Joint-replacement surgery has become a common procedure for many people with knee and hip conditions. But the staff at Central Kansas Medical Center realizes there is no such thing as run-of-the-mill surgery for an individual patient.
Teresa Wall, R.N., Operating Room director at Central Kansas Medical Center, collaborates about new pre-op and post-op procedures with Ranjan Sachdev, M.D.
With that in mind, CKMC is starting a new process to enhance patients’ experiences before and after surgery, said Teresa Wall, director of the Operating Room.
While the process will be expanded in upcoming months, it will start with patients of Ranjan Sachdev, M.D., CKMC’s new orthopedic surgeon.
“We completely understand that pre-operative patients may not be feeling very well and may be in pain,” Wall said. “A lot of new information from doctors and nurses may be overwhelming and impossible for some patients to take in all at once.”
An educational handbook will be provided, even to those who haven’t made a decision about having the surgery. Patients can review this information at their convenience.
“CKMC will have much more information available in writing for patients to review,” Wall said. “It is a detailed map that focuses on wellness and educating patients about what to expect during pre-op and post-op phases.”
Those who decide to have joint-replacement surgery are encouraged to have a “coach,” such as a family member or good friend. The coach will be involved at the outset and through recovery.
CKMC has been offering a pre-op joint-replacement class for more than a year but it has been redesigned to offer even more information, Wall said.
“Patients also will be working with our orthopedic coordinator on all the details,” Wall commented. “The coordinator is the patient’s liaison between the doctor, other healthcare providers and staff members. It is a team approach.”
Team members include the primary care doctor, surgeon, nurses, occupational and physical therapists, and family members.
The pre-op phase includes information about medication, anesthesia, exercises and use of anti-bacterial soap, and suggestions on what to pack for the hospital stay.
The post-op phase focuses on rehab and planning for the trip home. This could involve exercising, removing throw rugs from the floor, moving everyday items to a reachable level, and planning for walkers and other home-health equipment in advance.
Exercises during recovery will include walking and maybe putting a golf ball.
“This is a cool thing about our recovery efforts,” Wall said. “When patients are in rehab we ask them to picture a nice stroll through a beautiful place such as Cheyenne Bottoms or playing golf at their favorite course. This helps people picture their goals and work with us to achieve them.
“In each case,” Wall added, “patients will be provided with a weekly and daily countdown of goals. We want to alleviate as much of the patient’s apprehension as we can. They will know what to expect – when they will be sitting in a chair and when they will be walking, for example.”
Dr. Sachdev, who completed some of his training at the Mayo Clinic, provides a full range of orthopedic services at CKMC. He is the first surgeon in Kansas to use OrthoPilot type Navigation for joint-replacement surgery.
“This computer-navigated surgery technique allows for more accurate soft-tissue balancing,” Dr. Sachdev said. “The result is less pain and easier post-op therapy sessions.”
OrthoPilot has a proven record in thousands of cases, with evidence outlined in more than 300 publications, he added.
“CKMC is once again showing foresight by enhancing its process for educating surgery patients,” Dr. Sachdev said. “It will help us become an orthopedic center of excellence in this area.
“Teresa Wall and everyone else involved in the Operating Room should be commended for their diligence in customizing this new program,” Dr. Sachdev added. “They demonstrate every day that patients and their families come first.”
The new process will be used in the future for surgical patients of Thomas Wilder, M.D., FACS, Tatiana Kovtoun, M.D., Maxine Lingurar, M.D., and Michella Switzer, D.O. Each is a CKMC employee. |
