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A Thought Leadership Strategy that Reframes the Future of Orthopedics

Building influence from the inside out: how Dr. Leo Spector’s thought leadership shaped the narrative of independent orthopedic care.

the situation

OrthoCarolina is one of the nation’s largest independent, physician-led orthopedic practices. In 2025, under the leadership of CEO Dr. Leo Spector, the company launched a bold new growth strategy designed to bring the practice back to its core: orthopedic and musculoskeletal care. This transformation meant reshaping the business around what only OrthoCarolina could deliver: physician-led surgical excellence, innovation, and community access.

The strategy included:

  • Divesting physical therapy and MRI services to trusted partners, allowing OrthoCarolina to reinvest in its core strengths rather than compete in increasingly commoditized markets.
  • Expanding ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) to deliver more procedures in lower-cost, high-quality outpatient settings, closer to where patients live.
  • Empowering physician leadership, ensuring clinical experts remain at the helm of care and organizational strategy.
  • Advancing value-based care, shifting focus from volume to impact with the right care, at the right time, in the right setting.
  • Doubling down on research and accessibility, investing in the OrthoCarolina Research Institute (OCRI), data systems, and community-based care pathways.

These moves positioned OrthoCarolina for long-term excellence, but also left questions in the market. Why divest profitable service lines? How would patients and partners perceive the changes? Could an independent, physician-owned practice thrive at scale when consolidation was sweeping healthcare?

OrthoCarolina needed a communications strategy to tell its story and to explain not just what decisions were made, but why. More importantly, it needed to share its vision for the future of orthopedic care, both within the Carolinas and across the country, to continue recruitment of world class surgeons and continue to lead the orthopedic industry forward in the future of patient-centered care.

the project

To support OrthoCarolina’s “Back to Our Core” growth strategy, ASC designed a communications program focused on two levers: earned media relations and executive thought leadership on LinkedIn. The goal was to support and reinforce OrthoCarolina’s in-house marketing team, aligning with their 2025 pillars of Accessibility, Community, Patient-Centric Education, and Physician-Led Excellence.

Media Relations
Our media plan positioned OrthoCarolina’s leadership team as authoritative voices on the future of orthopedic care, while spotlighting the organization’s most significant milestones. This included:

  • CEO Visibility: Elevating Dr. Leo Spector in top-tier healthcare and business media as a physician-CEO shaping independent practice strategy.
  • National Spotlights: Securing coverage of Lulu Gribbin’s recovery journey with ABC News (Good Morning America + Nightline), which showcased OrthoCarolina’s groundbreaking surgical expertise, and preparing two surgeons for in-studio interviews in New York City..
  • Trade & Regional Features: Securing features in Orthopedics This Week on OrthoCarolina’s strategic transformation, Business North Carolina on Dr. Spector’s leadership, and multiple placements in Becker’s on ASC expansion and physician autonomy.
  • Institutional Impact: Promoting the redevelopment of the OrthoCarolina Research Institute (OCRI) CORE program, emphasizing research as central to OrthoCarolina’s mission.
  • Awards Recognition: Submitting and securing nominations for Dr. Spector and OCRI in major awards programs, reinforcing credibility and leadership.

LinkedIn Thought Leadership
Dr. Spector’s LinkedIn was activated to be an engaging and accessible platform to translate organizational strategy into a consistent, authentic executive voice. This included:

  • Profile Optimization: Refreshing Dr. Spector’s professional presence with an SEO-forward headline, updated bio, and aligned branding.
  • Content Cadence: Weekly posts on ASC growth, value-based care, physician leadership, and research, tightly aligned with OrthoCarolina’s messaging pillars.
  • Executive Authority: Using LinkedIn as a stage to share leadership lessons, spotlight national media appearances, and spark dialogue with peers, reporters, and industry leaders.

Together, these two efforts ensured that every milestone, from strategic divestitures to national news features, was amplified consistently, reinforcing OrthoCarolina’s narrative in both earned media and owned executive channels.

Learn more on their website
OrthoCarolina staff member holding hand skeleton model
OrthoCarolina logo

the results

Our work with OrthoCarolina has established the practice and Dr. Leo Spector as influential voices shaping the future of orthopedic care.

Media Coverage earned over four months

  • Good Morning America and Nightline — national feature on Lulu Gribbin’s recovery and OrthoCarolina’s surgical innovation.
  • Orthopedics This Week — feature story on OrthoCarolina’s strategic transformation.
  • Orthopedics This Week —  story on groundbreaking opioid free recovery protocol. 
  • Business North Carolina — leadership profile on Dr. Leo Spector.
  • Becker’s Healthcare — Over 14 article features on ASC strategy, physician autonomy, and value-based care in Becker’s Spine Review, Becker’s Healthcare Review, Beaker’s ASC Review, and Becker’s Physician Leadership. 
  • Charlotte Business Journal — recognition in the Health Care Heroes Awards.

Awards & Recognition

  • Dr. Leo Spector — Charlotte Business Journal Healthcare Heroes — Health Care Executive Award (2025).
  • Christi Cadd, Executive Director of OCRI — Charlotte Business Journal Healthcare Heroes — Innovation & Advancements in Health Care Award (2025).
  • Ongoing submissions to national healthcare and business recognition programs.

LinkedIn Performance

  • Dr. Spector’s profile was optimized and refreshed, with content aligned to OrthoCarolina’s 2025 pillars.
  • Weekly posts consistently outperform LinkedIn healthcare benchmarks.
  • 62.2% increase in following from the prior 92 days, with 815 new followers from July to September.
  • An average of 4,875 impressions per post, with a total of 87,762 impressions for the quarter.
  • 29,552 members reached, a 2,955,100% increase from the previous quarter.

Looking Ahead

Our partnership with OrthoCarolina continues into 2026, with a focus on amplifying the organization’s leadership as it redefines what independent, physician-led care can achieve. Together, we are shaping narratives around:

  • The future of musculoskeletal care — how ASC expansion, research, and patient-centered access are transforming delivery.
  • National influence — positioning OrthoCarolina and Dr. Spector as voices in healthcare policy, innovation, and physician leadership.
  • Community and accessibility — reinforcing OrthoCarolina’s role as both a clinical leader and community partner.

Building on the foundational message of OrthoCarolina’s story, the next chapter is about influencing the broader story of orthopedic care nationwide.

Your growth starts here. Let’s get to work.

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Hailey Rorie, VP Marketing & Communications
Isabella Santos Foundation (ISF)

We are thrilled to collaborate with Ascent Strategic Communications! ASC excels at crafting compelling narratives and securing top-tier coverage, significantly boosting our brand's visibility and donor engagement. With a dedicated team of professionals, ASC is accessible every step of the way, offering personalized support to meet ISF's unique needs as we expand our reach beyond Charlotte.

Jeremiah Shirk, CEO
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A moment of gratitude. Thank you all for helping shape this narrative.  It’s really coming together nicely and will prove critical to future growth and success.

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