When nagging orthopedic pain or an unexpected sports injury starts to weigh down your everyday mobility, finding the most advanced care possible is an absolute must!
With Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, your care team consists of board-certified orthopedic surgeons who prioritize getting you back to what you love. If your issue involves the hand or upper extremities, their skilled hand surgeons work with therapists, athletic trainers and medical assistants to put together a personalized treatment plan.
Dr. Walter “Hal” Wray brings 16 years of experience to the practice in Clemmons, handling procedures in the outpatient surgical center, but offering many treatments right in the office. Dr. Wray often performs in-office carpal tunnel releases, trigger finger releases and smaller hand procedures.
“This is always a benefit to patients who can drive themselves, don’t have to fast beforehand or change medication schedules, such as blood thinners,” Dr. Wray explains. “It’s also typically less costly and avoids the risks of anesthesia.”
Originally from the area, Dr. Wray grew up in Clemmons, graduated from West Forsyth High School and attended UNC-Chapel Hill for undergraduate studies before heading to Bowman Gray medical school, interning and doing his residency at Duke and a hand fellowship at the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center.
He enjoys that the field of hand surgery is constantly changing.
“I love that hand surgery is really a mix of skills – some orthopedics, some plastic, some vascular and even neuro, if nerves in the hand need repair,” he adds.
“I was inspired by my dad who was a family practice physician here in Clemmons for 40 years,” shares Dr. Wray. “I love this community and hope to practice here for a long time to come.”
What does he feel sets Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine apart? “We love what we do!”
With 11 years of experience, Dr. Derek Bernstein sees patients in the practice’s Winston-Salem office, where he performs surgical procedures at Medical Park Hospital, as well as at the Novant Health Orthopedics outpatient surgical center.
“I fell in love with orthopedics in medical school,” shares Dr. Bernstein. “One of the most important goals of orthopedic care is returning people to function which is particularly important with the elderly population because restoring function allows for a better quality of life, the ability to maintain functional independence and slows down the aging process so to speak. With both operative and non-operative procedures, I love helping patients get back to their daily activities. With degenerative issues such as osteoarthritis, I consider, if this was my mother’s hand, what would I want done?”
Following medical school at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Bernstein completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Houston Methodist, Texas Medical Center and a fellowship in Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery at the Philadelphia Hand Center. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Dr. Bernstein was the first of his siblings to come to Wake Forest University, but the others soon followed suit!
When asked what sets the Novant Health Orthopedics team apart, Dr. Bernstein highlights their multidisciplinary approach to care.
“Specifically within the hand surgery program, we have two fellowship-trained hand surgeons from top institutions and a robust team of three very experienced physician assistants who not only see patients in the office, but also assist in surgery. Hand therapy is also a critical component of treatment, and we have 4 CHTs (Certified Hand Therapists) that practice in Winston-Salem, Clemmons and Kernersville. These are therapists who start from either the occupational or physical discipline and obtain additional training and certification specifically in hand and upper extremity rehabilitation.”
Dr. Bernstein is also trained in endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery, performing hundreds of these surgeries a year.
“Patients can sometimes be hesitant to address carpal tunnel syndrome because they have busy lives and worry about an extended recovery period,” he says. “While everyone recovers differently, if you feel comfortable after your endoscopic surgery, I will allow you to go back to your activities as soon as the next day.”
For example, Dr. Bernstein recently performed the procedure on a mother of two, who had surgery on both hands, six days apart. Both times, she returned to her demanding skilled job the next day. Another patient had both wrists treated over the Christmas holiday – and was back on the golf course within days.
To best meet your family’s needs, Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine is located at 200 Robinhood Medical Plaza in Winston-Salem, 336.718.7950, and in Clemmons at 7210 Village Medical Circle, Suite 110, 336.893.2400. Visit novanthealth.org for more information on providers and services. Winston-Salem office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., and all other clinics are open 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
