A patient with torn rotator cuff finds great care and great service

“Customer service is an inexpensive but extremely important part of the doctor-patient experience. I felt it with Dr. Duany, and I’m sure that her other patients also feel it.”

Riding his bike on a trail, Dan Lillpop tried to turn around in tall grass. The bike stopped and Dan fell.

The 65-year-old braced himself with his left arm, tearing the rotator cuff in his shoulder when he hit the ground. After a trip to the emergency room, X-rays, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, Dan learned he needed shoulder surgery. The thought made him nervous — until he met Nyagon G. Duany, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist with Norton Orthopedic Institute.

“Dr. Duany is special. She really is a loving, caring person. I sensed the genuineness in her approach to me and the caring spirit she had,” Dan said.

That caring spirit carried over to the entire staff.

“Everyone from the first ‘hello’ was fantastic and demonstrated a genuine and very evident concern for my well-being,” Dan said. “They were friendly, very inviting, made you feel at ease. They weren’t rushed. I just think the whole office is a reflection of Dr. Duany.”

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Appreciating great service

The Louisville native said he’s acutely aware of how people are treated because he’s in customer service himself. He works for a human resources company advising people on how to apply for leaves of absence.

“I try to provide the best customer service I can. It’s nice to be on the receiving end of good customer service,” Dan said. “Customer service is an inexpensive but extremely important part of the doctor-patient experience. I felt it with Dr. Duany, and I’m sure that her other patients also feel it.”

Dan had his accident in May on the Pond Creek Path, part of the Louisville Loop. He had been trying to stay in shape during the pandemic and had reached 13 miles a day when he tore his rotator cuff.

Physical therapy and bike shopping

Dr. Duany repaired the tear surgically in early June, and now Dan is undergoing physical therapy with KORT. He’s improving steadily as he gets his range of motion back. After that, he’s going to work on building up the strength in his shoulder.

Before he went into customer service, Dan was in the ministry, a calling that took him to Cincinnati, Ohio, and elsewhere in Kentucky before he returned to Louisville in 2012. At its heart, he said, a ministry is about caring for people.

“That’s what Dr. Duany does. It’s a ministry to her because she’s caring for people,” Dan said. “It’s more than just a job to her.”

A father of three sons and grandfather of five, Dan said he’s looking forward to getting back on the bicycle. He’s going to find a bike that’s easier to dismount — and he’s not planning to turn around in tall grass anytime soon.


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