Surgeon joins Samaritan orthopedic department

MOSES LAKE — Orthopedic surgeon Billy Thompson has joined the orthopedic department at Samaritan Healthcare. Thompson joined the staff last month. 

His specialty is shoulder replacement and other upper arm procedures, but he treats patients for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, from shoulder instability to rotator cuff repair and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, according to a Samaritan press release. 

“I really like fixing people,” Thompson said. “They come in hurt or broken, and we can put them back together, sometimes with immediate results. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a world class athlete or a casual participant – I give the same level of care to patients in any setting.” 

As a self-described “conservative surgeon,” Thompson said he explores non-surgical options whenever possible. 

“When a patient is sent to a surgeon, they assume they need an operation, but that isn’t always the case,” Thompson said. “There may be other alternatives to surgery, and I love seeing a patient’s relief when they hear that. I like making people’s lives easier.” 

Thompson received his medical education and orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He went on to a shoulder and sports medicine fellowships at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles.  

He was an orthopedic surgeon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the head orthopedic surgeon at the University of Florida. He’s a lifelong athlete as well as a surgeon, the press release said; skiing, golfing, running with his dogs.