Portland Physician’s Multi-Year Mission Both Heals And Teaches In Ethiopia (Photo) - 08/19/26
Dr. Gavin Button established a new Hip Arthroplasty program in rural Ethiopia while training medical staff there
Portland, OR – August 19, 2026 — Portland physician Dr. Gavin Button, an orthopedic surgeon at The Oregon Clinic, is part of a multi-year mission to provide free or low-cost, high-quality surgical hip replacement and rehab care to patients in Ethiopia. Since 2021, Dr. Button has traveled to the Negele Arsi General Hospital and Medical Center (NAGHMC) twice a year providing care and tutoring. The majority of patients in rural Ethiopia who suffer a hip fracture or are disabled by hip arthritis are unable to find quality care, leaving them with limited mobility and at risk of serious injury or death. This program, run by the nonprofit organization Ethiopia Health Aid, aims to change that. A recent study detailing this program’s success was published this summer by the Journal of Bone & Join Surgery Open Access.
“The opportunity to heal patients who might otherwise go without proper treatment, while also giving local providers the resources to support their own community, is exceptionally fulfilling,” says Dr. Button. “This program is the most rewarding thing I've ever done professionally.”
In addition to providing care, a key component of the program includes training and mentoring local orthopedic surgeons, nurses, and other healthcare professionals on surgical techniques and treatments for diseases of the hip. NAGHMC’s local medical teams can continue treating patients after the US-based surgeons leave. The surgeons mentored during these missions are eventually fully trained and able to provide services on their own, significantly broadening the positive impact these missions have on patients and the community.
Dr. Button’s interest began after operating on an Ethiopian woman here in the US. The patient’s son, serving as a translator for her specific Ethiopian dialect, described the difficulties of getting care in rural Ethiopia and the serious consequences people faced without access to hip replacement. After years of research and preparation, Dr. Button first visited NAGHMC in 2019 to establish their first hip replacement surgical program, the only one of its kind in the region. On this initial trip, Dr. Button trained two Ethiopian surgeons and performed 10 hip replacement surgeries. In the following years, Dr. Button has returned a dozen times and trained three local surgeons at NAGHMC to perform hip replacements independently. Since beginning his work, two of his colleagues have also started taking their own trips, providing additional treatment and training at NAGHMC. Dr. Sam Bartholomew, a plastic surgeon at The Oregon Clinic, has also traveled to Ethiopia to train local surgeons.
The study published this summer in the Journal of Bone & Join Surgery Open Access concluded that initial outcomes from the program have substantially improved patient quality of life in the region. Between September 2021 and March 2025, a total of 97 primary total hip arthroplasty and 35 hemi arthroplasty procedures were performed with minimal complications, and 29 performed by an Ethiopian team alone.
###
“Early Outcomes of a Hip Arthroplasty Program in Rural Ethiopia”
JBJS Open Access
June 15, 2026
Investigation performed at Negele Arsi General Hospital, Negele Arsi, Ethiopia
Contributors to development: Angie Hengelmann C.S.T., Maureen (Julie) Hilburger P.T.A., Annie Bong P.T., D.P.T. Contributor to analysis: Grant Button.
About The Oregon Clinic:
The Oregon Clinic transforms lives across the Pacific Northwest by delivering world-class health care through an innovative, physician-led ecosystem of care. As the largest private multi-specialty physician practice in Oregon, we provide expert, compassionate care tailored to the needs of each unique patient. With 30 specialties and over 300 physicians and practitioners, our expertise spans a broad scope of medicine, from Audiology to OBGYN to Urology. Our doctors serve patients with kindness and empathy at more than 640,000 visits each year, across nearly 50 offices conveniently located throughout the Portland metro area. Our vision is for patients to have a consistent, efficient, easy experience and know they will receive the highest quality care from compassionate, trusted experts. Call 503-935-8000 or visit www.oregonclinic.com for more information.
