Youngstown Orthopaedic Associates will join Cleveland Clinic effective November 1, 2026, the Mahoning Valley practice announced in a letter to patients, bringing its orthopaedic, pain management and podiatric care into one of the nation’s largest health systems while keeping its doctors and offices in place.
The practice said it does not anticipate any interruption in patient care during the transition. Its orthopaedic physicians, physiatrist, podiatrists, advanced practice providers and staff will continue serving patients throughout the Mahoning Valley, and patients with upcoming appointments or ongoing treatment plans can keep scheduling through the practice’s office.
Two of the practice’s sites will take on a new name. The offices in Poland and in Warren/Howland will become Cleveland Clinic Medical Outpatient Centers and will continue to serve patients at their current locations, including rehabilitation services. The Boardman location will remain open for imaging and will transition to an Ortho Express Care site, which the practice described as a location providing quick access to care with orthopaedic specialists.
The announcement carried a second change for longtime patients. Dr. James D. Solmen will retire from the practice of medicine effective October 31, 2026, after a long career serving patients throughout the Mahoning Valley. The practice said Solmen’s patients may continue their orthopaedic care with one of its other physicians or podiatrists, and that its providers work closely together to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of treatment.
Some paperwork will follow the move. The practice said patients may be asked to complete Cleveland Clinic’s patient registration and insurance verification processes, and should have insurance information available when scheduling and bring photo identification, an insurance card and any co-payment due to a visit. Medical records will transfer with the practice to Cleveland Clinic, the letter said, and ongoing records will be available through MyChart.
The transition is also playing out in court. Becker’s Spine Review reported that Boardman-based Southwoods Health filed suit on October 1 in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, alleging that noncompete agreements bar two of the practice’s surgeons from joining Cleveland Clinic, and that the practice signed a nonbinding letter of intent in June to sell its assets to Cleveland Clinic. The practice’s own patient letter did not address the lawsuit, and it presented the November 1 start date as set.
Youngstown Orthopaedic Associates provides care for bone, joint, spine and sports injuries, with services that include orthopaedic urgent care, physical and hand therapy, specialty imaging, pain management, total joint replacement and sports medicine, at locations serving the greater Youngstown and Warren areas. For Valley patients, the practical message in the letter was continuity: the same providers and familiar locations, now backed by Cleveland Clinic’s resources and coordinated care across its system.
Photo: Mutaz Albar, CC BY 3.0