Genesee Orthopaedics began offering same-day and walk-in appointments along with extended hours prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the practice has become increasingly helpful for patients dealing with the difficulty of getting an appointment or referral because of the pandemic.

“The reason we started this was based largely on convenience,” said Dr. Nicholas Valente, an orthopaedic surgeon at Genesee Orthopaedics. “No one wants to sit and wait at the Emergency Room or Urgent Care.”

Use of same day appointments allows for people to have their injury addressed as soon as possible, whether their injury happened that day or is an ongoing issue. This speedy treatment is important with certain injuries like fractures that require immediate attention and recommendations for physical therapy are given quickly for nonsurgical injuries.

“A benefit of same day appointments is being able to see the person who will take care of you in the long term,” Dr. Valente said. “There’s more investment and more responsibility to know what’s wrong and make the patient feel comfortable.”

Genesee Orthopaedics has also taken extra precautions to ensure safety regarding COVID-19 in addition to hospital-wide regulations, including removing seating from the lobby and allowing patients to wait in their cars until their appointments.

Genesee Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine treats a variety of orthopaedic issues such as joint replacements, tendon injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome and many other injuries. They are located at 33 Chandler Ave. in the City of Batavia. Phone is (585) 343-9676.

Open weekdays Monday and Tuesday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The staff of Genesee Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine is recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing City of Batavia Fire Department breast cancer awareness T-shirts.