Center For Joint Replacement

Prior to surgery, each patient receives their own Joint Replacement Surgery Guidebook from their surgeon’s office. The guidebook provides important information for patients which includes the process from the doctor’s office visit until the time of hospital discharge. The guidebook will provide exercises with photos, along with other useful information to help patients and their loved ones prepare for life before, during, and after surgery. If you did not receive a guidebook from your doctor’s office, please contact the orthopedic nurse navigator to obtain one.

Our program also includes a pre-operative class where prospective patients learn about the pre-operative, surgical, and postoperative process. We encourage a family member or a friend to also participate in the class so they may support the patient during recovery in the hospital and at home. This class is taught by a registered nurse and a physical therapist who will be providing direct care to patients post-surgery. This educational session allows patients and their loved ones to meet our staff and know who to contact should there be any questions. The combination of the portfolio and pre-operative class offer patients the necessary knowledge and peace-of-mind to approach surgery with confidence.

Surgery is performed on Monday or Tuesday so patients can move through a carefully designed course of treatment. A two to three-day hospital stay is typical. Patients having surgery on Monday are usually discharged on Wednesday, and patients with a Tuesday surgery are often discharged on Thursday. Joint replacement patients stay in a designated surgical unit on the fourth floor where they benefit from the care of staff with specialized training in joint replacement and surgical rehabilitation.

Each patient receives a thorough evaluation by our physical and occupational therapists on the day of surgery. Our therapy team carefully considers the needs, lifestyle, and comfort level of each patient as they determine the best course of rehabilitative therapy. Post-operative rehabilitation occurs on a one-to-one basis at the patient’s bedside and includes ambulation, transfer and balance training, as well as a thorough review of available adaptive equipment.

We are committed to ongoing monitoring of pain levels and will provide the appropriate type and amount of medication to make our patients comfortable. Our anesthesiologists round on a daily basis to monitor the effectiveness of pain management for each of our joint replacement patients.

We encourage patients to select a family member or friend to act as a “coach” during the recovery process. Family members and coaches are encouraged to participate in our preoperative education class as well as physical therapy sessions in order to provide support, encouragement, and help the patient reach his or her goals.