Tri-State Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Reaching the 50-year milestone is always cause for celebration, and for Tri-State Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, it means celebrating the past as well as the future.

Tri-State Orthopaedics started in 1976 with Drs. Jack Failla and Roger Ferguson and only one employee. Today, they have 11 physicians with more than 180 employees in four — soon to be five — locations. Clearly, the numbers reflect success — and there are many reasons why they continue to thrive as an independent provider of exceptional orthopaedic services, blending patient-focused treatment with advanced technology. With board-certified specialists at the forefront of general orthopaedic care, including hand, wrist and upper extremity surgery; foot and ankle surgery; arthroscopic shoulder, elbow and knee surgery; sports medicine; hip and knee joint replacement and revision surgery; and spine surgery, Tri-State Orthopaedics has built a lasting legacy within the community.

That patient-driven approach to treatment was one of the paramount reasons Derek Andreini, M.D., decided to practice with Tri-State Orthopaedics.

“I chose Tri-State because of the people and the way they practice medicine. From my first

conversations, it was clear that the physicians value quality, integrity, and doing what’s right for patients — not just moving volume. I wanted to build my career in a place where I could practice high-level orthopaedics while still having the autonomy and support to take great care of each individual patient, and Tri-State felt like the perfect fit for that,” he said.

Roger Ferguson, MD and Jack Failla, MD, co-founders of Tri-State Orthopaedics

Dr. Andreini specializes in adult hip and knee reconstruction and revisions while treating patients with arthritis and joint pain. Using modern techniques such as a direct anterior approach for hip replacement — a muscle-sparing surgical method that can lead to less pain — patients are discharged the same day and start recovery in the comfort of their own home more quickly. Robotic-assisted knee replacement is utilized by their joint replacement surgeons, including Dr. Derek Andreini and Dr. Michael Sybert, allowing for highly precise, personalized implant positioning.

Focusing on total hip and knee reconstruction, Dr. Sybert stated, “Tri-State’s ability to provide cutting-edge surgical techniques, excellent fellowship-trained surgeons, and exceptional patient care is what drew him to join the practice in 2022.”

Michael R. Pagnotto, MD, specialist in adult hip and

knee reconstruction

For Michael R. Pagnotto, M.D., joining the practice was a long-time goal.

“Ever since my time at North Allegheny High School, I’ve wanted to join Tri-State Orthopaedics. It was a privilege to get to know Drs. Failla, Thomas, Jewell and Langhans, and to see firsthand the impact they had on our community. I knew then that I wanted to be part of that tradition of excellence and compassion,” he said.

Tri-State Orthopaedics serves as team physicians for North Allegheny High School, providing professional-level sideline care for athletes at the time of injury.

To enhance continuity of care, Tri-State Orthopaedics also offers physical and occupational/hand therapy at all of their locations (Tri-State Physical Therapy). The direct communication between the physician and therapists, along with the active participation of the patients, helps to speed and enhance the patient’s recovery process.

Christopher E. Emond, MD, specialist in sports medicine, knee and shoulder surgery

“That longevity — and loyalty to patients — really sets Tri-State Orthopaedics apart,” according to Christopher Emond, M.D.

“Since 1976, the physicians have provided expert, unwavering, loyal care to the people of Western Pennsylvania throughout the unique, ever-changing local healthcare landscape,” he said.

Dr. Emond is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with subspecialty training in sports medicine, performing surgery of the shoulder and knee, including arthroscopic procedures, robotic-assisted partial and total knee replacements, and computer-planned anatomic and reverse shoulder replacement surgery, as well as general orthopaedic care.

Providing after-hour urgent care services is another way that Tri-State Orthopaedics remains committed to serving the community. Both the McCandless and Seven Fields offices provide direct access to Ortho Urgent Care designed specifically for patients with orthopaedic and sports-related injuries, including broken bones/fractures, ligament tears, strains/sprains or general aches and pains from sports or recent activities.

L-R: Total Joint Specialists Dr. Michael Sybert, Dr. Derek Andreini, and Dr. Michael Pagnotto

“Instead of navigating an emergency room, patients can be evaluated by expert orthopaedic providers who treat these conditions every day, with imaging and treatment plans handled in one place. Making the community aware of this option matters because it saves time, reduces unnecessary cost, and connects patients to the right care immediately,” Terry Brunazzi, Tri-State’s executive director, said.

Tri-State provides urgent care hours from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Along with those extra hours in providing care, Tri-State Orthopaedics is dedicated to being accessible and convenient for everyone. They accept all major insurance plans and have offices throughout the region, including Seven Fields, McCandless, Fox Chapel and Robinson, making it easier for patients to be seen close to home.

Daniel M. Kopolovich, MD, specialist in sports medicine, knee and shoulder surgery

Operating at both UPMC and AHN facilities, Tri-State Orthopaedics has also opened a dedicated orthopaedic surgery center. This allows them to specialize in same-day joint replacement and outpatient surgeries, so patients are able to begin recovery in familiar and comfortable environments more quickly. The goal is to combine high-level surgical care with convenience, efficiency and a great overall patient experience.

While Tri-State Orthopaedics is celebrating 50 years of successfully providing patient care to the community, they are also focused on the future. In the next few months, they will be opening a Butler office.

“Our goal is simple: provide timely, expert treatment with a patient-first approach while delivering high-quality, low-cost health care. Expanding into this community strengthens our commitment to making specialized care more accessible, more convenient, and more affordable for the patients and families we serve,” Brunazzi said.