Our bodies are complex machines. And like most machinery, we don’t always know why things break…until they do. Whether athlete or accident victim, constantly moving or preferring a quiet life, the day will come when your knees, shoulders, and creaky joints need attention.
At Longview’s Pacific Surgical Center (PSC), Dr. Tony Lin is ready and willing to address any and all orthopedic needs. His extensive training, education, and experience are paired with a passion for transparency pricing and first-class patient support.
Dr. Lin has traveled extensively but never lost focus. “I was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the United States at a young age. I grew up in California and was fortunate to travel to different parts of this country for my education. Like most physicians, the desire to help someone in need drove me to this field.”
He was, almost inevitably, drawn to medicine at an early age. “My interests in the medical field started in high school sports and a course in athletic training. This piqued my interested in anatomy, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. I continued the study of physiology and kinesiology into college at UCLA and worked to become an athletic trainer. Later, I became interested in the research of nerve biochemistry and physiology before continuing on to medical school with a MD/Ph.D scholarship.”
But there was more to his passion. Lin felt the pull to study “perhaps subconsciously by my grandfather, whom I never met. He wanted to become a physician in Taiwan. However, during the pre-WWII era in Taiwan, this was nearly impossible under Japanese control. He had hoped his children would pursue the medical field, but none became a physician.”
After school, where he became “board certified in Orthopedic Surgery and one of about 2000 surgeons in the US who hold an additional certificate of qualification for Orthopedic Sports Medicine,” Lin’s resume grew to include work in Chicago, Hawaii, and Los Angeles.
But his favorite part is simple: the patients themselves. “I look forward to seeing my patients whom I have helped get back their quality of life whether to ride their bike, play their sport again, or just to walk without pain. I enjoy getting to know my patients and I am thankful to them for allowing me to take part in their recovery. My desire is to be by their side and guide them back to their independence and function. Working in the PSC, is by far, the best place I have worked during my training and prior employment.”\
Pacific Surgical Center has long provided outpatient surgery options, up-front pricing, and a mission to keep procedures convenient and affordable. Says Lin, “The staff are top notch because they go the extra mile to care for my patients, attend to their needs, make sure they are safe, and check up on them after their surgery.”
Perhaps because of a lifetime of traveling and training, Dr. Lin offers a unique perspective into PSC’s focus on transparency pricing. “One of many challenges in healthcare in the United States is the lack of transparent pricing of service. Regardless of why, as a consumer, knowing the cost of a service or a product allow one to determine its value. In today’s high-tech world of smart phones, many people compare shop for common goods in the retail store against the internet, such as Amazon.com. This gives us some perspective of value based on price.”
“But healthcare is not quite so simple. Healthcare is not a tangible material commodity that one can hold. In healthcare, the utmost value is ‘quality.’ There are numerous quality measures for different outcomes, and often they are difficult for consumers to appreciate. But, choosing a well-trained professional with a transparent price for service, is a good first step in simplifying healthcare. The true value of the service is better defined by the exceptional experience and outcome that was rendered.”
Outside of work, Dr. Lin stays in motion himself through snowboarding, mountain biking, working out, and (trying to!) keep up with his son. In his office is a special cabinet full of thank you notes, photos, crafts, and mementos from former patients.
Career-wise, Lin’s goals mesh with his hopes for the field overall; “I would like to see streamlined processes in choosing and comparing compassionate, nice, competent physician for services at a fair affordable inclusive price with minimal wait time.”
Pacific Surgical Center allows you to request a specialist online or by calling 360-442-7900. They’ll listen, care, and help you get back on your feet quickly.
