Board-certified orthopedic physician Dr. Keith P. Melancon will be seeing patients at the Picayune location of Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A. in Highland Community Hospital.

“I’m very excited,” said Melancon, “I’ve taken care of people from Pearl River County for years, and I’ve always enjoyed it.”

Melancon said he views this as an opportunity to provide quality orthopedic healthcare to local residents without forcing them to drive long distances.

“I don’t think people should have to wait to see a doctor if they’re hurt,” said Melancon.

Melancon comes to Southern Bone and Joint from Louisiana, where he worked as an assistant professor in the department of orthopedics at Louisiana State University’s Medical School according to a press release from the Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A website. Melancon received his bachelor’s and medical degrees from LSU before becoming the Chief Medical Officer for the LSU Healthcare Network. In 2012 and 2013, Melancon was included in Louisiana’s Top Doctors, and the LSU Department of Family Medicine chose Melancon as the 2012 Clinical Instructor of the Year, the release states.

After finishing his orthopedic residency training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Melancon was recognized in Mississippi Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 listing in 2003. He is the former president of the Mississippi Orthopedic Society, and is also a member of the Medical Group Management Association, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Association for Hand Surgery, the release states.

Southern Bone and Joint is a regional group of orthopedic specialists with offices in Hattiesburg, Collins, Laurel and Columbia, in addition to their Picayune location. Their services include orthopedic surgery, partial knee replacements, foot and ankle reconstruction, x-rays, trauma management, arthritic joint replacement and general orthopedic care.

To get more information about Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A., visit southernboneandjoint.com. To make an appointment, call 601-554-7400. The Picayune clinic is located in Highland Community Hospital at 128 Highland Parkway Ste. 100.