John H. Velyvis, M.D.

John H. Velyvis , M.D. Orthopedic Surgeon

Robert W. Murphy, M.D., M.P.H.
Adrian S. Graff-Radford, M.D.
Stephen J. O'Connell, M.D.
David A. Friscia, M.D.
Robert C. Sullivan, M.D.
James A. Bell, M.D., Ph.D.
Rufus W. Gore, M.D.
Kevin Keunwoong Lee, M.D.
David Tahernia, M.D.
John H. Velyvis, M.D.

Joy M. White, M.D.

Michael W. Seiberg, D.P.M.

John F. Feller, M.D.

Deidre Braun, M.S., L.A.c.

Andrew Charles Allen, M.M.Sc., PA-C
Karen V. Cleary, PA-C
David Delgadillo, PA-C
Jeffrey D. Kohfeld, PA-C
Andy Lovato, PA-C
Jack Sweeney, PA

John H. Velyvis, M.D. joined Desert Orthopedic Center in 2005. His areas of specialty include total knee and total hip replacement surgery and arthroscopic knee surgery. Dr. Velyvis comes to DOC from Boston, MA, where he completed a fellowship at the renowned Massachusetts General Hospital – focusing on the latest techniques in total hip and total knee replacement, including minimally invasive surgery and computer-assisted surgery.

Dr. Velyvis grew up in a small town in northwestern Massachusetts and is the first doctor in his family. He attended Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts and earned a Bachelor of Science degree, with honors, in Biomedical Engineering. After his Harvard degree, Dr. Velyvis pursued his dream of rowing excellence and participated in 7 straight world championships as a member of the United States National Rowing Team. He won 2 Gold medals at the Pan American Games and won 7 United States National Championships.

While enjoying bioengineering at Harvard, he decided to pursue medicine. “Orthopedics is a fascinating area of medicine where you can use science and technology as well as a little bit of art to help people,” he states.

Dr. Velyvis earned his Medical Degree from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City. He completed his orthopedic surgery internship and residency at Albany Medical Center in New York, where he participated in a number of research projects, including the development of a cutting-edge technique for minimally invasive total hip replacement surgery which has been adopted and used successfully worldwide.

Dr. Velyvis has lectured and published extensively in the field of orthopedics. “Research is still a big part of my life. At DOC, we are looking at our past results to determine how future outcomes can be improved,” he comments. He notes that today, joint replacements are being done on younger and younger patients, and that with new improvements in implant materials, those joint replacements are lasting far longer than ever before. “People are getting back to their activities, including even high-level sports, with far fewer restrictions than was possible a decade ago.”

Dr. Velyvis is a member of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Riverside County Medical Association, the California Medical Association, and the American Medical Association.

Dr. Velyvis is married to an obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Brigid Norton, and they have three young children. The family resides in Rancho Mirage.

“Each procedure is individualized to the patient. We do the smallest amount of surgery for the maximum return in function and well being. ”