Volunteer Voices: Spotlight on Andrew Wade

Andrew Wade, DHA, FACHE, FACMPE is this issue’s Volunteer Voice. Recipient of the AAOE 2026 Award of Excellence for Practice Executive of the Year, Andrew is the Chief Executive Officer at OrthoSC in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He was also recently recognized for his service on the Advocacy Council. Andrew’s decision to volunteer was driven by a desire to create meaningful change beyond day-to-day operations. Through advocacy, he is helping shape the broader policies and systems that support clinicians, practices, and the patients they serve. We are grateful for his volunteerism and for sharing the following with us.

What made you decide to volunteer with AAOE and what words of encouragement do you have for others that may consider doing so? 

My drive to volunteer was born out of the realization that we can only make so much impact at the bedside within the healthcare system. To impact the change that we need to best support our clinicians, we have to go much farther upstream to where that policy and system-shaping decisions are being made. My service on the Council makes me feel connected, aware, and driven.

Which AAOE benefit or service do you use most and why?

The online Collaborate community and benchmarking data are two of my favorite and most frequently used resources. Those are both real-time and retrospective products of the greatest value add that AAOE provides its network of professionals who are out leading on the frontlines in communities across the country every day.

Why are you enthusiastic about the orthopedic practice profession?

We have tremendous growing demand as the population continues to age, and we also get to watch patients get better and go back to enjoying quality of life. This is one of the foundational drivers that keeps me connected to healthcare and orthopedic practice.

Your leadership, advocacy, and commitment to strengthening the future of orthopedic practice is appreciated, Andrew!