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SCOPE Magazine - March 2024
Mason Health Expands Partnerships – Orthopedic and Cardiology Specialty Services at Mason Clinic
Mason Health is committed to expanding health care options in Mason County, so that patients have access to exceptional specialty care close to home.
This commitment is in line with the District’s Vision to Provide the Best Patient-Centered Care in the Pacific Northwest. Distinguished physicians from Olympia Orthopaedic Associates (OOA) and Olympia Health, Justin Anderson, MD, and Haroon Yousaf, MD, are helping usher this vision into reality.
Dr. Anderson’s Orthopedic Journey
Dr. Justin Anderson sees orthopedic patients twice a week at Mason Clinic and performs surgeries once a week at Mason General Hospital. He splits the rest of his time seeing trauma patients at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia and seeing patients in clinic at OOA.
He started at Mason Health in October 2023.
“This is a great partnership between OOA and Mason Health,” Dr. Anderson said. “The patient populations are slightly different. People here in the rural area are more interested in maximizing conservative treatment.”
“I want to better serve the community as a whole and let people know I am willing to work with them. My mantra is to try as much as possible before resorting to surgery.”
Dr. Anderson’s journey into orthopedics began at a young age, driven by a genuine fascination with medicine. Growing up in a small beach town on the northern points of the Jersey Shore, he was exposed to the world of orthopedic surgery through interactions with family friends who were practitioners.
His desire to fix people, mend broken bones, and facilitate their return to health led him on a path that eventually brought him to Mason Clinic. He graduated from the University of Rochester in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, then obtained his medical degree from Columbia University in 2016.
He served in the U.S. Army as an orthopedic surgeon, completing his internship and residency in 2021 at Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, where he met his now wife, Claudia. For two years prior coming to Mason Health, he served as the staff orthopedic surgeon at Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) in Texas.
“When you go into some of the smaller bases, your patient population may be the young, active and fit military members, who are perhaps dealing with sports injuries and that type of thing,” he said. “With larger bases, you see older individuals and their family members. My practice consisted of hand surgeries and sports medicine. At Madigan, I did a little bit of everything. We also did community rotations and that’s when I first worked with Oly Ortho.”
When it came time to settle down, Dr. Anderson and his wife wanted to be closer to her parents in Washington since they were raising their infant son. Dr. Anderson was familiar with OOA through his residency rotations and felt that the new position at Mason Clinic would be exciting.
“I knew what I was getting into and the work they were going to do seemed like a great partnership,” he said. “Since we wanted to be closer to family, it felt like a win-win.”
OOA has been a partner with Mason Health for years and is proud to further that partnership with Dr. Anderson’s dedicated clinical days in Mason County.
“OOA is proud to partner with Mason Health to further our shared commitment of taking care of our patients in the best way possible,” said OOA CEO Ben Shah. “Working together we are providing high quality orthopedic and neurosurgical specialists directly in Mason County, making sure everyone has access to the best care available.”
Dr. Yousaf’s Commitment to Patients & Cardiology Services
In the realm of cardiology, Dr. Haroon Yousaf brings a wealth of experience and a compassionate approach to patient care.
Born in Pakistan, Dr. Yousaf’s interest in medicine, particularly cardiology, came alive at a young age, and he was inspired by many family members who had entered into medicine.
“I found the heart to be a fascinating organ,” he said. “It’s always fascinated me. I always wanted to learn more about it. The United States provided a unique opportunity to learn more.”
Dr. Yousaf graduated from medical school in 2004 in Pakistan, then completed his residency at Interfaith Hospital in Brooklyn, New York in 2010. He then pursued a Master of Health Science in Clinical Investigation from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2015.
He worked as a clinical fellow at the University of Southern California in the Heart Failure Transplant Cardiology program and then the Cardiovascular Medicine program. He has always been interested in both the practical and clinical side of medicine, as well as the research side.
His dedication to patients with heart failure and his involvement in randomized controlled trials showcased his commitment to advancing both clinical and research aspects of cardiology.
“I have treated very, very sick patients who come to us after a heart attack with complete blockage,” Dr. Yousaf said. “It feels good to be able to help patients and then allow them to go home the next day. I have always had an interest in research, and I also believe it helps me to be a better cardiologist.”
Since 2020, Dr. Yousaf has been licensed in Washington state and has provided exceptional cardiology care in southwest Washington, from Olympia and Centralia to Shelton and Aberdeen.
Dr. Yousaf’s decision to join Mason Health was motivated by a desire to contribute to a professional hospital with a stellar reputation and a
supportive staff. Recognizing the need for accessible cardiology services in the area, he aims to bridge the gap for patients who previously had to travel across the state for specialized care.
“The people in Washington are amazing,” he said. “I had been to Mason General Hospital a few times to visit, and that became my inspiration to work with Mason Health.”
“I could see it was a very professional hospital with amazing staff members. I don’t want people to have to go across the state just to see a cardiologist.” Yousaf said.
Over the years, Mason Health identifies healthcare services underserved in our area and identifies partnerships that can meet these needs.
“Mason Health’s partnerships with Olympia Orthopedic Associates and Olympia Health for Orthopedic and Cardiology care expands our service offerings beyond what we are able to provide on our own,” said Mason Health Chief Operating Officer Mark Batty
These relationships bring the health care closer to home for patients, he added.
“Integrating orthopedics and cardiology into our clinic operations provides a seamless transition for patients to receive primary and specialty care in one location,” Batty said. “These partnerships allow Mason Health patients to receive care in a setting they are familiar with and closer to home. We cannot overstate the value of these relationships and how they allow Mason Health to provide additional health care services within our community.”
Along with Dr. Yousaf, cardiologist Fahad Younas, MD, also joins Mason Clinic.
To schedule an appointment with a specialist, please request a referral from your primary care provider at Mason Clinic by calling 360-426-2653.
