Dr. D. Kelly Agnew recollects about Tri Rivers Musculoskeletal Centers' initial branch into Butler County.

“We started in Butler with two exam rooms and five plastic chairs in a waiting room,” said Agnew, one of the four original orthopedic surgeons. “Today, in Butler County alone, we do 600 joint replacements a year.”

Now celebrating its 25th anniversary of the first office in Butler, staff at Tri Rivers Musculoskeletal Centers cares for patients in six county locations: Saxonburg, Slippery Rock and two offices each in Butler and Cranberry Township. The practice also has an office in the North Hills neighborhood of Allegheny County.

Current staff includes 23 physicians, including orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists, primary care sports medicine specialists and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, as well as 23 physician assistants.

Its specialties include hip and knee reconstruction; hand and upper extremity care; sports medicine and upper shoulder care; nonsurgical sports medicine; orthopedic foot and ankle care; orthopedic back and neck care; physical medicine and rehabilitation; and rheumatology.

“One of the frustrations our patients expressed early on was a lack of one-stop shopping. If they call with hip pain and find out its back pain running down their thigh, for example. Or they need management of a concussion,” Agnew said. “One of our goals was to make it easy for patients to call one phone number and get the services they need.”

In addition to being the physician executive administrator, Agnew remains a working surgeon responsible for about 300 joint replacements annually.

The practice was founded by doctors Scott and Pete Nettrour, now retired, who Agnew described as “warm, wonderful people who have been inspirational to this tight-knit group of physicians.”

Agnew, the fourth physician at the practice, joined the same year the practice opened a Butler site — 1994. He said during his career, technology advancements and improvements in areas such as durable materials, pain relief strategies and physical therapy and rehabilitation have changed the process and dramatically decreased recovery times.

“We used to say we help people with arthritis walk. Now, we help them golf and kayak and bowl and play doubles tennis and live active lives,” Agnew said.

Calling Butler his “home away from home,” Agnew said he gets emotional thinking about the relationships he has built and grown in this community during the course of his career.

“I am now doing hip and knee joints in people whose parents were my patients,” Agnew said. “They came back because mom and dad were pleased with their results. It has been a tremendous source of joy being at the same job 25 years.”

In addition to his clients, Agnew notes Tri Rivers Musculoskeletal Centers has built fantastic relationships with other area business as well as partners, UPMC and Butler Health System.

Agnew said he hopes these community bonds will continue to flourish.

Dr. D. Kelly Agnew