgeon at Community Hospital, during their Tuesday meeting at the McCook Community College East Campus. Lawton was invited by Rotarian Lori Savery-Hinze to share updates on orthopedic care available locally.

From Denver Broncos to McCook

Lawton completed his medical degree at Emory University, followed by an orthopedic residency at the Mayo Clinic and a fellowship at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colorado. While in Vail, he served as team physician for the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, and U.S. Ski Team. He joined Community Hospital in 2021, bringing expanded sports medicine services to the region.

Growth of Orthopedic Services

In his presentation, Lawton highlighted the evolution of orthopedic care in McCook. Until 2021, patients often traveled out of town for procedures such as ACL repairs, shoulder instability surgeries, or Tommy John operations. Today, those cases can be handled locally.

The orthopedic team at Community Hospital has grown to include two physician assistants, two athletic trainers, three nurses, and a large group of physical therapists. Surgical volume has doubled since before the pandemic, and patient outcomes are being tracked against national benchmarks.

“We want to make sure people know they don’t have to leave McCook to get high-quality care,” Lawton said. “In fact, our infection and complication rates are lower than state and national averages.”

Same-Day Joint Replacements and Quality Measures

Lawton noted that about 30% of hip and knee replacement patients now return home the same day as their procedure. Patient-reported outcome measures, such as pain reduction and improved function, show results in McCook that are equal to or slightly better than national averages at larger centers.

Questions from Rotarians

During a Q&A, Lawton addressed topics ranging from physical therapy to sports injuries:

• Physical therapy: Most beneficial after shoulder and many knee surgeries, less so after hips.

• Timing for surgery: Often when pain and loss of function interfere with daily life and non-surgical treatments are no longer effective.

• Tommy John injuries: Most common among late-teen athletes due to high pitching volume; career impacts can be significant.

• Nutrition and obesity: Rising obesity contributes to arthritis and surgical complications, though advances in sports nutrition are helping athletes recover better.

Local Impact

Community Hospital’s orthopedic program not only serves patients in McCook but also attracts referrals from surrounding communities in southwest Nebraska and northwest Kansas. Lawton emphasized that a strong orthopedic service line also supports other hospital departments by providing revenue that helps sustain less profitable services such as emergency care and hospice.

Rotary Club of McCook meets on the first, second, and third Tuesdays of each month at the McCook Community College East Campus. Meetings are open to visitors interested in learning more about Rotary’s service and community work.