Columbus Community Hospital | Housecall | Fall 2024

15 columbushosp.org White grew up in Missouri, but his family is from Nebraska. His dad worked as a wildlife biologist here before relocating to the Show-Me State. Growing up, White considered wildlife work for himself, but during high school he shadowed a nurse anesthetist in an orthopedic surgery room. “With my love of science, I wanted to stay on that path,” he said. “So medicine was one of the avenues I checked out, and it happened to be what I wanted to do. I grew up on a farm, and if something broke down, you fixed it. I was familiar with hand and power tools, and that was what they were using in surgery. That’s what made me land on orthopedics.” White earned his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Omaha, followed by a residency at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He furthered his training with a fellowship in adult reconstruction at the CORE Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. “My approach is to take the time to get to know each and every patient and understand their wants and needs, what problem they have, and what the best method is to help them get back to doing what they need to do,” White said. “And that doesn’t always have to be surgery. We also offer a multitude of non-surgical treatment options to help relieve pain and improve function.” When surgery is the right solution, White can address those needs with options that include orthopedic trauma surgery and joint replacement using Mako robotic arm-assisted surgery. Joint replacement surgery is commonly performed when knees and hips are badly damaged from arthritis, and other interventions (like physical therapy, bracing or medications) haven’t helped with the pain. White’s goal is to give his joint-replacement patients more functional, pain-free movement. “A lot of people who come into the clinic aren’t able to do the things they did before because of the pain and the decrease in function that their arthritis or other condition is causing,” White said. “So it boils down to giving them their freedom back to enjoy their activities, without pain dictating what they can and can’t do.” White and his family are excited to start the next phase of their lives in Columbus. When he’s not helping his patients get back to their favorite activities, White and his wife and children can often be found enjoying a few activities of their own. “Being that I was raised on a farm and my dad was a wildlife biologist, you can probably guess my family and I spend almost all our free time outdoors,” White said. Anthony White, MD, orthopedic surgeon Pitner treats a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, from sprains and strains to fractures and arthritis. His additional expertise in sports medicine allows him to treat many athletic injuries, from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears to rotator cuff shoulder injuries. Pitner has cared for athletes at all levels — from weekend warriors to high school and professional athletes. He believes in building trust early on with his patients by listening to what they have to say. “Every single patient has a different experience they take to their episode of care,” Pitner said. “Listening to them and hearing what brought them into my office helps me understand how I can help them. Whether that’s with conservative, non-surgical treatment or with surgery, we’re tailoring a plan to each patient’s goals.” Originally from Omaha, Pitner is excited to return to Nebraska. In his spare time, he and his family members enjoy being outdoors hunting, fishing, boating, skiing and attending sporting events.

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